Tolkien's Influence Galactic?

[Lalwendë]

So there's a Sickle above Middle-earth and a Plough above Earth and they look the same? Well if that's evidence that Middle-earth is an earlier version of our own world then I'll happily await the day that archaeologists dig up a Neolithic umbrella or mantel clock. Maybe they will also unearth an express train at Avebury?

Its as likely that he drew a comparison to a constellation everyone aged five years and up knows to signify that The Sickle was a group of stars rather than have readers dumbfounded and wondering why a Druidic blade was hanging mysteriously in the sky.

There are too many anomalies for me to accept that this is anything like our own past, and I know too much about our own past (and have done since I was about seven) for it to be sensible for me to go down that odd path wearing a furry foot wig. It's a nice idea that it was our past, but it wasn't. It's a made up story. I can suspend my knowledge enough to be thoroughly enchanted by it, such is Tolkien's skill unlike many other writers, but when Gandalf says "Fly! You Fools!" I often think "Aye, many a true word..."

Yours, Lal-telling small children the world over that Father Christmas is just their dad-wende.

PS
If that was far too cynical for any faint-hearted readers please accept my warm apologies... I'll kick myself if the missing 17:16 to Doncaster is found at some stage in West Kennett Long Barrow...

EDIT I am now informed I am being sarcastic. I thought I was being satirical and all Impish.

And apparently Pullman said a similar thing and had to eat his words when they dug up 'Hobbit bones' ... that's the price you pay for nailing things to masts...I take it all back.