![]() ![]() © DreamWorks PicturesĪnd adult princes would be coifed with a side lock. The Egyptian queen wears the typical vulture headdress. The insides of his sandals, based on those of Tutankhamun, depict the traditional enemies of Egypt. Moses wears a wig over his real hair, as most well-to-do Egyptians would have. These are contrasted with the colourful garbs of the Hebrews, perhaps modelled after Egyptian depictions of Canaanites who may have worn dyed woollen clothing. The film depicts Egyptians wearing realistic white linen garments. Ironically, many of Akhenaten’s reliefs were destroyed after his reign when the Egyptian gods were reintroduced, and Seti would have never tolerated this image of the rebel king. This is probably a nod to the monotheistic revolution brought about by this king, who abandoned the traditional gods in favour of a single god – a theme explored in the film. ![]() In fact, the relief is a copy of a stela of Akhenaten. Interestingly, a wall in the palace depicts king Akhenaten, identifiable by the hieroglyphic inscriptions. However, towards the end of the film, the departing Hebrews walk by a collapsed statue inspired by an actual colossal statue of Ramesses II from Memphis. More importantly, during the reign of Ramesses II, statues of gods would mostly stand inside sacred chapels of temple, not outside in temple courts. ![]() These would always be directed towards the viewer. The film’s design is wrong in showing colossal statues facing each other. The Egyptians called the city the "White wall," which features in a view of the landscape. Several scenes are clearly set in the royal palace in Memphis, a large city near the pyramids of Giza. Later, when Moses returns to the palace, it is inscribed with the names of Ramesses who has succeeded his father. Still, early in the story, during the reign of Seti, walls are inscribed with his royal names. Some sign groups even contain actual words, but generally they do not form sentences. Temple and palace walls are inscribed with authentic Egyptian hieroglyphs. Several examples of Aaron´s chisel and hammer have been excavated. A very similar sequence is depicted in the tomb of Rekhmire, in which workmen use baskets instead of sacks and overseers have sticks rather than whips. Slaves are producing mudbrick and carry loads of building material, while overseers strike them with whips. © DreamWorks Pictures Constructionīuilding techniques in the film are based on archaeological evidence. ![]() To underscore the theme of unbearable slave labour, the film often grossly exaggerates the dimensions of Egyptian statues and buildings. Still, various forms of corvée, forced labour, and slavery existed in ancient Egypt. There is archaeological evidence for “Canaanites” or “Asiatics” (Levantines) in Egypt, but not much is known about them and they were certainly not all slaves in the modern sense of the word. Perhaps most contested is the depiction of the Hebrew slaves. Seti I´s facial features even bear some resemblance to the king’s actual appearance, preserved in his mummified body. Moses and Ramesses are seen growing up during the reign of Ramesses´ father, king Seti I. The film thus implicitly dates the story to around 1250 BCE. In the Book of Exodus, the pharaoh is never mentioned by name, but the film identifies him as the historical king Ramesses II. Sure enough, the film takes liberties with biblical and pharaonic history. Here’s an Egyptologist’s breakdown of selected aspects of the film. Similar concerns were the reason for the Egyptian ban of the 2014 motion picture “Exodus.” Nonetheless, “The Prince of Egypt” is, in many ways, demonstrably inspired by Egyptian material culture. But perhaps more significantly, the movie outraged several Egyptians who believed it misrepresented ancient Egyptian history. The Egyptian government banned it for its portrayal of a prophet, often considered forbidden in Islam. The story is almost entirely set in ancient Egypt, but the film was never released in contemporary Egypt. The DreamWorks picture tells the story of the Book of Exodus, and depicts Moses as an Egyptian prince who discovers his Hebrew roots, flees the palace and returns to deliver the enslaved Hebrews to the promised land. Last month, London saw the premiere of “The Prince of Egypt,” a musical based on the eponymous animated film that came out in 1998. ![]()
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