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Finding Center

Posted By: Charles Pope
Date: Monday, 9 September 2002, at 10:47 a.m.

In Response To: Re: Pharaoh Kamose is King Saul ? (Walter R. Mattfeld)

Walter,

You are not trying very hard to understand the simple, common sense logic put forth on this site. Toponym transfer occurred FROM Egypt TO Palestine, not the other way around. Egypt was the "center." It produced the stuff that legends are made of. These legends, history, Holy Writs, myths or whatever one wishes to call them spread outward, not only to Palestine but also to Arabia, to the interior of Africa and even to Greece and other far away climes. Many events and places of Egypt became naturalized to new homes, whereever royal refugees from Egypt were able to take them. In the case of Canaan and parts of Arabia, those regions were once part of the Egyptian empire. Denizens of those districts would naturally have considered the history of Egypt to be there own. The process of toponym and history transfer likely began during the dynastic period itself.

This is why I say that the reconstruction of the ancient world must become a multi-discipline endeavor. A trained archaeologist recently told me that I was acusing archaeologists of being "wedded to preconceptions." Well, yes I was, and I could not have said it any better myself! I did not mean for my words to be taken personally, but he nevertheless did. As they say, "if the shoe fits, wear it."

All professions have blind spots, but they can be overcome with a little help from an independent observer. It is painful and embarrassing when major flaws in our concept of reality are exposed. Those who kindly point them out are inevitably attacked. So far, academics have fought off strong challenges from Velikovsky, James, Osman and Rohl. But old institutions must eventually change or perish. Despite all of their sacrifice (and we should be grateful), archaeologists are now the keepers of a model of human history that does not take human nature into account. It will not stand. If you are happy with a warped view of history, you are welcome to it. If not, join us here in pursuit of something far better.

-Charles

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