posted
Zahi takes a pot-shot at Christian Jacq film March 9, 2007
Princess of the Sun
Dr. Zahi Hawass secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) received yesterday a report concerning a French production cartoon called “Princess of the Sun” which relates an imaginary story about the monotheistic king Akhnaten and his family.
March 13 will be its world premiere in Egypt, at the foot step of the Great pyramid.
According to the report presented by a technical and scientific committee headed by Sabri Abel Aziz, head of the ancient Egyptian department in the SCA, the film is a fantasy of the French writer Christian Jacque who inspired its story from a perplexing era of king Akhnaten’s reign.
The film includes of several historical mistakes and has nothing in relation with real political, historical, religious and military events that happened in that time. All the incidents of the film reflect the writer’s illusion which totally contradict with Egypt’s historical facts. Even names and titles of the film’s heroes is for people who did not ever exist in the ancient Egyptian history except the name of king Akhnaten, his wife Nefertiti and his military leader Haremhab.
In order to allow the display of the film, the committee asked the Egyptian film distributor “Good News” group to write on the film, in English and Arabic, that the story of the film is a fantasy of his writer and has nothing in relation with the ancient Egyptian historical facts.
The historical mistakes are as follows:
Princess Akiza who personifies king Akhnaten’s daughter whose, according to the film, married to a prince called Tut is an imaginary personality. Akhnaten has not a daughter called Akiza.
The film depicts the sudden disappearance of Akhnaten from history by drinking poison which led to his death, a matter that has not any evidence in history. Until now, purposes behind Akhnaten’s death is not known but what Egyptologists are sure of that king Semenkare took the thrown after Akhnaten and sit on it for a year long. King Tutankhamun came afterwards and ruled for nine years.
The military leader Haremhab was killed during the film enrollment before the era of Ttutankhamun but according to history, Haremhab came up to the throne after king Tutankhanum and Iye and reigned for approximately 28 years.
Also Queen Nefertiti was not never exiled to Philae island in Aswan as it shown in the film.
As for Egypt’s struggle with the Hittites totally contradicts with all archaeological and historical evidences. The Hittites did not ever invade Egypt at the end of Akhnaten’s reign as the film relates on the contrary their struggle was in Khita city in Syria which started the reign of the 19th dynadty King Ramses II, almost 58 years after the death of king Akhnaten. After Egypt’s victory in Kadish battle both countries signed a peaces treaty.
Christian Jacq (born 1947) is a French author and Egyptologist. He has written several novels about ancient Egypt, notably a five book suite about pharaoh Ramses II, a character whom Jacq admires greatly. He also wrote the book The Black Pharaoh which is about King Piankhy.
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posted
I don't have issue with the need for historical accuracy, with realistic [indigenous] ethnic display of the Kemetic dynasties. If the pictures in the link above is anything to go by, at least the said 'fictitious' film portrays the Kemetic characters as dark skin personalities. I'm not sure what is up with the "blue" eyes of the female character though.
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posted
Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. The Egyptians are dipicted as blacks and I have a feeling Hawass isn't so much mad about the historical accuracy of the cartoon but rather the dipiction of the Egyptians. I personally do not trust the guy. The good thing is cartoons can have a greater effect on people than real movies because it reaches out to children so you never know this could be a good thing for historically accurate Egyptian perception for the future of the kids into their adult life.
Posts: 271 | Registered: Feb 2007
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quote:What Box (Willing Thinker): Who might that guy be in pic 13.
I think it's the leader of the Hittites.
Who is this man, is it Horemheb?
Ah, now we know why Hawass is really upset. Say no more Zahi. We know the cause of your pain.
Zahi is definitely full of B.S. The film is listed as science fiction. What more needs to be said? No archaeologists I know of are up in arms about 300 being scientifically inaccurate, so why does he care so much about this? The story is loosely based on the events of the 18th dynasty in Egypt and doesnt claim to be an accurate recording of the events of that time period.
I also wonder why this production is not getting more press play or airtime, especially here in America, especially since the artifacts from the 18th dynasty are currently here on tour. I definitely agree that this has nothing to do with a disagreement over historical accuracy, but with something else. After all, look at all the movies that have been made with Egyptian themes and Zahi has never protested before: "The Mummy", "The Mummy Returns", "Prince of Egypt", "Stargate" and so on. NOW all of a sudden he is upset.....
posted
Ah, now we know why Hawass is really upset. Say no more Zahi. We know the cause of your pain.
^^^^WHOA!! you mean me and Rasol actually agree on something?!?!? There must be a solar eclipse somewhere Posts: 271 | Registered: Feb 2007
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quote:Originally posted by vidadavida: The good thing is cartoons can have a greater effect on people than real movies because it reaches out to children so you never know this could be a good thing for historically accurate Egyptian perception for the future of the kids into their adult life.
good point
Posts: 1549 | From: California, USA | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
Man, I am really digging this. Very cool they even have our noses and lips right lol Very shocked and surprised at the French's honesty, but you know I shouldn't be TOO shocked considering the French seem to be the only non-Africans to actually WANT to preserve African culture (strangly). NOt only that they are the only people that have actually apologized for colonization and slavery. Grace Jones was a huuuge model in France and lets not forget the Hottentot woman in French history. Something must be in the water there lol.
I also heard a rumor that when the French fought the English that in order for the English to end the war the French had to forfeit everything they knew and had on Nile valley culture. Has anyone ever heard this before? Lets not forget that the French seemed to be the main Europeans supporting a black Egypt during the racist era of Egyptology.
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posted
But it seems like all of them have blue eyes.
That is an artistic expression obviously chosen by the artists they all have different color eyes like red, green, blue I have seen it in other cartoons that use this format of drawing..nothing that should be taken too seriously.
Posts: 271 | Registered: Feb 2007
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quote:Originally posted by vidadavida: But it seems like all of them have blue eyes.
That is an artistic expression obviously chosen by the artists they all have different color eyes like red, green, blue I have seen it in other cartoons that use this format of drawing..nothing that should be taken too seriously.
Posts: 1549 | From: California, USA | Registered: Jan 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Doug M: After all, look at all the movies that have been made with Egyptian themes and Zahi has never protested before: "The Mummy", "The Mummy Returns", "Prince of Egypt", "Stargate" and so on.
In the interest of fairness to Hawass, I would like to point out that these movies weren't based on any actual historical events unlike this one. I can see a few people being misled by the presentation of the Egyptian history (especially the people) implemented in this movie, even if they know it is fiction.
I too have noticed that the French seem more accepting of the idea of black Egyptians than other Europeans. At my high school, we have several copies of a French youth magazine named Okapi, and one issue had an illustrated article on Hatshepsut. All the Egyptians were portrayed with dark skin, too. If this really is a significant trend in France, it could have something to do with Cheik Anta Diop writing in French as his first European language.
BTW, why does the Hittite leader have red hair? I think it is a fallacy to assume that the Hittites had red hair just because they were Indo-European. Remember, Indians are also Indo-European, and except for hair texture and a few facial features, they're as far from the northern European phenotype as you can get.
Posts: 7073 | From: Fallbrook, CA | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Doug M: After all, look at all the movies that have been made with Egyptian themes and Zahi has never protested before: "The Mummy", "The Mummy Returns", "Prince of Egypt", "Stargate" and so on.
In the interest of fairness to Hawass, I would like to point out that these movies weren't based on any actual historical events unlike this one. I can see a few people being misled by the presentation of the Egyptian history (especially the people) implemented in this movie, even if they know it is fiction.
I too have noticed that the French seem more accepting of the idea of black Egyptians than other Europeans. At my high school, we have several copies of a French youth magazine named Okapi, and one issue had an illustrated article on Hatshepsut. All the Egyptians were portrayed with dark skin, too. If this really is a significant trend in France, it could have something to do with Cheik Anta Diop writing in French as his first European language.
BTW, why does the Hittite leader have red hair? I think it is a fallacy to assume that the Hittites had red hair just because they were Indo-European. Remember, Indians are also Indo-European, and except for hair texture and a few facial features, they're as far from the northern European phenotype as you can get.
Having seen more of the storyline of the film, I can understand the need to put a disclaimer in about the fact that it is fiction.
However, what do you mean by this:
quote: I can see a few people being misled by the presentation of the Egyptian history (especially the people) implemented in this movie, even if they know it is fiction.
Are you saying that the depiction of the Eyptians in the film is misleading?
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posted
^Don't fall for it Doug. Don't. Just ignore.
Posts: 3423 | From: the jungle - when y'all stop playing games, call me. | Registered: Jul 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Myra Wysinger: Zahi takes a pot-shot at Christian Jacq film March 9, 2007
Princess of the Sun
Dr. Zahi Hawass secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) received yesterday a report concerning a French production cartoon called “Princess of the Sun” which relates an imaginary story about the monotheistic king Akhnaten and his family.
March 13 will be its world premiere in Egypt, at the foot step of the Great pyramid.
According to the report presented by a technical and scientific committee headed by Sabri Abel Aziz, head of the ancient Egyptian department in the SCA, the film is a fantasy of the French writer Christian Jacque who inspired its story from a perplexing era of king Akhnaten’s reign.
The film includes of several historical mistakes and has nothing in relation with real political, historical, religious and military events that happened in that time. All the incidents of the film reflect the writer’s illusion which totally contradict with Egypt’s historical facts. Even names and titles of the film’s heroes is for people who did not ever exist in the ancient Egyptian history except the name of king Akhnaten, his wife Nefertiti and his military leader Haremhab.
In order to allow the display of the film, the committee asked the Egyptian film distributor “Good News” group to write on the film, in English and Arabic, that the story of the film is a fantasy of his writer and has nothing in relation with the ancient Egyptian historical facts.
The historical mistakes are as follows:
Princess Akiza who personifies king Akhnaten’s daughter whose, according to the film, married to a prince called Tut is an imaginary personality. Akhnaten has not a daughter called Akiza.
The film depicts the sudden disappearance of Akhnaten from history by drinking poison which led to his death, a matter that has not any evidence in history. Until now, purposes behind Akhnaten’s death is not known but what Egyptologists are sure of that king Semenkare took the thrown after Akhnaten and sit on it for a year long. King Tutankhamun came afterwards and ruled for nine years.
The military leader Haremhab was killed during the film enrollment before the era of Ttutankhamun but according to history, Haremhab came up to the throne after king Tutankhanum and Iye and reigned for approximately 28 years.
Also Queen Nefertiti was not never exiled to Philae island in Aswan as it shown in the film.
As for Egypt’s struggle with the Hittites totally contradicts with all archaeological and historical evidences. The Hittites did not ever invade Egypt at the end of Akhnaten’s reign as the film relates on the contrary their struggle was in Khita city in Syria which started the reign of the 19th dynadty King Ramses II, almost 58 years after the death of king Akhnaten. After Egypt’s victory in Kadish battle both countries signed a peaces treaty.
Christian Jacq (born 1947) is a French author and Egyptologist. He has written several novels about ancient Egypt, notably a five book suite about pharaoh Ramses II, a character whom Jacq admires greatly. He also wrote the book The Black Pharaoh which is about King Piankhy.
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Zahi is just fuming that many people are moving away from his "North African Caucasian" theories. I honestly believe one of the reasons he banned that woman (forgot her name) who thought she had found Nefertiti...is because she represented her as being Black.
Posts: 1219 | From: North Carolina, USA | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:Originally posted by vidadavida: Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. The Egyptians are dipicted as blacks and I have a feeling Hawass isn't so much mad about the historical accuracy of the cartoon but rather the dipiction of the Egyptians. I personally do not trust the guy. The good thing is cartoons can have a greater effect on people than real movies because it reaches out to children so you never know this could be a good thing for historically accurate Egyptian perception for the future of the kids into their adult life.
That's exactly what it's about. I don't see him attacking other fictional movies like The Mummy with all of it's gross inaccuracies.
Posts: 1219 | From: North Carolina, USA | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:What Box (Willing Thinker): Who might that guy be in pic 13.
I think it's the leader of the Hittites.
Who is this man, is it Horemheb?
Ah, now we know why Hawass is really upset. Say no more Zahi. We know the cause of your pain.
Zahi is definitely full of B.S. The film is listed as science fiction. What more needs to be said? No archaeologists I know of are up in arms about 300 being scientifically inaccurate, so why does he care so much about this? The story is loosely based on the events of the 18th dynasty in Egypt and doesnt claim to be an accurate recording of the events of that time period.
I also wonder why this production is not getting more press play or airtime, especially here in America, especially since the artifacts from the 18th dynasty are currently here on tour. I definitely agree that this has nothing to do with a disagreement over historical accuracy, but with something else. After all, look at all the movies that have been made with Egyptian themes and Zahi has never protested before: "The Mummy", "The Mummy Returns", "Prince of Egypt", "Stargate" and so on. NOW all of a sudden he is upset.....
Probably because it's French. Most foreign movies outside of a handful of big productions don't get much reception in America.
Posts: 1219 | From: North Carolina, USA | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:Zahi is just fuming that many people are moving away from his "North African Caucasian" theories. I honestly believe one of the reasons he banned that woman (forgot her name) who thought she had found Nefertiti...is because she represented her as being Black.
posted
quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zahi is just fuming that many people are moving away from his "North African Caucasian" theories. I honestly believe one of the reasons he banned that woman (forgot her name) who thought she had found Nefertiti...is because she represented her as being Black. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joanne Fletcher.
^^^^Was that the Egyptian hair specialist? I think I saw segment on her on the history channel.
Posts: 271 | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
Great images! Hopefully this will be the start of a long trend.
-------------------- "Oh the sons of Ethiopia; observe with care; the country called Ethiopia is, first, your mother; second, your throne; third, your wife; fourth, your child; fifth, your grave." - Ras Alula Aba Nega. Posts: 1024 | Registered: Jun 2006
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quote:Originally posted by vidadavida: quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zahi is just fuming that many people are moving away from his "North African Caucasian" theories. I honestly believe one of the reasons he banned that woman (forgot her name) who thought she had found Nefertiti...is because she represented her as being Black. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joanne Fletcher.
^^^^Was that the Egyptian hair specialist? I think I saw segment on her on the history channel.
I can't remember what her speciality was exactly...I just remember thinking Zahi was grossly overreacting just because she messed up on an idenification. Which implied to me that he was doing it for other reasons.
EDIT: I wish this movie was coming out in English!!
Posts: 1219 | From: North Carolina, USA | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
Of course there is the issue of only wanting to focus on ONE of the hundreds of images of Nefertiti, most of which DO NOT look like the Berlin bust.
So compare that Berlin Bust to all these other images and see which looks more accurate. Just by putting together all the images from the late 18th dynasty, royal, nobles and otherwise and seeing how many match that of the Berlin bust, you will see how it is a symbol of desperation for Eurocentric die-hards.
Posts: 8893 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Doug M: Are you saying that the depiction of the Eyptians in the film is misleading?
Sorry for my clumsy writing---I meant to say that putting in historical personalities that actually existed could make this movie seem more historically accurate (and thus more in need of a disclaimer) to some moviegoers than it actuall is.
Posts: 7073 | From: Fallbrook, CA | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Supercar: I don't have issue with the need for historical accuracy, with realistic [indigenous] ethnic display of the Kemetic dynasties. If the pictures in the link above is anything to go by, at least the said 'fictitious' film portrays the Kemetic characters as dark skin personalities. I'm not sure what is up with the "blue" eyes of the female character though.
Indeed.
The artwork looks rather crude to me though.
I rather enjoyed the movie "The Prince of Egypt", which was comparably was accurate in representation and had a wonderful soundtrack with musical talent as illustrious as Mariah Cary and Whitney Houston.
The Egyptians were portrayed as villains, as they are in the Biblical story of Exodus but it was altogether and excellent film.
Posts: 1203 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Supercar: I don't have issue with the need for historical accuracy, with realistic [indigenous] ethnic display of the Kemetic dynasties. If the pictures in the link above is anything to go by, at least the said 'fictitious' film portrays the Kemetic characters as dark skin personalities. I'm not sure what is up with the "blue" eyes of the female character though.
Indeed.
The artwork looks rather crude to me though.
I rather enjoyed the movie "The Prince of Egypt", which was comparably was accurate in representation and had a wonderful soundtrack with musical talent as illustrious as Mariah Cary and Whitney Houston.
The Egyptians were portrayed as villains, as they are in the Biblical story of Exodus but it was altogether and excellent film.
The production of the prince of Egypt was marred by an attempt to be PC and not offend anyone. This was mentioned by the producers themselves, who tried to reconcile the controversy over whether the pharoahs were black or semitic. Nefertari seems to be the most African of all the characters in the movie, while the priests are the most un-Egyptian. Ramses of course is somewhat ambiguous.
Posts: 8893 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Doug M: The production of the prince of Egypt was marred by an attempt to be PC and not offend anyone. This was mentioned by the producers themselves, who tried to reconcile the controversy over whether the pharoahs were black or semitic. Nefertari seems to be the most African of all the characters in the movie, while the priests are the most un-Egyptian. Ramses of course is somewhat ambiguous.
Agreed.
It is very obvious that the artwork - while not grossly *inaccurate* - attempts to make the Kemetians as ethnically ambiguous as possible.
Of course traditional Hollywood films like 10 Commandments didn't even bother with that, they simply used white people from Europe, so it's all relative I suppose.
Posts: 15202 | Registered: Jun 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Yonis: But it seems like all of them have blue eyes.
I noticed that too!
quote:Originally posted by vidadavida: That is an artistic expression obviously chosen by the artists they all have different color eyes like red, green, blue I have seen it in other cartoons that use this format of drawing..nothing that should be taken too seriously.
So you're saying it's like anime, where all the characters have light colored eyes (as well as light colored hair)
But other than that, I must admit the animation is very accurate in terms of both color and body facial features.
Posts: 26249 | From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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quote:Originally posted by vidadavida: Man, I am really digging this. Very cool they even have our noses and lips right lol Very shocked and surprised at the French's honesty, but you know I shouldn't be TOO shocked considering the French seem to be the only non-Africans to actually WANT to preserve African culture (strangly). NOt only that they are the only people that have actually apologized for colonization and slavery. Grace Jones was a huuuge model in France and lets not forget the Hottentot woman in French history. Something must be in the water there lol.
Actually I myself am a little shocked that this was created by the French considering such nonsense as their "caucasoid" Tut reconstruction.
quote:I also heard a rumor that when the French fought the English that in order for the English to end the war the French had to forfeit everything they knew and had on Nile valley culture. Has anyone ever heard this before? Lets not forget that the French seemed to be the main Europeans supporting a black Egypt during the racist era of Egyptology.
I don't know about the "forfeit" thing, but I do I know that the French and English were wagin a war in archaeology in who would be the first to decipher hieroglyphics and thus knowledge in ancient Egyptian history. Also, you are right that the French were the least bias considering works like Champollion the Younger, Count Constatine de Volney, and Marius Fontanes. However, even then there was a little bias due to the slave trade and the rise of the so-called inferiority of Sub-Saharan "negroes".
Posts: 26249 | From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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