Medieval Appreciation for the Pyramids:
pt. 2

July 14, 2006

The picture is from a Coptic church nestled up against the Muqattam Hills of Cairo. Scores of biblical scenes have been carved into the wall, but this one caught me eye. The scene is of the Holy Family as they make their way through Egypt. The New Testament spends only a verse or two mentioning that they spent time in Egypt to escape Herod's persecution, but Coptic literature took that hint and ran with it until today there is even a lengthy and well-mapped itinerary for their time in Egypt.

The placement of the pyramids in the background is important.. the three classic pyramids of Giza (although here each the same size). These pyramids were useful to the artist because they definitively make the setting Egyptian.. But their presence also constitutes an unspoken argument for preservation. That argument goes something like this: the sites and places that formed the background of the visit of the Holy Family should be preserved.. or are at least worthy of a high level of respect. After viewing representations such as this a Copt can look at the pyramids and think: I am looking at the same structure that Mary and Joseph looked upon.

In his book on the pyramids al-Idrisi spends several sections recounting the important people who have visited the pyramids. One section begins with the heading: "Mention of Who Paid a Visit Here from among the Prophets..." Al-Idrisi continues after that heading with a list:

Idris [Enoch], Abraham the Friend of God, Jacob, Joseph the trusty... Moses the mouthpiece of God, his brother Harun, and his youth Joshua son of Nun... and Jeremiah... All of these that we have mentioned in the way of prophets, peace be upon them, their laudable feet trod the wide river bed of the pyramids and their far-ranging glances wandered in hope of them. The city of the king at that time in Egypt was Minf [Memphis]. Everyone who arrived there from the regions of the Levant did not continue on except after passing the pyramids and crossing over to them.

As for Moses, upon him be peace, his brother Harun, and his youth Joshua son of Nun, Minf was the nest which they outgrew, and from which, fleeing the Pharaoh with all the tribes of the sons of Israel, they departed. And all the histories testify to Abraham's seeking of refuge to Egypt after his exit from Haran, and to the story of him with the king of Egypt Tawtis... They testify also to the arrival of Jacob there, and Joseph and his brothers, about which the Qur'an testifies in its place. As for Idris [Enoch], it is said that he was the king of Egypt in long past times, and that he was the erector of the pyramids, their builder, and the one who deposited the secrets of wisdom in them. People among the oldest of historians insist that his body is in one of the pyramids, and because of the veracity of that, the Sabaeans make pilgrimage to them... [20-21]

None of these sketches (except the one Idris at the end) actually place the characters at the pyramids, but the argument is that since the capital of Pharaonic Egypt was Minf, close to the location of the pyramids, each of these figures must have been knowledgeable of them.. and looked longingly at them in the distance.

After this section al-Idrisi goes on to provide another section about the companions of the prophet who stayed in Egypt.. arguing that before the Muslim armies split up, some going to Alexandria and others south, they camped near the pyramids. The following chapter recounts the Caliphs and famous persons who in Islamic times have spent time at the pyramids.. the Caliph al-Ma'mun being the posterboy for pyramid visitation.

So what is the point in all this time spent by al-Idrisi recounting who has been to the pyramids? It is part of a strategy for justifying the value of the pyramids.. sort of an extended textual version of the picture at the head of this blog. For every important personage that has camped in the shape of the pyramids, they gain that much more importance and justification. A Muslim could look over at the pyramids and imagine the far-gazing glances of those who came before.

By the way, before all the build-up in and around Cairo the pyramids were much easier to see.. The following is a picture I found in the Description de l'Egypte, showing how easily the pyramids could be seen from Fustat (actually the island of Rawdah):

Those Muslims sitting under the tree could be thinking about how those pyramids formed the background for so many different stories, from biblical figures to historical Muslim rulers. In being mentally transformed into the background for so many events, the pyramids start to take on some of that same importance. This kind of popularized association lays the groundwork for a culture of preservation.