Author Description

Hollywood missed its chance to take Indiana Jones to Elephantine Island and then on to today’s Ethiopia where Christians claim to have the Ark of the Covenant. Chapter 1 takes you to Upper Egypt and Elephantine Island to discover how Aswan and Elephantine Island fit into the Bible story. Was the Jewish Ark of the Covenant taken to this island? Yearly, tourists come to Aswan but are not taught how Aswan and tElephantine! The name perhaps conjures up an image of elephants crossing the desert to this location. Elephantine, in Upper Egypt, has long been in news reports and in a 1992 book with a story that a Jewish temple (like that of Solomon’s in Jerusalem and home to the Ark of the Covenant) had been built at Elephantine. The book went on to suggest that the original Ark of the Covenant had been carried here to escape capture by the Babylonians in their 587 BC assault on Jerusalem. The role of Elephantine in the story of God and his people, though not as dramatic, is an interesting story. he surrounding area are relevant to biblical studies. Elephantine is an island in the Nile River at Aswan in Upper Egypt, just north of the First Cataract (rapids). The Nile River becomes navigable at this location, and in ancient times ivory (and other trade items) was brought from Nubia (Sudan today) overland to Elephantine-Aswan in Upper Egypt to be shipped down the Nile for trade. On the west shore of the Nile just west of Elephantine Island are tombs of Sixth Dynasty princes that date back to the 24th century BC. Some of these princes were involved in the ivory trade. Still other adventures will follow including a decent down into Hades!