Monday, 24th April 2006
Peter Clayton, FSA
ANCIENT EGYPT, ISRAEL AND THE BIBLE: FAITH AND THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
In homes that have an old illustrated Bible, the illustrations generally fall into one of two categories: those taken from Old Master paintings, or from ancient Egyptian tomb paintings and reliefs. This lecture looks at the Old and New Testaments, at many of the stories therein and the archaeological and background evidence there is for them. For example, when Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dream, what is the evidence for the famine, what was the importance of dreams and why did Joseph hide a silver cup and not a gold one in Benjamin's sack to incriminate him? Did Moses exist? What evidence is there for an Exodus and who was the pharaoh involved? Where did the Holy Family find sanctuary in Egypt and what coins was Judas paid in for his betrayal? Near Eastern archaeology was very much Biblical led in the nineteenth century and painters such as Edwin Long and David Roberts all catered for that taste, interpreting the events to suit the age.
All these aspects and more are looked at by Peter Clayton, FSA, an Egyptologist and archaeologist who has travelled and lectured around the Near East for over thirty years. This lecture includes illustrations of fine archaeological objects and paintings as well as many startling facts.
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