Seven Goofs and historical inaccuracies
Sure, it is only a movie...it was manufactured by the same people who believe 3,000 year-old mummies are able to bend their limbs in digital grandeur style, but PLEASE do not insult the average movie goer by allowing all of these historical inaccuracies to take place. But I will hear all about it from those who cannot understand it is only a movie, after all.
1) The opening narration: "Before the time of the pyramids..." The age of the pyramids existed between 2630 BC until about 1530 BC and the age of the Ancient Egyptians existed during 3300 BC to 30 BC (they fell after the Romans defeated Cleopatra VII's forces at the Battle of Actium in 31 bc and were absorbed into the Empire). So, this would mean the Scorpion King existed (as opposed to living concurrently with the Egyptians in The Mummy Returns) thousands of years before the Egyptians and organized mythos.
2) Also, in the opening introduction: "And swept across the lands of the ancient world..." The lands were not so 'barren' as the movie would depict. In the late 20th century archaeologists discovered evidence of human habitation before 8000 BC in an area in the southwestern corner of Egypt, near the border with Sudan. Nomadic peoples may have been attracted to that area because of the hospitable climate and environment. Now exceptionally dry, that area once had grassy plains and temporary lakes that resulted from seasonal rains. The people who settled there must have realized the benefits of a more sedentary life. Scientific analysis of the remains of their culture indicates that by 6000 BC they were herding cattle and constructing large buildings. By 4000 bc there were settlements in Upper Egypt, at locations such as Hierakonpolis (ancient Nekhen), Naqada, and Abydos.
3) Steel? Yes, the word "Steel" is spoken when the Mathayus the Scorpion King walks through the market place, "Made of the finest steel." Historically, steel did not exist in weapon form, however The earliest iron implements discovered by archaeologists in Egypt date from about 3000 bc, and iron ornaments were used even earlier; the comparatively advanced technique of hardening iron weapons by heat treatment was known to the Greeks about 1000 BC. Further, The alloys produced by early iron workers, and, indeed, all the iron alloys made until about the 14th century AD, would be classified today as wrought iron. It wasn't until the 14th Century AD that steel manufacturing came into wide use.
4) Anubis. In order for Mathayus to become the Scorpion King he had to have made a deal with Anubis. Apparantly, the producers, et al., did not watch The Mummuy Returns to view this time-line. Anubis, the jackal headed god of embalming and the dead, did not exist until a civilized land was formed. The uniting of the two Egypts, the Upper and the Lower, did not happen until Menes was Egypt’s first monarch. He reigned around 3100 BC. And, more or less, wasn't the Scorpion King depicted as being evil? Something Mathayus, the lovable lug, was NOT. An assassian, yes... Evil?
5) Akkadian. The earliest records in Akkadian date to the time of Sargon of Akkad. Sargon (2334 BC - 2279 BC) was the first person in recorded history to create an empire, or multi-ethnic state. His empire encompassed the region of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and part of what is present-day Turkey. His capital was Akkad. If Mathayus, the Scorpion King, were Akkadian then he was well ahead of his time, especially if he was around before the "time of the pyramids" (see #1). Furthermore, he states he is the LAST of his kind...hunh! Did all of Akkad sprout from his loins? Doubtful, but this is the fun of watching the movie.
6) Gunpowder. The movie flagrantly shows a caucasian, clearly of European descent, talking about a magical powder he got from China. Gunpowder did not exist during the time-frame of this movie There are two types:
Black powder—invented by the Chinese in the 9th Century—was the only widely-known and used practical explosive until the 20th Century. However, it is now primarily only used for fireworks, model rocket engines and in reproduction weapons.
Smokeless powder replaced black powder as a propellant at the end of the 19th Century and is used in all modern guns.
Both forms of gunpowder burn producing a subsonic deflagration wave rather than the supersonic detonation wave which high explosives would produce. This reduces peak pressures in a gun, but makes it less suitable for shattering rock or fortifications.
Although historically gunpowder meant black powder, as in the Gunpowder plot, modern references usually imply smokeless powder when referring to the propellant in small arms.
7) China. China, as a country nor a region, existed at this time-frame in the movie. Travel of such great distances were nearly impossible since almost all civilizations of the day felt the earth was flat and all known lands were discovered. After the questionable date this movie takes place, "China" consisted of two kingdoms: the earliest began at 2500 BC (Sanhuangwudi was the ruling entity) until 2205 and were "Mythical" (The answer for #1 predates even the Chinese). The second kingdom was the beginning of China's great dynasties: 2070 BC - 1600 BC, Xia Dynasty, is the first dynasty to be described in Chinese historical records.
Please feel free to dispute my findings. They can be found on www.encarta.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page.
Oh, and remember: It is ONLY a movie!