AAL’S LABYRINTH HISTORY An Alternative Viewpoint…..contd. 25

c2800 BCE      PHARAOH DJOSER (Zoser) begins the 3^rd Egyptian Dynasty although he is thought to follow an earlier king by the name of Nebka. Various authors nominate dates between now and 2686 BCE as the foundation of the 3^rd Dynasty. Zoser is also called Asclepius by the Egyptians because of his medical knowledge (80) but according to another author (175) this appellation was given to Imhotep, his architect. Zoser built the earliest pyramid at Saqqara and is known for his learning and love of literature. (80. 175.) With this Pharaoh, there is clear evidence of three main religious centers, at Heliopolis, Memphis and Hermopolis. At Heliopolis (Egyptian ON) the sun god Re, who had begun to replace the older god Atum at the commencement of the dynastic period, takes the name Re-Atum and his symbol is the Bennu bird. (49)

Bennu bird; soul of Re.

                       A new form of religion seems to have been introduced in the 3^rd Dynasty, that of sun worship, possibly replacing an older star worship, and with this new religion, the first practice of mummification and of temple building occurs. In the future, after the 4^th Dynasty, the majority of Pharaohs will take an official name on coming to the throne. This name will be an epithet compounded with the name of the Sun-god Re, and like the personal name will be enclosed in a cartouche. (80)

                       HUNI is the last ruler of the 3^rd Egyptian Dynasty and attributed with the earliest known pyramid in the Fayum, at Maidum. Originally the pyramid is constructed on 8 ‘steps’. Huni’s successor will be Snofru/Sneferu (113. 175) born of Meresankh. Following a period of decline, the Fayum area will be upgraded in 2300 BCE by the future Pharaoh Amenemhet I.

                       These Old Kingdom dynasties of Egypt have contact with Canaanite lands and there is an exchange of language and crafts. Canaanite Byblos is a colony of Egypt and the outlet for the hardwoods of Lebanon. (173)

2791 BCE        SNOFRU [Sneferu] CHEOPS [Khufu] CHEPHREN [Khafra] & MYCERINUS [Men-Kau-Re] are the accepted builders of the Great Pyramids of the IV Egyptian Dynasty. This is one of many orthodox dates put forward for the Pyramid Texts. At this time, the stars Benetnasch [Alcaid] and Spica are viewed together in the sky and they culminate as the Sun enters Sr.t (Seret) ‘the Sheep’ known to us as Aries. Benetnasch and Spica are seen as the terminus of a 60° arc across the heavens. This arc extended, cuts through the star Thuban (Alpha Draconis) the pole star of this time, thus dividing the heavens in two by a great circle that is at right angles to the star Sirius. (30)

Pyramids of the Giza Plateau, Egypt.

                       An Egyptian Earth ceremony reflected these celestial patterns. This ceremony, called Pedjeshes (Pedj -to stretch: Shes - a cord) is evidenced in the monumental ornaments of the temples of Abydos, Heliopolis, Denderah and Edfu. In this ceremony, the reigning pharaoh, and a priestess personifying Seshat (goddess of writing) proceed to the proposed temple site with a golden mallet and two pegs connected by a cord. Seshat drives home her peg at an appointed spot. The Pharaoh sights the Constellation Meskhetyew (Ursa Major) and aligns the cord between the hoof star (Benetnasch/Alcaid) and Spica, and then drives in the second peg, thereby marking the position of the axis for the new temple.

                       Similarly, Assyrian Temples between 2930-603 BC are orientated, at dawn on the 1^st Nisan, to the point of intersection with the horizon and a great circle of the sphere that passes through Benetnasch and Spica. Therefore, the temples of Egypt, and Assyria had an axis that reflected the great circle of the heavens and used Spica as a marking-star. (30)

c2740             SNOFRU [Sneferu] built a pyramid at Medu (Ded-Snefru) in the Fayium and the Bent Pyramid at Dahshur, which is considered by some to be the oldest true pyramid. Snefru builds ships of meru-wood and cedar wood to facilitate trade with the east. (80) Other authors put Snefru reign at 2625 BCE.

                       MERESANKH as the mother of Snofru, is taken as the founder of the 4^th Egyptian Dynasty. (175)

                       HETEPHERES I the wife of Snofru and by him, is the mother of the next pharaoh, Khufu. (49)

c2704 BCE      HWANG-TI [The Yellow Emperor] is the legendary civilizer of China. The knowledge and philosophy of Hwang-Ti will be incorporated into the philosophy of the ‘Tao’ by Lao-Tse c604 BCE. (6) Hwang-Ti’s philosophy was based on number mysticism and provides the foundation for later philosophies of Confucius and Lao-Tse. The original work of Hwang-Ti, the ‘I Ching’ or ‘Book of Changes’, is a set of linear signs or symbols called ‘Trigrams’, which are used as an oracle. (120)

                      

c2700 BCE      KING OF KISH dominates the 13 city states of Sumer in Mesopotamia. (46) Sumerian city-states rise to dominance in the following order; Kish, Uruk, Ur, Lagash and Umma.

c2680 BCE      KHUFU (Cheops) c2680-2560 BCE (Dynasty IV. Petrie gives 3998 BCE) This Pharaoh, son of Sneferu, (49) is credited with building the ‘Great Pyramid’ of Cheops (Knum Khufu) at Gizeh, northern Egypt. The central passage of this pyramid is aligned to the Pole Star Thuban of the constellation Draco.  However, it is thought that between 2750 and 2700 BCE the Pole Axis shifted from the star Eltanin to Thuban, Alpha Draconis and used by the pyramid builders to fix their North-South orientations. (11. 67. 29) This provides some conflict as to the actual dating of the pyramids of Giza.

                       Note the alignment of the 3 major pyramids and their correspondence to the belt of Orion (at this supposed time of building, the celestial equator was 12° below the belt stars (11) but in 1990s CE the celestial equator will pass through the belt stars. Is this timing significant to a new Aeon or the ‘New Age’ of Aquarius?

                       *The word Pharaoh is the Hebrew and Biblical term for the kings of Egypt. It is derived from the Egyptian word meaning ‘the great house’. (21)

                       According to Otto Muck, Khufu or Cheops, married a white European with red hair and blue eyes, possibly a Druid. Their daughter, Meresank III married a European named Didoufri. Didoufri reformed the Egyptian calendar, which was now out of alignment with nature, and thus caused problems with the timing of the Nile flooding. (68)

                       KHAFRA (Chephren) son of Khufu, is credited with building a second pyramid on the Giza Plateau and which incorporates the Great Sphinx. (49)

                    MEN-KAU-RE (Mycerinus) son of Khafra, builds the 3^rd pyramid of Giza. (49) Men-kau-re reopened the temples closed previously by Khufu. (80) Some authors attribute this third pyramid to the Eygptian Pharaoh Queen Hatshepsut. (108) But orthodoxy puts her reign in the Fifteenth Century.

            

AAL’S LABYRINTH HISTORY An Alternative Viewpoint…..contd. 24

3^rd MILLENIUM BC (2999-2000)

                       Nomadic tribes continue migrations from Central Asia across the landmass towards Southern Asia, Europe and Nth India, over time they diverge to create different races. Possibly this is the time that Egyptian Hieroglyphs are first inscribed on the walls of temples and pyramids. By the end of 3^rd millennium, Canaanites in Byblos will have developed a syllabic script modelled on these Egyptian hieroglyphs. Palestinian urban culture at this time sees great development. The cities of Jericho, Megiddo, Beth-shan, Ai, Shechem, Gezer and Lachish come into existence. (173)

                       THE HEBREWS (this term is no longer used except to refer to the Hebrew language) a nomadic people and whose origin is uncertain, are inhabiting the northern fringes of the Arabian desert.  ‘Hebrew’ is associated with Eber, the grandson of Shem (Genesis 24) eldest son of Noah, and the forefather of all Semitic peoples. Thus, from Noah came Shem who fathered Eber, forefather of all Semitic peoples.

c2900 BCE      The foundations of the Sumerian dynasties are laid down. A King list from this date is extant. (181)

The Sumerians of the 3^rd millennium BCE identify 4 royal stars. At this time, these 4 stars marked the Equinoxes and the Solstices. (029)

Aldebaran [cTaurus]                Vernal Equinox

Regulus [cLeo]                         Summer Solstice

Antares [cScorpio]                   Autumnal Equinox

Formalhaut [cAquarius]         Winter Solstice

These four signs or the zodiacal constellations, are represented by the four creatures of the ‘fixed signs’ of the zodiac. Known in the more popular zodiac divisions of the ecliptic, which has its origin in the circle of the corresponding constellations. Thus, Taurus is represented by the head of a bull, Leo by the head of a Lion, Scorpio by a scorpion or Eagle and Aquarius by a human figure or angle. These four symbols will under pin philosophical systems and religions all the way through our known history.

 Symbols of the 4 signs on the façade of Duomo Orvieto, Italy.

c2890 BCE      HETEPSEKHEMWY founds Dynasty II (2890-2686) of the Archaic Period in ancient Egypt. The pharaohs’ name means ‘the Two Powers are at peace’ and the centre of this power is shifted from the town of This near Abydos, to Memphis in the north. (49.175)

                        FU XI (FU HSI 2852-2737 BCE) Creates the ‘Early Heaven Ba gua’ a Chinese symbol of Creation made up of 8 Trigrams, which probably have an analogy in the 8 immortals. These symbols will become the foundation of the ‘I Ching’ philosophy. The Ba gua is a symmetrical symbol representing in diagrammatic form the opposing forces of Yin and Yang, the polarity of Primal Cosmic Energy. It is interesting that the word ‘BA’ in Egyptology refers to the soul also. Later, King Wen [1150 BCE] will create the ‘Later Heaven Ba gua’ to represent the manifestation of spirit in Nature. (120)

                       FU HSI is one of four holy men cited as the authors of the ‘Book of Changes’ and designated as the inventor of the linear symbols or ‘Trigrams’ used for oracle purposes. Fu Hsi is held to antedate historical memory. The names of the 8 basic trigrams (linear signs) do not occur in any other connection in the Chinese language and are therefore thought to be of foreign origin. (120).

Bagua of ‘Early Heaven’ (2852-2737BCE)

2861               Estimated total Eclipse over Asyut in Ancient Egypt. (240. 241) Such eclipses are thought, by astrologers, to correspond with strong cultural-political and geological changes in the areas that view such an eclipse.

c2800 BCE      There is early Minoan civilization on the Island of Crete (c2800-1800 BC) (34) and they are working in Bronze.

                       IMHOTEP 3^rd dynasty Egyptian, High Priest of Heliopolis, ‘chief of observers’, seer, occultist, healer, and architect of the stepped pyramid at Saqqara for Pharaoh Djoser (Zoser). This is the world’s earliest known sizeable stone building. The Egyptian name for a pyramid is ‘mer’, meaning ‘Place of Ascension’. It is a religious building indicating a man-made link between heaven and earth. (49)

                       Imhotep is described in the Turin Canon as the son of Ptah the creator god of Memphis, thus he was known as ‘wise counsellor’. (175)

                       In 2767 BCE, Imhotep inaugurated the Sothic era, nominating the Heliopolis heliacal rising of Sirius as the first day of the Egyptian year. It will correspond in the future Julian calendar to July 16. (30)

Zoser’s Pyramid as it appears in the 21^st century CE.

                       PHARAOH DJOSER (Zoser) begins the 3^rd Egyptian Dynasty although he is thought to follow an earlier king by the name of Nebka. (175) Various authors nominate dates between now and 2686 BCE as the foundation of the 3^rd Dynasty. Zoser is also called Asclepius by the Egyptians because of his medical knowledge (80) but according to another author (175) this appellation was given to Imhotep his architect. Zoser built the earliest pyramid at Saqqara and is known for his learning and love of literature. (80). With this Pharaoh, there is clear evidence of three main religious centres, at Heliopolis, Memphis and Hermopolis. At Heliopolis (Egyptian ON) the sun god Re who had begun to replace the older god Atum at the commencement of the dynastic period, takes the name Re-Atum and his symbol is the Bennu bird. (49)

                       A new form of religion seems to have been introduced in the 3^rd Dynasty, that of sun worship [possibly replacing star worship] and with the new religion the first practice of mummification and temple building begin. (80) After the 4^th Dynasty, the majority of Pharaohs will take an official name on coming to the throne. This name is an epithet compounded with the name of the Sun-god Re, and like the personal name will be enclosed in a cartouche. (80)

                       HUNI last ruler of the 3^rd Egyptian Dynasty is attributed with the earliest known pyramid in the Fayum, at Maidum. Originally the pyramid is constructed on 8 ‘steps’. Huni’s successor will be Snofru/Sneferu (113. 175) born of Meresankh. The Fayum area will be upgraded by Pharaoh Amenemhet I in 2300 BCE, after a period of decline.

                       These Old Kingdom dynasties of Egypt have contact with Canaanite lands and there is an exchange of language and crafts. Canaanite Byblos is a colony of Egypt and a source of the hardwoods of Lebanon used in construction. (173)