David
Rohl is the best public speaker I have had the pleasure of working
with. As the editor and publisher of all his bestselling books, I have
taken the opportunity to hear David speak to large audiences on a
number of occasions and have witnessed them fascinated and gripped by
his presentations – which, incidentally, are always beautifully
illustrated with stunning pictures and graphics. I remember one
occasion at the Royal Geographical Society in London, a difficult event
because the audience is extremely well-informed – a mixture of
academics, explorers and other travellers of the old school, inclined
to think they know it all already. David held them all spell-bound with
his mixture of erudition, revelations of the latest archaeological
discoveries and story-telling. Story-telling is the key. David
Rohl is such a successful author because he has found a way to use the
techniques of suspense-fiction in non-fiction writing. He is an
articulate and inspiring speaker with a dramatic story to tell. I have
no doubt that his pioneering presentations will be of interest to an
American audience and, if British and European audiences are anything
to go by, David will make a big impact wherever he speaks in the USA.
Mark Booth, Publishing Director, Century, Random House, London
ANTHONY VAN DER ELST (Chairman of the Institute for the Study of Interdisciplinary Sciences)
For
most of the last 200 years the academic trend had been to reduce the
value of the Old Testament from historically useful narrative to
worthless fiction. The most published, most translated, most famous
writings on the planet were no better than Harry Potter, and any
scholar with the temerity to suggest that they were even a potential
source of real history was derided as a crank. Then everything
changed when, in 1995, a gifted and compelling voice demanded critical
re-examination of the evidence. Crucial assumptions, handed on down
through the years from professor to student, had received little such
examination. Inconveniently obscure or confused periods tidied
generations ago into ‘Dark Ages’ or ‘Intermediate Periods’ had become
straight-jackets creaking with the double strain of unresolved
contradictions and the insistent questions of modern scholarship. With
his first book, A Test of Time, Egyptologist David Rohl burst upon the
scene and, in the words of the Sunday Times, 'set the academic world on
its ear'. A consummate communicator, Rohl writes and lectures
brilliantly and is one of that rare breed of scholars who can talk to a
lay public without condescension and with real passion. Reading Rohl,
watching his television programmes or listening to his lectures, one is
impressed by a wide-ranging mind completely at home in a familiar
landscape. His obvious mastery of the subject, the clarity with which
he lays bare the disturbing inconsistencies he is challenging, his
impressive marshalling of facts and the lucidity of his arguments mark
him out as an important voice in archaeology. Rohl is a fiendishly
clever writer. He even manages the trick of occasionally letting his
readers get ahead of him so that they work out a conclusion before he
suggests it. No wonder his arguments are persuasive – you worked them
out for yourself! As a detective story for intelligent, inquisitive
people his seminal work, A Test of Time, is unmatched.
A. van der Elst Chairman of ISIS
PROFESSOR TREVOR PALMER (Pro Vice-Chancellor and Senior Dean at Nottingham Trent University, UK)
I
first met David Rohl around twenty years ago, and since then have
followed, with great interest, the development of his theories
concerning the chronology of the ancient world. I have attended several
of his lectures and even travelled with him all over the Middle East,
and can say, without equivocation, that he has few peers in blending
words and pictures to present a clear and thought-provoking argument.
Professor T. Palmer BA, PhD, FIBiol, CIBiol, FIBMS, ILTM Nottingham Trent University
PROFESSOR DANIEL WARNER (President of The Virtual Bible)
The
issue of the veracity of Bible history is still not settled in
scholarly circles and David Rohl has provided excellent arguments to
resolve many of the contentious issues, taking the subject of biblical
archaeology in a new and fascinating direction which is more
progressive than anything offered by any other scholar in the field.
David has been a personal friend of mine for several years and I
continue to be impressed with the quality of his scholarship which
represents a major contribution to this important subject.
Professor D. Warner BA, MA, PhD Adjunct
Professor of the Old Testament for Dallas and Central Baptist
Theological Seminary; President, The Virtual Bible, Orlando
PETER PARR (Head of Levantine Archaeology (retired) at the Institute of Archaeology, London)
I
have known David Rohl for at least twenty years, as an undergraduate
and research student at University College London; as a member of my
excavation team at Tell Nebi Mend (ancient Qadesh-on-the-Orontes) in
Syria; as a colleague and travelling companion; and as a personal
friend. He was outstanding as a student, with an exceptionally profound
knowledge of the archaeology of Egypt, the Near East, and the
Mediterranean region. Most impressive was his ability to keep
up-to-date with current research, and to assimilate new discoveries and
ideas into his own work. He already had a highly developed critical
faculty and never hesitated to challenge the currently accepted wisdom,
ever seeking new answers to old questions, as well as formulating new
questions which he believed archaeology should address. Since
his student days Rohl has become a successful author of books and maker
of films on ancient history and archaeology, all of them exhibiting the
quite extraordinary enthusiasm he has always had for the subject, and
what can only be described as a passion to disseminate the results of
his research among a wide, non-professional public.
P. Parr Institute of Archaeology, London, UCL
David and Peter Parr on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, during the filming of Pharaohs and Kings (1995).
DR DAVID ELLIS (Geneticist and Director of the Genesis Laboratory, Cambridge)
David
Rohl is an Egyptologist and scholar of unusual ability and vision. His
ideas have important implications, not only for Egyptology, but also
for our whole understanding of the history of the ancient Middle East.
David is also a gifted populariser, in the best sense of the word. His
presentations inspire audiences towards a fascination with ancient
history and archaeology. Who knows how many young minds have already
been envisioned to become the next generation of scholars, or to be
discoverers and curators of the world’s archaeological treasures,
thanks to David’s inspiration?
Dr. D. Ellis BA, MA, PhD Director, The Genesis Laboratory, Cambridge
DR PETER VAN DER VEEN (biblical scholar, linguist and historian)
I
have known David Rohl and been familiar with his work in the fields of
Egyptology and Ancient History for more than twenty-five years. In that
time I have examined various aspects of David’s innovative theories and
found them to be well researched and convincing. I consider David’s
work to be of considerable importance to ancient world studies. It
certainly deserves the attention of the media for dissemination to the
general public. David’s public presentations on ancient
historical and biblical topics are excellent and informative. He always
gets an enthusiastic response from audiences here in Germany. As an
ancient historian and biblical scholar, I wholeheartedly recommend his
work to you.
Dr. P. van der Veen BaTh, MTh, PhD Head of the Biblical Archaeology, Wort und Wissen, Germany
David and Professor Erhart Graefe at the Luxor Conference gala dinner (2004).
Photo by Norman Pease.
DR UWE ZERBST (co-editor of Biblische Archäologie am Scheideweg? (Hänssler Verlag, 2002) and specialist in scientific dating methods)
Last
year I co-edited a voluminous German book discussing David Rohl’s
revised chronology. We decided to debate this subject in an open-minded
and balanced manner by inviting both proponents and critics to
contribute to the volume. David’s model does offer surprising solutions
where the archaeological facts and historical interpretations are found
to be in disagreement within the conventional scheme. David Rohl’s
inspired attempt to reconstruct the archaeo-chronology of the ancient
world may prove to be the decisive historical milestone we have all
been searching for.
Dr. U. Zerbst BA, MSc, PhD Hamburg – Germany
DR PETER WILLIAMS (biblical historian, theologian and Warden of Tyndale House, Cambridge University)
David
Rohl’s contribution to the study of Old World archaeology has
introduced a breath of fresh air to the intellectually stagnant areas
of biblical and Egyptian historical reconstruction. The academic
disciplines will almost certainly have more and better students as a
result of Rohl’s publications and lectures than they would have without
them.
Dr. P. J. Williams BA, MA, PhD Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Cambridge
DR BERNARD NEWGROSH (Author of Chronology at the Crossroads)
I
have known David Rohl for over twenty years. We were brought together
because of a common interest in ancient history. David is a gifted
achiever in many fields, notably musical composition, photography,
documentary-making, writing, ancient history, Egyptology and
archaeology (for which he has full academic degrees). Like many top
polymaths, his status as an ‘outsider’ does not endear him to the
Establishment – but this is a sad reflection on them, not on him. I
commend David to you. Not only is he one of the great communicators of
our age, he has a Big Idea and it really works!
Dr. B. Newgrosh BA, MA, PhD Manchester
CAMI MCCRAW (moderator of the New Chronology internet discussion group)
I
am the creator and list-owner of the ‘NewChronology list’, hosted
through Yahoogroups, and entirely dedicated to discussing and debating
the work of David Rohl. I live in the USA, and after seeing David’s
television special ‘Pharaohs and Kings: A Biblical Quest’ in 1995, my
immediate response was to buy the book and then to review the videotape
of the program over and over again. In 1999, I began the
NewChronology internet discussion group to see if anyone else found his
work as fascinating as I did. Now, nine years later, the NewChronology
group is ranked number 2 out of 247 archaeology groups at Yahoo and has
over 2000 members from 39 countries. To date the site has posted 40,000
e-mails. Many of the members are highly respected academics from
universities all over the world. I respond to many e-mails each
week regarding David’s work, but the question I am asked most
frequently is "When can we expect David to lecture in the USA?" David
has the rare ability to reach many different types of audience because
he is both a scholar and, at the same time, respectful of the Bible
(which matters to many of his followers). His fascinating work must
continue to be disseminated so that it reaches the large and
enthusiastic audience interested in the Bible and ancient history.
C. McCraw Moderator of NewChronology@Yahoogroups.com, Texas – USA
Lecturers at the 2004 Luxor Conference. Back Row (left to right): Prof. Erhart Graefe, Dylan Bickerstaffe, Lyla Pinch-Brock, Dr. Aidan Dodson and Prof. Alan Lloyd; Front Row (left to right): Prof. Kent Weeks, David Rohl and Ted Brock.
Photo by Norman Pease.
MOUNA MOUNAYER (Television Producer, Director and Archaeologist)
I
was an undergraduate student at the Institute of Archaeology, UCL when
I met David Rohl on a dig in Syria. From the very first moment I
realised that David’s understanding of Egyptian, biblical and Near
Eastern history was going to set him at odds with the academic
establishment. This was not due to his lack of scholarship – which
no-one can fault. It was simply due to David’s ability to cut through
to the core of the complex subjects he researches with a vision and
logic that few people can match. David’s refreshing approach to
Egyptian Chronology is based on years of research which has given him a
deep understanding of the history, archaeology, architecture and
philology of the Middle East. As an archaeologist and film-maker I know
that David Rohl has so much new and exciting information and ideas to
impart – all great subjects for television.
M. Mounayer BA, MA Firehorse Films, London and Beirut
NAJAT RIZK (Television Producer, Beirut)
In
twenty years of working as both a producer and channel managing
director in the Arab World, I have rarely come across anyone as
charismatic and knowledgeable as David Rohl. Energetic, disciplined and
creative, he sought to make the experience of filming ‘The Egyptian
Genesis’ a joy. He was never afraid of interviews where other academics
disagreed with him but joined in lively debates where it was obvious
that he was more than holding his own with his academic colleagues. As
well as researching, writing and presenting ‘The Egyptian Genesis’,
David wrote some of the most beautiful music for the series. David Rohl
is a multi-talented free-thinker with whom I would love to work again.
N. Rizk Firehorse Films, Quantum Communications, Lebanon
Photo by Mike Shepherd.
JANET SHEPHERD (Chairman of the Sussex Egyptology Society)
Sussex
Egyptology has been fortunate to have David Rohl as its Honorary
President since the Society was founded in 1996. A registered charity,
SES has become one of the largest regional Egyptology Societies in the
country with over 300 members. Under David’s guidance and leadership
society members have travelled extensively on exciting study tours
throughout Egypt, visiting sites that are often overlooked by other
Egyptologists. He knows Egypt and the Middle East like the back of his
hand. As a regular lecturer at society meetings, David’s presentation
and speaking skills always ensure a packed house. It is not
unreasonable to say that David Rohl has been the major stimulus to the
remarkable upsurge in Egyptological interest in the UK over the last
ten years.
Janet Shepherd Chairman, Sussex Egyptology Society
ROBERT PARTRIDGE (Editor
of Ancient Egypt Magazine, Chairman of the Manchester Ancient Egypt
Society and council member of the Northern Branch of the Egypt
Exploration Society)
For many years David Rohl has been a
regular and popular guest lecturer in Manchester for the Manchester
Ancient Egypt Society (which is the largest and oldest of many
provincial Egyptology Societies in the United Kingdom). He is well
known for his series of books and television programmes on different
aspects of Egyptology and Near Eastern ancient history and always
attracts our biggest audiences. Whilst his ideas and
interpretation of the archaeological evidence are not always accepted
by some academics, his arguments are persuasive and logical (unlike
many theories which feature in books and television documentaries).
David has done more than many authors and television presenters to
encourage those interested in ancient Egypt to think hard about the
evidence before coming to their own conclusions. He has also
been instrumental in bringing together a team of internationally-known
Egyptologists for a major annual conference in the UK where the aim of
a full exchange of ideas and information has greatly benefited the
study of Ancient Egypt and the Old Testament.
B. Partridge Chairman of the Manchester Ancient Egypt Society
JIM DUNN (President (retired) of the Society for the Study of Ancient Egypt)
My
wife and I have known David Rohl since 1992. At that time, after
obtaining his Egyptology degree at University College London, he was
accompanying Thomas Cook Nile cruises as a guest Egyptologist, which is
where we first met him. He also founded ISIS – The Institute for the
Study of Interdisciplinary Sciences – of which we are members.
For the last thirty years David has undertaken a fascinating programme
of research into the chronology of the ancient Near East, travelling
extensively throughout the region to check and evaluate his historical
analysis. I doubt if any other scholar knows the geography and
landscapes of the ancient world better than David. Since 1995 he
has published a trilogy of scholarly, extremely well set out, and
beautifully illustrated books which have all been big sellers. Whilst
encapsulating his research in great detail, these popular books are
also very accessible to the general reader. Such clarity and logic
displays a rare talent within academia. David is also a very
popular and challenging lecturer. As the President of the Society for
the Study of Ancient Egypt, I can vouch for the fact that his
presentations are amongst the most popular in the North-East and are
always attended by a high proportion of our membership.
J. Dunn Ceng, MIEE Chesterfield, UK
ANDREW GOUGH (business executive for a major computer software company)
As
a leading provider of internet solutions to the world’s largest Blue
Chip company – IBM – my company, KANA, needed to secure a speaker for
its 2002 Customer Day – a corporate event with an unquestionable
reputation for quality and sophistication. In that year we decided to
hold this prestigious gathering at the British Museum and selected
David Rohl as our keynote speaker, because we knew that he would
provide us with the perfect mix of consumer recognition and scholarly
credibility. Because KANA had invited a major prospective client
(subsequently converted into a customer) who was considering investing
in IBM and KANA to the tune of $1 billion over the next ten years, our
messaging needed to be absolutely right. The keynote speaker had to be
100% believable, since he personified IBM itself for the day. Needless
to say, David’s presentation to this lay audience of executives,
dealing, as it did, with the complex topic of the origins of Egyptian
civilisation, was extremely well received (and understood). IBM and
KANA look forward to engaging David Rohl again and again in the future.
A. Gough KANA, EMEA Director of New Business, London
