Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Headache · 08-14-2007, 11:21 AM

I'm in a discussion on a different forum about the Exodus and was given a link to what is claimed to be archaeologically evidence supporting an Exodus from Egypt. To me it sounds a bit fishy, but I'm no expert and I could not find any direct references when I searched here, so I decided to ask for opinions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archeological Evidence

The exodus

On the shores of the Red Sea, at Wadi Sidri on the west side of the Sinai is a huge inscription written in a curious combination of Egyptian hieroglyphics and Hebrew letters. This inscription which covers a wall of stone about 100 feet high, was already considered ancient by historian Diodorus Siculus in 10BC. It relates the story of the miraculous crossing by the Israelites over a divided sea, followed by the mighty army of pharaoh submerged in the sea as the waters returned. The story is identical to the biblical account from Exodus 14:21-28.

Other inscriptions at Wadi Sidri and Kibroth-hattaavah refer to the biblical accounts of the venomous snakes in the Sinai desert, the plaque brought upon the people when they ate raw quail meat, and Miriam's near-mutiny of Moses. The lost Pishon river mentioned in the account of the Garden of Eden but regarded by many to be a myth has just been identified using infrared satellite technology. In 1997 a fossilized snake was discovered with fully developed hind legs, confirming the biblical account in Genesis that snakes originally had legs.

Any takers?

Minimalist · 08-14-2007, 12:24 PM

I ran a search on "Wadi Sidri" using google and found only the expected Fundie nutjob sites reporting the story.

Google Scholar gave this reference, citing one Randall Styx:

http://www.wlsessays.net/authors/S/S...StyxExodus.pdf

However, even Styx mentions Wadi Sidri only in passing and has nothing to say about any so-called "inscriptions."

Quote:

The topography suggests that the Wadi Sidri would be the southernmost possible Red Sea camp, and there are a number of places from there north that would give good access to the interior, but I am not sufficiently familiar with the geography between Gharandal and there to identify a viable candidate for an alternate location of Ellin.

The above being the sole reference to the place.

So, without some legitimate archaeology it just sounds like another of those theistic wet dreams that they continually trot out to fool the gullible.

Toto · 08-14-2007, 02:40 PM

These inscriptions seem to go back to various 19th century archeological explorers, especially Dr. A. P. Stanley. Diodorus Siculus knew nothing about them, but is often mentioned in the same breath because he described a "miraculous drying up of the Red Sea" and a shrine with unintelligible writing.

The Red Sea Revisited

Quote:

The following article is an excerpt from the book The Signature of God (or via: amazon.co.uk) by author Jeffrey Grant. In combining historical evidence of the Red Sea crossing with the Torah, it offers secular readers a greater understanding of this monumental event.

. . .

Another source is another 19th c. traveler, Rev. David Austin Randall, author of The handwriting of God in Egypt, Sinai and the Holy Land: The records of a journey from the great valley of the West to the sacred places of the East (or via: amazon.co.uk), which was evidently part of the inspiration for Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad.

The most complete of the fundy sites appears to be here, but it also talks about chariot wheels in the Red Sea and asks you to email your paranormal pictures. . . .

It is not clear to me who translated these inscriptions, or how much imagination they put into it, or how much they read what they wanted to see into them. It's also not clear what happened to them in the last 150 years.

Minimalist · 08-14-2007, 04:09 PM

First of all, it's Grant R. Jeffrey, not Jeffrey Grant, and he's a well known Fundie nutjob who nonetheless makes a great deal of money selling salvation to the gullible.

http://www.grantjeffrey.com/

Second, 19th century archaeology was full of bible-blinded novices/fanatics such as the Rev. David Austin Randall.

Nonetheless, modern Egyptology seems to know nothing of this "find." I can only wonder why that might be.

Headache · 08-14-2007, 04:53 PM

Thank you everyone! Great answers!

I knew the collective amount of biblical knowledge in this forum alone exceeds most other public forums combined! :notworthy:

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

08-14-2007, 04:09 PM	#4
Minimalist Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,808	First of all, it's Grant R. Jeffrey, not Jeffrey Grant, and he's a well known Fundie nutjob who nonetheless makes a great deal of money selling salvation to the gullible. http://www.grantjeffrey.com/ Second, 19th century archaeology was full of bible-blinded novices/fanatics such as the Rev. David Austin Randall. Nonetheless, modern Egyptology seems to know nothing of this "find." I can only wonder why that might be.

08-14-2007, 04:53 PM	#5
Headache Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Everywhere Posts: 2,582	Thank you everyone! Great answers! I knew the collective amount of biblical knowledge in this forum alone exceeds most other public forums combined! :notworthy:

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.