Can history shed any light on the "secret arts" of the Egyptian magicians who turned their staffs into serpents as claimed by Exodus 7:11-12?
score:13
Westcar Papyrus
According to the World History Encyclopedia there are ancient Egyptian writings named the Westcar Papyrus and regarding magic and miracles dating as far back as approximately 2040 BC.
Stories from the Westcar Papyrus, World history encyclopedia
The Westcar Papyrus, dated to the Second Intermediate Period of Egypt (1782 - c.1570 BCE), but most likely written during the Middle Kingdom (2040-1782 BCE), contains some of the most interesting tales from ancient Egypt. The papyrus takes its name from the man who first acquired it, Henry Westcar, who purchased the piece c. 1824 CE. Westcar never disclosed how he came into possession of the scroll nor where, and so no one knows in what context it was found or its original location.
Tales
These stories, which include a Wax crocodile which is brought to life by a magician to devour people, are believed to have simply been made up stories, though as the world history encyclopedia explains, this is just an opinion and speculation. "Perhaps they were meant to be taken literally".
There were originally five stories in the manuscript but the first is missing (and, according to some scholars, so is the conclusion of the papyrus). It is assumed that the work began with some kind of invitation by Khufu to his sons to tell stories about great wonders of the past or perhaps it was a competition among the sons to tell the best kind of story. This is, of course, speculation as no internal evidence in the texts suggests its beginning.
Westcar Papyrus by Keith Schengili-Roberts, Wikipedia
Execration texts
There is no doubt however that the Egyptians did believe in Magic to a certain degree.
According to the world history encyclopedia there was such a thing as the execration texts that were used to curse evil spirits and enemies of the Egyptian state.
World history encyclopedia, execration texts
'Execration' means to denounce or curse a person, entity, or object one finds detestable, dangerous, or offensive in some way. These texts were not only curses but specific formulae designed to ward off or destroy harmful entities before they had a chance to harm someone or, in the case of physical or mental illness, to drive the evil spirit out and banish it from returning.
Execration texts, therefore, are the earliest known form of exorcism and were used regularly. Over one thousand of these ritual texts have been excavated thus far in Egypt. The best-known execration texts in the modern day are the famous curses inscribed on tombs warning of punishment for any who entered the tomb unwelcomed or unpurified. The famous 'Curse of Tutankhamun' also known as 'the mummy's curse', well known from Hollywood movies, is the best example of an execration text.
More post
- 📝 What was the first battle in history fought by vast-majority-% "distance-shooting" non-mechanized force?
- 📝 Were the 1400s-1600s really not part of the "Middle Ages"?
- 📝 Why was 'Captain' named for 2 different ranks?
- 📝 When did furniture become common in the homes of most people in the British Isles?
- 📝 Did Emanuel Lasker write a book declaring that Germany had to win World War I if civilization were to be saved?
- 📝 What do we know about "Honorary Aryans" like Milch, Warburg and a few others?
- 📝 Do historians use Rig Veda as a reliable source of historical event?
- 📝 How did (riverine) toll castles operate?
- 📝 Earliest evidence of objects intended for future archaeologists?
- 📝 What was it like for German Jews after WWII?
- 📝 What is the first known instance of gift-giving backfiring across cultures?
- 📝 Was it ever deemed illegal to translate the Qu'ran?
- 📝 (Why) are there two different versions of the photograph of inmates at the Buchenwald concentration camp?
- 📝 How did Islamic finance under the early Caliphates profit or take loans if charging interest wasn't legal?
- 📝 What access did people in the Warsaw pact countries have to Western television and radio?
- 📝 How to translate runic text not knowing the origin?
- 📝 Why were pre-missile era cruisers often attached to fleet battlegroups?
- 📝 Are the swords in the Oath of Horatii all Roman?
- 📝 What % of slave owners in the antebellum south committed rape?
- 📝 Is this old oval copper coin Chinese?
- 📝 Patriotism and how it contributed to the recruitment process in WW1
- 📝 Why does some Califate money feature crosses?
- 📝 When did passenger ships first have an on board duty-free shop?
- 📝 Why did Bierut threaten to murder families of those who did not join him?
- 📝 Has anyone survived triggering a bounding landmine?
- 📝 What was the price of bread in France from 1789 - 1815?
- 📝 When did the United Kingdom become "United" rather than merely united? (I.e., that word became part of its name.)
- 📝 Was the Church of St Simeon the Elder at Aleppo built while Simeon was still alive or decades after his death?
- 📝 How severe were the casualties in ancient/medieval battles?
- 📝 What was the available level of agricultural technology in late 2nd century China?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Can history shed any light on the "secret arts" of the Egyptian magicians who turned their staffs into serpents as claimed by Exodus 7:11-12?
- 📝 How can I properly learn the history of a country whose language I don't speak or read?
- 📝 Do any Egyptian hieroglyphics mention the ten plagues?
- 📝 Are there any good sources on the history of the name for Kazakhstan?
- 📝 Any history to the current flag used by ISIL?
- 📝 Where can I find the history of military uniforms?
- 📝 Are there any misunderstandings in history that were resolved in the 20th century?
- 📝 Where can I find an explanation of the variations in style of Egyptian hieroglyphs?
- 📝 Is there any economic history account of the role of Japan's precious metal deposits in the roles of the country's early industrialization?
- 📝 Was there any Egyptian Pharaoh that was considered the one and only god that ancient Egyptians worshiped during his life?
- 📝 Is History a subject where certain knowledge is accepted by all historians or can any event be a source for debate?
- 📝 Are there any texts/translations of the 4 main Egyptian creation myths?
- 📝 Are there any images within the time period of contemporary history (1945 to the present) that had different interpretations by historians?
- 📝 Has any war in recorded history ever resulted in the complete annihilation (civil and military) of an enemy - all of them killed with no survivors?
- 📝 Can someone give me the history on this Japanese Crest symbol
- 📝 What are the most recommended non-biased books on Egyptian History
- 📝 Does anyone know anything on the history or any other information on this dagger?
- 📝 Are there any modern history examples of large scale conflicts where warfare technology provides a great advantage to the defender, except WWI?
- 📝 Were there any generals in history who were willing to risk "half their army" in order win the war quickly?
- 📝 Is there any evidence to support the claim that the United States was "suckered into WW1" by Zionists, made by Benjamin Freedman in his 1961 speech?
- 📝 Identify the era or any other clues from this soldier's picture?
- 📝 Is history always written by the victors?
- 📝 When did humans develop the ability to sail any direction regardless of wind direction?
- 📝 Are there any accounts of everyday life during the Black Death?
- 📝 In the "Christmas truce" of 1914 were there any football (soccer) matches between British and German troops?
- 📝 Which year in history had the highest ratio of non-natural deaths?
- 📝 Does any country have an official celebration for the annexation of foreign territory?
- 📝 Is there any evidence of armies enrolling women in fighting roles in significant number in antiquity or the middle ages?
- 📝 Did the Romans leave any technical instruction manuals behind?
- 📝 Is there any documented criticism of the brutality of the Colosseum from citizens at the time?