Raiders of the Lost Ark

Tonight my local small town theater had a free showing of "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Published in 1981, written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan, and directed by Spielberg. I took the kids since I had never seen the movie before and had never been to this particular theater. I had heard in one of my undergraduate anthropology schooling one of the teachers comment about this movie. He said that it caused an increase in the number of people seeking anthropology degrees and wanting to get into the field. So, since I have a degree in Anthropology and African Studies, I thought now was a prime time to knock this one off my bucket list. I'm glad I did and will write my review here to share with you.

My first thought it WOW, the German's still have a heavy hand in Egypt!! This is what HOLYWOOD was imprinting in the minds of the masses of the 80s!! At the end of the movie I asked my son what he thought of it, he commented that he had seen it before. My son is 14. So I asked when, he said at a theater a few years ago. I googled it and the movie came out in 1981. When I told them that my other son said, "NO WAY, not with those kind of graphics!" Yes, its true, the movie is timeless. I did see masonic symbolism or footprints in the movie. But mostly I took away the German influence and fight for the ancient antiquities in Africa. Another interesting point to me was the snakes on the ground in the room of the ark. When I went to a grave site in Alabama of my ancestors my great uncle told me once to watch out because there are rattle snakes in there, he said that our at our cemetaries, to protect our ancestors. Both actors in the movies looked rattle snakes in the eyes.

When I first was drawn to research Seshat I hit a stumbling block because everything on the internet said the exact same thing, just on different sites. Or it was something that someone "divined". There was hardly any material on her.The only text I could find at Vanderbilt I had to have loaned from another library and it was in German. I searched high and low for someone to translate the book for me. There was only so many renewals they would allow me though. Then one week before I had send it back I met a German man who was interested in my Nashville Urban Food Forest project. We sat down for coffee and he attempted to help me. We didn't get to far because he said that the text had specialized words he was not familiar with. Some of which I could decipher because they were referencing Egyptian places and such. Needless to say, my only resort was retyping the book and using google translate. I didn't get all 400+ pages typed in time. So I didn't get too far. I was left frustrated that the text was not offered in English or that I could not download a copy online. I wondered how could such an important icon only have extensive research done on her by the German's? Outside of my opera vocal training at Vanderbilt I had no background or knowledge of Germans or their culture...except Hitler.

Watching the movie throughout they kept showing the German flag with its red and white and the horus falcon above the flag on the staff. Then when leaving Egypt and coming back to America at the end of the movie the first scene is a shot of the obelisk in DC then a long table with a man seated with the horus falcon directly behind his head. His words were that "important men" were watching over the covenant. 

Golden Books: Pyrgi Tablets

Pyrgi Tablets written in Etruscan and Phoenician languages. Etruscan Museum in Rome.

I came across a book made of gold, said to be the oldest multi-page book every found, which dates to 600BC. Being one who studies knowledge I was curious to know what it said and if anything relating to the goddess of writing could be found on its golden pages. It tells a story that again links Africa to Europe through the stories of the goddess. I am not so sure about the translation or that I understand fully what it means but a few of the words caught my attention: kkb (Star),  'strt (Astarte), krr (calendar month), rbt (lady, grand, large, female rabbatu), sms (sun), snt (year), heram (Hermes).
This is in the Pyrgi Tablets found in Santa Severa, Italy. Because the history of Seshat is so deeply entrenched in human culture instead of looking for direct clues, like Sst or her star symbol, I do not omit strings of commonalities that she represented when doing my research. So to see the star, which is her symbol, Astarte, which is a later representation of her aspects, Hermes, who is also a later representation of her aspect, calendar, which is a part of the body of knowledge she represented on time, year, and sun which is iconic with this representations of time and the divine. When I see all of these together it catches my attention and I imagine that the scribe may have been a priest of Seshat or student of the body of knowledge her icon represents. Maybe he or she even wore the leopard print garb! What is striking to me is here is that these symbolic terms are found among the Greek, once again linking Thebes to early civilized culture in Europe. In my Egypt in Nashville Tour I discuss some of these cultural continuities in architecture from Kemet to Greece that are seen in the Parthenon and "Lady Wisdom" Athena.

Other images from Pyrgi:

Detail of clay group with mythological scene from the Theban cycle, from the area of temple A at Pyrgi, mid-5th century BC.

Etruscan architectural plaque from the columen of the temple A at Pyrgi. Scene from the Theban Cycle, the Seven against Thebes: Menerva, Tinia, Capaneus, Tydeus and Melanippus

The poetry used hexameter and was recited orally. It is almost like the scripts we have existing today are lyrics to a rap song or music sheet. The Iliad and the Odyssey are examples of this poetry. These were a part of the Theban cycle, 4 lost epics now in Greek literature about the history of the Boeotian city of Thebes in dactylic hexameter. Said to be written between 750 and 500BC. The most famous story includes the number 7, "Seven against Thebes". It is a play about a battle between Argive (Argos) and Thebes led by Eteocles (King of Thebes). This was left for us today by Aeschylus the first of the 3 ancient greek tragedy writers, Sophocles and Euripides being the other two.

Is authorship is questioned in some of his plays because they continue to be "discoverd" on Egyptian papyrus.

http://ldsdoctrine.blogspot.com/2008/05/archeological-evidence-for-reformed_29.html

Independence Day and Seshat

I wanted to reflect on this holiday weekend before it is past. Today is Sunday July 6, 2014. On Friday evening most Americans went to a central location in their closest city to watch colored explosions in the sky, drawing our eyes and hearts to that above with a display of bursting moving lights we call fireworks. I met a young man from Canada on Friday and he said that their holiday is celebrated on July 1, 2014, 7/1. the date my birthday hit pick for but I digress.... I tried to reflect on what the ancient significance of this time period was for in Africa. I knew there was something, but couldn't put my finger on it. So I researched it Saturday and Sunday. This time I am going to write it down, I decided to blog about it, so next year it doesn't escape me. As the masons were so connected to the building and architecture of America, they are also holders and implementers of ancient scripts passed down from Africa. The July 4th we celebrate was a chosen date by those who signed the Declaration of Independence. It was not just a date it happened to be signed, in fact if I recall correctly there was another date involved. But the date we celebrate and that is etched in our psyche is 7/4. So as it is, every July 4th marks Sirius/Septis/Sopdet/Star of Bethlehem/Eastern Star rising.

So, what does this date chosen by the land surveyors and architects have to do with Seshat? Astronomy and the teachings of as above so below. More specifically, the Dog-Star Sirius. We mark this stellar phenomena with stellar phenomena called pyrotechnics dates back to 7th century China to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year and the Mid-Autumn or Harvest Moon Festival, within 15 days of the autumnal equinox. This started during the Shang Dynasty 16th century BCE among the Hakka people. I wont go into the early history of rockets or gunpowder, but its here, centuries after the festivals.

1749 Thames, Londen. Royal Fireworks

Ming Dynasty Jin Ping Mei fireworks



Back to Sirius and Egypt

Sirius 

This image illustrates how Sirius to the ancient astronomers may have connected the New Years (Perhelion) festivals with Independence Day (Aphelion). Embedding this scientific knowledge into ritual for the masses as we begin to endure the "Dog" days of the summer. The NW YR has been a time of festivals to honor Ssht at the midnight hour for thousands of years along the Nile Valley in Africa. The New Year was set by the heliacal rising of Sirius.

Here are some Egyptian depictions of Sirius, 13 degrees 57 min, that we can see obviously.

Sopdet/Sothis

Seshat

The SEPTUAGINT, 70, 7x10, Seshat

The SEPTUAGINT, derived from the Latin word for "seventy," Septuagint,

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Septuagint
Septuagint (n.)

"Greek version of the Old Testament," 1630s, earlier as the word for the translators collectively (1570s), from Late Latin septuaginta (interpretes) "seventy (interpreters)," from Latin septuaginta "seventy," from septem "seven" (see seven) + -ginta "tens, ten times," from PIE *dkm-ta-, from *dekm- "ten" (see ten).

So called in reference to the (incorrect) tradition that the translation was done 3c. B.C.E. by 70 or 72 Jewish scholars (in Middle English, the Seuenty turneres) from Palestine and completed in 70 or 72 days. The translation is believed now to have been carried out at different times by an undetermined number of Egyptian Jews. Often denoted by Roman numerals, LXX. Related: Septuagintal.

I came across the word for a scribes translation of the bible that included Septuagint. Which made me think of September, 9/11, and Seshat (I have written about this new year celebration in previous post). Turns out that the story behind the meaning of the word is ambiguous to modern scholars and considered to be made up. An analysis conclusion I see a lot in history regarding things that come from Seshat or are related to her symbolism. I am not claiming a great historical conspiracy theory, or maybe I am... But perhaps people have just been ignorant throughout the ages and make things up as they go along. Hey, whatever we see in writing we believe to be true, even if it has no basis, particularly when we don't know apples from oranges, so to speak. So for me to see that this version of the Old Testament was one, written by Egyptians, and two carries "seven" as its title speaks volumes to me as a researcher of all things Seshat (which is where the number 7 originated) and the scribal craft (her legacy)! Knowing the full meaning of the title of this book is significant because it is a part of the origins and early history of Christianity, prior to the council of NacAEa. I emphasize the AE because that, too, is a sign of the imprint of Ancient Egypt and more specifically those things whose etymology relates to Seshat.

I watched a video on youtube about St Paul and where he spread the gospel. At the site was a great temple, The Temple of Artemis. Its construction reminded me of ancient Egyptian architecture from Karnak. Very much like the Parthenon holding Athena, which Nashville holds an exact replica. I visit this location on my Egypt in Nashville Tours. There were two scholars mentioned, Dr Eireann Marshall and Dr Julian Bennet, an archaeologist. Legend held that a meteor landed at the site of the temple. The building stood 6 stories tall and was made of stone. Nearby was a huge theater that seated over 25,000 people. The Septuagint was the bible of the early Christians including those Christians at this site. Paul

The Septuagint is written in the Hellenistic (Alexandrine) dialect, and is linguistically of great importance from its effect upon the diction of the New Testament, and as the source of a large part of the religious and theological vocabulary of the Greek fathers, and (through the Old Latin version of the Bible (see Italic) and the influence of this on the Vulgate) of that of the Latin fathers also and of all western nations to the present day. In the Greek Church the Septuagint has been in continuous use from the earliest times, although other Greek versions (see Hexapla) were anciently also in circulation, and it is the Old Testament still used in that church. The Septuagint contains the books called Apocrypha intermingled among the other books. It is the version out of which most of the citations in the New Testament from the Old are taken. Abbreviated Sept.

It was considered to be a divine translation. it was the bible of jesus and early christians.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom

I read this passage in the bible and it reminded me of Seshat, Lady Wisdom, was also her title in ancient Egypt.

Book of Proverbs 9:1: "Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars" (KJV).

Seshat has been written about for over 7,000 years in regards to building and also the number seven denotes her mark. Here is an example from an ancient kemetic text: in chapter 57 of the Book of the Dead:

My mouth and nostrils are opened in the Djedu,
and I have my place of peace in Annu, wherein is my House;
it was built for me by the goddess Seshat,
and the god Khnum set it up for me upon its walls."

Temple at Abydos, 1300BC, Djed Pillar

Etymology of the Eye Daughter of the Eye & 3rd Eye Knowledge

It is my belief that the daughter of the eye is indeed Seshat. There are many instances in ancient script where knowledge and understanding is associated with the eye or sight. The eye as a portal like the opening of the mouth and the symbolism held within the peacock.

Here are some instances in which the eye is used figuratively with the concept of the learned.

 “his eyes were like a fiery flame” in the midst of the lampstands (Rev. 1:14). 

1. When our attention is attracted to something remarkable, we call it “eye-catching,” or an “eye-opener.”
2.  When we watch something carefully, we are said to “keep our eye on the ball,” or are asked to “keep our eyes peeled” for the object we seek. 
3. When a person is skilled at a task, he is said to “have an eye for” it, as when an interior decorator “has an eye for color.” 
4. In the Bible the eye is the organ of perception, and perception involves more than physical sight.
5. When we understand a point that a teacher makes, we say, “Oh, I see now.” 
6. When we do not plan ahead, we are said to be “short-sighted,” or conversely when we do plan strategically, we are “far-sighted.” 
7. When we ignore an action, we “turn a blind eye” toward it, and when we disapprove of an action, we “take a dim view of” it. 
8. When we supervise a project, we take “oversight” of it.
9. The blind poet John Milton asked God to “shine [his light] inward and the mind through all her powers / Irradiate” so that he might have the wisdom to write his great poem, Paradise Lost(3. 52-53).
10. When the prophet Isaiah speaks of the time when the Lord will reveal Messiah to them, he writes, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light” (Isa. 9:2). 
11. When C. S. Lewis talked about reading literature, he said reading allows us to see with others’ eyes.
A very brief time could be called “the twinkling of an eye.” G. R. Driver and John C. Miles, The Babylonian Laws, vol. 2 (Oxford: Clarendon, 1960), 100, 101. 

In all these instances, knowledge and wisdom are associated with sight, ignorance and sin with darkness.

Decided To Draw Tonight