I was thinking about Troy today and how at one time no one thought Troy existed. Prior to 1870, all that was known of Troy was the tale of the Trojan War, which was an epic story originally told by Homer in the Illiad and later used by Virgil in the Aeneas. The precise location and even the very existence of Troy has been a source of dispute throughout the ages. In 1865, archaeologist Frank Calvert excavated trenches into Hisarlik and found enough evidence that convince himself that he had found the correct site. Calvert relayed his findings to Heinrich Schliemann in 1868 at a dinner party, which then turned into a partnership due to Schliemann having financial means. In 1870 Schliemann began excavations at Hisarlik, under the permit which Frank Calvert had obtained for him, and with members of Calvert’s crew. After a couple of years, Schliemann was sure he had found Troy and announced it to the public, however, he deliberately left Calvert’s name out of all of his subsequent official announcements, lectures, and publications, thereby claiming the fame and glory for himself.
It fascinates me how the individuals were able to pull enough information from the Illiad and locate an ancient city. This got me to thinking about other legends and stories I have read and if there is any evidence of them today. I have listed 3 stories/legends that are linked with interesting evidence.
Parting of the Red Sea: The story in the Bible of Moses parting the Red Sea is actually a phenomenon that has occurred. Software engineer and lead study author Carl Drews discovered it wasn’t actually the Red Sea, but the Eastern Nile Delta, at a body of water called the Lake of Tanis, that did the parting. A coastal phenomenon called a “wind setdown” could have blown in from the east, pushing the water to create a storm surge in another part of the lake, but completely clearing water from the area where the wind was blowing. Drews was able to re-create weather patterns and topography utilizing computer models of the ancient system and discovered Moses would have had approximately four hours to cross the lake. A similar event has also happened to Napoleon. Napoleon crossed the Red Sea at the head of the Gulf of Suez on December 28, 1798. At low tide Napoleon and his men were trying to cross the northern end, because the receded water revealed a dry bottom on which they could ride. But they began crossing too late, and when the tide waters returned violently and swirled around them, they were almost overcome.
Rama’s Bridge: In the Indian epic of Ramayana, author Valmiki speaks of a bridge over the ocean connecting India and Sri Lanka. In the story, the bridge, also known as Adam’s Bridge, was created with floating stones so an army could cross the ocean. The existence of the bridge has been known in India as well as Sri Lanka since at least 850 AD, which was first mention by IbnKhordadbeh in his Book of Roads and Kingdoms. The sea separating the two countries has been called Sethusamudram meaning “Sea of the Bridge”. If you look at satellite photos of this region today, you will notice a faint hint of a connecting strip between the two countries. Geological evidence suggests that this bridge is a former land connection between India and Sri Lanka, made with chain of limestone shoals surrounded by a shallow sea of one-to-10 meter depth. The bridge is about 50 km long. Centuries ago, it formed an intermittent, but otherwise solid, connecting link between India and Sri Lanka. The causeway existed as late as the 15th century and was passable on foot, as per records kept at the Rameswaram temple, until it was flooded in a storm.
Turning into Stone: Petrification is a common theme in folklore and mythology, as well as in some works of modern literature. However, there is a lake in Tanzania that can turn you into “stone”. Lake Natron (salt lake) has high amounts of the chemical natron (Na2CO3•10(H2O)). The water’s alkalinity comes from the sodium carbonate and other minerals that flow into the lake from the surrounding hills. The natron content in the lake has given it a pH level of about 10.5 which is comparable to that of ammonia. The waters can also reach temperatures as high as 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Lake Natron is one of two alkaline lakes in that area of East Africa; the other is Lake Bahi. Both are terminal lakes that do not drain out to any river or sea. The lake does support an ecosystem of fish, algae and flamingos. However, if an animal dies in the lake, the petrification is not instantaneous, but does happen very quickly. The shores of this lake are covered with thousands of intact petrified bird and bat corpses. The birds appear to have been preserved almost perfectly, feathers and all. Why the birds crash into the lake is unknown. It is speculated due to the lakes glassy appearance birds become confused and think they are flying over empty space, thus accidently crashing into the lake.
Photo by KEMAL HAYIT from Pexels
