The International Conference on Ancient Studies Dubai, November 29 & 30, 2008

A news report
by Robert M. Schoch, Ph.D.
Boston University

For two days (November 29 & 30, 2008) a star-studded group of ancient history researchers and an enthralled audience congregated at the pyramid-shaped Raffles Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for “The International Conference on Ancient Studies: The Mysteries of Ancient Civilisations” [note the British spelling].

Day one was devoted to Egypt. Robert Bauval summarized his work on the correlation of the three major pyramids of Giza with the Belt of Orion (representing Osiris to the ancient Egyptians), commemorating the period of circa 10,500 B.C., which for the ancient Egyptians may have represented Zep Tepi, or the First Time. Next, moving our gaze from the stars to the stones, I (Robert Schoch) summarized my work on re-dating the Great Sphinx. The traditional date is circa 2500 B.C.; I presented evidence that the earliest portions of the Sphinx must date back to at least 5000 B.C., and possibly much earlier.

In the afternoon, Mahmoud Marai presented his discoveries in the Western Desert of Egypt, some 700 kilometers west of Abu Simbel. Dating from the Middle Kingdom (circa 2000 B.C.), hieroglyphic inscriptions mention the legendary Kingdom of Yam. Once considered merely a myth, it appears that Yam was a genuine place, perhaps located in the Western Desert, and there was a caravan route from Egypt to Yam. Dr. Thomas Brophy ended the day with a presentation on the astronomy of archaeological sites, dating circa 4800 B.C. and earlier, in the Nabta Playa region of the Western Desert.

Michael Cremo opened day two, addressing the evidence for modern humans hundreds of thousands to millions of years earlier than recognized by conventional archaeologists. Next were discussions of Central and South American archaeology. John Major Jenkins summarized his work on the Mayan long count calendar, culminating in the date of December 21, 2012, when the Solstice Sun will be aligned with the Galactic Center. Dr. Constantino Manuel Torres followed with a presentation on the ancient peoples of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, analyzing the well-preserved mummies, art, and other cultural remains of the region. In the final presentation, Dr. Luis Eduardo Luna explored the indigenous peoples of the Amazon rainforest, an area of extreme cultural diversity and antiquity. The conference concluded with a lively panel discussion among the presenters as they fielded questions from the audience.

The International Conference on Ancient Studies was unlike anything that had previously been held in Dubai. Grateful thanks go to His Royal Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Event Management Corporation, under whose patronage it was held, as well as to the sponsors: The Trade Commission of Chile, Raffles Dubai, the Dubai Convention Bureau, Al Husn Real Estate, Arab Media Group, BurJuman Rotana Dhamani, and AdBox Events. Special thanks go to Dr. Mohammad Naeemat (Chairman of AdBox), Ali Bin Karam (Chief Executive Officer of AdBox), and Jean-Paul Tarud-Kuborn (Trade Commissioner of Chile to the Gulf Cooperation Council). Given the success of the conference, I hope that it will become an annual event.


Photo: International Conference on Ancient Studies, Dubai, panel discussion on November 30, 2008. From left to right, Dr. Robert M. Schoch, Dr. Thomas Brophy, Dr. Constantino Manuel Torres, John Major Jenkins, Robert Bauval, Michael Cremo, Dr. Luis Eduardo Luna, and Mahmoud Marai. (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Robert M. Schoch, copyright 2008.)