‘Mummy!’
A commentary with
excerpts from a science reporter, Malcolm W. Browne’s analysis on Dr Bucaille’s
book, Mummies of the Pharaohs as published in the New York Times, Feb 03, 1991,
with the heading, ‘ALL WRAPPED UP IN HIS WORK!’
Dr Bucaille’s book
MUMMIES OF THE
PHARAOHS Modern Medical Investigations
By Maurice Bucaille.
Translated by Alastair D. Pannell and the author. Illustrated. 236 pp.
New York: St. Martin's Press. $18.95.
‘Islam, anyone?’
A forensic medical
investigation on the mummies of the pharaohs during Israel’s captivity in Egypt
seemed to be flawed, uncertain and unreliable so as an analyst on Dr Bucaille’s
book MUMMIES OF THE PHARAOHS implied:
‘It is hard for an armchair archeologist to dislike a book about mummies, particularly one that describes the mortal remains of a pharaoh supposed to have been killed while pursuing Moses during the Exodus. "Mummies of the Pharaohs," however, is so severely flawed that neither specialist nor casual reader will find much to savor.’
As the analyst
informed:
‘Dr Maurice Bucaille, a member of the French Society of Egyptology and a medical doctor, was uniquely privileged during the mid-1970's to conduct forensic examinations of the royal mummies at the Cairo Museum.’
But he noticed quite severe flaws as:
‘We learn, for example, that Merneptah, son and successor of Pharaoh Ramses II, probably had his head bashed in around 1204 B.C. while chasing the Hebrews.’
‘The author does not make it quite clear how a surge of water would produce the massive cranial trauma evident in the mummy, but never mind. This is but one of many questions the author leaves hanging.’
It concluded that this
book was sufficient proof on Muslims claim about a Quranic verse about the
discovery of Moses pharaoh drowned at sea.
‘Dr. Bucaille asserts that results of a forensic examination of Merneptah's mummy are consistent with the biblical account of the pharaoh's death, in which the Red Sea, miraculously parted for the Hebrews, closes over the Egyptians.’
But as downgrade on
Islam’s prophecy the analyst concluded:
‘While Dr. Bucaille makes a good case that the royal mummies have been persistently ill used ever since their discovery, too much of his book is devoted to petulant criticism of Egyptologists and museum officials, notably Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, director of Egyptian antiquities at the Louvre. Dr. Bucaille's feuds leave little room for the mummies; his book badly needs rehabilitation by a professional writer or editor.’
BY THE ANALYST
SCRUTINY, IT WAS FOUND THAT DR BUCAILLE’S SCIENTIFIC EXAMINATION WAS NOT
RELIABLE.
HOW COULD FORENSIC EXAMINATION ON THE MUMMY BE UNRESOLVED
WHEN FORENSIC SCIENCE CAN DETERMINE IF A ROCK OR HARD METAL AS THOSE IN CHARIOTS
WOULD HAVE CAUSED IT?
‘The author does not make it quite clear how a surge of water would produce the massive cranial trauma evident in the mummy, but never mind. This is but one of many questions the author leaves hanging.’
THAT ONE PIECE GIVES DOUBT.
IT MAY NOT BE THE PHARAOH!
‘abra cadabra?’
COULD THAT MERNEPTAH
MUMMY BE INDEED MERNEPTAH? OR A SIBLING?
Ramses II fathered more than 100 children with his numerous wives and concubines. The names of many of them were inscribed on official monuments. He outlived his 12 eldest sons and was succeeded on his death by the 13th eldest, Merenptah.Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
THAT IS WHERE THE DOUBT
LAYS NEITHER FORENSIC SCIENCE NOR DNA MATCH CAN VERIFY.
Why?
EGYPT NEVER DECLARED
HOW MERNEPTAH DIED, HOW THEY WERE DEFEATED AND DROWNED. IT IS NOT FAR-FETCHED
IF THEY REPLACED THE MISSING PHARAOH WITH A SIBLING TO PRESERVE NATIONAL
DIGNITY.
Fact is, this
observation gives doubt to the Quranic prophecy about the pharaoh drowned and
preserved by Allah as his sign.
DENNIS
Y BUTIC