by Tom Pollack
“Now is the time,” said Menes, “for all Egyptians to stand united. We are people with a common culture: the same gods, the same customs, the same writing system, and basically the same economy. I believe, with all my heart and mind, that the moment is right for an alliance between Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt. Perhaps even for a union of the two.”
Menes held his right hand aloft, extended with the index finger pointing upward, as if he were addressing a wider audience. Snefru and Cain maintained a respectful silence.
With a meaningful glance at Cain, Menes pronounced, “And, when our dike project is completed, Memphis will be ideally situated to be the capital of this alliance—and the crown of all Egypt!”
The rest of their meeting was devoted to a more personal matter. Menes informed them of the sudden, grave illness of his younger sister, Cena. Her doctors suspected she had contracted some type of malady from the river. Both Cain and Snefru expressed their concerns, although Cain remained politely quiet as Menes and Snefru then offered up prayers to various healing gods.
After two hours or so, Snefru and Cain took their leave, returning to their respective houses by the river. “So Menes has dynastic aspirations after all,” thought Cain, as he strolled beside the other man. In this visionary’s mind, the city’s glory was harnessed to his own ambitions for power. Cain had seen such aspirations in Enoch. Indeed, he had lived them. But Memphis was tiny compared to Enoch, and now it was another leader’s turn. Cain had tasted all he wanted of political power.
On entering his house, Cain reflected on the dour news concerning Cena. Despite his best efforts to remain upbeat and encouraging in front of Menes, he’d learned that death was an ever present fact of life in this new land. Cain calculated that perhaps a third of the children here died in infancy. The great majority of adults did not live past thirty-five. A people who lived by the river also died by the river—not only from waterborne diseases, but also from the jaws of hippos and crocodiles. What a contrast to the long-lived generations Cain had known before the flood!
Cain pondered the deeper reasons, if any, for this contraction of the human life span. Was God, offended by the rampant paganism and idolatry of Egypt, once again showing his displeasure with mortal beings? Was another flood, perhaps, on the way? What had happened to the pious preaching of Noah and his warnings on the subject of false gods?
Again, Cain confronted the recurring dilemma of his own longevity. Here in Egypt his immunity to the ravages of time would become obvious much faster, and would likely cause suspicion, envy, or hostility. For some time now, he had debated the issue within himself. On the one hand, he had no wish to leave the safety of Egypt. Although very different from Enoch, Egypt had achieved an enviable level of prosperity and culture. Cain could see that there were vast opportunities here. Thanks to the Nile, agriculture was thriving and transportation was relatively easy. Shipbuilding and weaponry had reached the point where it was indeed possible to imagine Menes succeeding in making Egypt the preeminent power in its region. It was surely tempting to abide near his new patron.
On the other hand, if Cain remained in one community for even a relatively short time—say a decade or two—suspicion would inevitably grow about him. After all, he appeared to be in his late twenties—senior citizenship for an Egyptian. He had never forgotten his first wife’s treachery in Enoch, and he had no wish to suffer a repetition.
He walked outside and stared at the late evening colors dancing on the Nile. He was intimately acquainted from his wandering with the river’s vast extent: four hundred miles and more from his house at Memphis, upriver to the Nubian region, and then many hundreds of miles again, ever southward, thrusting up to the ultimate source in a mountain lake deep in Africa.
Then it occurred to him. As with so many things in Egypt, the great river offered an answer. After fulfilling his obligations to Menes, he would become a nomadic trader, with the Nile as his lifeline.
CHAPTER 20
Egypt, circa 3100 BC
AFTER THREE AND A half years of steady labor by four thousand slaves and hundreds of citizen supervisors, Cain was in a position to promise Menes that the dike would be completed before the next flood season, and he was as good as his word.
All of Memphis and many of its neighbors crowded to attend the dedication ceremony, which was conducted by dozens of priests in splendid regalia. Special reverence was accorded to the god Ptah, who was worshipped in Memphis as the patron of craftsmen, particularly of those who worked in stone. A giant image of the deity was unveiled, revealing him with his trio of sacred symbols: the ankh representing life, the was representing power, and the djed, standing for stability.
In the interim since the past fall, Menes had steadily promoted the union of Upper and Lower Egypt. Everyone in Memphis knew that, were this alliance to come to fruition, Menes himself would emerge as the new nation’s leader. So Cain was not surprised when, at the dedication of the new dike, he glimpsed Menes wearing headgear that blended symbols associated with the two regions. Although Menes did not call himself pharaoh, he had become king in everything but name.
The mutual benefits of the friendship between the two men grew steadily. Just as Cain had proved a helpful resource for Menes, the new ruler offered useful counsel to his deputy. Unlike most citizens of Memphis, Menes had traveled widely. In this, of course, he unwittingly resembled Cain. The two men found common ground in their knowledge of, and appreciation for, distant regions. Menes had begun to encourage Cain to consider his next endeavor following the dike’s completion. Although he was somewhat surprised that Cain seemed interested in trading as opposed to further engineering pursuits, Menes was nonetheless happy to provide Cain with extensive insights into the commerce of the day. Menes possessed an intimate knowledge of the great river, and he described its various bends and currents with a facility that even Cain, with his flawless memory, had to admire.
***
During the summer flood season, Cain personally inspected the new dike several times each day. The thousands of slaves had done a commendable job of layering several types of alluvial sand, clay, and loose gravel on the structure, finally positioning large rocks on the dam’s face to prevent erosion.
But ceaseless work had eventually become tedious for Cain. For companionship, he took a young wife, the niece of Snefru, whose first husband had been killed in a skirmish with the Nubians to the south. Her name was Layla. When she shyly inquired about his earlier life, he told her the same narrative he had used with Snefru and Menes. He regretted lying to her, but what choice did he have?
Cain was surprised by the necessity to sign a marriage contract. In contrast to Enoch, where women had few rights, in Egyptian society women were virtually equal to men under the law. They could own and sell property, receive inheritances, divorce, and appear in court to pursue legal disputes. The marriage contract protected Layla by establishing Cain’s financial obligations to her and to their offspring, if any, should the marriage end in divorce. Thinking it unlikely that he would remain in Memphis for long, and knowing that Snefru would provide amply for her in any case, Cain gladly signed.
A month or so after their wedding, Cain discovered that Layla was a most unlikely mentor. He had long known that both women and men in Egypt made liberal use of cosmetics. But he never suspected that his new wife, at the tender age of eighteen, was a fountain of lore on the subject. When she suggested that the crow’s feet developing at Snefru’s eyelids could be more effectively concealed with a new variety of kohl, Cain listened intently. After Snefru had permitted Layla to make a preliminary application, Cain took her aside and quizzed her extensively on the sources, composition, availability, and effects of Egyptian makeup preparations.
Cosmetics were a way of life for all Egyptians—even the dead had to be mindful of how they would look at the last judgment. The Egyptian penchant for good hygiene complemented the widespread interest in products such as kohl, which was both decorative and practical. In the glare of the d
esert sun, cosmetics helped soften the fierce light, and also helped to repel flies, the source of much disease. It was no wonder, thought Cain, that magical powers were often attributed to cosmetics.
While most Egyptians used makeup to appear younger, however, Cain wondered if cosmetics could help produce the opposite effect. If he could make himself appear older, Cain reasoned, it might help him prolong his stays.
***
After the annual flood of the Nile came the planting season—and Cain’s dike held. A jubilant Menes asked Cain to supervise one more project: the construction of the largest river barge ever built in Memphis, a vessel measuring 250 feet from stem to stern. The barge would have three masts outfitted with lateen sails, equipped to take advantage of the prevailing northerly breezes in wintertime in order to make good progress upriver with cargoes of grain for Upper Egypt. Cedar logs imported from the Levant would be used for construction.
Cain agreed to the undertaking, thinking that at the very least he would profit from on-the-job experience. He could use the nautical construction techniques he had seen on the ark to build the greatest riverboat ever to grace the Nile. When Menes asked him in November when he thought the barge would be ready, Cain promised it for the beginning of April.
Once again, Cain did not fail his patron. By March, the beginning of the harvesting season, the vessel was nearing completion. One evening Cain traveled through the city to Menes’s residence, which now resembled a palace, to present a report.
“My architect!” exclaimed the ruler of Memphis and, though it was not often publicly declared yet, of all Egypt.
“At your service, Pharaoh.” Cain used the new term of respect, which meant literally “great house.”
“Snefru tells me you will soon be a new father?”
“Yes, indeed,” Cain replied. “The baby should be born in less than a month. Layla and I are overjoyed.”
In reality, however, he was conflicted. With people’s much shorter lifespans evident since the flood, Cain knew he would be facing much sooner the pain of abandoning or burying each of his offspring.
“That is wonderful news,” said Menes. “May all your children bring you great joy. Now, please tell me about the progress with the ship.”
“It will be finished by the very next new moon.”
Menes rubbed his hands. “Excellent, Kha ’ten. You have never failed me. The dike holds. Memphis grows rapidly. Our people prosper. Now I wish to announce news to you.”
Cain’s brow furrowed. What had Menes held back from him?
“When the ship is finished, load her with emmer wheat and barley. Then, with the crew I shall provide, set sail for Upper Egypt before the flood. I will give you a list of ports. Trade well, great architect. You are a river merchant now. She is yours!”
It took Cain a few moments to fathom the man’s lavish generosity. Menes was giving him the ship!
“We Egyptians believe that loyalty is a virtue given by the gods. You have been faithful to me and to Memphis, your adopted city, Kha ’ten. How can I not repay you? Your contributions to Memphis are plain for all to see. Now it is high time for you to build your own personal achievements, for yourself and your family. I have no doubt that those accomplishments will be profound.”
Cain was at a loss for words. Placing his hand over his heart, he bowed deeply. Menes approached him and placed both hands on his shoulders.
“May the great river keep you in her care!”
CHAPTER 21
Rome, Near the Vatican: Present Day
CARDINAL ALESSANDRO RAVATTI, PRESIDENT of the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology, was seated comfortably at his desk in the cavernous office on Via Napoleone III when the call from Silvio came in.
“Yes, Notombo connect me right away,” Ravatti directed.
“Stand by, Eminenza,” replied the cardinal’s assistant, a young monsignor from the Congo.
“What a pleasant surprise, Silvio!” Ravatti greeted his caller warmly. “I’m glad you got through on a Sunday. Notombo and I are catching up on an endless backlog. What are you up to these days? Still in Naples, I trust?”
The two men were old friends. For over thirty years, they had excavated catacombs and other ancient sites around Rome. Although not technically an archaeologist, the cardinal possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of church history and was shrewd in the ways of Vatican bureaucracy.
“Actually, Sandro, I’m in Ercolano this morning. At the new site we began to investigate after the earthquake a month ago. You remember, I told you about the pictures our robot took of those large bronze doors.”
“Yes, I remember very well. But I also recall you were going to send them to me for analysis. It seems I never received your e-mail.”
Silvio paused briefly. “Oh, goodness, my memory is not what it once was. If you’ll stand by, I’ll send them right now.” He walked over to his laptop and e-mailed the photos to Ravatti.
“Okay, Sandro, they are on their way to you. Now, let me explain the purpose of my call. This morning we sent in a young archaeologist, Dr. Amanda James, to evaluate the inscriptions on the doors. She’s on loan to us from the Getty in California. We’ve partnered with them many times before, as you know.”
“Yes, they are very capable people. Was Dr. James able to shed any light on the inscriptions?”
“Indeed she did, Sandro. In fact, she deciphered the complex code for a combination lock much faster than any one of us could have expected.”
“So she succeeded in opening the doors?”
“Yes. She is making a preliminary survey of the chamber at this very moment. But I have lost contact with her.”
“She is trapped inside?”
“I’m afraid so, but we are working on that problem. In the meantime, before her wireless went dead, she said something about the chamber’s possibly being a catacomb. I thought you should know.”
Cardinal Ravatti’s ears pricked up. Anything related to crypts, catacombs, or sacred cemeteries fell squarely under his commission’s jurisdiction.
“Did Dr. James mention any evidence for this inference?” he asked.
“She didn’t have time to go into detail. Before she went in, I emphasized that she should restrict her mission to a very brief survey,” Silvio said. “But now, Sandro, we may have another problem.”
“And what is that, my friend?”
“Because of my work, I am on very good terms with the land office here in Ercolano. At the end of last week, one of my best contacts there informed me that an offer to purchase the property next to the excavation site is on the verge of closing. The doors and the chamber lie beneath this adjacent tract. And the corporation that tendered this offer has also filed a mineral claim.”
“How interesting,” Ravatti murmured. “And did your informant disclose the name of the purchasers?”
“It’s a large corporation named Renard Enterprises. They are based in the United States but do business around the world. The CEO is a man named Luc Renard.”
Cardinal Ravatti switched on his computer. “That name seems familiar. I’m going to put you on the speakerphone for a moment, Silvio,” he said. “But I’ll turn down the volume so we can talk in private. Just bear with me while I check something.”
From his desktop menu, Ravatti selected an icon that linked him to the databases maintained by the Vatican Museums. After typing in several passwords, he clicked on another icon labeled Acquisitions and Deaccessions. After a brief search, he found what he wanted.
Scanning the screen rapidly, the cardinal said into the phone, “I’ve found it, Silvio. I’ll turn the speakerphone off now. You know, of course, that the Vatican Museums maintain files on every acquisition and deaccession they’ve made over the past five hundred years.”
“Yes, but that information is very closely held, is it not?” Silvio asked him.
“Normally, yes. But let’s just say that I, too, have contacts, my friend. Now, as to Luc Renard and his company. Five y
ears ago, the museums decided to deaccession a half dozen ceramic madonnas by Andrea della Robbia, dating from the fifteenth century. Renard Enterprises put in a bid. Normally, the Vatican requires that purchasers sign an indemnity pledging to respect the known facts about an object’s origin if they choose to resell the item or donate it to another collection. Otherwise, irresponsible art dealers can compromise our museum’s integrity.”
“Perfectly understandable, Sandro. But what happened with the della Robbias?” Silvio asked.
“That’s the trouble. Within a year, Renard Enterprises proceeded to offer them for sale at large auction houses, along with utterly fictitious descriptions of their pedigree. They realized a huge profit. Vatican advocates have filed a claim. In fact, my database includes a recent note about the company’s efforts to gain control of the adjacent site in Ercolano.”
“And so what do you conclude?”
“I smell a problem brewing. Let me check my calendar and see when I can get to Ercolano. We should probably deal with this side by side.”
“Can you ensure that the site will be preserved, Sandro?” Silvio asked urgently.
“If the site turns out to be a catacomb, you need not worry, my friend. Arrivederci.”
Clicking off the connection, Cardinal Ravatti turned back to his screen, which had just beeped to alert him to the arrival of Silvio’s transmission. He noted there were five pictures attached to the e-mail. Opening the first, which appeared to be a wide-angle shot of the doors, he could barely make out any detail. The next photo was a closeup of the upper left quadrant, where some of the inscriptions Silvio had referred to came into clearer view. Skipping back and forth between the left side and the right side photos, he began to marvel at the ingenuity of Dr. James in deciphering the complex puzzle.
Then, he opened the fourth picture, which revealed the lower right quadrant. He saw little of significance until his eye fell on some impressions near the bottom. Ravatti’s pulse quickened as he zoomed in on the markings. Instead of viewing the final attachment, he reached over to the side of his desk and pressed the intercom button.
