Pappy Jack

Thanks for that summary, Minimalist. I'll see if I can get hold of a copy.

Johnny Skeptic

We are still waiting for Dave's evidence regarding "The Case of the Unexplained Invasion of Egypt" that Dave claims was due to the Ten Plagues. Should we include this in comedy research section, the fiction section, or both?

One thing that Dave always conveniently refuses to tell me is whether or not he believes that people who believe that the earth is old are saved. I could also ask him the same kind of question about the Ten Plagues and many other Old Testament claims.

Hex

Oh, come now ... We'll never see it. He'll just claim he's already 'proved' it and that he can't be bothered to do it again. :Cheeky:

And I begin to wonder if AFDave thinks he's the only saved one about on the planet, since no-one else seems to grasp the 'truths' he sees so evident ... :huh:

Minimalist

I've pretty much given up hope on that one, Johnny.

-Jay-

It's well worth the read, and goes much faster than it's 300 pages or so would make you think.

regards,

NinJay

Minimalist

That's very true. It is not a "scholarly work" in and of itself. Finkelstein and Silbermann instead summarize the recent findings of archaeologists in a format designed for laymen.

If, after that, you have the ability or inclination to dig through some of the 20-odd pages of archaeological studies given in the bibliography that is up to you.

Pappy Jack

Dave has previously claimed that mass burials at Avaris (Tell el-Da'ba) are possibly evidence of one of the ten god-sent plagues that struck Egypt in the events leading up to Exodus.

I have been looking for something to back this up, but have found little to support the idea except for the burials in pit graves of many young males at Tell el-Da'ba, which I presume are the burials Dave is referring to.

However, while Dave seems to imply that these burials took place during the reign of the 13th Dynasty Dudimose, such information as I have been able to find online indicates that the burials are from the 18th Dynasty and occurred after the Hyksos were defeated and expelled from Egypt. Furthermore, the estimated ages of the males involved were mostly between 18 and 25, hardly convincing support for a plague resulting in the'death of the first born male'. In addition, anthropological examination indicates some of these young men were Nubians. Finally, the burials were proximate to a military camp and arrowheads have been found in the graves.

These facts taken together strongly indicate that the burials were of soldiers, probably who died as a result of disease over a relatively short period of time, but certainly not as the result of a single nightly visitation from a supernatural being.

Does anyone have any further information?

Minimalist

Jack,

You may find this inscription from the tomb of Ahmose, son of Ebana (IOW, not the pharaoh but another "Ahmose," of interest. This man, who served under Ahmose I tells of the siege of Avaris.

http://ib205.tripod.com/ahmose_ebana.html

One would expect a graveyard to be filled with young males who died defending the town from a protracted siege. There need not be any deity involved.


BTW, there is a curious aside to the Siege of Avaris. Apparently, Ahmose I was called away to deal with another revolt and left the siege in the hands of his generals. The generals negotiated a peaceful withdrawal from Avaris by the Hyksos but when Ahmose heard of it, he disavowed the settlement and chased the Hyksos all the way back into Canaan, finally defeating them at
Sharuhen. Perhaps an echo of the old "Pharaoh's heart was hardened" horseshit?

http://ib205.tripod.com/ahmose_1_1.html

Johnny Skeptic

It seems that we will not get to discuss "The case of the missing invasion of Egypt" with Dave.

Minimalist

A pity, huh.