Act of God: Graham Phillips Explores the Relationship Between Moses, King Tut, and Atlantis

Egypt.

I'm sure that the first thing most of you thought of was a pyramid. For some reason ancient Egypt holds a timeless allure. We can't help but be fascinated by their obsession with death, enormous architectural achievements, and religious cults.

Perhaps we are attracted to the sense of mystery around it as well. Until the Rosetta Stone was finally used to learn hieroglyphics, their language was a mystery. Explorers brought countless artefacts and records back to the Western World. They were covered in symbols that no one could read. Since then we have learned much about their way of life and beliefs, yet there is still so much that we don't understand.

Professional investigator Graham Phillips presents a plausible explanation for a mystery that is 3,000 years old. In 1907, the golden age of Egyptian archaeology, a team of Egyptologists discovered a unique tomb. Known as Tomb 55, it differed from traditional tombs in many ways. Although there was evidence that royalty was buried there, all evidence of the mummy's identity had been removed.

Modern forensic evidence proves that the mummy was a man who died in his twenties. Yet he was laid out in the burial position and adornments of a woman. Further mysteries, such as a double wall, have long puzzled scholars. Who was this mysterious man? Why was he buried in such a bizarre fashion?

Following a complicated trail of evidence, Philips poses a convincing argument that the mummy was Smenkhkare. Little is known about this king who was Tutankhamun's brother. Philips postulates that his unusual tomb was meant as a sort of eternal punishment, designed to keep a spirit from having power either over the earth or the afterlife.

The reason why is where a lot of interesting conjecturing comes into play. Summarizing it all here would neither do it justice nor be fair, so to understand it all, read the book. The basic idea is that contrary to popular belief, which places Moses as living much later, the Exodus actually took place around the reign of Smenkhare. This time period coincides with a massive volcanic eruption in the Mediteranean, the fallout to which would have had major effects on Egypt.

Although some of his suppositions are not solidly supported enough by evidence, he does make a convincing case. I admit that he convinced me of at least parts of his theory. The book Act of God is a fascinating and educational read. If you have ever felt the mysterious allure of the ancient Egyptians, then read this book.