View Full Version : History Meets Archeology
ethics
01-15-2004, 01:50 PM
Ancient sources describe how lions were buried in sacred Egyptian tombs, but archaeologists have only just discovered an actual mummified lion (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3395487.stm). The male, one of the largest lions ever known, lived to a very old age in captivity; it was entombed in c. 1430 BCE with Tutankhamun's wet nurse.
Fiona
01-15-2004, 02:01 PM
hmmm... interesting... I guess i hafta read the article... i wanna know WHY? veryy interesting...
mikeky
01-15-2004, 02:17 PM
A question to ponder: if such a lion had never been found, would that have disproved the source, or just mean that one had not yet been found. That is, does lack of evidence disprove previously accepted historical record?
ethics
01-15-2004, 02:42 PM
I believe in science, unless there's proof, it remains to be a theory. Meaning that this Lion would have been theorized but never proven. Now, of course, it has been proven. :)
mikeky
01-15-2004, 02:53 PM
That's the way I understand it. And if the theory is proven not to be true due to some new evidence, then it is considered a discredited or unworkable theory based on the new evidence. It is not, however, considered to be a "lie" or deliberately misleading, unless perhaps prior evidence was fabricated.
[The above is not meant to take this thread OT, was just a thought I wanted to work through.]
That they might have kept tame lions to mummify is interesting. Since the one they found was lucky enough to live to an old age, I imagine he was treated pretty well compared to many people that lived during that time!
melpomene
01-15-2004, 05:41 PM
Fabulous find Leon. I'm a huge fan of Egyptology. :thumbsup: