THE SECRET OF THE PYRAMIDS

The word pyramid conjures up thoughts of Egypt. So far there have been a few dozen
complete or incomplete pyramids found. The most famous one is definitely the biggest
one - the Great Pyramid of Cheops. It is 450 feet high and consists of about a
million stone blocks, each weighing a couple of tons.

The building of the pyramids began during pharaoh Djoser's reign, at a time when
Egypt had reached the apex of its power. The first pyramid built in Egypt was the
Step Pyramid at Sakkara (figure 3.1).

(Figure 3.1. The Step Pyramid in Sakkara.)

The beginning of pharaoh Djoser's reign wasn't marked by anything spectacular. It was not until a man named Imhotep arrived on the scene that the great ascent of this pharaoh began. Even though Imhotep wasn't a member of the royal family, he was appointed to a position of power answerable only to Pharaoh himself. Egyptian history refers to Imhotep in the following notes:

"During Pharaoh Djoser's reign lived Imhotep...Chancellor of the King of Lower Egypt, Chief under the King, Administrator of the Great Palace, Hereditary Lord, High Priest of Heliopolis, Imhotep the Builder, the Sculptor, the Maker of Stone Vases...who, because of his medical skill has the reputation of Asclepius (the Greek god of medicine) among the Egyptians..."(1)

Because of the scope of his abilities, many modern historians call Imhotep the
Leonardo da Vinci of ancient Egypt. It is important to note what else Egyptian
history says of him:

"Imhotep was the inventor of the art of building with hewn stone."(2)

Imhotep was the one who began the building of the pyramids, and the first
pyramid he built was the Step Pyramid in Sakkara.

This pyramid is very different from the other pyramids. There is a large wall surrounding it and there is only one narrow entrance into the complex of the pyramid (figure 3.2).

(Figure 3.2. The outline of the Step Pyramid, the entrance and the walls.)

One would have to question why such protection was necessary for pyramid. Could it
be that something very precious was being kept in there?

When scientists entered the pyramid, they discovered eleven huge grain shafts. The
findings of the remains of grain on the bottom of the shafts led to the supposition
that they were used for grain storage.

The shafts were capable of holding 52,000 cubic yards of grain, which was far more than the inhabitants who lived in the area would need. The shafts were interconnected at the bottom. People had to reach the bottom by way of a staircase, where they could get grain from special taps. (figure 3.3) (3)

(Figure 3.3. The storage shafts inside the Step Pyramid complex.)

Why did Imhotep build a pyramid with grain storage shafts? It seems odd, but Egyptian history reveals that everything began with a dream the pharaoh Djoser had.

The Pharaoh was very upset because the god of the Nile Khnum had appeared to him in a dream and promised that the Nile would give water, but that first there would be seven years of famine and then seven years of abundance. (4)

When he had this dream, Pharaoh Djoser asked Imhotep, “What is the birthplace of the Nile? Who is the god there? Who is God?”

Imhotep answered, “I need the guidance of Him who presides over the fowling net.”

Later Imhotep advised Pharaoh Djoser to promise the Nile god Khnum that the population, with the exception of the priests in the god’s house, would be taxed 10% on all that was harvested. (5)

The people did as they were told and paid their taxes in grain, which was stored in the shafts built within a great pyramid. An immense wall was then erected, which encircled the entire complex.

The history of Egypt reveals that Imhotep was the builder of this first pyramid, and the remains of grain found by archaeologists reveal that it had been used as a storage unit to hold grain in anticipation of the predicted famine.

Returning to the history written by Moses, we find an almost identical story. Moses, however, relates this to the story to Joseph.

Brought to Egypt as a slave, Joseph had the ability to interpret dreams. When asked to interpret the Pharaoh’s dream, he pointed to seven years of abundance and seven years of famine that were to come. Joseph advised the Pharaoh to collect grain from the people and to store it in preparation for the famine. His wisdom so impressed the Pharaoh that he was given a position of power next in importance to Pharaoh himself.

According to Egyptian history Imhotep was a priest in the town of Heliopolis and died, when he was 110 years old.(6) We find the same record about Joseph in Moses’ history.

Does that mean that Imhotep, one of the most famous personages in Egyptian history, was indeed Joseph of the Bible?

Scientists searched for the burial place of Imhotep. The first place that they searched was the Step Pyramid in Sakkara. On the walls they found carved drawings of people, who had suffered from a great famine (figure 3.4).

(Figure 3.4. The drawing of the people suffering hunger on the Step Pyramid wall.)

Although most of the pyramids in Egypt have been looted, because it had well- hidden underground rooms, this one had not been disturbed. In some of the rooms they found over a million stuffed ibises (figure 3.5). The ibis bird was considered to be a sacred bird in Egypt. Both Egyptian and Greek history mention that people came from near and far to seeking medical help from Imhotep and because of his great success in healing them, they gave him these stuffed birds.(7)

(Figure 3.5. The ibis birds from Egypt.)

When the scientists finally entered the room that held Imhotep’s coffin(8) they were surprised to find it placed so that it faced the north. As sun worshippers Egyptians were always buried facing the east. It is obviously Imhotep did not follow the religious practices of the Egyptians.

When they opened Imhotep’s coffin it was empty. The body was not there. Why was the body missing, when the tomb has not been looted?

Could the answer be found in the writings of Moses? He states that when the Israelites left Egypt, they took the bones of Joseph with them.

So we see that Moses’ historical account is once again proved as reliable. Imhotep, that famous person from the history of Egypt, was in fact Joseph – the notable person from Moses’ history (see Table 3.1 for comparison between Imhotep and Joseph).

It sounds a bit incredible, but scientific proofs point out that the building of the pyramids began so as to store wheat to save people from famine, and later they were built as tombs for the pharaohs who considered themselves gods. All this fits very nicely into what Moses wrote in his history.

Even though it is correct over many interesting issues, such as dinosaurs and pyramids, Moses’ historical account faces criticism by some scientists.

But before we analyze some of these objections, let us review one of the great geological discoveries of the 20th century.

Table 3.1. Comparison between Imhotep and Joseph (1-8)

- “While the king (Pharaoh Djoser) slept the Nile god, Khnum, appeared to him in a dream and promised that the Nile would give its water and that there would be famine for seven years followed by seven good years.”
- “Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. And there shall arise after them seven years of famine.” (Genesis 41:29,30)

- “I asked Him who was the Chamberlain, … Imhotep, the son of Ptah … What is
the birth place of the Nile? Who is the god there? Who is the God?”
- “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.” (Genesis 41:15)

- “I need the guidance of Him who presides over the fowling net…” (Imphotep)
- “It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” (Genesis 41:16)

- “…the population, with the exception of the priests in the god’s house, would be
taxed 10% on all that was harvested.” (Djoser)
“Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 41:34)

- “Imhotep was a priest in the town of Heliopolis.”
- “And Pharaoh gave him (Joseph) to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On (Heliopolis).” (Genesis 50:2)

- “Imhotep, because of his medical skill has the reputation of Asclepius (the Greek god of medicine) among the Egyptians."
- "And Joseph commanded his servats, the physicians, to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel." (Genesis 50:2)

- “I’m near death after a life of 110 years.”
- “And Joseph lived an hundredth and ten years.” (Genesis 50:22)

- “I received recognition from the King (Pharaoh) such as no-one prior to him had received.”
- “You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according your word, only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” (Genesis 41:39-41)

- Imhotep’s coffin was empty.
- “Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here… And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him.” (Exodus 50:26; 13:19)

- Imhotep’s coffin was directed towards the north, as opposed to Egyptian coffins, which were directed towards the east (they worshipped the sun).
- The God of Joseph brought the Israelites into the Promised Land of Israel, which is situated to the north of Egypt (the Book of Exodus).

- “Imhotep the builder, the sculptor, the maker of stone vases... and who was the inventor of the art of building with hewn stone.” (He built the grain storage shafts in the Step Pyramid at Sakkara).
- “And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.” (Genesis 41:49)

Notes:

1. a) Hart G. 1991. Pharaohs and Pyramids, London: The Herbert Press. b) Nunn JF. 1996. Ancient Egyptian Medicine. London: British Museum Press. c) Estes JW. 1993. The Medical Skills of Ancient Egypt, Canton: Science History Publications.
2. a) Casson L. 1969. The Search for Imhotep, Horizon, vol. XI, No 3. b) Wallis EA, (1925) 1989. The Mummy. New York: (Cambridge University Press) Dover Publications, Mineola.
3. Moller L. 2002. The Exodus Case. Copenhagen: Scandinavia Publishing, p. 72-75.
4. The Ancient Near East, 1958, vol I., p. 24-, Editor J. B. Pritchard, Princeton University Press, Princeton, USA.
5. M. Lichtheim, 1980. Ancient Egyptian Literature, vol III, University of California Press, Berkeley, USA.
6. The Ancient Near East, 1958, vol I., p. 234-, Editor J. B. Pritchard, Princeton University Press, Princeton, USA.
7. Clayton PA, 1994. Chronicle of Pharaohs. London: Thames and Hudson Ltd.
8. Mertz B. 1996. Temples, Tombs and Hieroglyphs. London: Michael O’Mara Books Ltd.