I have apparently touched a nerve

[semillama]

It's rare that a woo posts something in my area of expertise, which is archaeology, but it happened yesterday in the science forums. I believe I had an appropriate response, which hopefully clearly demonstrates the importance of reason and facts vs. frothing accusations and unsubstantiated claims. I hope that other people in the thread can evaluate the two posts and find mine to be actually informative.

The funniest thing is that the person who attacked me clearly didn't read past the first sentence of my original post...it was quite an easy smackdown, actually.

[TZ]

1. I saw that thread and it immediately struck me as being more

than a little bit on the psuedoscientific side. But I don't have the "chops" to argue about that. I was actually hoping you would find that thread. I'm pretty sure I smelled "twoo believer" in that person and no logic would penetrate...

[charlie]

2. Oof. It seems you did

Wussified and gutless, oh my. It takes rare fortitude to be a von Daniken, I suppose.

You handled it deftly. And civilly, which is far better than I could've managed. Well done.

[Odin2005]

3. LOL, funny timing, I've been reading David Brin's "Uplift" sci-fi series which features...

...a lot of characters that toss Von Daniken's nonsense around

[semillama]

4. That's one of my favorite series

The whole concept of the "Daniks" vs. "wolflings" is great. I've worn out all my copies of those books.

Do you read his blog? pretty interesting stuff.

[Odin2005]

5. Yes I do read his blog! Love that kind of stuff!

[onager]

6. I enjoyed your response.

And thought your response was appropriate. Downright restrained, in fact. Though I did enjoy the "hand-waving woo-woo" bits.

:rofl:

The mummies with traces of cocaine, nicotine and hashish are very interesting. Especially since I spent most of the last 4 years in Egypt, where this was also a hot topic from time to time. Dr. Zawi Hawass writes a weekly column for the English-language Egyptian Gazette, which was always entertaining. Especially when he ranted about the "aliens-built-the-Pyramids" crowd.

As far as those contaminated mummies, anything I can say would be just speculation by an ignoramus. Though it wouldn't surprise me that ANYTHING stored in Cairo's Egyptian Museum was contaminated by...anything. I've heard that in the basements of that museum, some crates have sat unopened for over 75 years. You have to wonder what might be lurking in there!

Along with mummies sold for their alleged "medicinal" value, during the 19th century thousands of mummies were ground up for fertilizer and exported to Europe. I think this was another scheme by the then-ruler of Egypt, Muhammad Ali. His idea of foreign diplomacy was giving away huge chunks of Egypt's historical heritage. e.g., he gave away the famous pair of obelisks known as "Cleopatra's Needles" to Britain and the U.S.

Muhammad Ali also stripped the pink granite off of a Giza pyramid and used it to decorate a new arsenal in Alexandria. He introduced Egypt to such modern European notions as the military draft and the secret police. Though his last ruling descendant, King Farouk, is seen by many Westerners as the prototypical Arab pasha, Egyptians today usually refer to Muhammad Ali (correctly) as "that #$%^$ Albanian mercenary."

[semillama]

7. More mummy shenanigans:

The creation of fake mummies was quite the industry, if I recall, to supply the "mummy powder" market (all natural!).

And I think I read once about a rail line in Egypt where one locomotive ran out of fuel and burned mummies in the coal box - don't know if that one is true but it's a good story!

[onager]

8. I've heard of the fake mummies.

But not the train. I'll have to check my books! It wouldn't surprise me.

My favorite mummy is in Alexandria's Graeco-Roman Museum. It's wrapped and decorated in the traditional Egyptian manner, but the wrappings are also decorated with Xian crosses.

Clearly a "belt-and-suspenders" type guy. Whether he ran into Anubis or St. Peter in the afterlife, he was ready!