Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 02-20-2010, 12:26 PM

Zimbabwe hopes to boost tourism with Biblical replica

Quote:

Zimbabweans believe this find could turn around its tourism fortunes. This very controversial claim was made by Tudor Parfitt of the School of African and Oriental Studies in London.

...

The drum-like object was appparently brought by the Lemba tribe who originate from the Middle East, through Arabia (Yemen), through to Eastern and then Southern Africa.

They call this object a Ngoma Lu Ngundu, which means 'the voice of God.' Professor Parfitt claims that the Ngoma Lu Ngundu is actually a replica of the Ark of the Covenant from Biblical times.

Scholars say the real Ark disappeared 2,500 years ago. Carbon testing on the Ngoma Lu Ngundu shows that splinters of it date back to 1350 A.D.

Some Western scholars are extremely skeptical of Parfitt's claims, but that's not the case in Zimbabwe.....

Tudor Parfitt is the author of The Lost Ark of the Covenant: Solving the 2,500-Year-Old Mystery of the Fabled Biblical Ark (or via: amazon.co.uk)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Booklist

In 1993, Parfitt, a professor of Jewish studies in London, published Journey to the Vanished City, a fascinating look at the Lemba people of South Africa, who believed they were descended from Jews. In the intervening years, through use of DNA, the Lemba’s claim was proven correct. Here, Parfitt, a real-life Indiana Jones, details another quest, his attempt to solve the mystery of the Ark of the Covenant, a Jewish artifact said to have contained the Ten Commandments. Parfitt’s narrative fits the Indiana Jones label; it’s thoroughly cinematic in tone, with scenes of heartstopping action and featuring characters so quirky they feel more fictional than real. (With no notes, and the disclaimer that names and personal details have been changed, who can say for sure?)

rob117 · 02-20-2010, 10:28 PM

Bullshit detector going off.... Weeewoooo! Weeeewwooooo!

Toto · 06-01-2010, 03:02 PM

Update: Lost Ark or African Treasure?

Quote:

According to African legend, white lions of God and a two-headed snake guarded the "drum that thunders" in a cave in southwestern Zimbabwe's sacred Dumbwe mountains. Parfitt's theory has sparked fierce reactions from some Zimbabwean scholars, who suspect a plot to superimpose foreign origins on what is purely a product of African culture.

Having long disappeared from public view since its discovery in the 1940s, the artifact is now on display at the Harare Museum of Human Sciences. It is about 45 inches by 24 inches in diameter and 27 inches tall with a pattern of shallow engraving on the outside that could have held gold threads. Scorch marks on the base inside were possibly left by primitive gun powder.

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African traditionalists believe the Ngoma is a royal drum so powerful that it imploded and was rebuilt on the original wooden base 700 years ago. Indeed, a splinter from the top of the artifact has been carbon-dated to about 1300, making it probably the oldest surviving wooden object in southern Africa.

Only carbon-dating of the entire object, including its scorched base, would resolve the debate, but Zimbabwe authorities are reluctant to let that happen. In a nation striving to eradicate tribalism, a result favoring Parfitt's claims might stir tribal divisions by implying the waLembas' origins are not truly African.

Cege · 06-01-2010, 04:55 PM

Photo of the ark replica at this link: http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/zimbabwe/5341.html

mountainman · 06-01-2010, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

Zimbabwe hopes to boost tourism with Biblical replica

If its good ["CHRESTOS"] enough for the Vatican State it should be good enough for Zimbabwe.

spamandham · 06-01-2010, 09:18 PM

Well, it probably will boost Biblical tourism.

bacht · 06-02-2010, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountainman

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

Zimbabwe hopes to boost tourism with Biblical replica

If its good ["CHRESTOS"] enough for the Vatican State it should be good enough for Zimbabwe.

This is the object? It hardly resembles the biblical description of a rectangular box with a lid

I thought drums were quintessentially African artifacts? It's not like there's much monumental stuff to look at in sub-Saharan areas

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02-20-2010, 10:28 PM	#2
rob117 Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New York State Posts: 440	Bullshit detector going off.... Weeewoooo! Weeeewwooooo!

06-01-2010, 04:55 PM	#4
Cege Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: 36078 Posts: 849	Photo of the ark replica at this link: http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/zimbabwe/5341.html

06-01-2010, 09:18 PM	#6
spamandham Contributor Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 11,525	Well, it probably will boost Biblical tourism.

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