Nexus - 0220 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page Content (OCR)

• Re: EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPHS region, or a main base where another ship IN AUSTRALIA is anchored and waiting. Dear NEXUS, The leader of this expedition is named I was posted a section of your magazine Nefer-Djeseb, along with his brother containing ancient Egyptian hier_oglyphs Nefer-Ru, who is some kind of priest from found inscribed upon a rock in Australia the House of dod. They carry with them a [see NEXUS 2{19]. smaU statue of the god Suti, possibly called I knew of an Egyptian expedition "Suti of the Way" (a protection for trav­ towards the directioJ1 of this land, under the ellers). leadership of Knem-Hotep. Nefer-Djeseb and Nefer-Ru ,are two of Knem-Ho.tep s_et sail with three ships the many sons of King Khufu who, it is under his command, and eventually said, was beloved of Ptah (the god). His returned to Egypt with only one ship and son goes on to describe him as "kind and half a crew. What he described could only benevolent, and a follower of the golden­ have been Australia, but this expeditioJ,l haired god, Ra-Heru". took place in Ithe second year of the King The journey is long and hard; the ordi­ Nefer-Af-Re, which was ],,530 BC. nary members of the crew are wailing and The hieroglyphs carved OIl! ,the rock men­ crying out for Suti to help them in their tion King Khufu, who ruled Egypt from plight. 2,779 to 2,748 BC, so would pre-date the Nefer-Djeseb puts up a brave front for expedition of Knem-Hotep. the benefit of his men, who are plagued by These carvings could not possibly be a flies and mosquitoes, tired and hungry, and hoax, as no one today would understand feel that the gods nave deserted them. the peculiarities of the ancient Egyptian Nefer-Djeseb prays to the gods and puts language of those times, on a joyful face, making jokes as he swats Even I could nut understand the ancient the mossies. saying, "My obelisk is overturned but not Nefer-Ru, a servant of ,the god, says that broken", as carved upon the rock. the god has brought the insects upon them The rock teUs of a very tragic story, of (perhaps he feels that they have no right to men in a hopeless position in a strange and be in this land). hostile land. Shipwrecked somewhere off Nefer-Djeseb, reluctant to ask anything the coast of Queensland, they make their from the gods for himself ,as it perhaps way westward, perhaps to some pre­ would show a weakness to his men, cans arranged spot by other members of the out, "Protect the.se ordinary (fIen; they are expedition who are exploring anonher thine (believers and followers of yours). I VA ;~:" 'I' I!f""'l.,Llool~ I myself am hard as stone. I have been over hills and deserts, and through all kinds of weather and not complained." Water is getting low and they are having to ration; there are no Iialces at hand, and the heat of the 'sun beats down upon them. Night-time comes; ah, how blessed is the cool of the night. They hide ... buTying themselves out of reach of the ever-pester­ ing mosquitoes. Nefer-Djeseb has seen flocks of birds, and he prays, "Send us fow~ ­ r-r-'1 12·NEXUS to cook, and send some rain." Something happ.ens, possibly climbing some place and slipping, or there's a rock­ slide. Nefer-Djeseb, who is carrying the Royal Standard of the Golden Falcon, injures his back, and this is possibly where his brotherNefer-Ru gelS killed. This smaU band of men, heading west­ ward, are carrying the dead body of the priest Nefer-Ru with them unJll they can fmd a suitable burial place for him. Passing along through hot, dry, arid counlry or desett, with no prospect of any other food, Nefer-Djeseb calls out to the gods, "Give me desert mice, and let me find pools of water." Then he laments, 'The plants are withered, the land is dead (all is in drought). Is this my lot from the god of the sacred Mer (lRa-Harakate)?" ~eing of the royal house and protected, his skin is more sensitive to the sun than those Of the fellaheen, and in misery with his back inj!Lry and also bad sunburn, he complains, "The sun shines d'own upon my back. Oh Khepera, this is not as the oracle said." Before leaving Egypt he would have bathed in the holy waters of the Mer, and then gone to consult the oracle at Noph. The oracle had! most likely promised him a safe journey. Now, with his brother dead, and all facing death themselves, ,he IS disil­ lusiolled and fu$1 of grief. He makes a statement of defiance to the effect that he is not brokeIl! yet: "My obelisk is overturned but not broken." At last they come Ito a place where they CIPl inter the body of his dead brother, and he says, "That royal person of the House of God, Nefer-Ru, son of Khufu, is laid to rest. May he have eternal life." When aI person left Egypt and then JUNE -JULY 1994