I had the same wow thing when approaching the pyramids on foot. It was a 6km walk from downtown Giza. All the while, the pyramids already appearing as giant sentinels just got larger and larger. Photos or TV can't communicate the impression of the size of these structures.
I am very frustrated about that potential experience. I had a trip out of London for my family set up that we would tour the Giza Pyramids, then a Nile Cruise down to Thebes. Couple weeks tour, intensive on Ancient Egyptian History. 9/11 struck, and, well, a US Citizen, very Celtic/Germanic features, etc. made my continuing this tour with my family... an impossibility. Life, career, and several other factors precluded that dream trip. Egypt Neolithic Arrowhead 8000 BCE
I would absolutely love to see them in person someday. Ever since I saw a Learning Channel special with Egyptologist Bob "Mr Mummy" Brier it's been a personal Bucket List destination.
I do not believe there were Aliens building the Pyramids. I am convinced that Humans did all this. However, I feel that we could had more advanced means and processes in different periods of our historical timeline. Here is PHOTOGRAPHIC PROOF that Humans built the pyramids / the sphinx.
Another "wow" moment in Egypt was seeing the giant statue of Ramses II that stood at the entrance to the Ramses train station in Cairo. Just dominated the landscape in an area crowded with 7 and 8 storied structures. The ancient was just so more impressive than the modern. "Outside of the station used to be the statue of Ramses II that was relocated to the area of Giza on 25 August 2006, in preparation for its eventual installation in the Grand Egyptian Museum. It was eventually placed there in 2018."
Following on your comments, the impression of the SIZE of the Rameses II statue must had been incredible. I posted this before... Egypt SETI I (DAD) Egypt SCARAB Seti I ca ruled 1291-1278 BCE 19th Dynasty RAMESSES II (SON) Egypt Scarab RAMESSES II the Great cartouche 19th Dyn ruled 1279-1213 BCE winged uraeus cobra 4.1g 19mm Gustave Mustaki collection acquired from Egypt in 1948 Rameses II fought the Hittites (another great Empire) at the Battle of Kadesh... Rameses told everyone HE won, as the Hittites stated THEY won. Lotta dumb mistakes from Rameses II side, but I understand it was really a draw. You might know them as these guys...
While I enjoyed (to a point; some of the gore was hard to read) Bernard Cornwell's viking era fiction, I quit reading his novel about Stonehenge. I seldom quit reading a book (it's only happened three times if I recall correctly, and one of them was a novel in Norwegian that had so many technical terms I got tired of looking them up). Have you folks read it? Did I miss something? Steve
38 years ago my wife, 10-year old son and I visited Cairo. We pulled into our hotel late at night; it was supposed to be very near the great pyramids. I was disappointed that I couldn't see a pyramidal shape in the night sky. The next morning when I awoke and looked out the window I realized why: the entire sky was filled with Cheops' pyramid. I had been looking at it the evening before but because it was so huge I didn't realize it. Especially memorable was the climb my son and I did up the slanting walkway into the burial chamber. Every time I see that chamber on TV I count myself privileged to have been there. Even the bad odor in that room (likely from sweaty bodies, like ours) still sticks in my mind. Steve
From the poem of Pen-taur, of Ramses total victory (supposedly) "Now his majesty was a youthful lord, active and without his peer; his arms powerful, his heart stout, his strength like Montu at his moment; goodly of form like Atum, one rejoices at seeing his beauty; great of victory over all foreign countries, one knows not when he will begin to fight; a strong wall about his army, their shield on the day of fighting; a bowman without his like; he is braver than hundreds of thousands combined; going ahead and entering in among multitudes, his heart trusting in his strength; powerful of heart in the hour of close combat; like a fir at its time of consuming; firm of heart like a bull ready upon the battlefield; he cares not for all lands combined; a thousand men are unable to stand firm before him; hundreds of thousands are discomfitted at beholding him; inspiring fear; loud of roarings in the hearts of all lands; great of majesty and powerful of renown like Sutekh; ... in the hearts of foreigners; like a savage lion in the valley of desert animals."
I cannot recall, but read that Kadesh was a draw with the Hittites, and that Ramesses was busy creating monuments showing massive victories. I understand that Ramesses made several blunders, and that he committed troops too early, not waiting for his total Army to arrive. I kinda take what is written with a grain of salt. Much of society were not literate in Ancient times. And, if you are in control, you can have anything written. Years later, we read / interpret, sometimes believing that it is fact. I believe Politics, incorrect interpretation, controlling knowledge, exaggerating has been around since Humans have been sentient.
Agreed. The stories are cool, make great reading, but I am always careful as to what I believe. Even today, folks will WRITE things, SAY things, create FILMS, etc. and they can be COMPLETELY FALSE, but believed by so many. History is written by the victors, but it is also controlled by those who purport they are giving the "facts".
I collected coins as a kid, (and fossils, (dried) fungi, and a whole bunch of other things). Then I returned to an interest in coins, at the age of 22. That was very specifically because I became tired of reading things in books about the past that did not seem to me even likely to be true. Old coins are not like that. They are in a sense the living truth about the past. 'The past is not dead. It is not even past.' Rob T
One of my favourite episodes of the podcast Monstertalk is about the Ancient Aliens topic with professor Ken Feder. https://monstertalk.skeptic.com/ancient-alien-astronauts-interview-with-ken-feder "Did ancient aliens come to Earth and impact, influence or manipulate the development of humankind?" It perfectly encapsulates what this thread is all about. Enjoy!
The Hittites had iron weapons before the Egyptians, their mistake was not to crush their enemy with that advantage. Bronze swords/ arrows/ spears are no match for iron armor/ shields/ weapons.....
This is why I had to have an Historical “touch” with the Hittites, I wish we had more in-depth info about them. I understand they were the first Indo-European language Empire. They also traded with, and perhaps incorporated Troy into their sphere of influence. Perhaps if we knew more, we might have a more balanced story of Kadesh, the Egyptians, and Ramesses. I have shown this before. But this represents undiscovered Hittite History to me: Here is one from the Hittites... Hittite Steatite Head of a Man Amulet 2nd Millennium BCE 15 x 20 mm Intact front-Side
At one time, everyone thought that Troy was just a myth. Until Heinrich Schliemann discovered it in 1870s. Modern day Turkey has a very rich history dating back too 9000BC. Also where coinage was invented The Assyrians also had iron weapons circa 1300BC.....
Is the design shown in the top pic on the bottom face as shown in the second pic? I am just wondering if it is a personal seal Rob T
Yes. The bottom pic is a 90degree rotation of the top pic. And, interesting thought. Never thought of it as a seal.