The Lie of a Million Mummies

I was recently asked why I was not covering the breaking news out of Egypt about the "million mummies" that were supposedly found. Here is why.

For anyone who hasn't heard, there is a story circulating on the web about "a million mummies" having been found in Egypt. While the reports are coming from mainstream sources, originally Daily Mail, the story looks to be not only false, but possibly a publicity stunt on behalf of a university looking for funding.

According to the reports, a team of archaeologists from Utah’s Brigham Young University who were excavating an ancient cemetery called Fag el Gamous, found a million Egyptian mummies. Daily Mail reported the story and it went crazy from there. By the time the story made it to more alternative sources, it got spun into a discovery of, not only a million mummies, but giant skeletons as well. I will not even go into the reports on there being extraterrestrials found too. Let’s just say, that things got out of hand.

On Thursday, the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities denied the discovery of a million mummies and made an official statement describing the published news as “rumors.” As a result, they decided to stop any cooperation with the excavation, now essentially blacklisting Brigham Young University.

Here is what Dr. Youssef Khalifa, head of Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities, told the Luxor Times on the phone:

“What was published in the newspaper is not true. There are no million mummies, a mummy definition to begin with means a complete mummified body and there is only one mummy found at the site of Fag el Gamous in 1980 which is at the Egyptian museum since then.” 

Dr. Khalifa added “In the past few seasons of the mission’s work at the site, only poor skeletons were found and some thousands of bone’s remains. The mission violated the rules and regulations of the agreement with the Ministry of Antiquities concerning making press statements and that’s why the committee of the ancient Egypt department took the decision to stop their permission to work at the site after 28 years of working at the site and the last season finished last March.”

When the lead archaeologist, Dr. Kerry Muhlestein, was asked about the Ministry's decision to stop the mission, he sheepishly said:

“I believe there have been some misunderstandings. I would like to work this out with the Ministry, for whom I have the greatest respect.”

Cases like these serve as a reminder to be skeptical of any claim, regardless of whether it comes from the mainstream. Universities are not sacrosanct! They are comprised of human beings who are subject to the same breaches of principle and morality as all of us. Never trust something simply based on the fact that mainstream sources claim it to be so. Likewise, do not be so quick to judge grassroots or alternative news. There is no fully reliable source; even artifacts can be forged. A sad truth to this debacle is that important cultural artifacts were found. Thousands of human remains are not something to discount, but the publicity-seeking behaviors of a few overzealous academics have now overshadowed this amazing discovery.

It is vital that in days of fast moving information, such as these, we remain critical and thorough in our research. We must be vigilant truthseekers and not fall into the trappings of the mainstream, nor our own desire for a story of such magnificence to be true. Never forget the words of Carl Sagan, “"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."

The Opening of the Mummy of Minirdis

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On December 5th, scientists started conservation work on the Mummy of Minirdis, the 14-year-old son of a stolist priest. As a stolist, Minirdis’ father would have been responsible for tending to the needs of the gods, usually in the form of a statue, by dressing and undressing it, rubbing it with oil, and making symbolic offerings of food. The stolic priest would have also been responsible with sealing the temple shut every night to keep it safe. Due to the holiness of the position, the priest needed to keep themselves as pure as possible. One way of maintaining this purity was by shaving off all their body hair. It is likely that Minirdis was training to be a stolic priest, as well. 

The Mummy of Minirdis has been a part of the collection of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago since the 1920s. It is one of 30 complete human mummies from Egypt housed at the museum.

Before opening the coffin, CT scans were performed which showed that the boy’s feet were detached and partially unwrapped with his toes sticking out. His shroud and mask were also torn and twisted sideways.

Scientists are still not sure how the boy died, but plan to work to repair the mummy so that it will be safe to travel. For more information, visit www.fieldmuseum.org.

Egyptian Spider Carvings or Sirius Star Chart?

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Back in December, archaeologists from the North Kharga Oasis Survey Project in Egypt discovered a panel containing the only known example of spider rock art in Egypt. It is has been dated to at least about 4000 B.C.E. This would put the art firmly into prehistoric times. The large broken panel was found on the west wall of a shallow sandstone the Kharga Oasis, located in Egypt's western desert about 175 kilometers west of Luxor, facing east, as to be illuminated by the morning sun. The primary panel depicts what has been dubbed "spiders" with a "star,'' and has been called a "very unusual" find by renowned Egyptologist Salima Ikram, a professor at the American University in Cairo.

 Professor Ikram admits that the identification of the creatures as spiders is tentative, as there is little evidence the ancient Egyptians placed much significance on spiders. According to Ikram, thus known are rare examples from "religious texts dealing with the so-called 'Opening of the Mouth' ritual, a rite that was performed on the mummy or a statue to restore its senses for use in the Hereafter." (2013) She goes on to say that the "images are noteworthy if they are indeed spiders, as these would be unique depictions of such creatures in Old World rock art." The original article published by LiveScience asks "why did people in the Kharga Oasis create rock art showing spiders, especially when no other examples are known to exist elsewhere in Egypt or, it appears, the entire Old World?" (Jarus, 2013).

Is this the question we should be asking? First, I would say we need to determine whether or not these are likely depictions of spiders. Now, I want to preface this first by saying that the co-director of this project is a very respectable and admirable professional. Her many qualifications and accomplishments make her opinions highly credible. I have nothing but the highest respect for Dr. Salima Ikram. However, in the interest of research, I would pose this; as someone who has a focus on archaeozoology, Dr. Ikram may be more likely to spot animals in what she sees. As Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel said, "Everyone has found in the ancients whatever he needed or wished for; especially himself."

Take, for example, Henri Breuil, born February 28, 1877, a French archaeologist, anthropologist, and a devout Jesuit who studied cave art throughout Europe and Asia. After graduating from the Seminary of St. Sulpice and the Sorbonne, he was ordained a priest. Colleagues had been known to refer to him as an "irascible and egotistical man"(Silberman, 2012, p. 212). Breuil is known for his many books and interpretations of cave art, notably, the sympathetic magic theory. A lesser mentioned point about Henri Breuil, incidentally, is that he worked with The Ahnenerbe or "Inheritance of the Forefathers" which was a Nazi  research institute founded by Heinrich Himmler to locate the supposed archaeological and cultural history of the hypothesized "Aryan race."

In a cavern known as The Sanctuary at Trois-Frères in Ariège, France, Breuil found a cave drawing of a horned humanoid figure. (Fig 1.6) He sketched the figure later published that sketch in the 1920's (Fig, 1.7). Please compare the two images. Figure 1.7 you may recognize, as it is quite commonly referenced. It is known as “The Sorcerer.” However, Figure 1.6 is an actual photo of the drawing form the cave. How close do they look to you?

Fig 1.6

Fig 1.7

Breuil interpreted Figure 1.6 as being that of a sorcerer or shaman, and goes on to suggest the creators of this art were early human shamans that would travel deep into the darkest parts of the cavern and go into a trance like state. They would then paint images of their visions with the idea that they could draw power out of the cave walls. This theory, sketch, and the credibility of Henri Breuil have been the subject of much debate. Though many past scholars viewed Breuil as almost infallible in his judgments, even calling him the “Pope of Prehistory,” modern critics point out that his work contains many errors and misjudgments and that the sketch takes too many liberties when compared with the actual painted image on the cave. It may be natural for a man of such devout faith to interpret the image as having some religious or spiritual connotation. This again is an example of finding “…in the ancients whatever he needed or wished for; especially himself.” The theory may not be altogether bad, however, considering the amount of speculation, it is peculiar how Breuil’s theory has become an accepted mainstream narrative for Upper Paleolithic cave art.

This is why it’s important to consider many perspectives. Look at the “spiders” on the rock art and see what you think they may be. How much of yourself and your own interests influence your interpretation?

One interesting theory that was brought to my attention was from a Facebook friend of mine, Brian Daynes from Great Doddington, England. He suggested that the circles may represent star positions in the sky and perhaps be a calendar similar to the alignment of the pyramids. He even went on to provide this graphic for comparison. Mr. Daynes points out that "Sirius (going from bottom left diagonally to top right) has the same plot points as on the stone. The stone is a drawing of the Sirius star system. With the fourth plot point out of alignment to the others, as seen on the star map and as seen on the pictured stone." What are your thoughts?

I think this idea is as good, if not better than the theory of these being spiders. In fact, I have been enlisting the input of a few people I believe to be experts in star alignments to help me fine tune this idea. I have also reached out to members of the team from the North Kharga Oasis Survey Project in Egypt, all of which will be included in my upcoming book, Land of the Watchers. Dare I say, if these alignments turn out to be accurate, then forget spiders. We may have found a map of the stars. While it may not prove to be as old as the oldest scientifically recognized star chart, nor the oldest calendar, it would be a significant discovery due to its location and potential detail. Naturally, I will keep everyone posted on the progress of this research.

References

Jarus, O. (2013, December 20). Ancient Spider Rock Art Sparks Archaeological Mystery. LiveScience. Retrieved December 21, 2013, from http://www.livescience.com/42126-spider-rock-art-discovered-in-egypt.html

Silberman, N. A. (2012). The Oxford companion to archaeology (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.

*Valley of the Burger Kings

Recent excavations unearth a plethora of animal bones at a labor settlement near the Egyptian Sphinx. What has been referred to as a “massive catering-type operation” is believed to be how the “pyramid builders” obtained their nutritional protein.

Located about 1,300 feet south of the Sphinx, the Lost City of the Pyramid Builders, also known by its Arabic name, Heit el-Ghurab, has provided evidence that large numbers of livestock were regularly consumed on site.

Through a combination of animal bone findings and nutritional data analysis, archaeologists estimate that over 4,000 pounds of meat were slaughtered daily to feed the laborers. Still unsure of the exact number of bones, the current estimate is comprised of 25,000 sheep and goats, 8,000 cattle and 1,000 pigs.

What a “meat-normous” discovery!


*Thank you to my friend Neil B.M. Stevenson from the U.K. for that clever bit of humor!

Magnificent Lost Egyptian City Found Underwater

We really do live in a time of great discovery!

What has been called “The Gateway to Egypt”, the lost city of Thonis-Heracleion was an extravagant, pre-Alexandrian international trade hub in the first millennium BCE. The city had huge religious significance, as it housed the grand Temple of Amun. Hints of its location could only be found in ancient texts and rare inscriptions. Thonis-Heracleion had been considered a mere legend until only recently.

The city was called Thonis by the Egyptians and Heracleion by the Greeks, hence its current name. Anyone coming into the port had to stop and unloaded their cargo so it could be inspected and taxed by temple officials. Those who refused would have their ships deliberately sunk. To win favor, some would bring votives of Egyptian deities.

Similar to Pompeii, this is a civilization frozen in time. Evidence shows that this was a majestic and wealthy place of grandeur. The city’s population seemed to have peaked from the 6th to the 4th century BCE.

Amidst over 700 anchor points and over 60 beautifully preserved shipwrecks, they have recovered a trove of artifacts said to be in excellent condition. Retrieved material includes everything from colossal statues, inscripted tablets, architectural elements, jewelry, coins, bronze statuettes, pottery, and strange ritual objects. Most of the material depicts Egyptian deities Osiris, Isis, and Horus.

The city was discovered about 4 miles off the present coast, extending into the western side of Aboukir Bay. Excavations will continue in a joint effort between The Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology at the University of Oxford, the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology and Egypt’s Ministry of State for Antiquities. The results of this in-depth (no pun intended) research was recently presented at an international conference at the University of Oxford.

So what happened to this once glorious city? Evidence suggests that it sunk into the Mediterranean in the 8th century CE after multiple natural disasters, perhaps a deluge. There is no conclusive evidence yet, so for now, it remains a mystery.

Ancient Sundial Discovered in Egypt

During the 2013 season of the Valley of the Kings Project, one of the oldest portable sundials (over 3500 years old) was discovered in a sarcophagus containing the mummy of a woman named Nehemes Babu.

The small sundial is made of limestone, engraved with a semicircle marked out by twelve divisions painted with black lines. There is a hole in the center that is presumed to have served as the fixing point for a wooden or metal pin, whose shadow would have marked out the hours. Archaeologists on the project surmise that the sundial served to measure the working hours during the day since it was found near the huts of those suspected to have constructed the tomb in the 13th century BCE.

However, the positioning of the Sun was also considered a key aspect in the guiding those whom had passed to the afterlife, as recorded on the walls of the royal tombs. Could the newly discovered sundial been a visual map to the afterlife left to guide Nehemes Babu or was it simply a time piece meant to keep the tomb builders on schedule?