the Researcher
Dr. Glen Fritz has been involved in the study of the Exodus geography since about 2000. He holds a PhD in Environmental Geography from Texas State University-San Marcos.
In the early phase of his Exodus research, Dr. Fritz needed to identify the passable corridors in the terrain of the region to begin reconstructing the potential Exodus routes. However, in the days before tools like Google Earth were developed, detailed topographical mapping was not readily available for desolate areas. Thus, Dr. Fritz was forced to build digital 3D terrain models from satellite imagery in order to assess the pertinent topography.
During his study of historical maps of the region, he noticed that older maps grossly misrepresented the Gulf of Aqaba (on the eastern Sinai Peninsula), or omitted it entirely. Yet, it was this body of water that the Bible seemed to be describing as Yam Suph, the sea of the Exodus. The Gulf of Aqaba was not correctly charted until the 18th century, due to its isolation, lack of harbors and fresh water, and hazardous sailing conditions.
Eventually, he discovered that when the first Exodus traditions emerged more than 2000 years ago, geographers and theologians had been totally ignorant of this gulf. Hence, a sea crossing near Egypt, and a Mount Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula, were logical options for centuries. In essence, the sea of the Exodus was lost for most of history through a persistent geographical error of great magnitude.
Realizing that the location of Yam Suph was not only a historical mystery, but the chief clue for the route to Mount Sinai, Dr. Fritz pursued the topic for his 2006 doctoral dissertation, entitled The Lost Sea of the Exodus.
In this regard, he has served as a geographical consultant for an Exodus documentary, tentatively scheduled for release in theaters in 2012. (The film website is www.ExodusConspiracy.com). Dr. Fritz currently resides in San Antonio, TX.