francene--blog. Year 2013
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August 16th

8/16/2013

 
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What's going on in Egypt? It seems the people don't care about the priceless treasures they house. I've always been fascinated by ancient Egypt, so much so that my bedroom is decorated in the style, and I've made references to the past civilization and artifacts in my novels.

But, the Egyptian capital Cairo, which contains the wonderful museum, is poised for renewed protests as supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi call for marches after Friday prayers.

It comes two days after authorities broke up Muslim Brotherhood protest camps in the Egyptian capital with the loss of at least 638 lives.


Picturewww.ibtimes.com
Egypt is in a state of emergency and police have been authorized to use live ammunition in self-defense. The Muslim Brotherhood called on its supporters to gather in mosques for Friday prayers and then take to the streets of Cairo. The group's leaders say they will hold marches under the slogan the people want to topple the coup.

In response, a pro-government group has called on people to protect their neighborhoods and churches throughout the country.

Egypt's Coptic Christian community has been targeted by some Islamists who accuse the Church of backing the army's overthrow of President Morsi last month.

Wednesday's violence, which has been widely condemned, began when armored bulldozers moved into the two Cairo protest camps. The smaller of the two camps, at Nahda Square, was cleared quickly but clashes raged for several hours in and around the main encampment near the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque. The mosque was badly damaged by fire.

The UN Security Council is calling on both the Egyptian government and the Muslim Brotherhood to exercise maximum restraint. However, with people on both sides believing they are right, the country could be heading for a holy war. We know of the heartache a civil war brings. Fighting for a principle seems like madness when the bloody battles are over.


Picturewww.bestourism.com
And what of the treasures the museum holds? Who will protect them? Remains of an ancient civilization could be destroyed forever. Despite the fact that things are not important, they hold the key to the past.

I've toured the Cairo Museum and seen the relics and priceless treasures. Inspired, I wrote my novels twenty years later. Liliha, in Still Rock Water, wears an ancient star moonstone ring which sends her on visionary journeys. Here's an excerpt from the time she lost the ring and went to the British museum to claim it back.


She took a shuddering breath. “Yes. That's it. I recognize the cuts on the side.” She reached out.

The older man slid the package back toward him. “This ring has a very special history. Let me tell you the story.”

He spread out several sheets of paper. “At the beginning of the New Kingdom in Egypt, the ring belonged to the first God's Wife of Amun.”

“Oh ... it comes from Egypt then.” Mind churning, Liliha pressed her back against the wooden seat. Her whole life had led to this event.

“There's no doubt about it. The king, Ahmose, gave the title to his queen: Ahmose Nefertari. She passed it on to her daughter who never married. Afterwards, each priestess adopted her successor for the role of The God's Wife.”

“Wow, was my ring part of all that history?” With a hammering heart, she shifted position. Would she ever get such an ancient item back? “What did the princess do?”

“We don't know the exact details of her role, but part of her function was to carry out ritual actions before the God, including shaking of the sacred rattle. The purpose seemed to be to keep him alert, so he would maintain and protect the created world.”


With so much unrest around the world at the present moment, I can only hope that sense will prevail. People need to settle their differences in a peaceful way.

Sophie Bowns link
8/15/2013 09:36:15 pm

Ah Egypt is a part of the world which I would have once liked to visit at some point in my life! Not any more! It sounds terrifying!

Francene Stanley link
8/16/2013 03:10:38 am

It's a country full of terrible contrasts between wealth and poverty. I'm glad I saw it in the 1980's. I would never go there now.

Amy link
8/15/2013 10:47:09 pm

Francene, it's shocking to hear what's going on in Egypt. I feel so sad for the people there, and you're right to wonder about the treasures that could be destroyed. It all is just a tragedy.

Francene Stanley link
8/16/2013 03:12:01 am

When it all ceases, the Egyptain people will be left to wonder what has happened to the country. So sad.

Sue Nicholls link
8/16/2013 02:18:21 am

Hi Francene,
My husband and I went to Egypt many years ago and found it fascinating. It is one of the few places we have promised ourselves we will re-visit.
A few weeks after we got home there was the massacre of all those tourists at Hatshepsut's temple.

Francene Stanley link
8/16/2013 03:09:13 am

How frightening. It shows how much risk we face by travelling to foreign countries.

Silvia Villalobos link
8/16/2013 04:43:52 am

Sad, very sad. After Mubarak, it seems the world had forgotten them. Taking their own lives into their hands is probably impossible without help at this point.


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    Author

    Francene Stanley, author of many published novels. If you like my writing, why not consider purchasing one of my books? You'll see them on the sidebar below.
    Born in Australia, I moved to Britain half way through my long life.

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