Page 40 - 200704 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - April 2007

40 The Pyramid Age The Pyramid Age 40 THE PYRAMID AGE: THE PYRAMID AGE: RIDDLES OF TIME AND RIDDLES OF TIME AND TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY by by Emmet Sweeney Emmet Sweeney The Pyramids were built centuries later than currently thought, claims controversial new book! THE Egyptian Pyramids were not built around 2350 BC, as is currently thought, but only around 800 BC, according to a highly controversial new book that will outrage the academic establishment. In The Pyramid Age, Northern Irish historian Emmet Sweeney argues that the chronology of ancient Egypt is wrong to a dramatic degree, with some major historical events mis-dated almost two thousand years before they actually occurred. Published in New York this spring, Sweeney's book insists that the dating of ancient Ramesses II, tied to the biblical date of the Exodus these early scholars, was to become the traditional history is often much more tenuous than most - owing to the fact that the Book of Exodus means of dating Egypt's past, and had already, by the people realise, and that many of the puzzles and mentions a city named "Ramesses" constructed by 19th century, become so entrenched, that subsequent inconsistencies that confuse historians and the Israelite slaves. discoveries were unable to uproot it." archaeologists are solved if the chronology is The chronology of Egypt, as outlined by The earliest Egyptologists were often motivated by adjusted. these early scholars, was to become the traditional a desire to "prove" the Bible correct and therefore He concedes his conclusions are means of dating Egypt's past, and had already, by lacked the incentive to question these traditional, revolutionary but says they are in line with a the 19th century, become so entrenched, that Bible-based dates. As a result, dates based on the growing number of academics prepared to admit subsequent discoveries were unable to uproot it." book of Genesis found their way into the textbooks that there may be something radically wrong with The earliest Egyptologists were often motivated by which began to appear in the 19th century. ancient chronology. Not too long ago Wolfgang a desire to "prove" the Bible correct and therefore As an illustration of this, Sweeney reminds Helck, Germany's foremost Egyptologist, admitted lacked the incentive to question these traditional, us how in 1798, before the Battle of the Pyramids, that work on chronology "has clearly arrived at a Bible-based dates. As a result, dates based on the Napoleon pointed to the Great Pyramid and told his crisis". book of Genesis found their way into the textbooks men that "Forty centuries look down on you." Sweeney, who holds a masters degree in which began to appear in the 19th century. The French commander therefore placed the history from the University of Ulster, is adamant the "Yet in 2350 BC, the Egyptians only had building of the monument around 2200 BC - within pyramids could not have been built 4,000 years ago. copper and flint tools and such principles of little more than a century of the date still found in "The pyramids were partly constructed of hard mathematics as we see in the pyramids had yet to be the textbooks. Yet Napoleon's speech was made over granite and display in their design a knowledge of formulated. Modern scientists and engineers have twenty years before Champollion had succeeded in Pythagorean geometry," he points out. demonstrated, repeatedly, that granite, basalt and deciphering the hieroglyphics and establishing the "Yet in 2350 BC, the Egyptians only had diorite - all materials used by the pyramid-builders - science of Egyptology! copper and flint tools and such principles of can only be cut using carbon-steel tools. It is quite evident that Napoleon's estimate mathematics as we see in the pyramids had yet to be "This mystery has led to all sorts of weird of the pyramids' age was based on the "traditional" formulated. Modern scientists and engineers have and wonderful theorising - not least the idea that the chronology; yet it is equally evident that the dates demonstrated, repeatedly, that granite, basalt and pyramids were built by aliens or Atlanteans. still found in the textbooks are based on the same diorite - all materials used by the pyramid-builders - "But revise the date of the pyramids' system. Thus European histories of Egypt from the can only be cut using carbon-steel tools. construction to around 800 BC, when steel tools 17th and 18th centuries placed Ramesses II around "This mystery has led to all sorts of weird were available and more sophisticated principles of 1400 BC (owing to the supposed Exodus and wonderful theorising - not least the idea that the geometry were widely understood, and the mystery connection); again, very close to the date still pyramids were built by aliens or Atlanteans. is solved." accepted by historians. The Exodus is not now "But revise the date of the pyramids' Sweeney points out that the presently regarded as a historical event, yet a date based on it construction to around 800 BC, when steel tools accepted chronology of Egypt is not based on hard is still found in the textbooks. were available and more sophisticated principles of historical fact or science, but on biblical Sweeney's work may prove to have far- geometry were widely understood, and the mystery numerology. reaching consequences for biblical scholarship, too. is solved." "This chronology had already been He insists the main reason why Egyptian Sweeney points out that the presently established, in its present form, by the second history appeared to be silent about the great events accepted chronology of Egypt is not based on hard century BC, when Jewish historians in Alexandria, described so vividly in the Bible is that - ironically historical fact or science, but on biblical utilizing the "History of Egypt" by the Hellenistic enough - early biblical scholars, in attempting to numerology. author Manetho, sought to 'tie in' Egypt's history "prove" the Bible true, placed the two histories "This chronology had already been with that of the Old Testament. together in the wrong order, with the result that established, in its present form, by the second "These efforts led to the equation of Menes, Egypt's chronology was pushed out of sync with century BC, when Jewish historians in Alexandria, the first pharaoh, with Adam, the first man; and the regard to that of the Bible. utilizing the "History of Egypt" by the Hellenistic consequential dating of the First Dynasty to around As a striking example of this, he shows how author Manetho, sought to 'tie in' Egypt's history 3700 BC. (the date favored by Jewish scholars for Hatshepsut, the female monarch who ruled as a with that of the Old Testament. the Creation). The rest of Egyptian history, as "pharaoh" during the time of the mighty 18th "These efforts led to the equation of Menes, outlined by Manetho, was made to fall in behind this Dynasty, was actually the legendary Queen of the first pharaoh, with Adam, the first man; and the starting-point, with other biblical dates providing Sheba, who visited Solomon in Jerusalem. "The consequential dating of the First Dynasty to around key anchor-points. One of these was that of connection between Hatshepsut and Solomon is in 3700 BC. (the date favored by Jewish scholars for Ramesses II, tied to the biblical date of the Exodus many ways obvious," says Sweeney, "but was never the Creation). The rest of Egyptian history, as - owing to the fact that the Book of Exodus made because in the textbooks Hatshepsut and outlined by Manetho, was made to fall in behind this mentions a city named "Ramesses" constructed by Solomon are placed many centuries apart." starting-point, with other biblical dates providing the Israelite slaves. key anchor-points. One of these was that of The chronology of Egypt, as outlined by (Continues on Page 43)