Book: THE TOMB OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT AT THE SIWA OASIS

‘The history of the archaeological excavation and its political background’

author: LIANA SOUVALTZI

excerpts from the book:

 INTRODUCTION

{The decision to write this book on the work at te oasis of Ammon Ra was not an easy one to make. This work was and still is sacred. It was and is very personal, with its roots stemming right back into the distant past to traces hidden in legends which have survived at the oasis through to the present day. It traces back to the time when the presence of Alexander marked this sacred earth and the souls of its people.}

Selected excerpts from the book

{ Previous and present researchers had overlooked a sentence, reported in the ancient texts, which said that Alexander had expressed a desire to be buried at the oasis of Ammon. As I saw it, this desire would have been interpreted as an order by those who had the task of carrying out his orders. How would it have been possible for anyone not to carry out an order for the King or fulfil the wishes of the God Alexander? I concluded, therefore, that the magic key to the problem lay in that wish which had been reported in the texts of the historians of the time - Aristobulus, Callisthenes, Ptolemus and latter writers such as Diodorus and Plutarch.  writers such as Diodorus and Plutarch.

However, valuable information was also obtained from the ascetics of the desert who report the existence of the tomb at the oasis and the worship of the God Alexander together with Ammon, like Abu Sisoes in the 4th Cy AD and Dorotheos the Bishop of Tyre in the 5th Cy AD. Procopius, a historiographer of the 6th Cy AD also mentions this information.}

{ I was full of admiration for the desert and the insignificance of man who professes to know everything and yet knows nothing.

Our life was nothing but a grain of sand which could be spent, buried or tossed about at the will of the wind in its fatal games with us.

Could Alexander possibly have felt the same when he survived the sandstorm on his way to the oasis to learn his fate that February of 331 BC?

I believe that the force of the wind would have intrigued him. Perhaps in the pauses between howling the wind would have whispered to him that it wanted to test the strength and courage of his soul, one to one. In the course of our excavations from 1989 to 1995 we experienced many such sandstorms though none were as strong as that first one. When the wind stopped we were half buried in the sand and our tools were lost. Whatever we had cleared over the previous two days was covered by a thick layer of sand and the site appeared never to have been touched.}

{ The tomb sits on a rock underneath which lies an enormous gold mine, the first found in the Western desert. The structure of the tomb takes the form of a grates, significant traces of which have been found.}

{ The tomb consists of a propylon, corridor and three chambers. The area is contained by full Doric entabulature, a typical feature of burial monuments characteristic of Macedonian tombs. The presence of corner triglyphs underlines the Greek nature of the monument and the height of the triglyphs (0.71m) indicates the size of the monument. The architectural members found in the area of the three chamber and corridor indicate that the corridor had been built on the inside and had been vaulted and that the roof on the three chamber had probably graded upwards in a form of pyramid like shape.}

{ After we had cleared the corridor of the tomb, it revealed several new elements. The symbols and ceremonial objects found in the corridor indicate that the area of the corridor was the telesterion where mystical sacred and closed ceremonies were held in honour of the God Alexander.}

{ The first inscription was found in 1995 on January 10 ,  south 30m of the tomb where later excavation was to find the propylon. The inscription was 1.6m long and 1m wide. From the text of the inscription it could be dated to somewhere between 290 and 284 BC. The inscription, found broken into pieces, was an honorary inscription, the text of which was written in Greek in capital letters and unbroken script. The first line of the inscription bore the name ALEXANDER AMMON RA. }

{{ which was interpreted as being:

"Alexander Ammon Ra

In the name of the above

Sevastos I made a sacrifice at the place which was

 covered

In accordance with the orders of the God

 I brought this body which was as light as a small shield

here

I myself, his guardian

When I was General Sub Prefect of Egypt at all times I had been honoured in accordance with common agreement

 now that I am the last one alive

 I reveal that I did all of this on behalf of him.”}}

{ THE SECOND INSCRIPTION.

This inscription was found on January 18 1995 in the same area as the first, though this one was in better condition. The text is in unbroken Greek script with traces of red. The inscription was 1.5m long and 0.65cm wide. The left hand side has a margin along the length of 0.5cm. From the contents of the inscription we can determine the dating at somewhere between 108 to 115 BC. The inscription is an honorary inscription and was placed by the Emperor Traianus in honour of Alexander, whom he admired and respected as a God.}

{ Nerva and Traianus built temples as they made libation at this place to Zeus and the eternal God who drank the poison so that all could see the holy temple. The temple was built in the presence of Sulpichius and Artemidorus and the inscription is correct as the persons mentioned (Nerva and Traianus) were men of good moral standing.}

{ The star was found engraved on a piece of limestone and had fallen in front of the entrance to the chamber of the tomb. The star was found in December 1991, broken into pieces and buried in the sand.

The eight-beamed star, a section of which was found in September 1992, revealed, after it had been restored by our team, that it had been enclosed in a rhombus.

After the death of Alexander the Great, no-one else had the right to use this symbol, not even the heirs to the Macedonian throne.

The star is particularly important, as are its symbols. In relation to Alexander the Great, it symbolises the holy union of Alexander and the higher power, the divine, the godly. The birth of Alexander had mystic connotations and was identified with the God Ammon Ra }

{ The eight-beamed star belonged to a man-God, Alexander. Even numbers are variable and belong to the Earth and are therefore termed earthly numbers, whereas odd numbers were considered to be celestial.

The spiritual significance of the figure eight symbolised the end, or perfection for the initiate. The figure 8 and its factor of two, 16, which is reflected in the star with the reflections of its eight beams, symbolised reincarnation and prosperity.

Alexander the Great brought prosperity to all the nations in his enormous kingdom and on his death, he reincarnated, so his legend could live on for centuries in all nations, in both the West and the East.}

{ My answer to my critics consists of the following points:

1. This is a large above-ground Greek temple shaped royal Macedonian tomb which could not possibly have been built for someone who did not have great standing.

2. The tomb itself also functions as a telesterion which is indicated by the objects and symbols found in the tomb and used for the worship of Alexander. People would not worship someone that was not a heroic King and Alexander was both a hero and a God.

3. The architectural members of the building indicate its enormous size and are illustrations of wonderful Greek classical art.

4. The size of the tomb, which amounts to 500 square metres.

5. The Macedonian symbol of the Dynasty, the star, enclosed in a rhombus, and found at the tomb.

6. Alexander was buried in a gold mine, which could only have been used for a person of standing like Alexander. Lots of purple coloured fragments were found in the tomb.

7. The holographic lions found at the tomb and the white abominable heads, are symbols of the royal power.

8. The inscriptions found at the monument confirm that the tomb belonged to Alex ander. 

9. The legend and personality of Alexander can still be heard today in local customs and tradition.

 10. All finds found to date are unique throughout Egypt.}

  by author: Liana Souvaltzi