Egyptologists track down Ramses II
2000-09-07 12:33
Johannesburg - Stewart Watson and Jaco Mostert grew up and went to school in George but only met each other years later. Both came from an environment, which honed and prepared them for their later friendship, business partnership and passion for everything Egyptian.
Their interest in Egypt brought forth a coffee table book last year and a multi-media presentation on Egypt this week.
Both attended the University of Stellenbosch, where "Stewart read for a BA in classical languages and always held interesting conversations about Egyptology. His interest kindled mine," Mostert remembers.
The two became firm friends and later, when Mostert studied for a year in Germany and Stewart in Switzerland, they took the trouble to visit each other.
Watson had, in the meantime, been introduced to Pharaoh Ramses II, also known as Ramses the Great, and had come to realise how far the old king had been ahead of his times - and how he had overcame his adversities with good management, despite limited resources.
His admiration for Ramses increased over the years and his greatest wish was to walk in the footsteps of the great king.
It was during this period that Mostert asked Watson over a beer one evening when he intended visiting Egypt.
"This year," was his retort. Then and there Mostert decided to go along to take photographs.
Both had very little time at their disposal û neither could manage no more than seventeen days' leave.
The things they wanted to see and do would have needed at least double that time.
They worked out the logistics carefully û with Watson even memorising the street maps of small towns.
They wanted to avoid the tourist season and therefore opted for summer for their visit.
"It was 45¦ in the shade and at least 10¦ hotter in the taxis without
air conditioning as well as in the tombs."
They had to watch what they were eating as well û ôany dairy product
took you out of circulation for days as a result of diarrhoeaö.
The pair were inspired and wanted to make the most of their time. They
even got up at 3:00am one morning to take photos.
Watson remembers with admiration how Mostert at times crawled through
the desert, the sun on his back and sand filtering in his underwear
just to get the perfect angle for a photo. And how he used about 7 rolls
of film each day - and that each frame had been well planned,
contemplated and designed.
They returned exhausted, but with a treasure of about 4 000 photos
and 13 hours' worth of video material.
About 70 of the photos were published privately last year in a coffee table book. Mind of the Super-Achiever was the pairÆs
first step in their relationship with Ramses.
Their latest brain child is a multi media presentation on the life and
methods used by Ramses.
For this they are able to use considerably more material from their photo library on the pharaoh and his kingdom, accompanied by music and a narrative to share Ramses's inspiration with modern managers.
"Bible stories about the pharaohs and the mystery surrounding the pyramids, sphinxes and tombs have ensured a lively interest in Egypt," Watson said who received a doctorate in this field of study a few
years ago.
He is among the few people able to read hieroglyphics, and can understand
portrayals of Ramses's valorous deeds without the aid of a guidebook.
"Sometimes the stories - such as the ones on the temple walls at Luxor - depicting his prowess on the battlefield and what he managed on his own, sound like science fiction. And those stories are about a war he had lost.
"Ramses, similar to a contemporary manager, deflected the attention from his defeat, by emphasising his courageous deeds.
"He developed previously unknown concepts which took mankind 3 000 years to rediscover."
He notes the example of win-win situations for two companies to co-operate.
"The moment one company is exploited the relationship between them starts see-sawing, with both companies taking turns to lose," Watson maintains.
And, as an example, he cites the peace agreement following World War I, which as history has proved, had been practically the direct result for World War II.
Their performance this week, is also not the last to be heard or seen of these two - they have not even touched their video material. And they intend "sharing their knowledge with the world", as their enthusiasm for Ramses compels them to tell all the world more about him.
Watson has never been back to Egypt since his and Mostert's hectic 17-day visit.
Mostert returned - this time with his wife Ilse and their two children Mieke and Sweeney. The children were then 5 and 2 years old and the visit had been in summer.
Ilse and the kids are blonde - something that attracts huge attention in Egypt. During a previous visit a stall holder offered Mostert 3kg of gold for Ilse.
"I still keep it in mind in case of an emergency," he jokes.
Who was Rameses the Great?
He lived between the 1 300 and 1 200 BC to an age of 97 years. His reign was a highlight in the history of
Egypt.
After his death, Egypt never again attained the same status as a world power.
Ramses's successes changed the course of world history:
- He stopped
population migrations and converted Egypt into an economic super power.
- His armies managed to weaken the Philistines to the extent that the
first Israelites shortly thereafter settled in Palestine.
The show Mind of the Super-Achiever: Ramses the Great will be
presented on Thursday, 7 September at Unisa's Conference Hall on campus in Sunnyside, Pretoria.
Tickets are R25 each and are available from Computicket or at the
door.
For more information and an electronic discussion, visit the website:
www.superachiever.com
Enquiries can be directed to Marietjie Swart on (012) 333 1720