Keeper Of Genesis
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Authors: Robert Bauval and Graham Hancock
Title: Keeper Of Genesis
Published by: Mandarin Paperbacks, 1997
ISBN: 0 7493 2196 2
Main Topics: Egypt; The Sphinx; The Pyramids.
In many ways, Hancock uses this book to elucidate many of the points he first makes in his book Fingerprints Of The Gods. He further expounds his theories to show how he thinks the Sphinx and the Pyramids were built some time around 12500BC, a contentious date that has caused him many run-ins with conventional Egyptologists.
Bauval brings his engineering knowledge to bear upon the logistical problems of building these two great monuments. They look again at the precipitation erosion that runs vertically down the side of the Sphinx and examine evidence as to when the last time that area of Egypt suffered rainfall heavy enough to cause those levels of damage.
Balancing the wealth of factual knowledge is a fair amount of theorising and, at times, speculation. They examine the evidence that exists for the roots of the Egyptian civilisation, in particular looking at material that suggests that Isis, Osiris et al were real individuals that actually existed. They talk about Zep Tepi, the ‘First Time’, when these gods symbolised the first of three distinct periods in Egyptian history.
It’s the theoretical parts that are the most interesting. For example, they discuss ‘the Turin Papyrus’, which appears to be a register or chronology of the kings from the very first king of Egypt. Most entries are illegible on this incredibly old and badly damaged papyrus, but some entries can still be read. Hermes, the god of wisdom to whom the Corpus Hermeticum is attributed, appeared to rule for three thousand years, whilst the last of the truly divine kings, Isis and Osiris’ son Horus, ruled for only three centuries. At the end, the papyrus adds up the dates under the different regimes from the date of writing to the start of the first reign. This equates to 36,620 years.
If you’re interested in ancient Egypt but not the conventional chronology, it’s fair to say that in the interests of a balanced approach reading the work of Hancock and Bauval is practically obligatory. Whether you actually want to fork out for this sometimes dry and weighty (in terms of content) book is a matter of personal opinion, but if you’re interested, reading it is a must.
