by K. T. Tomb
No doubt, Fr. Soliman had seen the disappointment in Phoe’s eyes and he chuckled softly. “It really isn’t all that impressive to look at. Very old, yes, but disappointing whenever one thinks that it could be the seal of the king who was said to be a man after God’s own heart. In reality, I don’t think it was ever the signet ring of King David. In fact, compared to what many churches have, it is a rather secondary relic, especially since it can’t be linked to any specific member of royalty in Jewish or Christian history.”
“What makes it a valued relic, then?” Peter frowned as he considered the priest’s disclaimer.
“How well do you know the history of the Crusades and the events that led to them?” Fr. Soliman asked.
“We’re well acquainted with the history of the Crusades, Father,” Phillips said in an exhausted tone. It was obvious that when he wasn’t the center of attention, he lost all interest in whatever was taking place. At the dig sites, he was the leading man on the scene, but in Cairo, Phoe had reclaimed her leadership role and he didn’t like it.
“We are pretty well acquainted, Father, but it is always beneficial to work through something that might be of great importance in our search, even if some it is rehashed.” She smiled. It was also quite pleasant to have another opportunity to get under Guy’s skin. “Besides, you might know some things that we have never been made aware of before.”
“Well, it has been a topic of intense study among those in service here as of late, given what appears to be the rise of a new caliphate in Raqqa, Syria; related to one of much older origin, I believe.” It was his turn to lean forward and take a conspiratorial tone. No doubt, being Christian in a predominantly Muslim part of the world made one particularly careful about being overheard when talking about the warlike tendencies of their Muslim neighbors.
“Not to sound too boastful, but I am a recognized scholar among priests when it comes to the history surrounding the Crusades,” Fr. Soliman chuckled.
Phoe wondered if he too had made note of Phillips’ arrogance and, though a man of the cloth, was unable to resist taking a dig at the snobbish attitude that Phillips had demonstrated from the moment that he was unrecognized during their greeting.
“Well, then,” Phoe piled on, “it might be an opportunity for all of us to learn something new.” She tossed a sidelong smile in Guy’s direction.
“After the death of Mohammad, there were four Caliphs that came into existence within the century that followed: the Rashidun, the Umayyad, the Ibn al-Zubayr and the Abbasid. For our purposes and an explanation of how the Moroccan Ring wound up in our possession, we are concerned with the second one, the Umayyad.
“It was the Umayyad that conquered, on behalf of Allah, Northern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, present day Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon and, at that time, the land of Palestine. They also spread north out of Morocco, across the strait of Gibraltar to conquer the Iberian Peninsula or, as we know it today, most of Spain. The Caliphate expanded into a portion of what is modern day France, but had lost a lot of its steam by that point.
“The Moroccan Ring, most think, was carried by someone in the Umayyad Caliphate into the Spain.”
“Why would someone in an Islamic Caliphate be carrying a Zionist symbol?” Peter asked.
“At the time, the Star of David wasn’t seen as a Zionist symbol. That only came to be such after the state of Israel was reestablished in 1948. Before that time, King David was considered holy among the Muslims. A quotation from the Quran gives us a good example. ‘And We (Allah) gave him Isaac and Jacob and guided them, as We had guided Noah before them, and of his descendants, David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus We reward those who are upright and do good.’ In essence, King David holds a special place as both a prophet and King, as does Solomon and they are iconic members of Islamic history.
“No doubt, the Moroccan Ring inspired the Moroccan flag, which, you know, of course, has a red field with a green Star of David. Needless to say, that particular symbol has a great deal of importance to that particular region of North Africa.”
“So, how did the ring end up back in Egypt?” Phoe asked.
“That, we can actually document,” he smiled. “Where the history up until the point that it arrived here is mostly speculative, how it came here is a part of the archives that certify the ring as a relic. This, however, is where we switch gears and begin talking about the Christian response to being overrun or being threatened by Muslims in what, at that time were the territories of the Holy Roman Empire. In response, Rome took the battle to Muslim territory, mostly Jerusalem, but other areas that were, more or less, under Umayyad control.
“The Roman fortress, of which this church is a part, was a stronghold in Egypt in the later Crusades, which mostly battled against another Caliphate called the Fatimid, which the renowned Saladin was a part. In short, the Moroccan Ring was brought here by a Castilian knight in the order of El Cid named Rodrigo Alonso de Burgo, who had been offered the ring by a Muslim combatant in exchange for his life.
“Because he had escaped a number of brushes with death while battling in and around Egypt, Rodrigo believed that it had been blessed by the Great King of Jerusalem and brought it here as a tribute before he returned to his home in Spain. Ironically, he never made it home, so, it makes one wonder if the ring truly is blessed.” Fr. Soliman smiled as he ended his narrative and folded his hands in front of him.
The story sank in for a few moments before Peter finally asked a question. “You said something earlier about the new Caliphate in Raqqa being related to an older Caliphate?”
“It’s mostly a scholarly opinion, but it is my view that the Caliphate that announced itself in Raqqa in 2014 is something of a resurrection, if you will, of the Umayyad Caliphate, which was ruled from Damascus.”
“Very interesting story, Father,” Guy, who had patiently endured the lecture, said wearily. “But it really hadn’t helped us to move any closer to our goal, which is, of course, the recovery of the Seal of Solomon. We thank you for your time, but we really have wasted enough of it here, don’t you think?” He looked at Phoe as he asked the question.
As badly as she wanted to contradict him, he had a valid point. As rude as it was to interject his opinion in such an arrogant and unappreciative manner, they were, still, no closer to locating the Seal of Solomon and they had taken up plenty of the priest’s time.
“We do appreciate the fact that you took the time to both enlighten us and to show us the ring,” Phoe smiled. “Though it seems a waste of time, we have, more or less, eliminated any connection between Hadad the Edomite and the Seal of Solomon, so, all in all, I call that progress.”
Showing their appreciation, Peter and Phoe with a genuine attitude and Guy with a half-hearted fake one, they said their goodbyes and, after the Moroccan Ring was returned to the vault, were ushered out of the Hanging Church.
Chapter Ten
The London Times
Scuba divers off Israel’s Mediterranean coast, have discovered the largest trove of gold coins ever found. In all, about 2,000 pieces dating back more than 1,000 years, the country’s antiquities authority said on Tuesday.
“The largest treasure of gold coins discovered in Israel was found in recent weeks on the seabed in the ancient harbor in Caesarea,” the authority said in a statement.
It was by pure chance that members of a diving club in the Roman-era port had come across the coins, which the authority said weighed nine kilograms, but which he described as being “priceless.”
Experts from the authority called to the site uncovered “almost 2,000 gold coins in different denominations” circulated by the Fatimid Caliphate, which ruled much of the Middle East and North Africa from 909 to 1171.
Jacob David, director of the marine archeology unit at the Israel Antiquities Authority, said that additional excavations would be carried out in the hope of uncovering more details concerning the origin of the treasure.
“There is, most
likely, a shipwreck of an official treasury boat in that area. Likely, it was on its way to the central government in Egypt with taxes that had been collected,” said David.
“One could speculate that the treasure of coins was meant to pay the salaries of the Fatimid military garrison, which was stationed in Caesarea and protected the city. Or one could advance the theory that the treasure was money belonging to a large merchant ship that traded with the coastal cities and the port on the Mediterranean Sea at the time,” he said.
The Israeli Antiquities Authority declined to put a cash value on the coins, which it said had very likely been exposed as a result of winter storms.
The find was “so valuable that it’s priceless,” David told reporters, adding that the haul was now the property of the state of Israel, and that there was no finder’s fee.
“There’s an oddball in the bunch,” Peter told Phoe over the phone. Immediately after the treasure was found and before it was reported to anyone, Peter’s friend, Elais, had given him a call to let his former treasure-hunting partner that he’d hit a big one. Peter had immediately been dispatched to Israel, along with Guy, who had his own fascination with ancient coins.
Phoe and the rest of the team had busied themselves with trying to uncover as much information as they could concerning the three different invaders of Solomon’s kingdom. Rather than returning to Venice, however, they decided to stay in Cairo just in case something that they discovered was worthy of being checked out.
The break from Guy was a blessing to Phoe, though she pitied Peter having to put up with him. When Peter called, she had assumed that it was little more than a “checking in” call. It quickly developed into a new mystery.
“Okay, Peter,” Phoe said, wrinkling her brow. “What do you mean by ‘there’s an oddball in the bunch’?”
“The treasure that Elais found was all coins of various denominations from the Fatimid Caliph except one,” he replied.
“And why did you call to tell me that, Peter?” she asked.
“Because it just might be a new lead for us,” he replied.
“Okay, fine, I’ll bite,” she sighed. “What is this oddball coin?”
“Well, this oddball coin is a coin with the likeness of the Emperor Maximian of Rome on it.”
“How is a Roman coin of the third century among a treasure of coins of the Fatimid Caliph a lead in finding the Seal of Solomon?”
“Ah, come on, Phoe, use your brain a little bit; you’ll figure it out,” Peter teased.
Phoe paused for several seconds and tried to draw a connection. It was impossible to figure out what angle Peter was coming from. “I give up, give me a hint.”
“Sort of like Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, right?” he laughed.
“Cute,” she replied. “Are you going to give me a hint or what?”
“Let’s start with Maximian,” Peter began. “What do we know about him?”
“Late third century emperor, both a Caesar and an Augustus, was known mostly for being a hard ass military man who ruled along with the more administrative-minded Diocletian. He was mainly known for working to conquer the Germans and the Gauls. I’m still not making a connection, Peter.”
“Okay, here’s another hint. What did we just learn a few days ago from Fr. Soliman?”
“Lots of things, Peter,” she sighed, becoming impatient with the game. “Just tell me where you’re going with this.”
“Fine,” he responded. “I just wanted to have a little bit of fun with it first. Okay, so, not all of the coins in the treasure were from the Fatimid Caliphate.”
“You left out that hint,” she interrupted. “But go on.”
“Some of them were from what is known as the Issue of Cordoba, which was Islamic money from the Caliphate of Cordoba.”
“But your dates are off, Peter. The Caliphate of Cordoba didn’t come into existence until more than 600 years after Maximian was Emperor. Hell, Muhammad wasn’t even born when Maximian ruled.”
“But we have a Roman coin along with Issue of Cordoba and Fatimid coins in a shipment coming out of Egypt for a Palestinian port.”
“Okay, we’ve got an older coin mixed in with newer ones, some of which were from Spain. I’m starting to see where you’re going with this. What’s your kicker?”
“My kicker,” he laughed, “is the Coptic church, which came into existence sometime late in the 3rd century, hanging on the wall of a Roman fort in Cairo where the Fatimid Caliphate was based.”
“Alright, I’m starting to feel you a little bit more.” She paused for a moment and chewed on her lower lip. “So, somehow that Roman coin snuck out of the Hanging Church and into the tax shipment for the Fatimid Caliphate. Someone used it to pay a jizya using a 600-year-old coin?”
“Yep!” he said.
“I think I need to make another visit to Fr. Soliman,” Phoe responded.
“See, I knew we were on the same page,” Peter laughed. His voice became serious again. “It may turn out to be nothing, but it is an intriguing mystery to chase down, don’t you think?”
“Hey, at this point, it’s the best lead we’ve got.”
“I figured as much.”
“So, how have you enjoyed your time with Guy?” She overemphasized the French pronunciation of his name in a mocking tone. “Are you two best buddies now?”
“I wouldn’t call us best buddies, but it hasn’t been too bad. He’s snobbish, rude and gets on your nerves at times, but he knows his stuff and, for the most part, he has stayed professional.”
“Sounds to me like he’s winning you over,” she laughed.
“Phoe, I know you aren’t fond of him, and I think I know why, but you really need to cut the guy a break.”
Phoe ignored the unintended pun in Peter’s statement, though she smiled when she heard it. “I just don’t trust him. I didn’t the moment that I met him. There’s something creepy about him. I don’t know what it is, exactly, but it’s something that’s like, serial killer creepy.”
“Wow! Really, Phoe, serial killer creepy?”
“I’m just saying,” she responded. She considered her statement for a minute. He’d been professional and, at times, helpful. Maybe she ought to give him the benefit of the doubt. “I could be wrong.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Peter laughed.
“When are you going to be back in Cairo?” Phoe changed the subject.
“Probably before you get out of your meeting with Fr. Soliman tomorrow morning.”
“I didn’t know that I had a meeting with Fr. Soliman tomorrow morning.”
“If I know you, you will have one arranged within a few minutes after I hang up.”
“Maybe I’ll put it off,” she teased.
“And risk having to take Guy along? Not a chance.”
“You know me so well.”
“Been studying you for years,” he laughed. “That’s about the only time that I’ve guessed right. Anyway… I better get off of here and get back with Elais. We’re going to be presenting those coins to the Israeli authorities this evening.”
“Alright, take care, I’ll see you when you get back.”
Chapter Eleven
“Third century coins in a Fatimid Caliph shipment?” Fr. Soliman mused. “It certainly does bring up some intriguing questions, doesn’t it? It could have come from here or it could have been mixed in among the coins that came in from the Caliph of Cordoba and been going the other direction instead of coming into Egypt, like Peter suggested.”
“The coin has the likeness of Emperor Maximian on it,” Phoe said, pulling up the images of the coin that Peter had sent her on her smart phone.
“A third century Roman coin in 10th century Egypt,” he mused as he studied the images. “It would be no big deal that a Roman coin might be among what was collected in Cordoba… well, one that was 600 years old would, but since we’re in Egypt, let’s go with your theory that it came out of this church.”
“That was wha
t I was hoping you’d say,” Jonathan added.
Phoe had decided to include Jonathan on her second trip to visit the Hanging Church because she still felt bad about not being able to take him with her the first time. They’d been received graciously just like they had before and the priest had been just as eager to look into the new mystery that they were presenting. No doubt, being able to solve a mystery was a welcome break in the regular monotony that his position demanded of him.
“Third century, third century,” Fr. Soliman repeated several times. “I’m more of an expert on history that took place in the 7th century and beyond, mostly concerning the spread of Islam. Let me see if we can get some help from our archives.”
Fr. Soliman scanned the spines of several volumes on the shelf, finally selected one and brought it to the table. He flipped through several pages, scanned with his index finger on the text for several minutes and then flipped a few more pages.
Jonathan and Phoe remained silent, not wanting to interrupt the concentration of the priest while he searched for whatever it was that he thought he might find. For Phoe’s part, she knew that connecting the coin of Maximian to the Seal of Solomon was a long shot, but up until that point, other than learning some interesting new things and enjoying a few moments of excitement in Sudan and Ethiopia, they had accomplished very little. We’re due a break about now.
She had no sooner finished the thought before Fr. Soliman spoke. “St. Maurice, of course!” he exclaimed.
Phoe glanced at Jonathan and smiled, not knowing if the priest had just sworn to St. Maurice, something that she didn’t think that priests did, or if he had run across something pertaining to a St. Maurice and their own quest. In response, as though reading her mind, Jonathan shrugged.