1	Aegypt: The Ancient World through the Eyes of the Egyptians L.D. Alford Session 8: Conclusion www.lionelalford.com www.ldalford.com www.aegyptnovel.com
2	Aegypt What is Aegypt? Ancient spelling Actually Ægypt - ash Word didn’t change the language did Sounds ancient and exciting/mysterious In the Tomb of Darkness and Light
3	Introduction Aegypt Historical fiction novel with a fantasy/suspense driver Idea 1992, start 1992, finished 1994 Published by Copestone in Jan 08 Follows Lieutenant Paul Bolang Time July-Nov 1926 Location Tunisia (French Colony)
4	Class Syllabus 1. Novel, characters, history, politics 2. Tunisia (French colony) and Egypt (British colony) in time and place 3. Paganism and the Egyptian pantheon 4. Egyptian life 5. Egyptian hieroglyphics 6. Egyptian tombs and constructions 7. Legion Etrangere, French Foreign Legion 8. Conclusion
5	Overview Novel is historical—2+ years of research Mainly primary sources in history Language, religion, and cultural details Suspense driven by historical data Language key aspect of novel French, English, Ancient Egyptian Ancient Egyptian primary suspense driver
6	Aegypt Her writing answered many of his questions. In the beautiful, closely written hieroglyphic script, she told her story simply. I have been the goddess of light from the earliest I can remember. Leila is my twin. She has always been the goddess of darkness. I have not known of any goddesses before me, but I knew I was not the first. The ka of the goddess lives through my body. I am the ka of the goddess of light. There were no idols to me or to my sister. We were worshipped directly. I know we were used for the figures and faces of many pieces of artwork—for the idols of other female gods, but never were there depictions of the goddess of light or darkness. Never except in the tomb. Other than the two of us, there were no other gods incarnate except the son of Ra, the pharaoh.
7	Aegypt A prophet arose in Egypt in the plains of Goshen across from Tanis. He was an Uncle of the Pharaoh Rameses II. This Prophet said he came from the one God, the “I am,” the God called Aton. He ordered the slaves of the Egyptians to be released. Pharaoh Rameses II resisted. The land came under the punishment of Aton. The gods of the land were made to bow before the Aton, God of the prophet from Goshen. And even the Pharaoh and the First House were struck down when the firstborn prince was killed. The slaves left the land of Egypt and escaped to the East—toward the blessed Ra. Pharaoh Rameses sent out his armies, but they never returned. The people, in their anger, mobbed the palace and Pharaoh Rameses was killed. Akhenaton became pharaoh; he was the servant of Aton.
8	Aegypt In rejection of the old gods, the people wanted to desecrate and kill us, the goddesses of light and darkness, but we escaped with our priests, priestesses, slaves, and many of the royal household. We escaped during darkness, and many of my supporters were left behind or disappeared mysteriously. Under the power of darkness I could do little to protect them. To survive, I accompanied my sister, but without my followers, and in the dark, I had little hope of balancing my sister’s power. The kas of the goddesses of light and darkness left the land of Egypt forever. We sought a land as beautiful and watered as the Black Land of Egypt. We headed west, as was the desire of the goddess of darkness, toward the setting sun. There we found the Chotts filled and blue. The eastern Chott was salt and opened to the sea. The western Chott was sweet and filled with fish. We easily defeated the people around them. The goddess of darkness made them our slaves.
9	Theme The Exodus and history How would the Egyptians have viewed the Exodus? Can we get a witness? Highly placed in royalty and religion How do we get her into the modern world? Therefore the goddess theme
10	Ancient Egypt Aegypt period 18th Dynasty (1539-1295) Ahmose finally beat Hyksos sent them out of Egypt. Dynasty had number of strong rulers. Thutmose I conquered parts of Near East and Africa. Hatshepsut and Thutmose made Egypt super power Amenhotep II began an artistic revolution. Akhenaton and Nefertiti began a new religion with one god
11	Ancient Egypt Aegypt period 18th Dynasty (1539-1295 BC) Tutankhamen reigned 1532 - 1528 Asiatic kings conquer Hyksos 1504 - 1492 Thutmose I begins campaigns 1380 Building of the Temple of Luxor by Amenhotep III 1367 – 1350 Rule of Amenhotep IV (Akhenaton) - changed from polytheism to monotheistic society 1336 - 1327 Reign of Tutankhamon
12	Theme The Exodus and history What do we know? Torah date: 1440 BC “Late” date: 1200 BC “Early” date: 1500 BC or earlier 18^th Dynasty: 1539-1295
13	Theme Whatever you conclude, the Exodus was during the 18^th Dynasty Tutankhamen reigned 1532 - 1528 Asiatic kings conquer Hyksos 1504 - 1492 Thutmose I begins campaigns 1380 Building of the Temple of Luxor by Amenhotep III 1367 – 1350 Rule of Amenhotep IV (Akhenaton) - changed from polytheism to monotheistic society 1336 - 1327 Reign of Tutankhamon
14	Theme The Exodus and history What do we know? Hebrews involved in building tombs etc. Extreme change in Egyptian religion
15	Theme The Exodus and history 18^th Egyptian Dynasty Akhenaton and Nefertiti began a new religion with one god Building campaigns 1380 Building of the Temple of Luxor by Amenhotep III 1367 – 1350 Rule of Amenhotep IV (Akhenaton) - changed from polytheism to monotheistic society
16	Aegypt Theme This is the point of the novel Why did the Egyptians change What great event affected their society What was it affect and how did it manifest itself What does this mean for us?
17	Aegypt Theme Characters grew out of this Theme You have the pragmatist, Paul Bolang He is a military man, a no nonsense leader He believes what he sees and knows it for what it is
18	Aegypt Theme Characters grew out of this Theme Audrey is a modern scientist Doesn’t believe anything he can’t understand Perrain is a secular politician Follows current agreement of general human thought Williams is driven by the work If it isn’t a normal part of his work it can’t be real.
19	Tunisia
20	Tunisia
21	Tunisia
22	Tunisia Fort Saint Chott Djerid Chott Melrhir Tozeur Nefta Tomerzu Sabria Douz
23	Synopsis Return to Fort Saint Paul Bolang L’Orage The Foundation The Archeological Party Lionel Audrey Claude Parrain Mr. James Williams The Foundation
24	Fort Saint
25	Synopsis Beginning of the dig Breakthrough
26	Foundation
27	Clearing
28	Northern Corridor
29	Synopsis The rubbing The discovery of the northern entrance The discovery of the Antechamber The Temple The Tomb
30	The Antechamber
31	The Tomb
32	The Tomb
33	Aegypt “I did not intend to delve into philosophy or theology,” Paul bowed. “I offer as my final proof, Leora. If you note, her name is Egyptian for light. I found her under unusual circumstances on the Chott. She claims to be the goddess of light from the tomb.” A shocked silence filled the room, then Parrain began to laugh. “You propose your foolish theories, Bolang, and then top them all by bringing a sideshow.” “I assure you Leora is no charlatan. You may test her yourself. When I found her she spoke no word of any modern language. Her speech was like Egyptian but a very ancient form. I have communicated with her almost entirely through hieroglyphics. She understands more forms and more styles of writing Egyptian glyphs than any other person alive on earth. Her knowledge is flawless. She speaks some French—only because she herself insisted on learning the language.”
34	Aegypt “How can you, an educated man believe this?” Parrain exclaimed. “I believe it, not because it contradicts or coincides with my understanding of the universe. I believe it because it is true. It is a fact. Test the girl.” Audrey took his paper and in a shaky hand wrote a sentence in glyphs. He handed it to Leora, but he was careful not to touch her hand. He almost dropped the paper in front of her. Leora took Paul’s pencil, corrected a glyph, and said, “This says, ‘By the direction of Ptolemy V pharaoh of the North.’ ” She handed the paper back to Audrey. Audrey looked at the paper and the corrections. “She replaced my glyph with one of an earlier dynasty. It is correct for four thousand years ago. Astounding.” “Don’t be so easily fooled, Mr. Audrey. Let her try a few more,” Parrain said with irritation.
35	Aegypt Mr. Audrey wrote three lines of glyphs and handed the paper again to Leora. She corrected the writing again and easily stated the meaning. “More,” Parrain demanded. Audrey wrote half a page, and Leora again corrected and translated. “More,” Parrain said again. “That is enough of that,” Mr. Audrey complained, “She knows the Rosetta Stone, the Obelisk of Hatshepsut, and the Stela of Merneptah. She is an uneducated girl. How could she know these things unless she were born to them?” “Make her write,” said Parrain shortly. Audrey handed the paper back to Leora. She wrote a quarter page of figures in her flowing script and handed it to Audrey.
36	Aegypt He glanced excitedly at the paper. “This is old Egyptian script. There is only one artifact in the world in this writing, and it could not be known by Lieutenant Bolang. It has not been photographed and is in the archives of the British museum. It was discovered less than a year ago on a single scroll of papyrus.” He read the message that Leora wrote: “It says, ‘My sister Leila the goddess of darkness will kill you. She awaits her release with great anticipation. It is signed, the goddess of light, Leora.’ ” Parrain stood. “I for one will not stand for any more of this hoax. Bolang obviously trained this girl as an Egyptian clairvoyant. She repeats what she has learned. When is the monkey show? A goddess indeed.”
37	Aegypt “There is only one other proof I can offer you.” Paul held out his hand in a gesture to stop Parrain. “Leora, make it rain outside as you did the day you escaped from the tomb.” Leora lifted her hands above her waist. She made a single gesture and a complex motion of her fingers. Even Parrain looked on with amazement and expectation. As he drew open the heavy drapes over the dining room’s large window, their eyes turned toward Paul. On cue, the heavens burst open. In the late afternoon twilight the sounds of the small rainstorm came loudly to all their ears. The drops of rain made dark, dust-sodden tracks down the window’s glass. “Stop the rain.” With a motion of Leora’s fingers, the squall stopped. Parrain sat down. “A coincidence?”
38	Aegypt The sun was just visible, a thin line of light over the horizon. “Make the benediction to Ra, please Leora,” Paul asked. Leora sang a sweet tune and moved her fingers in a sign. The light caught on her fingers as if they attracted and held the rays in place. Her body took on a soft glow and brightened in intensity. For a moment the light cascaded from her fingertips dazzlingly bright, then as the sun went below the horizon, the light was suddenly cut off.
39	Summary I will not give you the end and you haven’t met the last character The Goddess of Darkness
40	Future Novels The Goddess of Light France, Tunisia, Germany, England Interwar years 1927 to 1937 The Goddess of Darkness Germany, Egypt, England WWII 1939 to 1945 The Shadow of Darkness Soviet Union 1945 to 1953 The Shadow of Light China 1953 to ?
41	Paris France
42	Fort Leavenworth
43	Oxford England
44	Abydos
45	Abydos
46	Berlin: Neues Museum
47	Neues Museum
48	Conclusion Aegypt pulls the reader into history 1926 18^th Egyptian Dynasty The Exodus Leaves us with two living beings from the past The Goddess of Light