Experts think an ancient Egyptian scroll could confirm the existence of a lost race of 'biblical giants'.
The Nephilim are mysterious figures from ancient biblical and Jewish texts, and are often described as giants or mighty beings from the distant past.
They are mentioned very briefly in the Book of Genesis 6:1–4, right before the story of Noah’s Flood.
And so the text says they lived on Earth when the 'sons of God' had children with the 'daughters of humans', noting that they were 'heroes of old, men of renown'.
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Researchers are now saying that this ancient Egyptian relic housed in the British Museum might be referencing the Nephilim.
Called 'Papyrus Anastasi I', it appears to mention various encounters with a race of people eight feet in height.
The non-biblical text apparently is in correlation to the Old Testament's accounts of the likes of David and Goliath, reports the Associates for Biblical Research.
Hori, the author, writes: “The narrow defile is infested with Shosu concealed beneath the bushes; some of them are of four cubits or of five cubits, from head to foot, fierce of face, their heart is not mild, and they hearken not to coaxing.
“Thou art alone, there is no helper with thee, no army behind thee.”
Some experts think the text makes a reference to Og, known as the last survivor of the giant Rephaites mentioned in Hebrew texts.
It's thought to lead them to an ancient Canaanite tablet which further holds up their argument.
The ancient tablet reads: “May Rapiu, King of Eternity, drink wine … the god enthroned in Ashtarat, the god who rules in Edrei.”
The names are quite possibly cities that Og is said to have ruled in Hebrew texts.
“The combination of names Rapia, Ashtaroth and Edrei is a remarkable link to the biblical account of Og and the Rephaim,” explained Christopher Eames, a researcher from the Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology.
“Could it even be a reference to this king himself? It has been suggested that 'Og' was simply a regnal title meaning 'man of valor,' paralleling other Ugaritic and Canaanite titles. The list of extra-biblical parallels could go on.”
Researchers at the Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology have also suggested that the text could be about the Shosu people and their size.
“This would mean that the height of those encountered varied from at least six feet eight inches to eight feet six inches,” they explained.
Critics, instead, think the scroll could be accounting for military conflict rather than literal supernatural giants.
Topics: Education, History, Ancient Egypt
Anish Vij