What do you say about one of the world's largest treasures at the bottom of a lake in Egypt? Nobody knows if this treasure exists, but the legend about it is described in both the Bible and the Qur'an, and it is still alive among the locals.
Exodus 6:21 says
And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri”.
Numbers 16:1-2 states
"Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: And they rose up before Moses […]"
Numbers 16: 31-33 continues
“And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.”
“Korah”, or “Korak”, is known in Jewish tradition for his revolt against Moses. He is also known for his enormous wealth. He is said to have found one of the treasures Joseph (Israel) had hidden in the desert. He was punished by God for his revolt.
In Islamic tradition he is called “Qaroun” (or “Qarun”) [قارون] and he is mentioned in the Qur'an several times, especially in chapter 28, “Surat Al-Qasas”. There he is siding with Pharaoh against Musa (Moses), and is finally punished by God for his arrogance and boasting about his wealth. The Qur'an 28:81 says:
"We caused the earth to swallow up both him and his house. There was no group to come to his aid against God, and he was not someone who is helped."
Qaroun and his wealth were swallowed by the earth!
This happened in Egypt. According to legend, Qaroun lived and died in the Fayoum area. The large lake which is still there today, although it was larger in the past, is often called Lake Qaroun. The legend is so vivid that there are people who believe that Qaroun's treasure rests at the bottom of the lake! Locals around the lake say that the treasure is guarded by a mermaid or some other supernatural figure. There are plenty of stories about the mermaids' magical power.
In the 1980s a rumour circulated in Fayoum that the treasure in the lake would come to light only if 200 children were first sacrificed. The locals began keeping their children at home so archaeologists and treasure hunters would not kidnap and sacrifice them. I don't know if there was any real risk, but it was what they feared.
With or without a treasure in the lake, the area around is one of Egypt's most interesting sites. There are lots of archaeological remains, fossils, and even a petrified forest. In addition to that, beautiful and interesting nature.
Lake Qaroun is also called Lake Moeris, whose crocodiles I discussed in a previous article. Nearby resided Sobek's holy city, Crocodilopolis.
(The lead image is by Dean Moriarty/Pixabay, CC0/PublicDomain. It just serves to illustrate "treasure" and has no real connection to Egypt or the story related in the article.)
Previous articles related to Egypt, Fayoum and Lake Moeris:
"The Sacred Crocodiles of Egypt" and "The Crocodile, a Symbol of Egypt?"
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Nice article. 💞