Bob Brier – The Luxor Obelisk and Its Voyage to Paris
Dubbed the ”world’s most famous Egyptologist” Dr Brier made history when he mummified a human cadaver in the ancient Egyptian style. Veteran documentary filmmaker and twice Fulbright Scholar, he taught at the University of Long Island in New York. Head of both the Philosophy and Egyptology departments he gained tenure and is still a Senior Research Fellow. A ”hyperactive academic”, Dr Brier speaks several languages and has an interest in a wide range of subjects, including medicine and physics. He is the author of several books and has made documentaries for Natonal Geographic and the Learning Channel. Now he is about to release an historic translation about the transportation of the Luxor obelisk from Egypt to France. Apollinaire Lebas’ account was only ever published in French for a small government press. On March 9, 2021 it will be released worldwide to the English-speaking world. You can get a copy at: https://www.amazon.com/Luxor-Obelisk-Its-Voyage-Paris/dp/1617979953.
Obelisks
Dr Brier has a fascination with obelisks! He has given many lectures on the subject, some of which were caught on the Teaching Company’s 48-part series The History of Ancient Egypt. A few years ago Dr Brier published Cleopatra’s Needles: The Lost Obelisks htBtps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019JPNL66/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0. A few years ago a few of us tried desperately to keep up with the ex-marathon runner as he located the original site of an obelisk in Egypt. (See BOB BRIER AND THE HUNT FOR THE NEW YORK OBELISK on Ancient Origins” https://www.ancient-origins.net/bob-briers.) Now he is about to release a translation of Lebas’ movement of the Luxor obelisk to France. The translation from French to English has never been attempted before. Here are Bob’s words on the subject:
I am involved in the production of a wonderful new book coming out (The Luxor Obelisk and It’s Voyage to Paris) that I think you would all enjoy. I can say “involved” because I didn’t write it. Let me explain.
When I was writing my book on obelisks (Cleopatra’s Needles), I was reading all the original reports I could find of moving the three obelisks that left Egypt in the 19th century. I knew lots about the London and New York obelisks because there were plenty of accounts, but when it came to the Paris obelisk — the first of the three moved – I hardly knew anything. Then I found an obscure, little-known account by Apollinaire Lebas, the young engineer who moved it. I was hooked. Because it was never translated from the French, the English-speaking world hardly knows his remarkable story. Even the French don’t know much more about it because it was published in 1839 by the Royal Corps of Bridges, Roads and Mines, didn’t have a wide distribution, and quickly went out of print.
As I read Lebas‘ account, I fell in love with the man. His team was stricken by the plague, they ran out of wood with which to move the obelisk, and to make things worse, Champollion had neglected to tell Lebas that the obelisk was cracked! As Lebas solved all the problems, he also became concerned with the plight of the Egyptian peasants who were under Turkish rule and gives a sensitive account of his interactions with them.
But wait – there’s more!
As he was waiting for the Nile to rise so he could sail with the obelisk, he explored Nubia; an account worth reading.
Lebas was also a techie and I was amazed to read how he tried to raise the obelisk in Paris using a new invention – the steam engine. I had never read anything like Lebas’ account, thought everyone would love this lost story, and decided to translate it. I knew I needed a native French speaker to help, so I enlisted my colleague in the Foreign Language Department, Colette Fossez Sumner. (Like Hercule Poirot, she is Belgian, not French.) It is because of her that we have a really clear and readable translation.
In addition to telling his story, Lebas produced a series of beautiful engineering drawings of all phases of moving the obelisk. For the engineering drawings I turned to another friend, William Joy, who is a graphic design genius. He remastered all the drawings and they are beautiful. American University in Cairo Press really got behind the book and spared no expense. They gave us a senior book designer, provided the highest-grade paper for the reproductions, and even sewed the book in the old-fashioned manner rather than gluing it. The book can now be ordered on Amazon. Just type in Apollinaire Lebas.
Around March, Colette and I will have an article about Lebas in Nile Magazine. We are hoping everyone will come to love this young engineer.
Interview
Last year I interviewed Bob for Stars of Egyptology (https://sharonjanethague.com/interview-with-bob-brier/). What if it was possible to get an interview for the book? And ahead of anyone else? On the last day of February 2021, Bob and wife Pat Remler, made a Skype call from their home in New York. We had decided to meet for a ”film test”. After talking for a bit we found out we all had one thought: ”Let’s do it now!” Bob changed his shirt and Pat chatted, while I realised there were no questons! Too terrified to push the hair out of my face, we started. Of course, Bob was great. We got the interview done and went back to our conversation. It was lovely to catch up with Bob and Pat. They are so interesting, warm and funny. Here is our interview. And, rough and ready as it is, it’s ahead of any other on this historic translation. Enjoy!
Books by Bob Brier (shortlist)
Click on the titles and go straight to AMAZON!
Cleopatra’s Needles: The Lost Obelisks of Egypt (Bloomsbury Egyptology)
Daily Life of the Ancient Egyptians
Egyptian Mummies: Unraveling the Secrets of an Ancient Art
Ancient Egypt: Everyday Life in the Land of the Nile
Great Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt
You can obtain Bob Brier’s famous (and famously addictive) 48-part series The History of Ancient Egypt from a variety of retailers. Click on the link below and you will go to AMAZON. It is a series which stands the test of time. Anyone who owns the collecton will tell you that once you start you won’t be able to stop watching!
https://www.amazon.com/History-Ancient-Egypt-Bob-Brier/dp/1565855744
