The Scroll With Secrets
An ancient scroll has been resting in London's British Museum since 1839. For nearly two centuries, scholars studied Papyrus Anastasi I as Egyptian training material. Then, researchers and biblical archaeology groups re-interpreted the description of one historical tribe, and the scroll took on a new importance.
Gertjan R., CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons, Modified
What Is Papyrus Anastasi I?
This 3,300-year-old Egyptian document stretches over 27 feet long. Written during Ramesses II's reign (1279-1213 BCE), it contains a letter between two military scribes named Hori and Amenemope. The papyrus discusses warfare alongwith geography and military logistics in ancient Canaan.
Than217 at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons
The Claim That Changed Everything
Recently, a Christian research group said an old Egyptian papyrus might support Bible stories about unusually tall warriors. They believe it backs up Old Testament events that many historians once considered myths, though other experts say the evidence is debated.
John-Mark Kuznietsov mrrrk_smith, Wikimedia Commons
The Crossroads Of Civilizations
Canaan encompassed modern Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and parts of Syria and Jordan. The strategic land bridge connected Africa to Asia, squeezed between Egypt's empire and Mesopotamian powers. Diverse tribes and nomadic groups competed for control in these regions.
Pearson Scott Foresman, Wikimedia Commons
Egypt Meets Canaan
During the 13th century BC, pharaoh Ramesses II ruled Egypt for 66 years. It was the second-longest reign in Egyptian history. His armies campaigned regularly into Canaan to document encounters with local populations. This papyrus comes directly from that era.
Mary Harrsch, Wikimedia Commons
Who Were The Shasu People?
Egyptian records describe the Shasu as nomadic warrior tribes roaming southern Canaan and Transjordan from the 16th to 12th centuries BC. Their name means "those who move on foot" or "wanderers." Egypt considered them fierce enemies who raided settlements and disrupted trade routes.
Sarah C. Murray, Wikimedia Commons
Where Giants Were Said To Dwell
The Shasu controlled mountainous regions matching biblical locations: Hebron, southern Canaan, Transjordan, and Bashan. These areas overlap with biblical descriptions of the Anakim. Both the Shasu and biblical giant references fade from records around the Early Iron Age, though connections remain hypothetical.
Ant888nsmb2, Wikimedia Commons
The Nephilim Before The Flood
The Bible's first giant reference appears in Genesis 6:4. It describes mysterious beings called Nephilim existing before Noah's flood. They were the products of "sons of God" and "daughters of men". The text calls them "mighty men of old, men of renown," beings of exceptional power.
Alexandre Cabanel, Wikimedia Commons
What Does "Nephilim" Mean?
The Hebrew word Nephilim possibly derives from "naphal"—meaning "to fall". Ancient Greek translations rendered it as "giants". Scholars debate whether it indicates superhuman size with a divine history or moral corruption. The term appears only twice in the entire Bible—Genesis and Numbers.
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The Spies And The Grasshopper Complex
In the biblical account, traditionally dated around the 15th-13th centuries BC, Moses sent 12 scouts into Canaan. 10 returned terrified, and reported Nephilim descendants called Anakim who made them "seem like grasshoppers". Only Joshua and Caleb urged moving forward. This account describes the same region where Egyptians encountered the Shasu.
the Providence Lithograph Company, Wikimedia Commons
Sons Of Anak
Deuteronomy 2:11 describes the Anakim as descendants of a man named Anak, whose name means "long-necked ones". They dominated southern Canaan, particularly Hebron. Numbers 13:22 names three brothers: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. The Bible explicitly connects them to the Nephilim.
NYC Wanderer (Kevin Eng), Wikimedia Commons
Warriors Of Renown
Another giant tribe called the Rephaim inhabited Bashan, Moab, and Ammon. The Hebrew word means "terrible ones" or "mighty ones". Deuteronomy 2:20-21 describes them as tall and strong, comparable to the Anakim. They're mentioned in ancient Ugaritic texts and Egyptian Execration curse tablets.
Khalili Collections, Wikimedia Commons
The Last Of The Rephaim
Deuteronomy 3:11 introduces Og, the giant king of Bashan, with 60 fortified cities. His iron bed measured 13.5 feet long and six feet wide. It is displayed as a museum piece in Rabbah. Moses defeated him before the Israelites entered Canaan.
Johann Balthasar Probst, Wikimedia Commons
The Most Famous Giant
First Samuel 17:4 describes the Philistine champion standing "six cubits and a span" tall. The Masoretic text calculates this as roughly 9 feet 9 inches, though earlier Septuagint manuscripts suggest about 6 feet 9 inches, which some scholars consider more reliable. He wore 125-pound bronze armor. David killed him circa 1025 BC.
Osmar Schindler (1869-1927), Wikimedia Commons
The Letter From Scribe Hori To Amenemope
Back to our ancient Egyptian papyrus. The document presents itself as military scribe Hori scolding junior scribe Amenemope for battlefield incompetence. Hori poses a mocking challenge: could Amenemope handle encountering fierce Shasu warriors in Canaan's mountain passes? The answer reveals something startling.
The Mountain Pass Encounter
Hori paints a terrifying scenario: narrow Canaanite ravines where Shasu warriors hide beneath bushes, waiting to ambush travelers. He describes them as "fierce of face, their heart is not mild, and they hearken not to coaxing." Then comes the measurement that changes everything.
hikinginjordan, Wikimedia Commons
"Four To Five Royal Egyptian Cubits"
The exact text reads: "Some of them are of four cubits or of five cubits, from head to foot." The royal Egyptian cubit measured about 20.6 inches, which converts to roughly 6 feet 8 inches to 8 feet 6 inches tall.
Museo Egizio, Wikimedia Commons
The Precision That Raises Eyebrows
Unlike typical ancient myths featuring giants holding mountains or gods, this papyrus provides specific military measurements in standard Egyptian units. The letter emphasizes accuracy throughout. There is no point in inserting fantasy into practical intelligence reports about real military threats.
The Geographic And Chronological Match
The Shasu operated in southern Canaan and Transjordan during the 13th century BC. The Bible places the Anakim giants in these exact regions during this identical timeframe. Two ancient sources—Egyptian and Hebrew—reference tall figures in overlapping regions and eras, though the Egyptian text is satirical.
en:User:Aiden, en:User:Ramallite and Zero0000 at en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons
The Egyptian Execration Texts: "Iy Aneq"
Around 1850 BC, Egyptians inscribed curse texts on pottery targeting enemies. These fragments, now in Berlin's museum, mention "Iy Aneq"—the "people of Aneq." Some scholars note a possible linguistic similarity to 'Anakim,' the biblical 'sons of Anak' in Canaan centuries later, though this remains debated.
Battle Reliefs And Visual Evidence
Ramesses II's Battle of Kadesh reliefs (circa 1274 BC) adorn temples at Abu Simbel, Karnak, and Luxor. The massive stone carvings depict captured Shasu spies being beaten. Some researchers suggest the Shasu are depicted as taller than Egyptian soldiers in these reliefs, but artistic styles often exaggerated foes.
The Ugaritic Tablets And King Rapiu
Around 1200 BC, Canaanite scribes at Ugarit carved tablets referencing a deified king named Rapiu—"king of eternity"—who ruled in Ashtaroth and Edrei. Those are the exact same two cities where Deuteronomy places Og, the Rephaim king. The linguistic connection between "Rapiu" and "Rephaim" is striking.
Why ABR Believes This Is Proof
The Associates for Biblical Research argues this provides potential Egyptian corroboration for biblical accounts. They emphasize: precise cubit measurements (not vague exaggeration), geographic concordance (same regions), chronological alignment (same century), and multiple ancient Near Eastern texts referencing identical peoples and places.
The Case Against: Satire
The British Museum classifies Anastasi I as scribal training literature featuring satirical elements. Hori mocks Amenemope's incompetence throughout the document. Critics argue that hyperbole was common in ancient pedagogy, inventing dangerous scenarios to humiliate students. The entire letter is designed as an instructional joke.
MrsEllacott, Wikimedia Commons
The Missing Physical Evidence Problem
Despite centuries of excavation in Canaan, Transjordan, and southern Syria, archaeologists have found zero skeletal remains showing populations averaging eight-plus feet tall. No oversized architecture exists. No giant-sized weapons or tools. No burial sites containing bones of superhuman proportions. The archaeological silence is deafening.
Modern Giants And Medical Explanations
Medical conditions like gigantism can produce heights of seven to eight feet. Robert Wadlow, the tallest man ever recorded, stood 8 feet 11 inches tall due to a pituitary tumor. Meanwhile, South Sudan's Dinka people average around six feet naturally. This shows exceptionally tall humans exist without supernatural causes.
Enoch Seeman, Wikimedia Commons
