Monday, June 04, 2007

Egyptology, archaeology, what's the diff?

http://archaeoblog.blogspot.com/2007/05/egyptology-archaeology-whats-diff-topic.html
Tony Cagle is stirring up some fun over on Archaeoblog. You may or may not agree with him, but you have to give him top points for airing his opinions (hello Tony!):
"When fresh-faced undergrads (or high schoolers) as me 'ArchaeoBlog, what do I need to do to become an Egyptologist?' my first question back is to ask if they really want to be an 'Egyptologist' or an 'archaeologist who works in Egypt'.
The stock answer is that Egyptologists are largely art historians/philologists who sometimes, but not necessarily always, use some archaeological techniques to obtain data. Archaeologists, conversely, sometimes but not necessarily always, use some analysis gleaned from Egyptological studies to further their archaeological aims. Generally, I think, Egyptologists tend to go through Classics departments while archaeologists go through the archaeology departments. I suppose one could start all sorts of arguments here, but you can probably throw out a few generalities as well:
-- Egytpologists tend to excavate tombs and temples; archaeologists go after settlements
-- Egyptologists use archaeological data to enhance their text/epigraphic interpretations, while archaeologists use text/epigraphic sources to enhance their archaeological interpretations
-- Archaeologists have different problem sets that range across civilizations worldwide, where Egytpologists concentrate more closely on the Middle/Near East.
Of course, a dozen Egyptologists right now could spend 25 pages debating those, but I'll stick with the general propositions."
See the above page for the rest of his post.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Egyptian priest Manetho wrote Egyptian history in 280 B.C.E. How come everyone takes Manetho's word as truth? Djoser built Egypt's first pyramid some 800 years down the Egyptian kings list. The Egyptians helped build the Tower of Babel in Sumer/Babylon before entering Africa. Were the Egyptians that stupid it took them 800 years to build the first pyramid in Egypt after leaving Babylon or is Manetho a liar for inventing those 800 years where no father to son succession exist where you can create a dynasty?

Anonymous said...

There is the oldest Sumer temple in Egypt standing near the Step Pyramid in Djoser's reign. Djoser's statue faces the polar stars. Enheduanna was Ur's first moon priestess. Enheduanna's father was Sargon (Nimrod) first king of the Genesis 10:10 city of Akkad. Moon/star worship links Sumer civilization with Egypt. Djoser must be Mizraim the father of the Egyptians building Egypt's first pyramid after leaving the Tower of Babel. Mizraim was Sargon/Nimrod's uncle. WE can now start tracing the building of nations after humanity left the Tower of Babel.