quarta-feira, 30 de maio de 2007

War of the pyramid theorists


Every significant historical site goes through periods of the day when the surrounding environment make a visit truly worthwhile. At the pyramids of Giza, the view at sunset can push away the claustrophobic memory of the flocks of tourists and local souvenir-sellers who dominate the site earlier in the day. In the hush of sunset, visitors can appreciate the beautiful symmetry of these ancient tombs as the half-light of dusk eradicates the imperfections of age that are evident during the day. The mathematical perfection of these monuments has puzzled archeologists for centuries. How could the civilization that existed when the pyramids were built 4,700 years ago have created this colossal necropolis?The answer has long been mired in confusion. So much mystery surrounds the pyramids that some have suggested that supernatural, divine or even extraterrestrial forces must have been responsible for their construction. The Bible, of course, asserts that ancient Israelite slaves performed much of the backbreaking labor in ancient Egypt, but in the modern Arab republic, this claim is widely disputed. In the year 2007, many prominent Egyptologists in Cairo refute the idea that the pyramids were built by slaves at all.

The list of scholars who align themselves with this train of thought is headed by Egypt's Chairman of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr. Zahi Hawass. In 2002, a team led by Hawass explored unopened chambers inside the pyramids using new technology, and at the end of the process a triumphant Hawass told the world press that his findings, particularly the skeleton of a fourth-century Egyptian, showed that the pyramids were "not built by slaves," but rather by the "great Egyptians."
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1173879224279&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

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