Tuesday, April 01, 2014

Grail hunters

The two researchers, Margarita Torres and Jose Manuel Ortega del Rio, authors of the book, "Kings of the Grail," believe they found conclusive evidence from ancient Egyptian scrolls documenting that Muslims stole the infamous cup from Jerusalem and took it to Egypt. They say it was then disguised with jewels and eventually given to Spanish King Ferdinand I as a gift.

How do I doubt thee? Let me count the ways...

The story came out yesterday, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.

Reporters are apt to get details wrong, and also (for example) not notice that the researchers are promoting a book. They are often very trusting souls. But I'm kind of surprised the editor didn't notice that ancient Egyptian scrolls are unlikely to describe Muslim activities. I think the (much later) Muslims of the area would have been more likely to write on codices, but maybe I'm wrong. Still, disguising the cup with jewels, and then giving it to the infidels they'd be hiding it from? And most unlikely of all: a gold cup? In the hand of a carpenter in a group of fishermen (and a retired tax collector), after Judas griped about wasting money on frivolity?

And for those for whom it is significant, can even the original be more important than the cup we receive?

3 comments:

Korora said...

The Arthurian legend of the Holy Grail is a thrilling fantasy (even with the Gary Stu-ness of Sir Galahad). This, however, sounds like we need to borrow a salt lick from the barn.

Assistant Village Idiot said...

I hadn't seen this, and agree entirely. Gold cup, but no one mentioned it? Sure. Happened all the time in 1st C Palestine.

Relics, things that people holy people had touched, were considered important in other ages of the church. Constantinople couldn't understand why the Crusaders thought Jerusalem important - they had all the relics, what was mere ground that had been walked on? We see things differently now, valuing the looking around at places that are mentioned in the Bible rather than touching stuff touched by the people then.

james said...

Hakim the Mad provided one of the sparks for the (slightly later) Crusade when he obliterated the church of the Holy Sepulcher, breaking up and carting away even the rock to leave nothing behind that Jesus had touched.
Reading about the list of churches in the area suggests that pretty much every place where a miracle was mentioned in the Bible or tradition had had a church built on the site. I'd say that the sites were considered non-portable relics.
I'm not sure how the Constantinoplians thought of things--that would take some interesting research--but it is certainly true that they vacuumed up everything portable. Justinian wanted to be buried among the apostles: he probably figured he needed all the help he could get...