Chapter 4. THE EPOCH OF THE XII CENTURY
14. EGYPT – THE LAND OF CROSSES.
The idea that the religion of 'Ancient' Egypt is not connected with Christianity has been instilled in us. However, when liberated from the trappings of Scaligerian chronology, a different picture emerges. For example, 'Ancient' Egypt is considered to be a classic 'land of crosses'. Many Egyptian deities featured on the drawings and the bass-reliefs hold in their hands a mediaeval symbol (anagram) for Christ – a cross with a loop (the Ankh Cross). For example, the gods Re-Herakhte,
fig.29, the goddess of moisture Tefnut, the sacred lions of Shu and Tefnut, etc. [2v1], ch.1. On the backs of the thrones of both Egyptian statues, known today as the Colossi of Memnon, there survive enormous wide Orthodox crosses,
fig.30 [5v2], ch.7. Here is another example of an impressive 'ancient' Egyptian sculpture of a pharaoh, on the back of the throne of which an Orthodox Christian cross is carved out,
fig.31. It could not have been otherwise, as Egypt of the Pharaohs was a Christian country of the epoch of the XIII-XVI cc.
Similar Christian crosses often can be seen in 'ancient' India, Mesopotamia and Persia. There is a simple explanation to this. All over the 'Mongol' Empire in the XIII-XVI cc. Christianity was the state religion. At first – Royal Christianity, and then – the Apostles' Christianity. That is why people worshiped Christ and used a cross and the other Christian symbols in the religious symbolism.
15. THE SARCOPHAGI AND THE RUSSIAN DOLLS.
We know that the Egyptian sarcophagi with mummies are arranged in a remarkable manner. The coffins are enclosed within each other in order of decreasing size. Only the last one contained a mummy itself. Each coffin represented a HOLLOW FIGURE OF A PERSON - with a face, wearing the robes and a head-dress, and displaying the symbols of authority. For example, the scheme of the sarcophagus of Tutankhamun, See
fig.32.
Does it remind you of anything familiar? Well, of course, the famous Russian dolls (matryoshka)! Several interleaved hollow figurines, resembling each other, becoming progressively smaller, only the last of which is solid. Each one of them is painted and represents a person. As far as we know this symbol – a doll - existed only in Russia. And, as we can see, in 'Ancient' Egypt as well!
It is probable that in the Russian folk art there survives a memory of the ANCIENT RUSSIAN-HORDIAN CUSTOM – to bury the czars in coffins – matryoshka. The Hordian czars and sultans atamans (ottomans) of the XIV-XVI cc. were buried in the Imperial cemetery in African Egypt according to the Russian tradition.
Earlier, before the Romanovs, Christian burial methods were prevalent in Russia, which was unusual from a modern perspective. In particular, the ANTHROPOMORPHIC SARCOPHAGI, i.e. tombs made in the form of a human body [5v2], ch.7. Just like in 'Ancient' Egypt! These customs were especially significant in Vladimir and Suzdal Russia.
Some scientists point out the correlation between these Russian tombs, Byzantian and the 'ancient' Egyptian tombs, but presume that the RUSSIAN ANTHROPOMORPHIC SARCOPHAGI were adopted from the Egyptian ones. However, most likely it was the other way round, such a type of sarcophagus came to 'Ancient' Egypt from Vladimir and Suzdal Russia together with the 'Mongol' conquest of the XIV century.
The anthropomorphic sarcophagi are constantly being found in Moscow during excavations. For instance, in a former Bogoyavlensky Monastery (Epiphany Monastery) close to the Kremlin [62], p.79. These Russian sarcophagi are made in the form of the human body, with a head and shoulders.
In the Kremlin's Arckhangelsky Cathedral at least some of the tombs of the Russian princes (most likely symbolic) were made in the following way: a wooden coffin was enclosed inside a stone sarcophagus. Thus the 'matryoska-like' burials were indubitably made in Russia. Today's Russian doll souvenirs are reminiscent of this custom from our ancient past. In [4v2], ch.2:6, we have shown that between 1632 and 1636 the Romanovs reformed the Church, in particular they dramatically changed the burial customs in Russia. Then a wave of the Romanov 'pogroms' swept through the Russian cemeteries.
In the new chronology the history of ancient Egypt of the XI-XVI cc. as before occupies the place of the most ancient ones. But some of the 'most ancient' customs survived until the middle of the XIX century.
