TheMessageoftheSphinx

AlsobyRobertBauvalTheOrionMystery(withAdrianGilbert)

AlsobyGrahamHancockJourneyThroughPakistan

Ethiopia:TheChallengeofHunger

AIDS:TheDeadlyEpidemic

LordsofPoverty

AfricanArk:PeoplesoftheHorn

TheSignandtheSeal:AQuestfortheLostArkoftheCovenant

FingerprintsoftheGods:TheEvidenceofEarth’sLostCivilization

TheMessageoftheSphinxAQuestfortheHiddenLegacyofMankind

GrahamHancock

RobertBauval

ThreeRivers

PressNewYork

Copyright©1996byGrahamHancockandRobertBauval

Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereproduced

ortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,

includingphotocopying,recording,orbyanyinformationstorageand

retrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher.

PublishedbyThreeRiversPress,201East50thStreet,

NewYork,NewYork10022.MemberoftheCrownPublishingGroup.

OriginallypublishedinGreatBritainbyWilliamHeinemannLtd.,

andintheUnitedStatesbyCrownPublishers,Inc.,in1996.

RandomHouse,Inc.

NewYork,Toronto,London,Sydney,Auckland

http://www.randomhouse.com/

THREERIVERSPRESSandcolophonare

trademarksofCrownPublishers,Inc.

PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica

DiagramsbyRobertG.BauvalandR.J.Cook

Photographs2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10,17,18,19,20,22,

24,25,26,27,28,30,31,and32bySanthaFaiia.

Photographs11,12,15,and16courtesyofRudolphGantenbrink.

Photograph29byRobertG.Bauval.

Photograph7courtesyofVentureInwardmagazine.

Photograph13SpiegelTV.

Photograph14AntoineBoutros.

Photograph1TheLadySophiaSchilizzi.

LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-Publication

Dataisavailableuponrequest.

ISBN0-517-88852-1

10987654321

FirstPaperbackEdition

TothememoryofmyfatherGastonBauval,

whorestsinthelandofEgypt.

RobertG.Bauval

To my friend, John Anthony West, for his twenty years of courageous work to prove thegeologicalantiquityoftheSphinx,andforthevastimplicationsoftheevidencethathehasputbefore thepublic. ‘The truth isgreat andmighty,’ as theancient texts say. ‘IthathneverbeenbrokensincethetimeofOsiris.’

GrahamHancock

ContentsContents

LineIllustrations

Acknowledgements

PartI

Chapter1

Enduringmemories

Stillnessandsilence

Chapter2

Undatable,anonymous

Onesyllable

Context

Watererosion

Notfloodwaters

Rainfall

Arudeinterruption

Whendiditrain?

Jurystillout

Chapter3

Impossibleengineering

How,why,when?

Memorialsmighty

Notpurelysymbolicboats

ThePyramids

Highprecision

Chambersandpassageways

Innerspace

Thestonesofdarknessandtheshadowofdeath

Veryinterestingdevelopments

Labyrinth

Themysteryoftheshafts

Chapter4

Observatory

TargetingStars

TheCompanionsofOsiris

Aperfectmatch

Risingstars

Lionontheground,lioninthesky

Motiveinthetexts

Fundamentalquestions

PartII

Chapter5

TrancingtheHallofRecords

TheScholar

Proofunderthepaws

Anomalies

Afallingout

Granitestructures

Themappingsurveys

Pullingaway

LunchwithMr.Cayce

Correspondence

Chapter6

Doublestandard

Theironplateaffair

Scientificanalysis

TheBritishMuseum’sview

Stargate

Unknowndarkdistance

Links

TheBritishMuseumandthemissingcigarbox

Chapter7

Planninganadventure

Diversionanddelay

UpuantII

Problemswithpermits

Discovery

Muchado,thennothing

Politicalgames

BreakfastwithGantenbrink

Selectgroups

Burial

PartIII

Chapter8

Cosmicenvironment

Astronomicalessence

Otherworld

Starsrisingwiththesun

Cosmicriver

KingdomofOsirisinthesky

‘FirstTime’

GoldenAgeandtheentryofevil

Shabakatexts

Treasuretrail

Sphinxgod

RoadsofRostau

Chapter9

Celestialreflections

Astronomer-priests

LivingimageofAtum

Atum,ReandHorakhti

Horus,Dweller-in-the-Horizon

The‘TwoHorizons’ofHeliopolis

Strangesilence

SearchingforHorakhti

Geographicalandcosmologicalcontext

Chapter10

ChildoftheSun,sonofOsiris

SeventydaysfromHorakhti

TheHighRoadandtheLowRoad

Subterraneanworld

Tunnel

Stargate

TheSplendidPlaceofthe‘FirstTime’

PartIV

Chapter11

Threeeras

Highinitiates

FollowingtheWayofHorus

Chapter12

Guardiansofrecords

Memoriesofthedawn

Wisdomandknowledge

Heliopolitanorigins

Cycleofthephoenix

Ancestorgods

Chapter13

Shiningones

Legacy

Godsandheroes

Timebridge

Followingthevernalpoint

Chapter14

Journeyintime

Becomingequipped

Unification

Highandfar-offtimes

Chapter15

Separation

Doubles

Link-up

Ridingthevernalpoint

Secretspell

Specialnumbers

Seekersaftertruth

Chapter16

Anti-cipher

Durablevehicles

Hintsandmemories

Thelanguageofthestars

Thought-tools

Chapter17

Fine-tuningLeo

Settingstars

Sirius

Cross-quartercauseways

Treasuremap

Conclusion

Osirisbreathes

Appendix1

Astateofperfectorder

Maat

Jugglingforbalance

ThreeWiseMen

Appendix2

Appendix3

Appendix4

Appendix5

Furtherdevelopments

TheGreatPyramid

TheGreatSphinx

TheEdgarCaycelegacy

MarsandGiza:

SelectedBibliography

LineIllustrations1.ProfileoftheGreatSphinxfromthesouth.

2.OverheadviewoftheprincipalmonumentsoftheGizanecropolis.

3.TheGreatSphinxandthearchitecturalcomplexthatsurroundsit.

4.Theartificial‘HorizonofGiza’.

5.GeodeticlocationoftheGreatPyramidofGiza.

6.Cross-sectionoftheGreatPyramidofEgypt.

7.InternalcorridorsandpassagewaysofthethreePyramidsofGiza.

8.PrincipalinternalfeaturesoftheGreatPyramid.

9.Detailofthecorridors,chambersandshaftsoftheGreatPyramid

10.ThecomplexinternaldesignoftheGreatPyramid.

11.TheKing’sandQueen’sChambersandtheirfourshafts.

12.DetailsoftheQueen’sChamberanditsshafts.

13.Queen’sChamberwallandshaftmouth.

14.ConstructiondetailsoftheGreatPyramidshafts.

15.ThesummersolsticeasseenfromGiza.

16.Thetrajectoryofthesunonthesummersolstice.

17.Thetrajectoryofthesunontheequinox.

18.Thetrajectoryofthesunonthewintersolstice.

19.ThehorizonofGizaandthemeridianoftheGreatPyramid.

20.Culmination(meridian-transit)ofOrion’sbeltcirca2500BC.

21.OrionandOsiris.

22.ThestellaralignmentsoftheGreatPyramid’sfourshafts.

23.Orion’sbeltcrossingthemeridianoftheGreatPyramidin2500BC.

24.Thesky-groundimageofGiza-Orion’sbeltin10,500BC.

25.The10,500BC‘lock’withGiza.

26.Artist’simpressionofOrion’sprecessionalcycleatmeridian.

27.ThetrajectoryofOrion’sbeltthroughouttheages.

28.Pre-dawnatthespring(vernal)equinoxin10,500BC.

29.SuperimposedimagesoftherisingofLeoin2500BCand10,500BC.

30.Sunriseatthespring(vernal)equinoxin10,500BC.

31.Artist’simpressionofthe‘FirstTime’ofOsiris-Orion.

32.‘Sah’(Osiris-Orion),the‘FarStrider’.

33.DetailofQueen’sChambershaft.

34.TheMemphitenecropolis.

35.SunriseatsolsticesandequinoxesasseenfromGiza.

36.TheskyregionoftheDuat.

37.MapoftheapexregionoftheNileDelta.

38.The‘LandofSokar’intheFifthDivisionoftheDuat.

39.TheFifthDivisionoftheDuat.

40.ThesummersolsticeasseenfromGizacirca2500BC.

41.TheDenderahZodiac.

42.Horakhti,‘Horus-of-the-Horizon’.

43.Artist’simpressionof‘reconstructed’Sphinx.

44.TheDuatsky-regionatdawnthroughouttheyear,circa2500BC.

45.The‘solar’HoruscrossingtheMilkyWay.

46.The‘solar’HorusinthepawsofLeo.

47.The‘astral’KingdomofOsirisinRostau.

48.TheHorus-KingbeingledintotheGreatPyramid.

49.The‘astral’GreatPyramidanditsstargates.

50.TherisingofLeoatthesummersolsticecirca2500BC.

51.Thesummersolsticecirca2500BC.

52.TheHorus-KingstatuebetweenthepawsoftheSphinx.

53.Osiris-Orionshowingthewaytohis‘Followers’,theHorus-Kings.

54.Artist’simpressionofthe‘MansionofthePhoenix’.

55.Osiris-Orion,Isis-SiriusandtheHorus-Kings.

56.Greatconjunctionoftheancientskiesatthespring(vernal)equinoxcirca10,500BC

57.Thesky-Duatandtheground-DuatofOsiris.

58.The‘drift’ofOrionfrom10,500BCto2500BC.

59.ThesettingofOrion’sbeltandthe‘satellite’pyramidsofthe‘horizon’ofGizain10,500BC.

60.Artist’simpressionofthe‘FirstTime’ofSirius,intheepochof10,500BC.

61.ThecourseofthesunthroughouttheyearasviewedfromthelatitudeofGiza.

62.The14degreenorthofeastalignmentoftheKhufucausewayatthenorthcross-quartersunrise.

63.Thedueeast(equinox)alignmentoftheMenkaurecauseway.

64.The14degreesouthofeastalignmentoftheKhafrecausewayatthe‘south’cross-quartersunrise.

65.TherisingofLeoandthe‘south’cross-quartersunrisein10,500BC.

66.Hor-em-akhet(Sphinx)gazingatHorakhti(Leo)atthe‘south’cross-quartersunrisein10,500BC.

67.ProfileoftheGreatSphinxinthe‘ground-horizon’ofGiza.

68.Theplace-timedatumof10,500BCunder‘Leo’.

69.PossiblelocationsofanundergroundsystemofpassagewaysandchambersbeneaththeGreatSphinx.

70.TheDjedpillarofOsiris,flankedbyIsisandNepthys.

71.Sun-boatonthebackofthedouble-lionhieroglyphforAker;GreatPyramidlookingwest;OsirianDjedpillarlookingwest.

72.TheScalesofMaat.

73.Cross-sectionsoftheGreatPyramidshowingthe‘balancing’ofthemonumentwiththestar-shafts.

74.The‘scales’ofOrionatthe‘nadir’and‘apex’ofthecurrentPrecessionalCycleandtheagesofLeo(10,500BC)andAquarius(2450AD).

AcknowledgementsRobertG.Bauval:

Foremost,aspecialthankstothereaders.InthelasttwoyearsIhavereceivedhundredsoflettersofencouragementandgood-willandit’ssurenicetoknowyou’reallouttheresharinginthiscommonquestfortruth.

IamimmenselygratefulforthepatienceandunderstandingofmywifeMichele,andmytwochildren,CandiceandJonathan.

Particulargratitudegoestothefollowingrelatives,friendsandcolleaguesfortheirsupport:JohnAnthonyWest,ChrisDunn,BillCote,RoelOostra,JosephandSherryJahoda,JosephandLauraSchor,NivenSinclair,MarionKrause-Jach,PrincessMadeleineofBentheim,JamesMacaulay,RobertMakenty,LindaandMaxBauval,JeanPaulandPaulineBauval,mymotherYvonneBauval,GeoffreyandThérèseGauci,PatrickandJudyGauci,DenisandVerenaSeisun,ColinWilson,MohamedandAminElWalili,JuliaSimpson,SaharTalaat,ProfessorKarl-KlausDittelandhiswifeRenate,HaniMonsef,MarkFord,PeterZuuring,RichardThompson,AdrianAshford,DaveGoode,OkashaElDaly,MohamadRazek,HeikeNahsen,IlgaKorte,GundulaSchulzElDowy,AntoineBoutros,ProfessorJeanKerisel,RoyBaker,MurryHope,WilliamHorsmanandCharlotteAmes.

IwouldliketoconveymywarmthankstoBillHamiltonandSaraFisherofA.M.Heath&Co.,Ltd.,forputtingupwithmypleonasticways,TomWeldonandallthestaffatWilliamHeinemannLtd.,PeterSt.GinnaandBrianBelfiglioatCrownPublishingInc.,MelanieWalzandDorisJanhsenatPaulListVerlag,UdoRennertofWiesbaden,andMohebGoneidandallthestaffattheMovenpick-JolieVilleatGiza.

Finally,IwanttopaytributetotheengineerandmyfriendRudolfGantenbrinkforopeningthewayforallofuswithhisboldanddaringexplorationintheGreatPyramid.

RobertG.Bauval,

Buckinghamshire,February1996

GrahamHancock:

SpecialthanksandlovetoSantha,mywifeandpartner,mybestanddearestfriend.Loveandappreciationtoourchildren:Gabrielle,Leila,Luke,Ravi,SeanandShanti.Specialthanksalsotomyparents,DonaldandMurielHancock,whohavegivenmesomuch,andforthehelp,adviceandadventurousspiritofmyuncle,JamesMacaulay.ManyoftheindividualsnamedinRobert’sacknowledgementslikewisedeservemythanks:theyknowwhotheyare.InadditionItakethisopportunitytosendmypersonalgoodwishestoRichardHoagland,LewJenkins,PeterMarshall,andEdPonist.

GrahamHancock,

Devon,February1996

PartIEnigmas

Chapter1HorizonDweller

‘Thereisscarcelyapersoninthecivilizedworldwhoisunfamiliarwiththeformandfeaturesofthegreatman-headedlionthatguardstheeasternapproachtotheGizapyramids.’

AhmedFakhry,ThePyramids,1961

Agiganticstatue,withlionbodyandtheheadofaman,gazeseastfromEgyptalongthethirtiethparallel.Itisamonolith,carvedoutofthelimestonebedrockoftheGizaplateau,twohundredandfortyfeetlong,thirty-eightfeetwideacrosstheshoulders,andsixty-sixfeethigh.Itisworndownanderoded,battered,fissuredandcollapsing.Yetnothingelsethathasreachedusfromantiquityevenremotelymatchesitspowerandgrandeur,itsmajestyanditsmystery,oritssombreandhypnoticwatchfulness.

ItistheGreatSphinx.

OnceitwasbelievedtobeaneternalGod.

Thenamnesiaensnareditanditfellintoanenchantedsleep.

Agespassed:thousandsofyears.Climateschanged.Cultureschanged.Religionschanged.Languageschanged.Eventhepositionsofthestarsintheskieschanged.Butstillthestatueendured,broodingandnuminous,wrappedinsilence.

Oftensandengulfedit.Atwidelyseparatedintervalsabenevolentrulerwouldarrangetohaveitcleared.Therewerethosewhoattemptedtorestoreit,coveringpartsofitsrock-hewnbodywithblocksofmasonry.Foralongperioditwaspaintedred.

ByIslamictimesthedeserthadburiedituptoitsneckandithadbeengivenanew,orperhapsaveryold,name:‘NeartooneofthePyramids,’reportedAbdel-Latifinthetwelfthcentury,‘isacolossalheademergingfromtheground.ItiscalledAbul-Hol.’AndinthefourteenthcenturyEl-MakriziwroteofamannamedSaim-ed-Dahrwho‘wantedtoremedysomeofthereligiouserrorsandhewenttothePyramidsanddisfiguredthefaceofAbul-Hol,whichhasremainedinthatstatefromthattimeuntilnow.Fromthetimeofthisdisfigurement,also,thesandhasinvadedthecultivatedlandofGiza,andthepeopleattributethistothedisfigurementofAbul-Hol.’

1. Profile of theGreat Sphinx from the south showing restoration blocks along the paws andflanksandextensiveweatheringonthecorelimestonebody.

Enduringmemories

Abul-Hol,theArabicnamefortheGreatSphinxofEgypt,issupposedbymosttranslatorstomean‘FatherofTerror’.

Analternativeetymology,however,hasbeenproposedbytheEgyptologistSelimHassan.DuringtheextensiveexcavationsthatheundertookontheGizaplateauinthe1930sand‘40sheuncoveredevidencethatacolonyofforeigners—‘Cananites’—hadresidedinthispartofLowerEgyptintheearlysecondmillenniumBC.TheywerefromthesacredcityofHarran(locatedinthesouthofmodernTurkeynearitsborderwithSyria)andtheymayperhapshavebeenpilgrims.AtanyrateartefactsandcommemorativestelaeprovethattheylivedintheimmediatevicinityoftheSphinx—worshippingitasagodunderthenameHwl.[1]

IntheAncientEgyptianlanguage,bwmeans‘place’.HassanthereforereasonablyproposesthatAbul-Hol,‘issimplyacorruptionofbwHwl,“thePlaceofHwl”,anddoesnotatallmean“FatherofTerror”,asisgenerallysupposed’.[2]

WhenspeakingoftheSphinx,theAncientEgyptiansfrequentlymadeuseoftheHarranianderivationHwl,buttheyalsoknewitbymanyothernames:Hu,[3]forexample,andHor-em-Akhet—whichmeans‘HorusintheHorizon’.[4]Inaddition,forreasonsthathaveneverbeenfullyunderstood,theSphinxwasoftenreferredtoasSeshep-ankhAtum,‘thelivingimageofAtum,[5]afterAtum-Retheself-createdsun-god,thefirstandoriginaldeityoftheancientEgyptianpantheon.Indeed,theveryname‘Sphinx’thathashauntedthecollectivesubconsciousoftheWesternworldsinceClassicaltimes,turnsouttobenomorethanacorruption—throughGreek—ofSheshep-ankh.

Inthisway,withsubtlety,anumberofveryarchaicideas,onceheldbytheancientEgyptians,havesurvivedforthousandsofyears.[6]Wouldwenotbefoolish,therefore,toignoreentirelythelingeringtraditionthatassociatestheSphinxwithagreatandterribleriddle?

Stillnessandsilence

Crouchinginthemassivehorseshoe-shapedtrenchofbedrockoutofwhichitwascarved,thestatuelooksold:afierceandraddledtoweringmonster,higherthanasix-storeybuildingandaslongasacityblock.Itsflanksarelean,deeplyscallopedbyerosion.Itspaws,nowcoveredwithmodernrepairbricks,aresubstantiallywornaway.Itsneckhasbeenclumsilyshornupwithacementcollarintendedtokeepitsgrizzledheadinplace.Itsface,too,isbruisedandbattered,andyetitsomehowseemssereneandageless,unpredictablyportrayingdifferentmoodsandexpressionsatdifferenttimesandseasons,comingalivewithpatternsoflightandshadowcastbyscuddingcloudsatdawn.

Wearingtheelegantnemeshead-dressofanEgyptianPharaoh,itgazespatientlyintotheeast,asthoughwaitingforsomething—waitingandwatching,lostinits‘stillnessandsilence’(inthewordsoftheRomannaturalistPliny),andtargetingforevertheequinoctialrisingpointofthesun.

Howlonghasitstoodhereinspectingthehorizon?

Whoseimagedoesitportray?

Whatisitsfunction?

Inoursearchforanswerstothesequestionswehavefoundourselvesdrawnintostrangeandunexpectedareasofresearch.Likesoulsonthewayofthedead,wehavehadtopassthroughthedarkkingdomoftheancientEgyptianafterworld,tonavigateitsnarrowcorridors,floodedpassagewaysandhiddenchambers,andtoconfrontthefiendsanddemonslurkingthere.Usingcomputersimulationswehavejourneyedbackintimetostandbeneathskiesmorethan12,000

yearsold,andwatchedOrioncrossthemeridianatdawnasLeoroseresplendentintheeast.Wehaveimmersedourselvesinarchaicrebirthtextsandmythsandscripturesandfoundamongstthemtheveiledremnantsofaremarkable‘astronomicallanguage’thatcan,withouttoomuchdifficulty,bereadandunderstoodtoday.

ThroughcluesexpressedinthislanguagewebelievethatweareabletoidentifywithcertaintywhoandwhattheSphinxreallyis.Moreover,asweshallseeinPartsIIIandIV,thisidentificationappearstoopenawindowonaforgottenepisodeinhumanhistorywhenthewatersofagreatdelugewereebbingandmensoughttotransformthemselvesintogods.Inouropinionthestakesarehigh.IndeedwethinkitpossiblethattheSphinxandthethreegreatPyramidsmayofferknowledgeofthegenesisofcivilizationitself.OurimmediateaiminPartsIandII,therefore,istoundertakeacompletere-evaluationofallthesetitanicmonuments,ofthescholarshipthathassurroundedthemduringthepastcenturyorso,andoftheirnumerousneglected,geodeticandgeologicalandastronomicalqualities.

OncethesefactorsaretakenintoaccountanewRosettaStonebeginstoemerge,expressedinarchitectureandtime,inallegoriesandsymbols,andinspecificastronomicaldirectionsandco-ordinatesthattelltheseekerwheretolookandwhathemighthopetofind.

MeanwhiletheGreatSphinxwaitspatiently.

Keeperofsecrets.

Guardianofmysteries.

Chapter2TheRiddleoftheSphinx

‘Sphinx,mythologicalcreaturewithalion’sbodyandhumanhead...TheearliestandmostfamousexampleinartisthecolossalrecumbentSphinxatGiza,Egypt,datingfromthereignofKingKhafre(4thdynasty,c.2575-2465BC).ThisisknowntobeaportraitstatueoftheKing...’

EncyclopaediaBritannica

ThereisabeliefthattheGreatSphinxofGizawasfashionedduringthatperiodofEgyptianhistoryclassifiedasthe‘OldKingdom’ontheordersoftheFourthDynastyPharaohnamedKhafrewhomtheGreekslaterknewasChephrenandwhoreignedfrom2520-2494BC.ThisistheorthodoxhistoricalviewandreaderswillfinditreportedinallstandardEgyptologicaltexts,inallencyclopaedias,inarchaeologicaljournalsandinpopularscientificliterature.InthesesamesourcesitisalsorepeatedlystatedasfactthatthefeaturesoftheSphinxwerecarvedtorepresentKhafrehimself—inotherwords,itsfaceishisface.

Thus,forexample,Dr.I.E.S.Edwards,aworld-renownedexpertonthemonumentsoftheGizanecropolis,tellsusthatalthoughthefaceoftheSphinxhasbeen‘severelymutilated’:‘itstillgivestheimpressionofbeingaportraitofKhafreandnotmerelyaformalisedrepresentationoftheking.’[7]

InasimilarveinAhmedFakhry,professorofancienthistoryatCairoUniversity,informsusthat:‘asitwasfirstconceived,theSphinxsymbolisedtheking,anditsfacewascarvedinKhafre’slikeness.’[8]

Theonlyproblem—atanyratewithoutaccesstoatimemachine—isthatnoneofus,notevendistinguishedEgyptologists,isreallyinapositiontosaywhetherornottheSphinxisaportraitorlikenessofKhafre.SincethePharaoh’sbodyhasneverbeenfoundwehavenothingtogoonexceptsurvivingstatues(whichmightormightnothavecloselyresembledthekinghimself).Thebestknownofthesestatues,analmostunsurpassablemasterpieceofthesculptor’sartcarvedoutofasinglepieceofblackdiorite,nowreposesinoneoftheground-floorroomsoftheCairoMuseum.Itistothisbeautifulandmajesticrepresentationthatthescholarsmakereferencewhentheytellus—withsuchconfidence—thattheSphinxwasfashionedinKhafre’slikeness.

ThisconfidencewasparticularlyapparentinanarticleintheprestigiousNationalGeographicmagazinewhichappearedintheUSinApril1991,andasimilaronethatappearedinBritainintheCambridgeArchaeologicalJournalinApril1992.[9]ThearticleswerewrittenbyProfessorMarkLehner,ofChicagoUniversity’sOrientalInstitute,whoused‘photogrammetricdataandcomputergraphics’to‘prove’thatthefaceofthegreatSphinxwasthatofKhafre:

ZahiHawass,DirectorGeneraloftheGizaPyramids,invitedmetojoinhisexcavation[aroundtheSphinx]in1978.DuringthenextfouryearsIledaprojecttomaptheSphinxindetailforthefirsttime.Weproducedfrontandsideviewswithphotogrammetry,atechniqueusingstereoscopicphotography...Computershavetakentherecordsfurther.Mapsweredigitizedtomakea3-Dwireframemodel;some2.6millionsurfacepointswereplottedtoput‘skin’ontheskeletonview.WehaveconstructedimagesoftheSphinxasitmayhavelookedthousandsofyearsago.Tocreatetheface,Itriedmatchingviewsofothersphinxesandpharaohstoourmodel.WiththefaceofKhafre,theSphinxcamealive...[10]

Itallsoundstechnicallyveryimpressiveandpersuasive.Afterall,whointheirrightmindisgoingtoarguewith‘2.6millionsurfacepoints’basedon‘stereoscopicphotography’and‘photogrammetry’?

Behindthetechnicaljargon,however,thetruthisratherlessawe-inspiring.AclosereadingshowsthatallthatLehnerdidinorderto‘reconstruct’thefaceoftheSphinxwastoprepareacomputerizedthree-dimensionalwireframeskeletononwhichhethensuperimposedthefaceofKhafre.ThisisadmittedintheNationalGeographicarticle,whichreproducesaphotographofthedioritestatueofKhafreabovethefollowingcaption:‘Theauthor[Lehner]usedthisfaceforthecomputerreconstructionoftheSphinx.’[11]

SowhatMarkLehnerreallydidwastoremodelthefaceoftheSphinxonacomputeraccordingtohisownpreferences—inmuchthesamewaythatsomeancientEgyptianshadprobablydoneseveraltimesbeforehimonthefaceofthestatueitself.ThepresentfeaturesoftheSphinx,inotherwords,arenomorelikelytobethoseofKhafrethantheyaretobethoseofanumberofotherPharaohs—ThutmosisIV,forexample,orAmenhotep,orRamessesII(whoislastknown,asLehneradmits,tohave‘extensivelyreworked’themonumentataround1279BC).[12]Thesimple,honesttruthisthatduringthethousandsofyearsoftheSphinx’sexistence,oftenwithonlyitsheadprotrudingabovethesand,almostanyonecouldhaveworkedonitsfaceatalmostanytime.Moreover,Lehner’sownphotogrammetricstudyhasthrownupatleastonepieceofevidencewhichishighlysuggestiveofmajorrecarving:theSphinx’shead,hewrites,is‘toosmall’inproportiontothebody.Hetellsusthatthisisbecauseitisanearlyprototypeofthelaterverypopular(andalwaysproportionate)sphinxform,andspeculatesthat‘theFourthDynastyEgyptiansmaynot[yet]haveworkedoutthecanonofproportionsbetweentheroyalheadwiththenemesheaddressonthelionbody’.[13]Hedoesnotconsidertheequallyvalidandmoreintriguingpossibilitythattheheadwasoncemuchlarger—andperhapsevenleonine,andthatitwasreducedinsizebyrecarving.

ProbablyrelevantinthisregardisanadditionalobservationthatLehnerhasmade:‘asubtlediscrepancy’exists‘betweentheaxisofthehead[oftheSphinx]andthatofthefacialfeatures’[14]—theheadbeingorientatedperfectlytodueeast,andthefeaturesswivelledsomewhattothenorthofeast.

Onceagainthisisanerrorthatisconsistentwiththerecarvingofamucholderandheavilyerodedstatue.Anditisconsistent,too,asweshallseelaterinthischapter,withnewgeologicalevidenceconcerningtheSphinx’santiquity.Settingthesemattersasideforthemoment,however,itseemsclearthatthemerefactthatMarkLehnerisabletograftanimageofKhafreontothebatteredvisageoftheSphinxbymeansofthe‘ARL(AdvancedResearchLogic)ComputerandtheAutoCAD(release10)graphicsapplication’,[15]provesnothingmorethanthatwithgoodcomputergraphicsyoucanmakeanyone’sfacelooklikeanyoneelse’sface.‘Thesamecomputertechnique,’inthewordsofoneoutspokencritic,‘couldbeusedto“prove”theSphinxwasreallyElvisPresley...’[16]

ItwaspartlyinanattempttoresolvethisimpassethatagroupofindependentresearcherstooktheunusualstepofbringingadetectivetoEgyptin1993.ThedetectiveinquestionwasLieutenantFrankDomingo,aseniorforensicartistwiththeNewYorkPoliceDepartment,whohasbeenpreparing‘identikit’portraitsofsuspectsformorethantwentyyears.Asamanwhoknowsandworkswithfaceseverydayofhisprofessionallife,hewascommissionedtomakeadetailedstudyofthepointsofsimilarityanddifferencebetweentheSphinxandtheKhafrestatue.Monthslater,afterreturningtohislabinNewYorkwhereheundertookcarefulcomparisonsofhundredsofphotographsofthetwoworks,Domingoreported:

Afterreviewingmyvariousdrawings,schematicsandmeasurements,myfinalconclusionconcurswithmyinitialreaction,i.e.thatthetwoworksrepresenttwoseparateindividuals.Theproportionsinthefrontalview,andespeciallytheanglesandfacialprotrusioninthelateralviewsconvincedmethattheSphinxisnotKhafre...’[17]

Soontheonehandwehaveatopforsenicexpert,FrankDomingo,tellingusthattheSphinx’sfacedoesnotrepresentKhafre’sface.AndontheotherwehaveMarkLehner,theEgyptologistcomputerbuff,sayingthatonlywithKhafre’sfacedoestheSphinx‘comealive’.

Undatable,anonymous

Whyisthereroomforsuchwidelyvaryingopinionsconcerningtheworld’sbestknownandmostintensivelystudiedancientmonument?

In1992,intwodifferentforums,MarkLehnermadesomewhatcontradictorystatementswhichhintattheanswertothisquestion:

1.AttheannualmeetingoftheAmericanAssociationfortheAdvancementofSciencehesaid:‘There isnodirectway todate theSphinx itselfbecause theSphinx iscarvedrightoutofnaturalrock.’[18]

2.IntheCambridgeArchaeologicalJournalhewrote:‘AlthoughwearecertainthattheSphinxdatestotheFourthDynasty,weareconfrontedbyacompleteabsenceofOldKingdomtextswhichmentionit.’[19]

Todealwiththefirstpointfirst,itisasimplematteroffactthatnoobjectivetestpresentlyexistsfortheaccuratedatingofrock-hewnmonuments.[20]Manypeopleareundertheerroneousimpressionthattheradio-carbontechniquecouldbeused,butthisisnotso:itisonlyapplicabletoorganicmaterials(inwhichitmeasuresthequantityoftheisotopeCarbon-14thathasdecayedsincethedeathoftheorganisminquestion).SincetheSphinxismadeofcarvedrockitcannotbedatedbythismethod.

Thisbringsustothesecondpoint.Stonemonumentscanbedatedwithreasonableaccuracyiftherearecontemporarytextswhichrefertotheirconstruction.Ideally,inthecaseoftheSphinx,whatonewouldrequirewouldbeaninscriptioncarvedduringtheFourthDynastyanddirectlyattributingthemonumenttoKhafre.AsMarkLehneradmits,however,nocontemporarytextreferringtotheSphinxhaseverbeenfound.

Inallhonesty,therefore,whatconfrontsusatGizaisanentirelyanonymousmonument,carvedoutofundatablerock,aboutwhich,astheforthrightEgyptologistSelimHassanwrotein1949,‘nodefinitefactsareknown’.[21]

Onesyllable

Why,therefore,doMarkLehnerandotherinfluentialmodernscholarscontinuetolinktheSphinxtoKhafreandtoinsistthat‘TheOldKingdomFourthDynastydatefor[its]origin...isnolongeranissue’[22]?

Onereasonisasinglesyllablecarvedonthegranitestelawhichstandsbetweenthemonument’sfrontpawsandwhichhasbeentakenasproofthatKhafrebuilttheSphinx.Thestela,whichisnotcontemporarywiththeSphinxitself,commemoratesheroiceffortsbythePharaohThutmosisIV(1401-1391BC)tocleartheSphinxcompletelyofencroachingsandanddescribesthelion-bodiedstatueastheembodimentof‘agreatmagicalpowerthatexistedinthisplacefromthebeginningofalltime’.[23]Theinscriptionalsocontains,inline13,thefirstsyllable—Khaf—ofthenameKhafre.Thepresenceofthatsyllable,inthewordsofSirE.A.WallisBudge,is:‘veryimportantforitprovesthat...thepriestsofHeliopoliswhoadvisedThutmosistoundertaketheworkofclearingawaythesandfromtheSphinxbelievedthatitwasfashionedbyKhafre...’[24]

ButdoesthesyllableKhafreallyprovesomuch?

WhenthestelawasexcavatedbytheGenoeseadventurerGianBattistaCavigliain1817,line13—whichhasnowentirelyflakedaway—wasalreadybadlydamaged.Weknowofitsexistencebecause,notlongaftertheexcavation,theBritishphilologistThomasYoung,aleadingexpertinthedeciphermentofancientEgyptianhieroglyphs,wasabletomakeafacsimileoftheinscription.Forline13histranslationreadsasfollows:‘...whichwebringforhim:oxen...andallyoungvegetables;andweshallgivepraisetoWenofer...Khaf...thestatuemadeforAtum-

Hor-em-Akhet....’[25]

OntheassumptionthatKhafwasKhafre’sname,YoungaddedthesyllableRebetweensquarebracketstoshowthatalacunahadbeenfilledin.[26]In1905,however,whentheAmericanEgyptologistJamesHenryBreastedstudiedYoung’sfacsimileheconcludedthatamistakehadbeenmade:‘ThismentionofKingKhafrehasbeenunderstoodtoindicatethattheSphinxwastheworkofthisking—aconclusionwhichdoesnotfollow;[thefacsimileof]Younghasnotraceofacartouche...’[27]

InalltheinscriptionsofancientEgypt,fromthebeginningtotheendofPharaoniccivilization,thenamesofkingswerealwaysinscribedinsideoval-shapedsignsorenclosuresknownas‘cartouches’.ItisthereforeextremelydifficulttounderstandhowonthegranitestelabetweenthepawsoftheSphinxthenameofaspowerfulakingasKhafre—orindeedofanyotherking—couldhavebeenwrittenwithoutitspre-requiredcartouche.

Besides,evenifthesyllableKhafwasintendedtorefertoKhafre,itspresencedoesnotnecessarilyimplythathebuilttheSphinx.Itisequallypossiblethathewasbeingcommemoratedforsomeotherservice.Forexample,likemanyPharaohsafterhim(RamessesII,ThutmosisIV,AhmosesI,etc.,etc.[28])—andperhapslikemanybeforehimtoo—isitnotpossiblethatKhafrewasarestoreroftheSphinx?

Asithappens,thisperfectlylogicaldeductionandotherslikeitwerefavouredbyanumberoftheleadingscholarswhopioneeredthedisciplineofEgyptologyataroundtheendofthenineteenthcentury.GastonMaspero,forexample,DirectoroftheDepartmentofAntiquitiesattheCairoMuseum,anacclaimedphilologistofhistime,wrotein1900:

ThestelaoftheSphinxbears,online13,the[name]ofKhafreinthemiddleofagap...There,Ibelieve,isanindicationof[arenovationandclearance]oftheSphinxcarriedoutunderthisprince,andconsequentlythemoreorlesscertainproofthattheSphinxwasalreadycoveredwithsandduringthetimeofhispredecessors...[29]

Thisviewissupportedbythetextofanotherroughlycontemporarystela,theso-called‘InventoryStela’—alsofoundatGizabutarbitrarilyassumedbythemajorityofmodernEgyptologiststobeaworkoffiction—whichstatesthatKhufusawtheSphinx.SinceKhufu,thesupposedbuilderoftheGreatPyramid,wasKhafre’spredecessor,theobviousimplicationisthatKhafrecouldnothavebuilttheSphinx.[30]Encouragedbythistestimony,MasperoatonepointwentsofarastoproposethattheSphinxcouldhaveexistedsincethetimesofthe‘FollowersofHorus’,alineageofpre-dynastic,semi-divinebeingswhosememberswerebelievedbytheancientEgyptianstohaveruledforthousandsofyearsbeforethe‘historical’Pharaohs.[31]Laterinhiscareer,however,theFrenchEgyptologistmodifiedhisopiniontoconformwiththegeneralconsensusandstatedthattheSphinx‘probablyrepresentsKhafrehimself’.[32]

ThatMasperoshouldhavefeltcompelledtorecanthishereticalviewsontheSphinxtellsusmoreaboutthepowerofpeerpressurewithinEgyptologythanitdoesaboutthequalityofevidenceconcerningtheantiquityandattributionofthemonumentitself.Indeed,theevidenceunderpinningtheprevailingconsensusisextremelyslim,restingnotsomuchon‘facts’asontheinterpretationthatcertainauthoritieshavechosenatonetimeoranothertogivetoparticularandusuallyhighlyambiguousdata—inthiscasethesolitarysyllableofKhafre’snameontheThutmosisstela.

VeryfewseniormembersoftheprofessionhavebeenashonestaboutsuchmattersasSelimHassan.Inhisclassic1949studyoftheSphinx,fromwhichwehavealreadyquoted,heissuedthispertinentwarning:

ExceptingforthemutilatedlineonthegranitestelaofThothmosisIV,whichprovesnothing,thereisnotasingleancientinscriptionwhichconnectstheSphinxwithKhafre.Sosoundasitmayappear,wemusttreatthisevidenceascircumstantialuntilsuchatimeasaluckyturnofthe

spadewillrevealtotheworlddefinitereferencetotheerectionofthisstatue...[33]

Context

SinceHassanwrotetherehasbeennosuch‘luckyturnofthespade’.NeverthelesstheconventionalwisdomthattheSphinxwasbuiltbyKhafre,circa2500BC,remainssostrongandsoall-pervasivethatoneassumestheremustbesomethingelsebehinditotherthanthedisputedresemblancetothestatueofKhafreintheCairoMuseumandthecontradictoryopinionsofscholarsconcerningahalf-ruinedstela.

AccordingtoMarkLehner,thereisindeedsomethingelse—akindofmagicbulletwhichheclearlyregardsaspowerfulenoughtokillanynigglingdoubtsandquestions.TodaytheDirectoroftheKoch-LudwigGizaPlateauProject,andformerDirectorofthenowcompletedGizaMappingProject,LehnerisrecognizedasaworldexpertontheSphinx.Wheneverhefireshismagicbulletattheoccasional‘heretics’whohavesuggestedthatthemonumentmightbealotolderthan2500BC,therefore,hedoessofromapositionofgreatinfluenceandauthority.

Thenameofhismagicbulletiscontextand,atthe1992annualmeetingoftheAmericanAssociationfortheAdvancementofScience,wherehewasselectedastheofficialspokesmanofEgyptologytoputtheorthodoxpointofviewinadebateonthetrueageoftheSphinx,hemadeextensiveuseofthis‘bullet’:

TheSphinxdoesnotsitoutaloneinthedeserttotallyupforgrabsasto‘howoldistheSphinx?’.TheSphinxissurroundedbyavastarchitecturalcontextwhichincludesthePyramidofKhufu[betterknownastheGreatPyramid],thePyramidofKhafre[‘thesecondPyramid’]andthePyramidofMenkaure,[34]pharaohsoftheFourthDynasty.EachpyramidhasalongcausewayrunningfromaMortuaryTempleonitseasternside,downtotheleveloftheNileflood-plain,whereaValleyTempleservedasanentrancetothepyramidcomplex...

OfficialsandrelativesofthepharaohsbuilttheirtombsincemeterieseastandwestoftheKhufuPyramid,andsoutheastofthepyramidsofKhafreandMenkaurerespectively.DiggingatGizafornearlytwocenturies,archaeologistshaveretrievedanabundanceofmaterial[datingtotheFourthDynasty].HundredsoftombshaveyieldedthemortalremainsandartifactsofpeoplewhocomposedthestateadministrationofthePyramidAge...WearediscoveringevidenceoftheworkingclassandeverydaylifeofthesocietythatbuilttheSphinxandpyramids...WehaveevidenceoftheruinsofanancientcityspreadoutalongthevalleyfortheentirelengthoftheGizaPlateau.AllthisispartofthearchaeologicalcontextoftheSphinx...[35]

Lehnergoesontosaythatthereareseveralspecificreasonswhythiscontextpersuadeshimthat‘theSphinxbelongstoKhafre’sPyramidcomplex’:

ThesouthsideoftheSphinxditchformsthenorthernedgeoftheKhafrecausewayasitrunspasttheSphinxandentersKhafre’sValleyTemple.Adrainagechannelrunsalongthenorthernsideofthecausewayandopensintotheuppersouth-westcorneroftheSphinxditch,suggestingtheancientquarrymenformedtheditchaftertheKhafrecausewaywasbuilt.Otherwisetheywouldnothavehadthedrainemptyintotheditch.Khafre’sValleyTemplesitsonthesameterraceastheSphinxTemple.ThefrontsandbacksoftheTemplesarenearlyaligned,andthewallsofbotharebuiltinthesamestyle...[36]

TheevidenceforthetwoTemples,thecausewayandthesecondPyramidallbeingpartofonearchitecturalunitwiththeSphinxisindeedcompelling.ButusingthisevidencetosupporttheconclusionthatKhafrebuilttheSphinxisratherlessso.Whatitignoresisthepossibilitythattheentire‘unit’couldhavebeenbuiltlongbeforeKhafre’stimebyasyetunidentifiedpredecessorsandthenreused—perhapsevenextensivelyrestored—duringtheFourthDynasty.

Itisthispossibility—notprecludedbyanyinscriptionsandnotruledoutbyanyobjectivedatingtechniques—thathasmadetheSphinxthesubjectofanincreasinglyvirulentcontroversyduring

the1990s...

Watererosion

Theoriginsofthiscontroversygobacktothelate1970swhenJohnAnthonyWest,anindependentAmericanresearcher,wasstudyingtheobscureanddifficultwritingsofthebrilliantFrenchmathematicianandsymbolistR.A.SchwallerdeLubicz.SchwallerisbestknownforhisworksontheLuxorTemple,butinhismoregeneraltext,SacredScience(firstpublishedin1961),hecommentedonthearchaeologicalimplicationsofcertainclimaticconditionsandfloodsthatlastafflictedEgyptmorethan12,000yearsago:

AgreatcivilizationmusthaveprecededthevastmovementsofwaterthatpassedoverEgypt,whichleadsustoassumethattheSphinxalreadyexisted,sculpturedintherockofthewestcliffatGizathatSphinxwhoseleoninebody,exceptfortheheadshowsindisputablesignsofaquaticerosion.[37]

Schwaller’ssimpleobservation,whichnobodyappearedtohavetakenanynoticeofbefore,obviouslychallengedtheEgyptologicalconsensusattributingtheSphinxtoKhafreandtotheepochof2500BC.WhatWestimmediatelyrealizedonreadingthispassage,however,wasthat,throughgeology,Schwallerhadalsoofferedaway‘virtuallytoprovetheexistenceofanother,andperhapsgreatercivilizationantedatingdynasticEgypt—andallotherknowncivilizations—bymillennia’:[38]

IfthesinglefactofthewatererosionoftheSphinxcouldbeconfirmed,itwouldinitselfoverthrowallacceptedchronologiesofthehistoryofcivilization;itwouldforceadrasticre-evaluationoftheassumptionsof‘progress’—theassumptionuponwhichthewholeofmoderneducationisbased.Itwouldbedifficulttofindasingle,simplequestionwithgraverimplications...[39]

Notfloodwaters

Westisrightabouttheimplications.IftheweatheringpatternsontheSphinxcanbeprovedtohavebeencausedbywater—andnotbywindorsandasEgyptologistsmaintain—thenthereisindeedaveryseriousproblemwithestablishedchronologies.Inordertounderstandwhy,weneedonlyremindourselvesthatEgypt’sclimatehasnotalwaysbeenasbonedryasitistodayandthattheerosionpatternstowhichWestandSchwalleraredrawingourattentionareuniquetothe‘architecturalunit’thatLehnerandothersdefineasthe‘context’oftheSphinx.Fromtheircommonweatheringfeatures—whicharenotsharedbytheothermonumentsoftheGizanecropolis—itisobviousthatthestructuresmakingupthisunitwereallbuiltinthesameepoch.

Butwhenwasthatepoch?

West’sinitialopinionwasthat:

Therecanbenoobjectioninprincipletothewater-erosionoftheSphinx,sinceitisagreedthatinthepast,Egyptsufferedradicalclimaticchangesandperiodicinundations—bytheseaand(inthenotsoremotepast)bytremendousNilefloods.ThelatterarethoughttocorrespondtothemeltingoftheicefromthelastIceAge.Currentthinkingputsthisdateataround15,000BC,butperiodicgreatNilefloodsarebelievedtohavetakenplacesubsequenttothisdate.Thelastofthesefloodsisdatedaround10,000BC.Itfollows,therefore,thatifthegreatSphinxhasbeenerodedbywater,itmusthavebeenconstructedpriortothefloodorfloodsresponsiblefortheerosion...[40]

Thelogicisindeedsound‘inprinciple’.Inpractice,however,asWestwaslatertoadmit,‘floodorfloods’couldnothavebeenresponsibleforthepeculiarkindoferosionseenontheSphinx:

TheproblemisthattheSphinxisdeeplyweathereduptoitsneck.Thisnecessitates60-footfloods(ataminimum)overthewholeoftheNileValley.Itwasdifficulttoimaginefloodsofthis

magnitude.Worse,ifthetheorywascorrect,theinnerlimestonecore-blocksoftheso-calledMortuaryTempleattheendofthecausewayleadingfromtheSphinxhadalsobeenweatheredbywater,andthismeantfloodsreachingtothebaseofthePyramids—anotherhundredfeetorsooffloodwaters...[41]

Floodwaters,then,couldnothaveerodedtheSphinx.Sowhathad?

Rainfall

In1989JohnWestapproachedProfessorRobertSchochofBostonUniversity.Ahighlyrespectedgeologist,stratigrapherandpaleontologist,Schoch’sspecialityistheweatheringofsoftrocksverymuchlikethelimestoneoftheGizaplateau.Clearly,saysWest,hewasamanwho‘hadexactlythekindofexpertiseneededtoconfirmorrebutthetheoryonceandforall’.[42]

SchochwasatfirstscepticaloftheideaofamucholderSphinxbutchangedhismindaftermakinganinitialvisittothesitein1990.AlthoughhewasunabletogainaccesstotheSphinxenclosurehecouldseeenoughfromthetouristviewingplatformtoconfirmthatthemonumentdidindeedappeartohavebeenweatheredbywater.Itwasalsoobvioustohimthattheagencyofthisweatheringhadnotbeenfloodsbut‘precipitation’.

‘Inotherwords’,Westexplains,‘rainwaterwasresponsibleforweatheringtheSphinx,notfloods...Precipitation-inducedweatheringtookcareoftheprobleminasinglestroke.ThesourcesIwasusingforreferencetalkedaboutthesefloodsinconjunctionwithlongperiodsofrains,butithadn’toccurredtome,asanon-geologist,thattherains,ratherthantheperiodicfloods,weretheactualweatheringagent...’[43]

Aswehavenoted,SchochgotnoclosertotheSphinxonhis1990visitthanthetouristviewingplatform.Atthisstage,therefore,hisendorsementofWest’stheorycouldonlybeprovisional.

WhyhadthegeologistfromBostonnotbeenallowedinsidetheSphinxenclosure?

Thereasonwasthatsince1978onlyahandfulofEgyptologistshadbeengrantedthatprivilege,withallpublicaccessclosedoffbytheEgyptianauthoritiesandahighfencebuiltaroundthesite.

WiththesupportoftheDeanofBostonUniversity,SchochnowsubmittedaformalproposaltotheEgyptianAntiquitiesOrganization,requestingpermissiontocarryoutapropergeologicalstudyoftheerosionoftheSphinx.

Arudeinterruption

Ittookalongtime,butbecauseofhiseminentinstitutionalbacking,Schoch’sproposalwaseventuallyapprovedbytheEAO,creatingabrilliantopportunitytogettothebottomoftheSphinxcontroversyonceandforall.JohnWestimmediatelysetaboutputtingtogetherabroadlybasedscientificteam,includingaprofessionalgeophysicist,Dr.ThomasL.Dobecki,fromthehighlyrespectedHoustonconsultingfirmofMcBride-Ratcliff&Associates.[44]Therewerealsotobeotherswhojoined‘unofficially’:anarchitectandphotographer;twofurthergeologists;anoceanographerandapersonalfriendofJohnWest’s,film-producerBorisSaid.[45]ThroughSaid,Westhadarrangedto‘recordtheongoingworkinavideodocumentarywhichwouldhavewidepublicappeal’:[46]

SincewecouldexpectnothingbutoppositionfromacademicEgyptologistsandarchaeologistsawayhadtobefoundtogetthetheorytothepublic,ifandwhenSchochdecidedtheevidencewarrantedfullgeologicalsupport.Otherwiseitwouldsimplybeburied,possiblyforgood...[47]

Asawayofgettingthetheoryofanancientrainfall-erodedSphinxtothepublic,West’sfilmcouldhardlyhavebeenmoresuccessful.WhenitwasfirstscreenedonNBCtelevisionintheUnitedStatesintheautumnof1993itwaswatchedby33millionpeople.

Butthatisanotherstory.BackintheSphinxenclosurethefirstinterestingresultcamefromDobecki,whohadconductedseismographictestsaroundtheSphinx.Thesophisticatedequipmentthathehadbroughtwithhimpickedupnumerousindicationsof‘anomaliesandcavitiesinthebedrockbetweenthepawsandalongthesidesoftheSphinx’.[48]Oneofthesecavitieshedescribedas:

afairlylargefeature;it’saboutninemetresbytwelvemetresindimension,andburiedlessthanfivemetresindepth.Nowtheregularshapeofthis—rectangular—isinconsistentwithnaturallyoccurringcavities...Sothere’ssomesuggestionthatthiscouldbeman-made.[49]

Withlegalaccesstotheenclosure,Westrecalls,Schoch,too:

wasswiftlydroppingconditionals...ThedeeplyweatheredSphinxanditsditchwall,andtherelativelyunweatheredorclearlywind-weatheredOldKingdomtombstothesouth(datingfromaroundKhafre’speriod)werecutfromthesamememberofrock.InSchoch’sviewitwasthereforegeologicallyimpossibletoascribethesestructurestothesametimeperiod.Ourscientistswereagreed.Onlywater,specificallyprecipitation,couldproducetheweatheringwewereobserving...[50]

Itwasatthiscrucialmoment,whilethemembersoftheteamwereputtingtogetherthefirstindependentgeologicalprofileoftheSphinx,thatDr.ZahiHawass;theEgyptianAntiquitiesOrganization’sDirector-GeneraloftheGizaPyramids,felluponthem,suddenlyandunexpectedly,liketheproverbialtonofbricks.

TheteamhadobtainedtheirpermissionfromDr.IbrahimBakr,thenthePresidentoftheEgyptianAntiquitiesOrganization.Whattheyhadnotknown,however,wasthatrelationsbetweenBakrandHawasswerefrosty.NeitherhadtheyreckonedwithHawass’senergyandego.Fumingthathehadbeenbypassedbyhissuperior,heaccusedtheAmericansoftamperingwiththemonuments:

IhavefoundoutthattheirworkiscarriedoutbyinstallingendoscopesintheSphinx’sbodyandshootingfilmsforallphasesoftheworkinapropaganda...butnotinascientificmanner.Ithereforesuspendedtheworkofthisunscientificmissionandmadeareportwhichwaspresentedtothepermanentcommissionwhorejectedthemission’sworkinfuture...[51]

Thiswasputtingitmildly.Farfrom‘suspending’theirwork,HawasshadvirtuallythrowntheAmericanteamoffthesite.Hisinterventionhadcometoolate,however,topreventthemfromgatheringtheessentialgeologicaldatathattheyneeded.

Whendiditrain?

BackinBoston,Schochgotdowntoworkathislaboratory.Theresultswereconclusiveandafewmonthslaterhewasreadytostickhisneckout.IndeedtoJohnWest’sdelighthewasnowpreparedfullytoendorsethenotionofarain-erodedSphinx—withallitsimmensehistoricalimplications.

Schoch’scase,inbrief—whichhasthefullsupportofpalaeo-climatologists—restsonthefactthatheavyrainfallofthekindrequiredtocausethecharacteristicerosionpatternsontheSphinxhadstoppedfallingonEgyptthousandsofyearsbeforetheepochof2500BCinwhichEgyptologistssaythattheSphinxwasbuilt.ThegeologicalevidencethereforesuggeststhataveryconservativeestimateofthetrueconstructiondateoftheSphinxwouldbesomewherebetween‘7000to5000BCminimum’.[52]

In7000to5000BC—accordingtoEgyptologists—theNilevalleywaspopulatedonlybyprimitiveneolithichunter-gathererswhose‘toolkits’werelimitedtosharpenedflintstonesandpiecesofstick.IfSchochisright,therefore,thenitfollowsthattheSphinxanditsneighbouringtemples(whicharebuiltoutofhundredsof200-tonlimestoneblocks)mustbetheworkofanas

yetunidentifiedadvancedcivilizationofantiquity.

TheEgyptologicalreaction?

‘That’sridiculous’,scoffedPeterLecovara,assistantcuratoroftheEgyptianDepartmentinBoston’sMuseumofFineArts.‘Thousandsofscholarsworkingforhundredsofyearshavestudiedthisproblemandthechronologyisprettymuchworkedout.Therearenobigsurprisesinstoreforus...’[53]

Other‘experts’wereequallydismissive.AccordingtoCarolRedmont,forexample,anarchaeologistattheUniversityofCalifornia’sBerkeleycampus:‘Thereisnowaythiscouldbetrue.Thepeopleofthatregionwouldnothavehadthetechnology,thegoverninginstitutionsoreventhewilltobuildsuchastructurethousandsofyearsbeforeKhafre’sreign.’[54]

AndtheredoubtableZahiHawass,whohadtriedtonipthegeologicalresearchinthebudinthefirstplace,hadthistosayabouttheSchoch-WestteamandtheirunorthodoxconclusionsconcerningtheantiquityoftheSphinx:

Americanhallucinations!Westisanamateur.Thereisabsolutelynoscientificbaseforanyofthis.Wehaveoldermonumentsinthesamearea.Theydefinitelyweren’tbuiltbymenfromspaceorAtlantis.It’snonsenseandwewon’tallowourmonumentstobeexploitedforpersonalenrichment.TheSphinxisthesoulofEgypt’.[55]

JohnWestwasnotintheleastbitsurprisedbytherhetoric.InhislongandlonelyquesttomountaproperinvestigationintotheageoftheanonymousSphinxmanysuchbrickbatshadbeenthrownathimbefore.Thistime,withSchoch’sheavyweightsupport—andthemassiveexposureofthewholematteronNBCtelevision—hefeltvindicatedatlast.FurthermoreitwasclearthattheEgyptologistswererattledbytheintrusionofanempiricalsciencelikegeologyintotheirnormallycosyandexclusiveacademicterritory.

West,however,wantedtotakethematteragooddealfurtherthanSchochwaspreparedtogoandfeltthatthegeologisthadbeentooconservativeandlenientinhis‘minimum’estimateof7000to5000BCfortheageoftheSphinx:‘HereSchochandIdisagree,orratherinterpretthesamedatasomewhatdifferently.Schochverydeliberatelytakesthemostconservativeviewallowedbythedata...HoweverIremainconvincedthattheSphinxmustpredatethebreak-upofthelastIceAge...’[56]

Inpracticethismeansanytimebefore15,000BC—ahunchthatWestsaysisbasedonthecompletelackofevidenceofahighcultureinEgyptin7000to5000BC.‘IftheSphinxwasasrecentas7000-5000BC,’heargues,‘IthinkweprobablywouldhaveotherEgyptianevidenceofthecivilizationthatcarvedit.’[57]Sincethereisnosuchevidence,WestreasonsthatthecivilizationresponsiblefortheSphinxanditsneighbouringtemplesmusthavedisappearedlongbefore7000-5000BC:‘Themissingotherevidenceis,perhaps,burieddeeperthananyonehaslookedand/orinplacesnoonehasyetexplored—alongthebanksoftheancientNileperhaps,whichismilesfromthepresentNile,orevenatthebottomoftheMediterranean,whichwasdryduringthelastIceAge...’[58]

Despitetheir‘friendlydisagreement’astowhethertheerosionoftheSphinxindicatedadateof7000to5000BC,oramuchmoreremoteperiod,SchochandWestdecidedtopresentanabstractoftheirresearchatGizatotheGeologicalSocietyofAmerica.Theywereencouragedbytheresponse.Severalhundredgeologistsagreedwiththelogicoftheircontentionsanddozensofferedpracticalhelpandadvicetofurthertheinvestigation.[59]

Evenmorerefreshingwasthereactionfromtheinternationalmedia.AftertheGSAmeetingarticlesappearedindozensofnewspapers,andtheissueoftheSphinx’sagewaswidelycoveredbytelevisionandradio.‘Wewereoverthefifty-yardlineandheadingdownfield,’recallsWest.[60]

AsforthematterofhisdifferenceofopinionwithSchochaboutthedatingofthemonument,hehonestlyconcedesthat‘onlyfurtherresearchwillresolvethequestion’.[61]

Jurystillout

Since1993theEgyptiangovernment,ontheadviceofWesternEgyptologists,hasnotpermittedanyfurthergeologicalresearchorseismicinvestigationstobeundertakenaroundtheSphinx.ThisissurprisinginviewofthemomentousimplicationsofSchoch’sfindingsandallthemoresurprisingbecausehisoriginalevidencehasnotyetbeenconvincinglychallengedinanyforum.Onthecontrary,astheyearshavegoneby,theBostongeologisthaswithstoodtherigoursofscientificpeerreview,severaltimessuccessfullydefendinghiscontentionthatthedistinctiveweatheringvisibleontheSphinx,andonthewallsofitsenclosure—acombinationofdeepverticalfissuresandrolling,undulating,horizontalcoves—is‘aclassic,textbookexampleofwhathappenstoalimestonestructurewhenyouhaverainbeatingdownonitforthousandsofyears...[62]WhensetinthecontextofourknowledgeofancientclimatesatGiza,headds,thisrepresentsabundantevidence‘thattheGreatSphinxpredatesitstraditionalattributionofcirca2500BC...I’mjustfollowingthesciencewhereitleadsme,anditleadsmetoconcludethattheSphinxwasbuiltmuchearlierthanpreviouslythought.’[63]

OfcourseitcannotbesaidthatRobertSchochhasprovedthatthemonumentdatesbacktotheepochof7000to5000BC.NorhasJohnWestprovedtheevenearlierdatethathefavours.ButthenagainneitherhasorthodoxEgyptologyprovedthattheSphinxbelongstoKhafreandtotheepochof2500BC.

Inotherwords,byanyrationalandreasonablecriteria,thejuryisstilloutonthetrueattributionandantiquityofthisextraordinarymonument.

TheriddleoftheSphinxisstillunsolved.Andasweseeinthenextchapter,itisariddlethatencompassestheentireGizanecropolis.

Chapter3MysteryPileduponMystery

‘Itissaidthatthestone[usedintheconstructionofthePyramidsofGiza]wasconveyedoveragreatdistance...andthattheconstructionwaseffectedbymeansofmounds...Themostremarkablethingisthat,thoughtheconstructionswereonsuchagreatscaleandthecountryroundaboutthemconsistsofnothingbutsand,notatraceremainseitherofanymoundorofthedressingofthestones,sothattheydonothavetheappearanceofbeingtheslowhandiworkofmenbutlooklikeasuddencreation,asthoughtheyhadbeenmadebysomegodandsetdownbodilyinthesurroundingsand.’

DiodorusSiculus,BookI,firstcenturyBC

TheGizanecropolis,siteoftheGreatSphinxandthethreegreatPyramidsofEgypt,is,byanystandards,anextraordinaryarchitecturalandarchaeologicalpuzzle.ThisisnotonlybecauseofthemanyremarkablephysicalandengineeringcharacteristicsoftheprincipalPyramidsandtemples,butalsobecauseallofthesemonumentsareessentiallyuninscribedandanonymous.LiketheSphinx,therefore,theyaredifficulttodatebyobjectivemeans.LiketheSphinx,too,theirattributiontospecificPharaohsbyEgyptologistsisnecessarilybaseduponasomewhatarbitraryinterpretationofcontextualclues.

ThethreegreatPyramids,forexample,areconventionallyassignedasthetombsofKhufu,KhafreandMenkaure—threePharaohsoftheFourthDynasty.YetnoPharaoh’sbodyhaseverbeenfoundinanyofthesemonumentsandwhiletherearesomeso-called‘quarrymarks’—crudelydaubedgraffiti—incavitiesabovetheroofofthe‘King’sChamber’intheGreatPyramid,thesewritings,asweshallseeinPartII,arenotparticularlyhelpfulinconfirmingtheorthodoxidentificationwithKhufu.TherearenoothertextsofanykindintheGreatPyramid,orinthePyramidsattributedtoKhafreandMenkaure.Thethreesmall‘satellite’PyramidslinedupalongtheeasternfaceoftheGreatPyramid,andthethreeothersatellitePyramidslyingnearthesouth-westernedgeofthesite,aresimilarlybereftofinscriptions.SomeFourthDynastyartefactswerefoundinsidethesesix‘satellite’structuresbutthereisnoguaranteethattheseartefactsarecontemporarywiththemonuments.

2.OverheadviewoftheprincipalmonumentsoftheGizanecropolis.

ThesameproblemappliestothestatuesofKhafreandMenkaurethatwerefoundinthelatter’s‘Mortuary’Templeandtheformer’s‘Valley’Temple.ThesestatuesaretheonlyevidencesupportingtheattributionoftheseotherwiseanonymousanduninscribededificestothetwoPharaohsinquestion.Inalllogic,however,theyonlysuggestthatattribution.Theycertainlydonotconfirmit.KhafreandMenkaure,inotherwords,mighthavebuiltthetemples.Butitisalsopossiblethattheytookoverpreexistingstructureswhichtheyhadinheritedfromanearliertime,andthattheyadapted,renovatedandfurnishedthesestructureswiththeirownstatuesinordertosuittheirownpurposes.Afterall,wedonotattributethebuildingofLondon’sTrafalgarSquaretoNelsonjustbecausehisstatuestandsthere.BythesametokenEgyptologistscouldbegoingtoofarwhentheyattributethebuildingoftheValleyTempletoKhafreonthebasisofhisstatuefoundthere.

Indeed,thisisanobservationthatistruefortheGizanecropolisasawhole.TheundoubtedconnectionthatithaswiththeFourthDynastyisnotindispute,buttheprecisenatureofthisconnectionremainsunproven.Tobesure,therearehugequantitiesofunmistakableandheavilyinscribedFourthDynastymastabatombslyingeastandwestoftheGreatPyramidandwestoftheSphinx,butthecontentionthatthePyramidsthemselvesare‘tombsandtombsonly’isguesswork.Itcouldbethecase,ashashappenedelsewhereintheworld,thatanancientand

sacredsitedesignedandbuiltforonepurposewassubsequentlytakenoverandreusedforanotherratherdifferentpurpose.Wemightimagine,forexample,thatthePyramidsandtheotherprincipalmonumentssurroundingthemwereoriginallyintendedtofulfilpurelyritual,ceremonialandreligiousfunctionsandthatthepracticeofburyingthedeadthere—principallyFourthDynastyqueensandnoblesjudgingbytheidentifiableremainsthathavesurvived—wasalateradaptationeffectedbypeoplewhowereunconnectedtothegenesisofthesitebutwhosoughttobeinterredinaplacethatwasimbuedwithancientprestigeandsanctity.AWesternanalogyisthepracticeofburyingtheremainsofparticularlyfavouredindividualsundertheflagstonesofmedievalcathedrals—apracticethatcontinuestothisday,butthatdoesnotleadustoconcludethatthesecathedralsaretombsoreventhattheywerebuiltprimarilyforthepurposesofburial.

Impossibleengineering

ApproachingGizafromtheeast,throughthemodernArabvillageofNazlet-el-Sammam,onecomesfirsttotheGreatSphinx—whichrearsitsgrizzledheadaboveanuglybus-parkandacrowdoftouristshopsandcafés.Fortunatelythegroundhasbeenclearedforadistanceofabouttwohundredmetresinfrontofthemonument,givinganopenviewoftheenormousandunusualarchitecturalcomplexthathassurroundeditsincetimeimmemorial.

Thiscomplexconsistsoftheso-called‘SphinxTemple’andthe‘ValleyTempleofKhafre’,theformerlyingimmediatelytotheeastoftheSphinx,anddirectlyoverlookedbyit,thelatterlyingalittletothesouthoftheSphinxTemple,separatedfromitbyanarrowcorridorbutindirectalignment—abitliketwochunky,detachedhousesstandingsidebyside.

Thelayoutofthesemonuments,andtherelationshipthatbothofthemhavetotheSphinxanditsenclosure,arebestappreciatedfromtheplansandphotographsreproducedherewith.TheValleyTempleisthelargerofthetwo,beingalmostsquareandmeasuringapproximately130feetalongeachside;theSphinxTempleismorepronouncedlyrhomboidalwithsidelengthsofabout100feet.

Originallyaround40feethigh,bothmonumentsarebuiltoutofmassivelimestonecore-blocksandbothwereatonetimefittedwithinnerandoutercasingsofgranite.ThesecasingsandmuchofthecoremasonryhavebeenremovedfromtheSphinxTemple,leavingitinaverydilapidatedstate.BycontrasttheValleyTempleisstilllargelyintact.Bothmonumentsareroofless,lackingtheiroriginalceilingbeams.InthecaseoftheValleyTemple,however,sixteenoriginalinteriorcolumnsandarchitravesremaininplaceintheT-shapedcentralhall,creatinggracefulpatternsoflightandshadow.

Theunifyingfeaturesoftheseancientandanonymousstructuresarethestark,undecoratedausterityofthebuildingstyle,andtheusethroughoutofponderousmegaliths—manyofwhichareestimatedtoweighintherangeof200tonsapiece.[64]Therearenosmallblockshereatall:everysinglepieceofstoneisenormous—theleastofthemweighingmorethan50tons—anditisdifficulttounderstandhowsuchmonsterscouldhavebeenliftedandmanoeuvredintoplacebytheancientEgyptians.Indeed,eventoday,contractorsusingthelatestconstructiontechnologywouldfaceformidablechallengesiftheywerecommissionedtoproduceexactreplicasoftheSphinxTempleandtheValleyTemple.

3. The Great Sphinx and the architectural complex that surrounds it: Sphinx Temple, ValleyTemple,Causeway(foreshortenedandnottoscale)andMortuaryTemple.

Theproblemsaremanifoldbutstemmainlyfromtheextremelylargesizeoftheblocks—whichcanbeenvisagedintermsoftheirdimensionsandweightasaseriesofdiesellocomotiveenginesstackedoneontopoftheother.Suchloadssimplycannotbehoistedbythetypicaltowerandhydrauliccranesthatwearefamiliarwithfrombuildingsitesinourcities.Thesecranes,whicharepiecesofadvancedtechnology,cangenerally‘pick’amaximumloadof20tonsatwhatiscalled‘minimumspan’—i.e.attheclosestdistancetothetoweralongthe‘boom’or‘arm’ofthecrane.Thelongerthespanthesmallertheloadandat‘maximumspan’thelimitisaround5tons.

Loadsexceeding50tonsrequirespecialcranes.Furthermore,therearefewcranesintheworldtodaythatwouldbecapableofpicking200-tonblocksofquarriedlimestone.Suchcraneswouldnormallyhavetobeofthe‘bridge’or‘gantry’type,oftenseeninfactoriesandatmajorindustrialportswheretheyareusedtomovelargepiecesofequipmentandmachinerysuchasbulldozers,militarytanks,orsteelshippingcontainers.Builtwithstructuralsteelmembersandpoweredwith

massiveelectricmotors,themajorityofthesecraneshavealoadlimitofunder100tons.Inshort,acommissiontoputtogetheratempleoutof200-tonblockswouldbeamostunusualandverytaxingjob,evenformodernheavy-loadandcranespecialists.

IntheUnitedStatestherearepresentlyonlytwoland-basedcranesofthe‘counterweightandboom’typeabletohandleloadsinthe200-tonrange.RecentlyonewasbroughtintoaLongIslandconstructionsitetolifta200-tonboilerintoafactory.Thecranehasaboom220feetlong(atoneendofwhichis160-tonconcretecounterweightwhichkeepsitfromtippingover).Acrewof20menhadtoworkforsixweekstopreparethegroundbeforetheboilercouldbelifted.[65]

ThebiggesttechnicalchallengeofbuildingareplicaoftheValleyTemplewouldbetheneedtolifthundredsofsuchweightsandtodosowithinthephysicallimitationsoftheGizasite.Inordertoovercomethatchallengetheidealcranewouldhavetobeofthegantryorbridgetype,mademobilebybeingmountedonsteeltracks—whichwouldhavetobesetupwithin,oraround,theconfinedareaofthetemplestructureitself.

Notsurprisingly,whenthecraneengineerresponsibleforliftingthe200-tonboileronLongIslandwasshownphotographsandgiventechnicaldetailsconcerningtheblocksoftheValleyTemple—andaskedwhetherhethoughtthathecouldhoistsimilarblocksintoplacewithhiscrane—hereplied:

I’mlookingatwhatyou’reshowingmehere,andlookingatthedistancesinvolved.Idon’tknowifwewouldbeabletopickthe200-tonblocksfromthepositionsthatIseeavailabletous...Inmybusinesswepickheavyloads,andwelooktoseehowheavyloadswerepickedbyotherpeoplebeforeus.Andseeinghowtheymovedtheseheavyblocks,200-tonblocks,thousandsandthousandsofyearsago,Ihavenoideahowtheydidthisjob.It’samysteryandit’llprobablyalwaysbeamysterytome,andmaybetoeverybody.[66]

How,why,when?

Mysteryornot,theValleyTempleandtheSphinxTemplestandatGizaasmutetestimonytothefactthatcertainbuildersinantiquitydidknowhowtopick200-tonloads,anddidhavethetechnicalwherewithaltodothejob.Furthermore,althoughitisreasonablycertainthattheydidnotdoitwithgantryoranyothersuchcranes,weareindarknessastohowtheydiddoit.ConfrontedbysuchquestionsEgyptologiststendtospeakinvagueandgeneraltermsof‘earthramps’and‘unlimitedmanpower’.[67]Engineers,howeverarerequiredtobemorespecificandtoaddressthemselvestotheissuesoftheprecisekindsoframpsthatwouldhavebeenrequired—upwhichsuchbigblockscouldhavebeendragged—andtheprecisenumbersofmenthatwouldhavebeenneededtodragthem.

NodetailedtechnicalstudieshaveeverbeenundertakenatGizaconcerningthelogisticsofbuildingtheSphinxandValleyTemples.ThePyramids,however—whichEgyptologistsalsobelievewerebuiltwithramps—havebeenstudiedquitecloselybyanumberofhighlyqualifiedarchitectsandengineers.[68]Whatthesestudieshaveindicatedisthatthemaximumfeasiblegradientforaconstructionrampupwhichheavyloadscouldbehauledbymenonfootis1in10.[69]InthecaseoftheGreatPyramid,whichoriginallyreachedaheightof481feet,thiswouldhavecalledforaramp4800feetlongandalmostthreetimesasmassiveasthePyramiditself.[70]

Ofcourse,suchaproblemdoesnotapplywheretheSphinxTempleandtheValleyTempleareconcernedbecausetheiroriginalconstructedheightwasmuchlowerthanthatofthePyramidsandtheythereforecouldhavebeenapproachedbyrelativelyshort1-in-10ramps.Thefearsomemassandweightofthemany200-tonblocksfoundinthesetemples,however,rulesouttheuseofanyrampmadeofmaterialslessstablethanthelimestoneashlarsofthetemplesthemselves.[71]

Letusassume,then,thatsolidstonerampswereusedandthenlaterdismantledandclearedaway.

Thequestionnowbecomes:howmanymenwouldberequiredtohaulhundredsof200-tonblocksupsuchramps?Togetthisproblemintoperspectiveitishelpfultorealizethatablockof200tonsrepresentsaloadroughlyequivalentto300family-sizedautomobiles(eachwithanaverageweightofthree-quartersofaton).

Again,wedonothaveatechnicalstudyontheSphinxandValleyTemplestoreferto.Fortunately,however,arelevantstudyhasbeenundertakenattheGreatPyramidwheretheFrenchmasterengineerJeanLeherouKerisel,aconsultantforthebuildingoftheCairoMetro,workedoutthelogisticsofhaulingintoplacethe70-tonblocksthatwereusedintheconstructionoftheso-calledKing’sChamber.Accordingtohiscalculationsthejobcouldjustabouthavebeendone—althoughwithenormousdifficulty—withteamsof600menarrangedinranksacrossaverywiderampbuttressedagainstonefaceofthePyramid.[72]Fromthisitfollowsthatteams1800menstrongwouldhavebeenrequiredtohaultheValleyTempleblocks.Butcould1800menhavebeeneffectivelyharnessedtosuchdenseandrelativelycompactloads(themaximumdimensionsofeachblockare30feetby10feetby12feet)?Andmoretothepoint,sincethetemplewallsdonotexceed130feetalongeachside,howlikelyisitthatsuchlargeteamscouldhavebeenorganizedtoworkefficiently—oratall—inthelimitedspaceavailable?Assumingaminimumofthreefeetofhorizontalspaceperman,eachrankofhaulerscouldnothavecontainedmorethanfiftymen.Tomakeupthetotalof1800menneededtomovea200-tonblock,therefore,wouldhavecalledfornolessthanthirty-sixranksofmenpullinginunison,tobeharnessedtoeachblock.

Thepotentialcomplicationsthatmighthavearisenaremind-boggling.Evenassumingtheycouldallhavebeenovercome,however,thenextquestionthatpresentsitselfisperhapsthemostintriguingofall.

Why?

Whybother?

Whyspecifytemplesbuiltoutofunwieldy200-tonblockswhenitwouldhavebeenmucheasier,muchmorefeasibleandjustasaestheticallypleasing,tousesmallerblocksofsaytwoorthreetonseach?

Therearereallyonlytwoanswers.Eitherthepeoplewhodesignedthesehulkingedificeshadknowledgeofsometechniquethatmadeiteasyforthemtoquarry,manipulateandpositionenormouspiecesofstone,ortheirwayofthinkingwasutterlydifferentfromourown—inwhichcasetheirmotivesandprioritiesareunlikelytobefathomableintermsofnormalcross-culturalcomparisons.

Wealsoneedtoaskwhentheworkwasdone.

Asnotedearlier,theSphinxTempleandtheValleyTemplearebothanonymousmonuments.AndalthoughitiscertainthatusewasmadeofthelatterforKhafre’sfuneraryrituals,thereisnoproofthathebuiltit.Onthecontrary,ifProfessorRobertSchoch’sgeologicalevidenceiscorrect,thenitisquitecertainthatKhafredidnotbuildeitherofthesestructures.ThisissobecausetheSphinxitselfwasmadebyhewingadeephorseshoe-shapedtrenchoutofthebedrockoftheGizaplateau,leavingacentralcorewhichwasthencarvedintoshape,andbecausegeologistshavebeenabletoprovethatthelimestonemegalithsusedinbothtemplescamefromthetrenchandwerethusquarriedatthesametimeastheSphinx.[73]Itthereforefollows,iftheSphinxisindeedthousandsofyearsolderthanEgyptologiststhinkitis,thatthetemplesmustalsobethousandsofyearsolder.

Whatwemaybelookingatherearethefingerprintsofhighlysophisticatedandperhapseventechnologicalpeoplecapableofawe-inspiringarchitecturalandengineeringfeatsatatimewhennocivilizationofanykindissupposedtohaveexistedanywhereonearth.

Supportiveofthispossibilityisthefactthatthemegalithsofthetemplesdemonstrateprecisely

thesameapparentprecipitation-inducedweatheringfeaturesastheSphinxitself.Anditisofinteresttonotethatthesurvivinggranitecasingblocksseemtohavebeencarvedontheirinnerfacestofitoverthelimestonecore-blocksatatimewhenthesewerealreadyheavilymarkedbyerosion.SincethegranitecasinghasthelookofotherOldKingdomEgyptianarchitecture(whilethelimestonecore-blocksdonot)thismaybetakenasfurtherevidenceofthetheorythatanancient,reveredandmuch-erodedstructurewasrestoredandrenovatedbytheOldKingdomPharaohs.RobertSchochcertainlyfavoursthisview.‘Iremainconvinced,’commentstheBostonUniversitygeologyprofessor,‘thatthebacksoftheOldKingdomgranitefacingstoneswerecarvedtomatchorcomplementtheearlierweatheringfeaturesseenonthesurfacesofthecorelimestoneblocksofthetemples.’[74]

Memorialsmighty

ThefamousblackdioritestatueofKhafrethatnowstandsintheCairoMuseumwasfoundupsidedowninatwenty-footdeeppitintheflooroftheantechamberthatleadsintotheValleyTemple’sT-shapedcentralhall.Walkingthroughthishall,hemmedinbyimmenselystrongandthicklimestoneandgranitewalls,thevisitorwilleventuallycometoahigh,narrowpassagewayonthenorth-westernsideofthestructure.Thispassageleadsoutoftherearofthetemple,alongthesouthernsideoftheSphinxtrench—whereitoverlookstheSphinx—andthencejoinswiththemassive‘causeway’thatrunsformorethan1000feetuptheslopeoftheGizaplateaulinkingtheValleyTempletotheMortuaryTempleandthencetotheeasternfaceofthesecondPyramid.

Thecauseways—oneforeachofthethreePyramids—areimportantfeaturesoftheGizanecropolis,thoughallhavefallenintoanadvancedstateofdisrepair.Some20feetwide,andvaryinginlengthfromquarterofamileuptohalfamile,theyeachoriginallylinkedaMortuaryTempletoaValleyTemple.Today,however,theonlyrelativelyintactcomplexisthatattributedtoKhafredescribedabove.InthecaseofthethirdPyramid,theValleyTempleisnowcompletelygonebutthemegalithicruinsoftheMortuaryTemplearestillinplace.InthecaseoftheGreatPyramidtheonlyremainingpartoftheMortuaryTempleisitsbasaltfloor,whiletheruinsoftheValleyTemple—ifanysurvive—areburiedunderthevillageofNazlet-el-Sammam.

Thethreecauseways,liketheMortuaryandValleyTemples,arefashionedoutofhugeblocksoflimestone.Indeedalloftheseprodigiousstructuresareclearly‘ofapiece’fromadesignpointofviewandseemtohavebeentheworkofbuilderswhothoughtlikegodsorgiants.Thereisaboutthemanoverwhelming,weary,achingsenseofantiquityanditiscertainlynothardtoimaginethattheymightbetheleavingsofalostcivilization.InthisregardweareremindedofTheSacredSermon,a‘Hermetic’textofEgyptianoriginthatspeakswithaweoflordlymen‘devotedtothegrowthofwisdom’wholived‘beforetheFlood’andwhosecivilizationwasdestroyed:‘Andthereshallbememorialsmightyoftheirhandiworksupontheearth,leavingdimtracebehindwhencyclesarerenewed...’[75]

4.Theartificial‘HorizonofGiza’.

Thereisanotherfeatureofthecauseways,ofintenseinteresttous,whichweshallexploreindetailinPartsIIIandIV—theirorientation.ThecausewayoftheThirdPyramid,likethegazeoftheSphinx,istargeteddueeast.ThecausewayofthesecondPyramidpoints14degreessouthofdueeast.ThecausewayoftheGreatPyramidpoints14degreesnorthofdueeast.Thearrangementisprecise,geometrical,obviouslydeliberate,witheachsignificantstructurebearingadesignedrelationshiptoeveryotherstructure—andthewholecontainedwithinalarge,circularartificial‘horizon’thatisapparentlycentredontheapexofthesecondPyramidwithitsrimlyingjusttothewestoftherumpoftheSphinx.

OrthodoxEgyptologicalopinionconcerningthecausewaysisthattheywereceremonialroads.Notwithstandingthefactthattheyaretechnologicalmasterpieceswhichcouldonlyhavebeenbuiltwithanenormousexpenseofingenuityandeffortatthedirectionofskilledsurveyorsandarchitects,theassumptionisthattheywereusedjustonceforthefuneraryjourneyofthePharaoh’scorpsefromValleyTempletoMortuaryTemplewherehisfinalembalmingritualstookplace.

Perhapsso.AsweshallshowinPartsIIIandIV,however,therearefeaturesofthesecausewayswhichsuggestthattheymayhavebeenusedmanytimesbymanydifferentPharaohsandthattheyhavetheirtechnicalandsymbolicoriginsineventsthatoccurredlongbeforethedawnofthehistoricalcivilizationofEgypt.

Notpurelysymbolicboats

Inthe1850sSirRichardFrancisBurton,theBritishexplorerandadventurer,visitedEgyptandthePyramidsofGiza.Henotedsomeodd‘rhomboidaldepressions’lyingparalleltotheeastern

sideoftheGreatPyramid,closetotheendofitscauseway,andmadesketchesofthemwhicharenowkeptintheBritishMuseum.[76]Someyearslater,in1881,SirWilliamFlindersPetrie,the‘FatherofBritishEgyptology’,alsosawthesestrangedepressionsbutsimplyreferredtothemas‘trenches’anddidnotbothertohavethemcleared.[77]

In1893,buriedinpitsneararelativelyobscurepyramidonanothersite,thefamousFrenchEgyptologistdeMorgandiscoveredsixlargewoodenboats,butlittlewasmadeofthis.In1901anotherFrenchEgyptologist,Chassinat,discovereda‘rhomboidalpit’nearthepyramidofDjedefraatAbuRoash.AfternotingthatitverymuchresembledthepitsatGizaneartheGreatPyramid,hewrote:‘theirpurposeisunknown,asisthecasehere.’[78]

AncientEgyptianfunerarytextsarestrewnwithreferencestoboats—notablythevarioussolaranddivinevesselsonwhichthedeceasedhopedtovoyageinthecosmicafterlife(the‘boatofmillionsofyears’forexample,the‘barkofOsiris’,andthe‘barkofRa’).Carvings,drawingsandpaintingsofsuch‘boats’and‘barks’,withtheircharacteristichighprowsandsterns,adornthewallsofmanyanancienttombinEgyptandtheirsymbolicandreligiousfunctionswereunderstoodwellbeforethecloseofthenineteenthcentury.NeverthelessitwasonlywhentheGermanarchaeologistLudwigBorchardtexcavatedanobviousandunmistakableboatmadeofbricksnearthesun-templeandpyramidsatAbusir,thatitwasrecognizedthatthemysterious‘rhomboidalpits’wereinfactboats—oratanyraterepresentationsofboats,orgravesforboats.

SinceBorchardt’stime,severalotherboatpitshavebeenfound—bySelimHassanin1933,forexample,andbyWalterEmeryin1937.Finally,in1954,Kamalel-Mallakhdiscoveredsomethingquitebreathtaking—apartiallydisassembledcedarwoodboat,morethan143feetlong,buriedinapitonthesouthsideoftheGreatPyramid.Muchmorerecentlyanothervesselofsimilardimensionshasbeenlocatedinanadjacentpit.Asyetunexcavated,itisapparentlytobestudiedbyaJapaneseconsortium.

ThefactthatEgyptologiststookalongtimetonoticethattherewerelargeboatsburiedatGizadoesnotnecessarilymeanthattheiranalysisofthefunctionoftheseboatsiscompletelywrong.Theideaisthatthemajesticvesselswereintendedinsome‘primitive’,‘magical’,‘superstitious’,‘half-savage’waytoserveassymbolicvehiclesonwhichthesoulsofdeadPharaohscouldsailintoHeaven.ThisinterpretationisconsistentwiththeancientEgyptianfunerarytextsandtherecanbelittledoubtthattheboats—‘solarboats’astheEgyptologistscallthem—wereindeedintendedtoplayapartinsymboliccelestialjourneys.AsweshallseeinPartsIIIandIV,however,itispossiblethattheprecisenatureandpurposeofthosejourneysmayhavebeenmuchmorecomplexandsignificantthanhashithertobeenrecognized.

Meanwhile,standinginfrontofthe‘solarboat’excavatedfrombesidethesouthfaceoftheGreatPyramidin1954itishardnottonotethemarksofwearandtearonthekeelandgangplankandthenumerousotherclearsignsthatthiselegantcedarwoodvessel,withitshighcurvingprowandstern,wassailedmanytimesonwater.[79]

Ifitwaspurelysymbolic,whywasitused?

Andwhywasitnecessarytohavesuchanelaborateandtechnicallyaccomplished[80]craftforsymbolicpurposes?Wouldn’tasymbolicvessel—suchasthebrickboatsandboat‘graves’foundatotherPyramids—havedonejustaswell?

ThePyramids

ThedominantfeaturesoftheGizanecropolisare,ofcourse,itsthreegreatPyramids—thoseconventionallyattributedtoKhufu,KhafreandMenkaure.Inasensetheyarewhattheentire,vastenterpriseproclaimsitselftobeallabout,whatthecausewaysleadtowards,whatthe‘solarboats’areburiedbeside.Sprawlingdiagonallyacrossthemeridianaxisofthesite,itisthey,aboveallelse,thatthegeometrical‘HorizonofGiza’appearstohavebeendesignedto

circumscribe.Nothingaboutthemisaccidental:theiroriginalconstructedheights,theiranglesofslope,themeasurementoftheirperimeters,eventhepatterninwhichtheyarecarefullylaidoutontheground—allofthesethingsarepurposiveandladenwithmeaning.

BecausewehavedescribedthePyramidsinsuchdetailinotherpublications[81]—wherewehavealsolookedindepthintomanyoftheirtechnicalandengineeringpuzzles—wewillnottroublethereaderwithsuperfluousdetailshere.Somebasicstatisticsandafewpointsofanalysisare,however,unavoidableatthisstage.

TheGreatPyramidwasoriginally481.3949feetinheight(nowreducedtojustalittleover450feet)anditsfoursideseachmeasuresome755feetinlengthatthebase.ThesecondPyramidwasoriginallyslightlylower—withadesignedheightof471feet—andhassidesmeasuringjustunder708feetinlength.ThethirdPyramidstandssome215feettallandhasasidelengthatthebaseof356feet.

WhentheywerebuiltthesecondPyramidandtheGreatPyramidwerebothentirelycoveredinlimestonefacingblocks,severalcoursesofwhichstilladheretotheupperlevelsoftheformer.TheGreatPyramid,bycontrast,istodayalmostcompletelybereftofitscasing.Weknowfromhistoricalaccounts,however,thatitwasoncecladfrombottomtotopwithsmoothly-polishedTuralimestonewhichwasshakenloosebyapowerfulearthquakethatdevastatedtheCairoareainAD1301.ThenewlyexposedcoremasonrywasthenusedforsomeyearsasacrudelocalquarrytorebuildtheshatteredmosquesandpalacesofCairo.

AlltheArabcommentatorspriortothefourteenthcenturytellusthattheGreatPyramid’scasingwasamarvelofarchitecturethatcausedtheedificetoglowbrilliantlyundertheEgyptiansun.Itconsistedofanestimated22acresof8-foot-thickblocks,eachweighingintheregionof16tons,‘sosubtlyjointedthatonewouldhavesaidthatitwasasingleslabfromtoptobottom’.[82]Afewsurvivingsectionscanstillbeseentodayatthebaseofthemonument.Whentheywerestudiedin1881bySirW.M.FlindersPetrie,henotedwithastonishmentthat‘themeanthicknessofthejointsis0.020ofaninch;and,therefore,themeanvariationofthecuttingofthestonefromastraightlineandfromatruesquareisbut0.01ofaninchonalengthof75inchesuptheface,anamountofaccuracyequaltothemostmodernopticians’straight-edgesofsuchalength.’

AnotherdetailthatPetriefoundverydifficulttoexplainwasthattheblockshadbeencarefullyandpreciselycementedtogether:‘Tomerelyplacesuchstonesinexactcontactatthesideswouldbecarefulwork,buttodosowithcementinthejointseemsalmostimpossible...’[83]

Also‘almostimpossible’,sincethemathematicalvaluepi(3.14)isnotsupposedtohavebeencalculatedbyanycivilizationuntiltheGreeksstumbleduponitinthethirdcenturyBC,[84]isthefactthedesignedheightoftheGreatPyramid—481.3949feet—bearsthesamerelationshiptoitsbaseperimeter(3023.16feet)asdoesthecircumferenceofanycircletoitsradius.Thisrelationshipis2pi(i.e.481.3949feetx2x3.14=3023.16feet).

Equally‘impossible’—atanyrateforapeopleliketheancientEgyptianswhoaresupposedtohaveknownnothingaboutthetrueshapeandsizeofourplanet—istherelationship,inascaleof1:43,200,thatexistsbetweenthedimensionsofthePyramidandthedimensionsoftheearth.Settingasideforthemomentthequestionofwhetherwearedealingwithcoincidencehere,itisasimplefact,verifiableonanypocketcalculator,thatifyoutakethemonument’soriginalheight(481.3949feet)andmultiplyitby43,200yougetaquotientof3938.685miles.Thisisanunderestimatebyjust11milesofthetruefigureforthepolarradiusoftheearth(3949miles)workedoutbythebestmodernmethods.Likewise,ifyoutakethemonument’sperimeteratthebase(3023.16feet)andmultiplythisfigureby43,200thenyouget24,734.94miles—aresultthatiswithin170milesofthetrueequatorialcircumferenceoftheearth(24,902miles).Moreover,although170milessoundsquitealot,itamounts,inrelationtotheearth’stotalcircumference,toaminus-errorofonlythreequartersofasinglepercent.

Highprecision

SuchfineerrorsarewithinthegeneralmarginsoftolerancefoundattheGreatPyramid.Indeed,althoughithasafootprintofover13acres,andconsistsofsomesixandahalfmilliontonsoflimestoneandgraniteblocks,thesheermassandsizeofthismonsterofmonumentsarenotitsmostimpressivecharacteristics.Moreastoundingbyfaristheincrediblehigh-techprecisionthatisbuiltintoeveryaspectofitsdesign.

Beforegoingintothedetails,letusconsidertheimplicationsofveryfineprecisioninverylargemonuments.

Ananalogywiththesimplewrist-watchhelps.Ifyouareafteranaccuracyof,say,afewsecondsperweek,thenanordinaryquartzwatchcostingfiftydollarsorlesswilldothetrick.Ifyouwantaccuracytowithinafractionofasecondperyear,however,thenthequartzwatchwillnolongerserveandyouwillhavetoturntosomethingoftheorderofanatomicclock.

Asimilarsituationappliesintheconstructionindustry.Ifyouarebuildingabrickwallthatistoappearstraightwithinplusorminus1degreeper100metresandthewholeroughlydirectedduenorth,thenanygoodbricklayershouldbeabletomeetyourspecification.However,ifyourrequirementisforawallthatisstraightwithin1arcminuteper100metresanddirectedexactlyduenorth,thenyouaregoingtoneedalasertheodolite,anordnancesurveymapaccurateto10metres,andahighlyqualifiedteamofprofessionalsincludinganexpertsetting-outengineer,anastronomer,asurveyor,severalmaster-masonsandaweekorsotoensurethattheprecisionyouareaimingforhasinfactbeenachieved.

Such‘atomicclock’precisionwasachievedbythebuildersoftheGreatPyramidmorethan4500yearsago.Thisisnotamatterofhistoricalspeculation,oroftheory,butofplain,measurablefacts.

Forexampletheearth’sequatorialcircumferenceof24,902milesworksoutataround132millionfeet,withtheresultthatadegreeoflatitudeattheequatorisequivalenttoapproximately366,600feet(i.e.132millionfeetdividedby360degrees).Eachdegreeisdividedinto60arcminutes,whichmeansthat1arcminuterepresentsjustover6100feetontheearth’ssurface,andeacharcminuteisthenfurthersubdividedinto60arcseconds—withtheresultthat1arcsecondisequivalenttoadistanceofabout101feet.Thissystemofmeasuringbydegreesisnotamodernconventionbutratheraninheritanceofscientificthinking,connectedto‘base60’mathematics,thatdatesbacktotheremotestantiquity.[85]Nobodyknowswhere,orwhen,itoriginated.[86]Itseems,however,tohavebeenemployedinthegeodeticandastronomicalcalculationsthatwereusedtolocatetheGreatPyramid—forthemonumentispositionedbarelyamiletothesouthoflatitude30,i.e.almostexactlyonethirdofthewaybetweentheequatorandthenorthpole.[87]

5.GeodeticlocationoftheGreatPyramidofGizaonlatitude30degreesnorth(onethirdoftheway between the equator and the north pole) and at the centre of the world’s habitablelandmasses.

Itisunlikelythatthischoiceoflocationcouldhavecomeaboutbychance.Moreover,becausenosuitablesiteforsuchamassivestructureexistsamileorsotothenorth,itwouldbeinadvisabletoassumethatthefractionaloffsetfromthethirtiethparallelcouldhavebeencausedbyasurveyingerroronthepartofthePyramidbuilders.

Thisoffsetamountsto1arcminuteand9arcseconds—sincethePyramid’struelatitudeis29degrees58’51”.Interestingly,however,asaformerAstronomerRoyalofScotlandhasobserved:

‘Iftheoriginaldesignerhadwishedthatmenshouldseewiththeirbodily,ratherthantheirmentaleyes,thepoleoftheskyfromthefootoftheGreatPyramid,atanaltitudebeforethemof30degrees,hewouldhavehadtotakeaccountoftherefractionoftheatmosphere;andthatwouldhavenecessitatedthebuildingstandingnotatlatitude30degrees,butatlatitude29degrees58’22”.’[88]

Inotherwordsthemonumentturnsouttobesituatedlessthanhalfanarcminutetothenorthofastronomicallatitude30degrees,uncorrectedforatmosphericrefraction.Any‘error’involvedisthusreducedtolessthanhalfofone-sixtiethofonedegree—ahair’sbreadthintermsoftheearth’scircumferenceasawhole.

ThesameobsessiveconcernwithaccuracyisfoundintheorderlyevennessofthePyramid’sbase:[89]

LengthofWestside: 755feet9.1551inches

LengthofNorthside: 755feet4.9818inches

LengthofEastside: 755feet10.4937inches

LengthofSouthside: 756feet0.9739inches

Thevariationbetweenthelongestandshortestsidesisthereforelessthan8inches—aboutonetenthof1percent—quiteanamazingfeatwhenweconsiderthatwearemeasuringadistanceofover9000inchescarpetedwiththousandsofhugelimestoneblocksweighingseveraltonseach.

ThereisnosignthattheancientPyramidbuilderswereinanywaydauntedbythetaskof

maintainingsuchfastidiousstandardsofsymmetryonsuchagrandscale.Onthecontrary,asthoughwillinglyseekingoutadditionaltechnicalchallenges,theywentontoequipthemonumentwithcornerssetatalmostperfectright-angles.Thevariationfrom90degreesisjust0degrees00’02”atthenorth-westcorner,0degrees03’02”atthenorth-eastcorner,0degrees03’33”atthesouth-eastcorner,and0degrees00’33”atthesouth-westcorner.[90]

This,itmustbeconceded,isnotjust‘atomicclock’accuracybuttheRolex,BMW,MercedesBenz,Rolls-RoyceandIBMofbuildingengineeringallrolledintoone.

Andthereismore.

ItisfairlywellknownthatthePyramidwasalignedbyitsarchitectstothecardinalpoints(withitsnorthfacedirectednorth,itseastfacedirectedeast,etc.,etc.).Lesswellknownisjusthoweerilyexactistheprecisionofthesealignments—withtheaveragedeviationfromtruebeingonlyalittleover3arcminutes(i.e.about5percentofasingledegree).[91]

Whysuchmeticulousness?

Whysuchrigour?

WhyshouldeventhemostmegalomaniacalofPharaohshavecaredwhetherhismassive‘tomb’wasalignedwithin3arcminutesoftruenorth—orindeedwithinawholedegreeoftruenorth?Tothenaked-eyeobserveritisvirtuallyimpossibletodeterminesuchadeviation.Indeedmostofuscouldnotspotamisalignmentwithin3wholedegrees(180arcminutes),letalonewithin3arcminutes(andsomepeoplehavetroubletellingthegeneraldirectionofnorthatall).Sothequestionhastobeasked:whatwasallthisincredibleprecisionfor?Whydidthebuildersburdenthemselveswithsomuchextraworkanddifficultywhentheeffectsoftheiradditionallabourswouldnotbevisibletothenakedeyeanyway?

Theymust,oneassumes,havehadapowerfulmotivetocreatewhatistrulyamiracleofthesurveyor’sart.

Andwhatmakesthismiracleallthemoreremarkableisthefactthatitwasnotperformedonaperfectlyflatareaofground,asonemightexpect,butwithamassivenaturalmound,orhill,leftexactlyinthemiddleofthesiteonwhichtheGreatPyramidwasbeingerected.Estimatedtobealmost30feethigh—astallasatwo-storeyhouse—andpositioneddeadcentreoverthebasearea(ofwhichitoccupiesapproximately70percent),thisprimevalmoundwasskilfullyincorporatedintothelowercoursesofthegrowingedifice.Nodoubtitspresencehascontributeddowntheepochstothestructure’slegendarystability.Itisextremelydifficult,however,tounderstandhowtheancientsurveyorswereabletosquarethebaseofthePyramidinitsearlyandmostimportantstageswiththemoundsosolidlyintheway(squaringthebasenormallyinvolvestakingrepeateddiagonalmeasurementsacrossthecorners).[92]Allthatwecansayforsureisthatthebaseissquareandthatthemonumentislockedintothecardinalaxesofourplanetwithgreatcareandprecision.

6.Cross-section of theGreatPyramidofEgypt showing the naturalmoundof bedrock that isknowntobebuiltintoitslowercourses.

7.InternalcorridorsandpassagewaysofthethreePyramidsofGiza.

Chambersandpassageways

ThesecondandthirdPyramidshaverelativelysimpleinternalchambersandpassagewaysystems—theformerhavingoneprincipalchamberjustbelowgroundlevel,positionedcentrallyundertheapexofthemonument,thelatterhavingthreemainchambers,cutalittlemoredeeplyintothebedrockbutagainpositionedcentrallyundertheapexofthemonument.TheentrancestobothPyramidsareintheirnorthfacesandtaketheformofcrampedpassagewaysslopingdownwardsatanangleof26degrees,beforelevellingofftojoinhorizontalcorridorsunderthemonument.

TheinternalstructureoftheGreatPyramid,bycontrast,ismuchmorecomplex,withanelaboratearrangementofpassagewaysandgalleries—slopingupanddownagainat26degrees—andwiththreeprincipalinternalchambers.Oftheselatteronlyone,the‘SubterraneanChamber’,isbelowgroundlevel.Theothertwo—theso-called‘Queen’sChamber’and‘King’sChamber’—arebothlocatedintheheartofthemonument’ssuperstructureatsubstantialaltitudesabovetheground.

Thelayoutoftheseinternalfeaturesisbestappreciatedfromthediagramprintedonpage45.Chiefamongstthem,surmountedonlybyDavison’sChamber(andabovethatbythefourso-called‘relievingchambers’whichcontainthe‘quarrymarks’mentionedearlier)isthe—rectangularred-graniteroom,nowfamousasthe‘King’sChamber’.Itprovedtobecompletelydevoidofeithertreasuresorinscriptions,orthebodyofaking,whenitwasfirstenteredbyCalifAlMamounintheninthcenturyAD.Measuring34feet4inchesinlength,17feet2inchesinwidth,and19feet1inchinheightitislocatedabout150feetverticallyabovethebaseofthe

Pyramid.Itsmanymysteriesaretoowellknowntorequirefurtherelucidationhere(and,besides,havebeendescribedinsomedetailinourearlierpublications[93]).

8. Principal internal features of the Great Pyramid. The entrance in the north face known as‘Mamoun’sHole’wasforcedbyArabexplorersintheninthcenturyAD.AtthistimetheexteriorfacingblocksofthePyramidwerestillintact,hidingthetrueentrancefromsight.

ConnectingtheKing’sChambertothelowerlevelsofthemonumentistheGrandGallery,oneof‘themostcelebratedarchitecturalworkswhichhavesurvivedfromtheOldKingdom’.[94]Slopingdownwardsatanangleof26degrees,itisanastonishingcorbel-vaultedhallfully153feetinlengthand7feetinwidthatfloorlevel.Itsloftyceiling,28feetabovethevisitor’shead,isjustvisibleintheelectriclightingwithwhichthePyramidhasbeenequippedinmoderntimes.

AtthebaseoftheGrandGalleryahorizontalpassage,3feet9incheshighand127feetlong,runsduesouthintothe‘Queen’sChamber’.AgainfoundemptybyMamoun,thisisasmallerroomthantheKing’sChamber,measuring18feet10inchesfromeasttowestand17feet2inchesfromnorthtosouth.Reachingaheightof20feet5inches,theceilingisgabled(whereasitisflatintheKing’sChamber)andthereisalargecorbellednicheofunknownfunctionjustsouthofthecentrelineintheeastwall.

9.Detailofthecorridors,chambersandshaftsoftheGreatPyramid.

ReturningalongthehorizontalpassagewaytoitsjunctionwiththebaseoftheGrandGallerythevisitorwillnote,behindamodernirongrille,thenarrowanduninvitingmouthofthe‘Well-Shaft’—anearverticaltunnel,oftenlessthan3feetindiameter,thateventuallyjoinsupwiththeDescendingCorridor,almost100feetbelowgroundlevel.Howthetunnelers,encystedinsolidrock,wereabletohomeinsoaccuratelyontheirtargetremainsamystery.Mysterious,too,isthetruefunctionofalltheseoddsystemsofinterconnecting‘ducts’whichleadbusilyhitherandthitherinsidethebodyofthemonument,likethecircuitsofsomegreatmachine.

SlopingdownwardsfromtheGrandGallery,andextendingitinthedirectionofthegroundatthecontinuingangleof26degrees,isanothercorridor.Known(fromthepointofviewofthoseenteringthePyramid)astheAscendingCorridor,itmeasures3feet11incheshighby3feet5incheswideandhasatotallengthofjustunder129feet.LeavingthePyramid,thevisitorisobligedtoape-walkuncomfortablydowntheAscendingCorridoruntilthepointwhereitjoinsupwith‘Mamoun’sHole’—thetunnelthattheArabscutfortheirforcedentryintheninthcentury—onthewesternsideoftwohulkingred-granite‘pluggingblocks’whichmaskthejunctionwiththeDescendingCorridor.Atthebottomofthis350-foot-longcorridor,offlimitstoallbutbonafideEgyptologists(andthosewillingtobribetheincreasinglyhard-pressedanddemoralizedInspectorsandghafirsresponsiblefortheday-to-dayadministrationofGiza)isatrulyremarkablefeature—theSubterraneanChamberthatnestlesinsolidbedrockmorethan100feetbelowthesurfaceoftheplateau(andalmost600feetbelowthePyramid’sloftysummitplatform).

Innerspace

Thefirstthingthattheintrepidvisitorshoulddo,aftergainingaccesstotheDescendingCorridor,istoclimbupitafewfeetinthedirectionofthePyramid’strueentrance.Nowcoveredwithanirongrille,thisentranceislocatedinthemonument’snorthface,ninecoursesaboveand24feettotheeastof‘Mamoun’sHole’(throughwhichallmembersofthepublicenterthePyramidtoday).

Here,atthepointintheceilingoftheDescendingCorridorwherethemouthoftheAscendingCorridorwashewnupwards,itispossibletoinspectthebottomendofthelowermostofthetwopluggingblocks.ItisasfirmlyjammedinplacetodayasitwaswhenMamoun’sdiggersfirstencountereditintheninthcentury,anditiseasytounderstandwhyitspresencethereencouragedthemtotunnelrounditintothesofterlimestone,seekingawaypasttheobstacleandintotheupperreachesofwhateverlaybeyond.

PerhapsthiswasexactlywhatthePyramidbuildershad‘programmed’thoseearlyexplorerstodo.Afterall,ifyouseethatahugechunkofgranitehasbeenhauledintoplacetoblockwhatisobviouslyanupwards-slopingcorridor,thenitisonlyhumannaturetotrytogetintothatcorridor—whichMamoun’smendid.

Morethanathousandyearslater,touristsandarchaeologistsstillfollowthetrailthatthosepioneeringArabsblazedaroundthepluggingblocksintothemainnorth-southaxisofthePyramid’ssystemofpassageways.Andthoughtherehavebeenallmannerofhackingsandtunnellingsinsearchoffurtherpassageways(inthefloorsandwallsoftheKing’sandQueen’sChambers,forexample),theplugsatthebaseoftheAscendingCorridorhaveneversubsequentlybeendisturbed.

ThisisanunderstandableoversightifoneissatisfiedthatthesolefunctionoftheseplugswastoblocktheAscendingCorridorinanorth-southdirection.Why,however,hasnooneevertriedtofindoutifanythingliesbehindtheireasternaspect?[95]AswellashavingthesameheightandwidthastheAscendingCorridor,thusfillingitcompletely,eachoftheplugsisaboutfourfeetinlength—andthuseasilylongenoughtoconcealtheentrancetoasecondandcompletelyseparatepassagewaysystembranchingoffatrightanglestowardstheeast.

ThereiscertainlyroomforsuchasecondsysteminsidetheGreatPyramid—andformuchelsebesides.Indeedithasbeencalculatedthatasmanyas3700fullyconstructedchambers,eachthesizeoftheexistingKing’sChambercouldbeaccommodatedwithinthemonument’svast‘innerspace’of8.5millioncubicfeet.[96]

Thestonesofdarknessandtheshadowofdeath

Havingexaminedthepluggingblocks,thevisitorisfacedbyalongclimbdownthefull350-footlengthoftheDescendingCorridor,initiallythroughmasonryandthenceintobedrock.Asthejourneyproceeds,theraysofsunlightpenetratingthebarredentrancetothenorthgrowprogressivelyweakerandonehasthesenseofdroppinglikeadeep-seadiverintothedarkdepthsofamidnight-blackocean.

Thecorridor,whicheveryintuitionproclaimstobearemotelyancient,prehistoricfeature,is3feet11incheshighby3feet6incheswideandmayoriginallyhavebeencutintothe30-foot-tallrockymoundthatoccupiedthissitemillenniabeforethePyramidwasbuilt.Itisunsettling,therefore,todiscoverthatitismachine-agestraightfromtoptobottom.AccordingtoFlindersPetrie,thevariationalongthewholepassage‘isunder1/4inchinthesidesand3/10inchontheroof’.[97]Inadditionthereisonesegmentofthecorridor,150feetinlength,where‘theaverageerrorofstraightnessisonlyonefiftiethofaninch,anamazinglyminuteamount.’[98]

Withhunchedback,thevisitorcontinuesdownthislong,straightcorridorslopingduesouthintothebedrockoftheGizaplateauatthenowfamiliarangleof26degrees.Asevergreaterdepthsareplumbeditishardnottogrowincreasinglyconsciousofthetremendousmassoflimestonethatispiledaboveandoftheheavy,dusty,unfreshfugofthesubterraneanair—liketheexhalationofsomecyclopeanbeast.Lookingbackapprehensivelytowardstheentrance,onenoticesthatthepenetratinglighthasbeenreducedtoaglimmeringstar-burst,highupandfaraway.Anditisnormal,atthispoint,tofeelaconcomitantglimmerofapprehension,aslighttugofanxietyattheextentofone’sseparationfromtheworldabove.

10.ThecomplexinternaldesignoftheGreatPyramid.Itispossiblethatmanyotherpassagewaysandchambersremaintobediscoveredwithinthegiganticmonument.

Onthewestsideofthecorridor,quitenearthebottom,isanalcove,againcoveredbyanirongrille,thatgivesaccesstotheverticalWell-ShaftandthencetotheGrandGalleryandtheupperchambers.Soonafterwardsthe20-degreedescendingslopelevelsoffintoalowhorizontalpassageway,running29feetfromnorthtosouth,throughwhichthevisitorisobligedtocrawlonallfours.Neartheendofthispassageway,againonthewestside,isanotheralcove,6feetlongand3feetdeep,thathasbeenroughlyhewnoutofthebedrockandthatendsinablind,unfinishedwall.Then,afterafurther4feetofcrawling,thehorizontalpassagewayopensataheightofabout2feetabovefloorlevelintotheSubterraneanChamber.

Wereitnotforasinglelow-wattageelectricbulbinstalledinmoderntimes,thevisitorwouldnowbeincompletedarkness.Thelightthatthebulbcastshasagreenish,sepulchralhue,andwhatitrevealsisamostpeculiarroom,considerablylargerthantheKing’sChamber,measuring46feetalongitseast-westaxis,and27feet1inchfromnorthtosouth,butwithamaximumheightofjust11feet6inches.[99]Intheapproximatecentreofthefloor,ontheeastside,isarailingsurroundingasquarepitreachingadepthofabout10feet,andbeyondthat,penetratingthesouthwall,isasecondhorizontalcorridor,2feet4inchessquare,runningduesouthintothebedrockforafurther53feetandterminatinginablankwall.Lookingtotheright,onenotesthatthefloorofthewesternsideoftheChamberrisesupintoakindofchest-highplatform.Thishasbeenirregularlytrenched,creatingfourparallel‘fins’oflimestonerunningeasttowest,almosttouchingtherelativelyflatroofatsomepointsbutwithaclearanceofuptosixfeetinothers.

Allthesestrangefeaturesconspiretocreateanoppressive,claustrophobicatmosphereintheroomthatremindsthevisitorofhowfarbeneaththegroundhehasburrowed,andofhowinescapablyhecouldbeentombedhereifthereweretobeanyseriouscollapseofthemillionsoftonsoflimestoneabovehishead.

Veryinterestingdevelopments

EgyptologicalopinionconcerningtheSubterraneanChambermaybesummarizedasfollows:(1)itisnotaprehistoricfeature,butwasbuiltatthesametimeasthePyramid(i.e.around2500BC);(2)itwasinitiallyintendedtobetheburialplaceofKhufu;(3)thenthePharaohandhisarchitectschangedtheirminds,stoppedworkonit,andturnedtheirattentionstothemainbodyofthe

Pyramid—wheretheybuiltfirsttheQueen’sChamber(alsolater‘abandoned’accordingtothistheory)andthenfinallytheKing’sChamber.[100]

IftheEgyptologistsarerightthentheexcavationandremovalofmorethan2000tonsofsolidrockinordertocreatetheDescendingCorridor—rockthatfirsthadtobeminedandthenhauledtothesurfacefromincreasinglygreaterdepthsthroughthatcramped,unventilated,26-degreechannel—wouldallhavebeenundertakeninvain.Vain,too,wouldhavebeenthehewingoutoftheSubterraneanChamberitself,andalsoofitsfurthershaftsandpits.Indeedthewholeenterprisewould,inretrospect,havebeenentirelypointlessiftheendresulthadmerelybeentoleave,atadepthofmorethan100feetbelowtheGizaplateau,anunfinished,rough-walled,low-ceilingedcrypt—‘resemblingaquarry’[101]—forwhichnobodywouldeverhaveanyuse.

Thisobviouslydefiescommonsense.Analternativescenariodoesexist,however,whichhasstimulatedthecuriosityofanumberofinvestigatorsduringthelasttwocenturies.AccordingtothisscenariotheChamberwasdeliberatelyleftunfinishedsoastohoodwinktreasurehuntersintobelievingthatithadbeenabandonedandthusconvincethemofthepointlessnessoffurtherexplorationsthere—aprettyeffectivemeansofkeepingcasualintrudersawayfromanyothercavitiesorconcealedpassagewaysthatmightbeconnectedtoit.

Withsuchsuspicionsinmind,theItalianexplorerGiovanniBattistaCavigliaandtheBritishadventurerColonelHowardVysebothfeltinspired(between1830and1837)todrillholesintothebottomofthepitatthecentreoftheSubterraneanChamber.Theyextendeditsoriginaldepthof10feetbyafurther35feet(nowlargelyfilledin).

MorerecentlytheFrencharchaeologist,AndréPochan,hasdrawnattentiontoacuriouspassagefromtheGreekhistorianHerodotuswhovisitedEgyptinthefifthcenturyBCandspentmuchtimeinterviewingpriestsandotherlearnedmenthere.Herodotusreportsthathewastoldquitespecificallyoftheexistenceof‘undergroundchambersonthehillonwhichthePyramidsstand...ThesechambersKingCheops[Khufu]madeasburialchambersforhimselfinakindofisland,bringinginachannelfromtheNile....’[102]

PochanhascalculatedthatiftherereallyisachamberfedbyNilewaterunderthePyramid,thenitwouldhavetobeatagreatdepth—atleast90feetbelowthepit.LikewisetheDanisharchitectHubertPaulsenhasarguedonthebasisofgeometrythatthemostprobableplaceforanyfurtherchambertobefoundintheGreatPyramidisunderneaththepit[103]—aviewthatisalsosupportedbythecalculationsoftheBritishgeometerRobinCook.[104]

ItisaFrenchengineer,however,ProfessorJeanKerisel,whohasmostvigorouslypursuedthequestforconcealedsubterraneanchambers.ThecurrentPresidentoftheAssociationFrance-Egypte,hewasinthepitwithhisassistantson12October1992whenamajorearthquakeoccurred,demolishinglargepartsofCairo.Thisexperience,hestatedlater,gavetheresearchers‘afewveryunpleasantmomentssome35metresundertheplateau’.[105]

Happily,theSubterraneanChamberdidnotcollapseandKeriselandhisteamwereabletofinishtheirwork.Thisinvolvedtheuseoftwonondestructivetechniques:ground-penetratingradarandmicrogravimetry.TheresultswereinconclusiveinthechamberitselfbutextremelypromisinginthehorizontalpassagewaythatconnectsittotheendoftheDescendingCorridor.InKerisel’sownwords:‘astructurewasdetectedunderthefloorofthepassageway,whichcouldbeacorridororientedSSE-NNWwhoseceilingisatthedepththattheDescendingCorridorwouldhavereachedhaditbeenprolonged.’[106]

Norwasthisall.Asecondveryclearanomaly,a‘massdefect’asKeriselcallsit,‘wasdetectedonthewesternsideofthepassagewaysixmetresbeforethechamberentrance.Accordingtoourcalculations,thisanomalycorrespondstoaverticalshaftatleastfivemetresdeepwithasectionofabout1.40x1.40metresveryclosetothewesternwallofthepassageway.[107]

Inshort,whatKeriselbelieveshehasidentifiedofftheSubterraneanChamber’sentrancecorridor

issomethingthatlooksverymuchlikeacompletelyseparatepassagewaysystem,terminatinginaverticalshaft.Hisinstrumentsmayhavemisledhim,or,ashehimselfadmits,hemaymerelyhavepickedupthetracesof‘alargevolumeoflimestonedissolvedbytheactionofundergroundwater—inotherwordsadeepcave’.[108]Alternatively,however,ifthe‘massdefect’turnsouttobeaman-madefeature,ashestronglysuspects,then‘itmayleadtoveryinterestingdevelopments’.[109]

Labyrinth

ItshouldbeobviousthatacivilizationthatcouldbuilduptotheheightoftheGreatPyramid’ssummitplatform,thatcouldcreategiantstonestatuesmorethan240feetlong,andthatcouldliftthe200-tonblocksoftheValleyandMortuaryTemplesintoplace(formingintricatejigsaw-puzzlepatternsatheightsof40feetandmoreabovetheground)wouldnothaveexperiencedanyinsurmountabledifficultyinbuildingdownaswell.Onthecontrary,suchacivilizationcould,ifithadsowished,havehewnoutundergroundcomplexesofimmensesize,connectedtooneanotherbylabyrinthsoftunnels.

ThepossibilitythereforecannotberuledoutthattheSubterraneanChamberundertheGreatPyramidcouldbejustoneofmanysuchdeeplyburiedfeatures.Indeed,asthereaderwillrecall,theseismologicalworkcarriedoutatGizaintheearly1990sbytheAmericangeophysicistThomasDobeckididindicatethepresenceofalargeandapparentlyman-madehypogeuminthebedrockbeneaththeSphinx.Ultimatelyonlyfurtherexcavationsandresearchcanshedfurtherlightonthesematters.Meanwhile,however,thereisagreatdealofevidencefromallpartsofthenecropoliswhichsuggeststhatthecreationofambitiousrock-hewnstructures—bothaboveandbelowtheground—was,indeed,partofthestandardrepertoireofthePyramidbuilders.Theyalsoquitefrequentlychosetominglerock-hewnandbuilt-upstructures—asinthecaseofthetombofKhent-Khawes,asupposedQueenofMenkaure,whichconsistsofanaturaloutcroppingsculptedinpyramidialformsurmountedbyacurioussarcophagus-shapedtemple.

Amorespectacularandconspicuousmixtureofrock-hewnandbuilt-upfeaturesoccursatthePyramidofKhafre.Itstandsonanartificiallylevelled12-acreplatformcutbodilyoutoftheplateau—whichslopessteeplyfromnorth-westtosouth-eastatthispoint(i.e.itishigherinthewestandlowerintheeast).InconsequencethenorthandwestsidesofthePyramidareenclosedwithinatrenchthatdecreasessteadilyinheightfromabout20feetatthenorth-westcornertoabout10feetatthesouthwestcorner—andtozeroatthenorth-eastandsouth-eastcorners.ThelowercoursesofthePyramiditselfonthenorthandwestsidesarecontouredoutofthecentralmoundofbedrockthatthebuildersleftinplaceafterhollowingoutthetrench.Ontheeastandsouthsides,however,theslopeoftheplateaufallsbelowthelevelchosenforthebaseofthePyramid.Thebuilderssolvedthisproblembybringingthousandsofenormousfillingblockstothesite—averageweightabout100tonseach—tocreateanunshakablehorizontalfoundation.Theythenwentontolaythefirstfewcoursesofthemonumentontheeasternandsouthernsidesusingthesameunwieldymegaliths.Thereaftertheyrevertedtosmallerblocksandinconsequenceacleardemarcationlineisvisiblebetweenthetwotypesofconstruction.LikesomeofthecharacteristicsoftheSphinxandValleyTemplesreferredtoearlier,thisdemarcationgivestheimpressionnotjustofdifferentbuildingtechniquesbutactuallyoftwodistinctlydifferentstagesofbuildingseparatedbyanunknownintervaloftime.

Themysteryoftheshafts

ThereisoneotheranomalousfeatureoftheGizanecropoliswhichwehavenotyetmentionedbutwithwhichweshallclosethischapterasitleadsusontothenextstageofourinvestigation.ThisfeatureisconfinedtotheGreatPyramidandisuniqueinancientEgyptianarchitecture.Ittakestheformoffournarrowshafts—usuallydescribedbyEgyptologistsas‘ventilationchannels’—twoofwhichemanaterespectivelyfromthenorthernandsouthernwallsoftheKing’sChamber

andtheothertwofromthenorthernandsouthernwallsoftheQueen’sChamber.

Thefourshaftshaveanaveragecross-sectionof23x22cm.andlengthsthatvaryfromabout24metres(northernshaftoftheQueen’sChamber)toabout65metres(northernshaftoftheKing’sChamber).TheyareallinclinedtothehorizontalplaneofthePyramidandtheiranglesofslopevaryfrom32degrees28minutes(northernshaftoftheKing’sChamber)to45degrees14minutes(southernshaftoftheKing’sChamber).Theshaftswereconstructedinastep-by-stepmannerasthePyramidroseinheight(i.e.theywerenotdrilledthroughthemasonryassomehavesupposed)andtheyrevealtheuseofverycomplexandsophisticatedengineeringandlevellingtechniques.

Ithasbeensuggestedthatthereasonfortheirinclinationwastofindthe‘shortestroute’totheoutsideofthePyramidandthishasbeentakentoimplythattheancientbuilderswantedto‘save’workandtime.However,suchgeometricallogicgoesverymuchagainstengineeringlogic—forthesimplereasonthatbuildingshaftsonaninclinewouldnotsavetimeorworkatall.Quitethecontrary:noconstructionengineerorbuildercouldpossiblyagreethatthe‘shortestroute’isthebestrouteinthiscase—eventhoughitmayseemsotothoselookingonlyatthegeometry.Thetruth,asEgyptianarchitectDr.AlexanderBadawyfirstnotedinthe1960s,isthattobuildinclinedshaftsratherthantohavesimplehorizontalchannelsleadingtotheoutsideofthePyramidwouldcreatemanydifficulties—andespeciallysowhenweconsiderthehighprecisionandrigidconsistencyoftheinclinations.[110]

11.TheKing’sandQueen’sChambersandtheirfourshafts.NotethattheshaftsoftheQueen’sChamberwerenotoriginallycutthroughintothechamberbutstoppedshortseveralinchesfromtheinnerwalls.Theshaftswereopenedin1872bytheBritishengineerWaynmanDixon.

Tobuildinclinedshaftsratherthanhorizontalonesentailsfivetediousoperations.First,thebasecoursemustbeprepared;thiscallsfortheshapingofspecialblockswiththeirupperfacesslopingtoserveasthe‘floor’ofeachshaft.Secondly,morespecialblockshavetobepreparedwithU-shapedinnerfacestoformtheprofile,i.e.,the‘walls’and‘ceilings’oftheshafts.Thirdly,yetmorespecialblockshavetobecutwiththeirundersidesinclinedinordertocoverthesidesoftheshafts.Fourthly,thetopsoftheshaftsmustbecoveredwithotherspecialblockswithslopingundersides.Fifthly,themainmasonrycoursesofthePyramidhavetobeintegratedwiththese

specialdesignfeaturesalongtheentirelengthsoftheshafts.

12.DetailsoftheQueen’sChamberanditsshafts.

Ifventilationwasreallytheobjectivethenthequestionthatmustbeaskedisthis:whyoptforsuchcomplicationsanddifficultieswhenaneffectiveflowofaircouldhavebeenprovidedforthechambersinamuchsimplerway?Fromanengineer’spointofviewtheobvioussolutionwouldhavebeentoleaveamasonryjointopen—say20cm.—runninghorizontallyfromthetopofeachchamberrighttotheoutsideofthemonument.Inthiscasenospecialcuttingofblockswouldhavebeennecessary,norindeedanytediousalignmentsorlevellingwork.

Inotherwordsthe‘shortestroute’isnotbyanymeansthebestrouteforthepracticalpurposesofventilationand,besides,itshouldbeobviousthatthePyramidbuilderswerenotinterestedintime/energy-savingschemes—otherwisetheywouldnothavefavouredsuchgigantic,multimillion-tonmonumentsinthefirstplace.Itthereforefollowsthatweareunlikelytoberewardedinseekinganexplanationfortheprecisenorth-southalignmentsofthesesteeplyinclinedshaftsintermsofatime/energy-savingrationalebasedonquaintgeometricalfigures.

13.Queen’sChamberwallandshaftmouth.

AnydoubtoverthisissuecanberesolvedbyaclosestudyoftheshaftsoftheQueen’sChamber.UnliketheKing’sChambershafts,thoseintheQueen’sChamber(a)donotexitontheoutsideofthemonumentand(b)werenotoriginallycutthroughtheChamber’slimestonewalls.Insteadthebuildersleftthelastfiveinchesintactinthelastblockoverthemouthofeachoftheshafts—thusrenderingtheminvisibleandinaccessibletoanycasualintruder.Withthehelpofasteelchisel,theywerefinallydiscoveredin1872bytheBritishengineerWaynmanDixon,aFreemasonwhosecuriosityhadbeenarousedbytheshaftsintheKing’sChamberandwhodecidedtolookforsimilarfeaturesintheQueen’sChamber.

14.ConstructiondetailsoftheGreatPyramid’sshafts.Atleastfourdifferentkindsofblocks(A,B,CandD),continuingthefulllengthoftheshafts,wererequiredforthesuccessfulcompletionof these mysterious features of the Pyramid. The engineering problems would have beenimmense.Thenotion that theprimarypurposeof theshaftswasforventilation isdisprovedby

the fact that the Queen’s Chamber shafts were originally closed at both ends and by thecomplexityofthedesign—whichwouldnothavebeennecessaryifsimpleventilationhadbeentheobjective.

InlaterchapterswewillbeconsideringtheimplicationsofDixon’s1872discovery,andthefollow-uptoit.Thepointthatwewishtomakehere,however,istheobviousonethatshaftswhichwereoriginallyclosedatbothendscouldnotpossiblyhavebeenused,orintended,forventilation.Theymust,therefore,havehadsomehigherpurpose—onethatwasthoughtbythebuilderstojustifytheenormouscare,skillandeffortinvolvedinconstructingthem.

Asweshallsee,that‘higherpurpose’cannowbeidentifiedwithcertainty.

Chapter4StarsandTime

‘Thevariousapparentmovementsoftheheavenlybodieswhichareproducedbytherotationandrevolutionoftheearth,andtheeffectsofprecession,werefamiliartotheEgyptians...Theycarefullystudiedwhattheysaw,andputtheirknowledgetogetherinthemostconvenientfashion,associatingitwiththeirstrangeimaginingsandtheirsystemofworship...’

J.NormanLockyer,TheDawnOfAstronomy,1894

Itishumblingandawe-inspiringtostandatdawnbetweenthepawsoftheGreatSphinxofEgyptandtolookupastherisingsunilluminatesitsface.Thecolossalstatueseemsancient—almostasold,onemightimagine,astimeitself.And,aswesawinChapter2,amountingbodyofgeologicalevidencesuggeststhatitisancient—vastlyolderthanthe4500yearsallocatedtoitbyEgyptologistsandperhapsdatingbackasfarasthelastIceAgewhennocivilizationcapableoffashioningsuchamonumentissupposedtohaveexisted.

Suchnotionsareofcoursecontroversialandhotlydisputed.Moreover,asshouldbeobviousbynow,geologyisincapableofprovidinguswithaprecisechronologyandisparticularlylimitedbythepresentstateofourknowledgeofpalaeo-climatology.Indeed,themostwecansay,onthesolebasisofthemonument’serosionpatterns,isthatitdoesappeartohavebeencarvedatamuchearlierdatethanEgyptologistsbelievebutthatitsantiquitycouldrangeanywherebetween15,000BCand5000BC.

Thereis,however,anothersciencewhich,providedoneessentialpreconditionisfulfilled,canprovideamuchmoreaccuratedating—towithinafewdecades—ofuninscribedancientstonemonuments.Thisisthescienceofarchaeoastronomy.Thepreconditionuponwhichitdependsforitssuccessfulfunctioningisthatthemonumentsstudiedshouldhavebeenaccuratelyalignedtothestarsortotherisingpointsofthesunbytheirbuilders.

15.OnthesummersolsticeatthelatitudeofGizathesunrises28degreesnorthofeast,onthewintersolsticeitrises28degreessouthofeastandontheequinoxesitrisesdueeast.TheGreatSphinx of Giza is an astronomical monument orientated perfectly towards due east and thus

servesasasuperbequinoctialmarkeror‘pointer’.

TheGreatSphinxfulfilsthisprecondition.Itliesexactlyalongtheeast-westaxisoftheGizanecropoliswithitspatientandeternalgazesetperfectlytowardsdueeast.Itis,therefore,asuperb‘equinoctialmarker’:itseyestargettheexactpositionofsunriseatdawnonthespringequinox.

Toclarifymattersalittle,astronomersspeakoffour‘cardinalmoments’intheyear:thesummersolstice—thelongestdayinthenorthernhemisphere—whentheearth’snorthpolepointsmostdirectlyatthesun,thewintersolstice,theshortestday,whenthepolepointsmostdirectlyawayfromthesun,andthespringandautumnequinoxeswhentheearthliesbroadside-ontothesunandwhennightanddayareofequallength.

OnthesummersolsticeatthelatitudeofGiza,thesunrisesabout28degreesnorthofeast.Onthewintersolsticeitrisesabout28degreessouthofeast.Bycontrast,themaincharacteristicoftheequinoxes(hereandeverywhereelsearoundtheglobe)isthatthesunalwaysrisesdueeastprovidingasureandaccurategeodeticreferencetooneofthecardinaldirections.

Itistowardsthisreferencepoint,withhighprecision,thatthegazeoftheSphinxisset—notbyaccident,butbydesign,andaspartofavast,archaicastronomicalplanofuncannyaccuracyandintelligence.

Observatory

Thousandsofyearsago,undertheclearskiesofayoungerworld,Egypt’sGizaplateaumusthavebeentheultimateobservatory.FromthehighgroundhalfamiletothewestoftheSphinxonwhichthethreeprincipalPyramidsstand,therewouldhavebeenafaultless360-degreeviewaroundanenormouscircularhorizon—aprospectthatwouldhaveinvitedobservationsoftherisingandsettingpointsofthesunthroughouttheyear,andalsooftherisingandsettingpointsofthestars.Itiscertain,furthermore,whatevertheotherfunctionsofthenecropolis,thatitwasindeedusedforpracticalandpreciseobservationalastronomyofthekinddevelopedbynavigatorstopinpointthepositionsofshipsontheopenocean.Liketheabilitytokeepstrictlytoachosencourse,thefabulousaccuracywithwhichtheprincipalmonumentsofGizaarealignedtotruenorth,south,eastandwestcouldnothavebeenachievedbyanyotherscience.[111]

DetailsofthesealignmentshavealreadybeengiveninChapter3.ItisthereforesufficientheretoremindourselvesthattheGreatPyramidstandsatapointontheearth’ssurfaceexactlyonethirdofthewaybetweentheequatorandthenorthpole(i.e.astridelatitude30)andthatits‘meridional’(i.e.north-south)axisisalignedtowithinthree-sixtiethsofasingledegreeoftruenorth-south.ItisasmallbutsignificantpointthatthisalignmentismoreaccuratethanthatoftheMeridianBuildingattheGreenwichObservatoryinLondon—whichisoffsetbyanerrorofnine-sixtiethsofadegree.Inouropinion,suchprecisionconstitutesa‘fact’whicharchaeologistsandEgyptologistshaveneverseriouslyconsidered,i.e.thattheGreatPyramid,withits13-acrefootprintandsixmilliontonsofmass,couldonlyhavebeensurveyedandsetoutbymasterastronomers.[112]

16.Thetrajectoryofthesunonthesummersolstice,withitsculminationpoint(highestaltitude)beingattainedatmeridiantransit.

17.Thetrajectoryofthesunontheequinox.

18.Thetrajectoryofthesunonthewintersolstice.

Itisourconvictionthatthis‘astronomicalfactor’deservestobegivenmuchgreaterprominencethanithashithertobeenaccordedbyEgyptologists.Moreover,thankstotherecentdevelopmentofsophisticatedstar-mappingcomputerprograms,itispossibleforustosimulatetheskiesoverGizainanyepochduringthepast30,000yearsandthustorecreatethecelestialenvironmentinwhichthePyramidbuildersworked.

Standingasitwerebeneaththoseancientskies,initiatedbymicrochipintothecosmicsecretofthechangingpositionsofthestars,certainfeaturesofthekeymonuments—featuresthatareofnosignificancefromthepurelyarchaeologicalorEgyptologicalperspective—begintotakeonapeculiarmeaning.

TargetingStars

LetusbeginwiththefourmysteriousshaftsemanatingfromtheKing’sandQueen’sChambersoftheGreatPyramid,theengineeringaspectsofwhichweconsideredattheendofthepreviouschapter.Aswehaveseen,twooftheseshaftsarealignedperfectlytoduenorthandtheothertwoperfectlytoduesouth.Theythustarget,atvaryingaltitudes,whatastronomersrefertoasthe‘meridian’—animaginaryline‘dividingthesky’thatisbestenvisagedasahoopconnectingthenorthandsouthpolesandpassingdirectlyovertheobserver’shead.Itisastheycrossthisimaginaryline(‘transitthemeridian’)thatthestars(andalsothesun,moonandplanets)aresaidto‘culminate’—thatis,reachtheirmaximumaltitudeabovethehorizon.

19.ThehorizonofGizaandthemeridianoftheGreatPyramid.

20.Culmination (meridian-transit) ofOrion’s belt circa2500 BC. In this epoch the belt starscrossedthemeridianataltitude45degrees,targetedbythesouthernshaftoftheKing’sChamber.

21.FortheancientEgyptianstheconstellationofOrion,andparticularlyitsthreeprominentbeltstars,werestronglyassociatedwithOsiris,thegodofresurrectionandrebirth.

22.ThestellaralignmentsoftheGreatPyramid’sfourshaftsintheepochof2500BC.

TheGreatPyramidhasnumerousfeatureswhichleaveuswithoutanydoubtthatitsdesignerspaidcarefulattentiontothestarsandtrackedtheirtransitatthemeridian.Themouthoftheoriginalentrancecorridor,forexample,targetsthemeridianwiththeprecisionofthebarrelofanartillerypiece.Alltheinternalpassageways,too,runperfectlynorth-south,thusmakingthewholemonument,asmanyastronomershavenoted,anobvious‘meridionalinstrument’.[113]Mostconclusiveofall,however,isthefineaccuracyofthefourshafts.Recentinvestigationshaveestablishedbeyondanyshadowofdoubtthatincirca2500BC—theerarecognizedbyEgyptologistsasthe‘PyramidAge’—eachoneoftheseshaftstargetedaspecialstarasitculminatedatthemeridian:

FromtheQueen’sChamber,thenorthernshaftisangledat39degreesandwasaimedatthestarKochab(BetaUrsaMinor)intheconstellationoftheLittleBear—astarassociatedbytheancientswith‘cosmicregeneration’andtheimmortalityofthesoul.Thesouthernshaft,ontheotherhand,whichisangledat39degrees30’,wasaimedatthebrightstarSirius(AlphaCanisMajor)intheconstellationoftheGreatDog.ThisstartheancientsassociatedwiththegoddessIsis,cosmicmotherofthekingsofEgypt.[114]

FromtheKing’sChamber,thenorthernshaftisangledat32degrees28’andwasaimedattheancientPolestar,Thuban(AlphaDraconis)intheconstellationoftheDragon—associatedbythePharaohswithnotionsof‘cosmicpregnancyandgestation’.Thesouthernshaft,whichisangledat45degrees14’,wasaimedatAlNitak(ZetaOrionis),thebrightest(andalsothelowest)ofthethreestarsofOrion’sbelt—whichtheancientEgyptiansidentifiedwithOsiris,theirhighgodofresurrectionandrebirthandthelegendarybringerofcivilizationtotheNileValleyinaremoteepochreferredtoasZepTepi,the‘FirstTime’.[115]

BecausewecanreconstructtheancientskiesoverGizawithmoderncomputerswecandemonstratethespot-onalignmentsofthefourshaftstothefourstarscirca2500BC.Whatthesamecomputersalsoshowusisthatthesealignmentswererareandfleeting,onlyvalidforacenturyorso,beforethecontinuousgradualchangeeffectedinstellaraltitudesbythepassageoftimealteredthepositionsatwhichthestarstransitedthemeridian.

Thisphenomenon,theresultofaslowandstatelywobbleintheaxisoftheearth,isknowntechnicallyasprecession.Overacycleof25,920yearsitcausestheinfinitely-extendednorthpoleofourplanet’sspinaxistotraceoutagreatcircleintheheavens.Themainastronomicaleffectsofthismotionare:

1. anequallyslowandstatelychangeinthecelestialnorthpole—whichsometimescoincideswith a ‘pole star’ (and sometimeswith empty space) as it progresses eternally around its25,920-yearcycle;

2.changesinthealtitudeofallstarsabovethehorizonastheycrosstheobserver’smeridianatanygivenlatitude;

3.changesintheconstellationsagainstthebackgroundofwhichthesunrisesdueeastatdawnon the spring equinox (naturally precession also changes the constellations thatmark theautumnalequinox—andthewinterandsummersolsticesaswell).

Therateofprecessionalchangeisconstantandpredictableforeachofthesekeyastronomicaleffectsandcanbecalculatedbackwardsandforwardsintimeacrosstheentirestar-field.Thismeans,forexample,thatifweweretoobserveaspecificbrightstar—sayAlNitakinOrion’sbelt—fromagivenplacetoday,andifweweretorecorditsaltitudeatthemeridian,thenprovidedsucharecordwastobefoundandunderstoodthousandsofyearshenceitcouldbeusedtodeterminetheepochor‘time’whentheoriginalobservationwasmade.

ThesamelogiccanbeappliedtothefourmeridionalshaftsemanatingfromtheKing’sandQueen’sChambers.Theiralignmentsat2500BC—onfourstarsthatwereofritualimportancewithinthe‘Osiriscycle’ofbeliefs—cannotpossiblyhavebeenaccidental.Onthecontrary,itisobviousthatweareconfrontedherebytheproductsofaconsciousandcarefuldesign.ThisinturnmakesitequallyobviousthattheGreatPyramidmusthavesomeextremelystrongconnectionwiththeepochof2500BC—theapproximatedateatwhichallorthodoxEgyptologistsandarchaeologistsinfactbelieveittohavebeenbuilt.

Inshort,thefourstar-shaftsserveasprecisetime-markersbywhich,intheoryatleast,weshouldbeableonceandforalltoconfirmthedatefortheconstructionofthelast-survivingwonderoftheancientworld.Thiswouldbehighlydesirablesince,intheabsenceofotherobjectivemeansofdatingthemonument,controversycontinuestolingeroveritsexactage.However,thearchaeoastronomicalpictureisrathermorecomplicatedthanitseems.

TheCompanionsofOsiris

Thecomplicationarisesfromthestrongcorrelation,firstdemonstratedinTheOrionMystery,betweenthethreebeltstarsoftheOrionconstellationandtheground-planofthethreePyramidsofGiza.AnoverheadviewshowsthattheGreatPyramidandthesecondPyramidstretchoutalongadiagonalrunning45degreestothesouthandwestoftheformer’seasternface.ThethirdPyramid,however,isoffsetsomewhattotheeastofthisline.TheresultingpatternmimicstheskywherethethreestarsofOrion’sbeltalsostretchoutalonga‘faulty’diagonal.Thefirsttwostars(AINitakandAlNilam)areindirectalignment,likethefirstandsecondPyramids,andthethirdstar(Mintaka)liesoffsetsomewhattotheeastoftheaxisformedbytheothertwo.[116]

Thevisualcorrelation,onceobserved,isobviousandstrikingonitsown.Additionalconfirmationofitssymbolicsignificance,however,isprovidedbytheMilkyWay,whichtheancientEgyptiansregardedasakindof‘CelestialNile’andwhichwasspokenofinarchaicfunerarytextsasthe‘WindingWaterway’.[117]IntheheavenlyvaultthebeltstarsofOrionlietothewestoftheMilkyWay,asthoughoverlookingitsbanks;onthegroundthePyramidsstandperchedabovethewestbankoftheNile.[118]

Facedbysuchsymmetry,andbysuchacomplexpatternofinterlockingarchitecturalandreligiousideas,itishardtoresisttheconclusionthatthePyramidsofGizarepresentasuccessfulattempttobuildOrion’sbeltontheground.ThismakesallthemoresensewhenwerecallthefirmidentificationoftheOrionconstellationwiththehighgodOsiris.

Butbearinginmindthechangesinducedbythephenomenonofprecessionwemustalsoask:‘Orion’sbeltwhen?’‘Orion’sbeltinwhatepoch?’

Aperfectmatch

FromtheevidenceoftheshaftswehaveseenhowtheGreatPyramidis‘precessionallyanchored’toOrion’sbeltin2500BC(becauseinthisepochthesouthernshaftoftheKing’sChambertargetedthemeridian-transitofAlNitak,theGreatPyramid’scelestialcounterpart).IfwesetourprecessionalcomputertoreconstructtheancientskiesoverGiza,however,turnourattentiontothepatternformedonthegroundbyallthreeofthePyramidsin2500BC,simulatethenightlypassageofthebeltstarsacrosstheroofofthecelestialsphereandbringthemtorestatthepointofAlNitak’smeridian-transit(45degreesabovethesouthernhorizon,whereitistargetedbytheKing’sChambershaft),itbecomesapparentthatsomethingisnotquiteright.

23.Orion’sbeltcrossingthemeridianoftheGreatPyramidin2500BCwiththestarAlNitak,theGreatPyramid’scelestialcounterpart,inperfectalignmentwiththesouthernshaftoftheKing’sChamber at an altitude of 45 degrees. However, note how the belt stars and theMilkyWayappearoutofkilterandaskewinrelationtothegroundplanofthethreePyramidsandtheNile.The sky-ground images are, of course, similar, but there is a sense that the sky image needssomehowtobe‘twisted’inananti-clockwisedirectiontogettheperfectmatch.Thiscanonlybeachievedbygoingbackintime—bylookingattheskyaboveGizainafarearlierepoch...

24.Theperfectmatchofsky-ground images isachieved in10,500BCwhen thepatternof theMilkyWayandofthethreestarsofOrion’sbeltatmeridiantransitispreciselymatchedbythecourseoftheNileandthepatternofthethreegreatPyramidsontheground.

Weshouldexpecttoseeaperfectmeridian-to-meridianalignmentatthispoint.InsteadwenoticethatthedominantaxisofthethreestarsandtheMilkyWayliestiltedconspicuouslyaskewrelativetothedominantaxisofthethreePyramidsandtheNile.Theselatter,ofcourse,arefixedintheirplaces.Whatisrequired,therefore,inordertoachievethe‘ideal’sky-groundarrangement,issomehowto‘rotate’theheavensinananticlockwisedirection.

Thevastcosmicengineoftheearth’saxialwobbleoffersusamechanismbywhichthiscanbedone:weneedonlyinstructourcomputertotracktheprecessionallyinducedmovementsofthestarsbackwardsintime.

Asitdoesso,millenniumbymillennium,weobservethattheorientationofOrion’sbeltatculminationisslowlyrotatinganti-clockwiseandthusapproachingeverclosertoourdesiredmeridian-to-meridianmatch.Itisnotuntil10,500BC,however—8000yearsbeforethe‘PyramidAge’—thattheperfectcorrelationisfinallyachievedwiththeNilemirroringtheMilkyWayandwiththethreePyramidsandthebeltstarsidenticallydisposedinrelationtothemeridian.[119]

Risingstars

Thereisafeatureofthis10,500BCcorrelationwhichsuggestsstronglythatcoincidenceisnotinvolved.ThepatternthatisfrozenintomonumentalarchitectureintheformofthePyramidsmarksaverysignificantmomentinthe25,920-yearprecessionalcycleofthethreestarsofOrion’sbelt—onethatisunlikelytohavebeenrandomlyselectedbythePyramidbuilders.

TogetacleargraspofwhatisinvolvedhereletuscallupacomputersimulationoftheskiesoverGizainourownepoch,circaAD2000.LookingduesouthwenotethatAlNitakcrossesthemeridianatanaltitudeof58degrees06’abovethehorizon.This,asithappens,iswithin8minutesofthehighestaltitudethatthisstarwillattaininitsprecessionalcycle,i.e.58degrees14’(tobereachedataroundAD2500).[120]

Letusnowprojectoursimulationbackwardsintimeandrecreatetheskyaswewouldseeitifwewerestandinginthesamepositionataround10,500BC—i.e.justunder13,000years,orhalfaprecessionalcycle,earlier.InthisremoteepochwediscoverthatAlNitakcrossesthemeridianatanaltitudeofonly9degrees20’abovethehorizon.[121]

25.BymimickingtheskypatternofOrion’sbeltin10,500BCthethreegreatPyramidsofGizamarkaverysignificantmomentinthe20,000-yearprecessionalcycleofthesestars—thelowestpoint in their slide up and down themeridian, when (as seen from the latitude ofGiza) theyculminated at an altitude of 9 degrees 20 minutes above the horizon (C). In 2500 BC theyculminatedataltitude45degrees(B).Inourownepoch,2000AD(A)theyareapproachingthehighestaltitudethattheywillattainintheirprecessionalcycle—58degrees06minutesabovethehorizonatmeridiantransit.

Itwillneverfalllower,theepochof10,500BCmarksthenadirofthestar’sprecessionallyinducedslideupanddownthemeridian(justastheepochofAD2500marksitszenith).Likeaslowlymovingleverinanarrowverticalslot,ittakes12,960yearstodescendfromtoptobottom,andafurther12,960yearstoascendfrombottomtotopagain.[122]

Byexactlymimickingthedispositionofthebeltstarsintheskyin10,500BCthelayoutofthePyramidsonthegroundthusnotonlysignifiesaspecificepochbutalsoratherpreciselyandsurgicallymarksthebeginningofaprecessionalhalf-cycle.

Lionontheground,lioninthesky

AswaspointedoutinFingerprints,oftheGods,thesameroleisplayedbytheGreatSphinx—whichgazesdirectlyattheequinoctialrisingpointofthesuninanyandeveryepoch,past,presentandfuture,forever.

26.Artist’simpressionshowingtheprecessionalcycleofOrion’sbeltupanddownthemeridian.Thepatternofthestarsin10,500BCmarksthebeginning,or‘FirstTime’,ofthecycle.ItisthispatternthatisreproducedonthegroundbythethreegreatPyramidsofGiza.

27.TherisingpointsandtrajectoryofOrion’sbeltin(A)2000AD,(B)2500BC,(C)10,500BC.

Thisorientationprovidesuswithanastronomicalbasisfordatingthemonumentbecauseitisknownthattheattentionofastronomersinancienttimeswasparticularlyfocusedonthezodiacalconstellation—consideredtodefinetheastrological‘Age’—thatrosejustaheadofthesunintheeasternskyatdawnonthespringequinox.[123]Thesamephenomenonoftheearth’saxialprecessionthataffectsthealtitudeofstarsatthemeridianalsoaffectsthesefamousconstellations—Leo,Cancer,Gemini,Taurus,Aries,Pisces,Aquarius,etc.,etc—theco-ordinatesofwhich,in

relationtotherisingpointoftheequinoctialsun,undergoslowbutcontinuousprecessionallyinducedchanges.Theresultisahard-to-observeastronomicalphenomenon,knownastheprecessionoftheequinoxes,whichmanifestsasagradualcirculationoftheequinoctialpointaroundalltwelve‘houses’ofthezodiac.InthewordsofhistoriansofscienceGiorgiodeSantillanaandHerthavonDechend,whoseessayHamlet’sMillisaground-breakingstudyofarchaicprecessionalmythology:

Theconstellationthatroseintheeastjustbeforethesun(thatis,roseheliacally)markedthe‘place’wherethesunrested...Itwasknownasthesun’s‘carrier’,andasthemain‘pillar’ofthesky....Thesun’spositionamongtheconstellationsatthevernal[spring]equinoxwasthepointerthatindicatedthe‘hours’oftheprecessionalcycle—verylonghoursindeed,theequinoctialsunoccupyingeachzodiacalconstellationforjustunder2200years.[124]

InourownepochthesunonthespringequinoxrisesagainstthestellarbackgroundoftheconstellationofPisces,asithasdoneforapproximatelythelast2000years.The‘AgeofPisces’,however,isnowapproachingitsendandthevernalsunwillsoonpassoutofthesectoroftheFishesandbegintoriseagainstthenewbackgroundofAquarius.Tobeprecise,ittakesexactly2160yearsfortheequinoctialpointtopasscompletelythroughoneconstellationor‘house’ofthezodiac.

Withthisprocessinmind,letusnowreverseSantillanaandvonDechend’s‘precessionalclock’.PassingbackthroughtheAgeofPisces(andtheAgeofAriesthatprecededit)wefindthatintheepochof2500BC,whentheSphinxisconventionallyassumedtohavebeenbuilt,itwastheconstellationofTaurusthathousedthesunonthespringequinox.

Itisherethatthecruxoftheproblemlies.Tostatethecasebriefly:

1.TheSphinx,aswehaveseen,isanequinoctialmarker—or‘pointer’.

2. On a site that is as profoundly astronomical as Giza one would naturally expect anequinoctialmonumentdatingfromthe‘AgeofTaurus’eithertohavebeenbuiltintheshapeofabull,oratanyratetosymbolizeabull.TheSphinx,however,isemphaticallyleonineinform.

3. It isasimple factofprecession thatonemustgoback to the ‘AgeofLeo’beginningataround10,500BC,inorder toobtainthe‘correct’sky-groundsymbolism.This,as it turnsout, is theonlyepoch inwhich thedue-east-facingSphinxwouldhavemanifestedexactlytherightsymbolicalignmentonexactlytherightday—watchingthevernalsunrisinginthedawnskyagainstthebackgroundofhisowncelestialcounterpart.[125]

Toclarifythislatternotion,letusreturntoourcomputersimulationoftheskiesoverGizain10,500BC,instructingtheprogramtorecreatethepositionsofthesunandstarsjustbeforedawnonthespringequinoxinthatepoch.AndletussetourdirectionofviewdueeastinlinewiththegazeoftheSphinx.Indeed,withtheaidofalittlevirtualrealityandpoeticlicense,letusimaginethatwearestandingbetweenthepawsoftheSphinxitselfatthatdate—adatethatwealreadyknowaccordsratherwellwiththegeologyofthemonument.

Whatwewouldsee,occupyingtheportionoftheskyintowhichthesunisabouttorise,wouldbethesplendidzodiacalconstellationofLeo—aconstellationthatverystronglyresemblesitsnamesakethelionandthusalsotheleonineSphinx.

28.Inthepre-dawnonthevernalequinoxin10,500BC,withthesunsome12degreesbelowthehorizon, the Great Sphinx would have gazed directly at his own celestial counterpart, theconstellationofLeo—whichexperiencedwhatastronomerscallitsheliacalrisingatthismoment.

29.SuperimposedimagesoftherisingofLeoin2500BC,whentheGreatSphinxispresumedbyarchaeologiststohavebeenbuilt,andin10,500BC.Itisonlyinthislatterepochthattheperfectsky-ground correlation is attained, at the heliacal rising of Leo,when the Sphinxwould havegazeddirectlyathisowncelestialcounterpartinthepre-dawn.

Theminutespass.Theskybeginstolighten.Then,attheexactmomentatwhichthetopofthesolardiscbreaksoverthehorizondirectlyaheadofuswemakea90-degreerightturn—sothatwearenowlookingduesouth.There,culminatingatthemeridianataltitude9degrees20’,weobservethethreestarsofOrion’sbeltformingapatternintheskythatisidenticaltothegroundplanoftheGizaPyramids.

Thequestionreducestothis:isitacoincidence,ormorethanacoincidence,thattheGizanecropolisasithasreachedustodayoutofthedarknessofantiquityisstilldominatedbyahugeequinoctiallionstatueattheeastofits‘horizon’andbythreegiganticPyramidsdisposedaboutitsmeridianinthedistinctivemannerofthethreestarsofOrion’sbeltin10,500BC?

30.Themomentofsunriseonthevernalequinoxin10,500BC.AttheexactmomentthatthetopofthesolardiscbrokeoverthehorizondueeastindirectalignmentwiththegazeoftheSphinxthethreestarsofOrion’sbeltculminatedatthemeridianinthepatternthatismimickedonthegroundbythethreegreatPyramids.SphinxandPyramidsthusappear to‘worktogether’asanarchitecturalrepresentationofthisuniquecelestialconjunction.

Andisitalsoacoincidencethatthemonumentsinthisamazingastronomicalthemeparkmanagetoworktogether—almostasthoughgearedlikethecog-wheelsofaclock—totellthesame‘time’?

Throughouttheancientworldthemomentofsunrise,anditsconjunctionwithothercelestialevents,wasalwaysconsideredtobeofgreatimportance.[126]Atthespringequinoxin10,500BC,asshouldbynowbeobvious,aparticularlyspectacularandstatisticallyimprobableconjunctiontookplace—aconjunctioninvolvingthemomentofsunrise,theconstellationofLeoandthemeridiantransitofthethreestarsofOrion’sbelt.Itisthisuniquecelestialconjunction(whichfurthermoremarksthebeginningofthe‘AgeofLeo’andthebeginningoftheupwardsprecessionalcycleofthebeltstars)thattheGreatSphinxandthethreePyramidsofGizaappeartomodel.

ButwhyshouldtheancientshavesoughttocreateasimulacrumoftheskiesonthegroundatGiza?

Or,toputthequestionanotherway,whyshouldtheyhavesoughttobringdowntoearthan

imageoftheheavens?

Motiveinthetexts

Thereexistsanancientbodyofwritings,compiledinGreekintheEgyptiancityofAlexandriaintheearlycenturiesoftheChristianera,inwhichsky-grounddualismsformapredominanttheme,linkedinnumerousconvolutedwaystotheissueoftheresurrectionandimmortalityofthesoul.Thesewritings,the‘HermeticTexts’,werebelievedtohavebeentheworkoftheancientEgyptianwisdomgodThoth(knowntotheGreeksasHermes),whoinonerepresentativepassagemakesthefollowingremarkstohisdiscipleAsclepius:‘Doyounotknow,Asclepius,thatEgyptisanimageofheaven?Or,sotospeakmoreexactly,inEgyptalltheoperationsofthepowerswhichruleandworkinheavenhavebeentransferreddowntoearthbelow?’[127]Thepurposetowhichthesepowerswereharnessed,intheHermeticview,wastofacilitatetheinitiate’squestforimmortality.

Curiously,preciselysuchaquestforpreciselysuchagoal—‘alifeofmillionsofyears’—isspelledoutinancientEgyptianfunerarytextswhichsupposedlypre-datetheHermeticwritingsbythousandsofyears.Inoneofthesetexts,ShatEntAmDuat—theBookofWhatisintheDuat—wefindwhatappearstobeanexplicitinstructiontotheinitiatetobuildareplicaonthegroundofaspecialareaoftheskyknownasthe‘hiddencircleoftheDuat’:‘Whosoevershallmakeanexactcopyoftheseforms...andshallknowit,shallbeaspiritandwellequippedbothinheavenandearth,unfailingly,andregularlyandeternally.’[128]

Elsewhereinthesametextwehearagainof‘thehiddenCircleintheDuat...inthebodyofNut[thesky]’:‘Whosoevershallmakeacopythereof...itshallactasamagicalprotectorforhimbothinheavenanduponearth.’[129]

WesuspectthattheideasexpressedinsuchutterancesmayhintatthetruemotivefortheconstructionofthehugeastronomicalmonumentsoftheGizanecropolisandmayhelpustofindacoherentexplanationfortheirprecisealignmentstothecardinaldirectionsofthesky,theirunique‘starshafts’,andtheirintensecelestialsymbolism.Atanyrate,asweshalldemonstrateinPartsIIIandIV,itisafactthattheDuatsky-regiondescribedintheancientEgyptiantextswasdominatedbytheconstellationsofOrionandLeo—bothofwhichappeartohavebeen‘imaged’onthegroundatGiza(withtheformeradditionallytargetedbythesouthernshaftoftheKing’sChamberintheGreatPyramid)—andbythestarSirius,whichwastargetedbythesouthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamber.Wealsonoteinpassingthattheinternalcorridor,passagewayandchambersystemsofthePyramidsverycloselyresemblesurvivingvignettes(paintedonEighteenthDynastytombwalls)ofvariousregionsoftheDuat.Ofparticularinterestinthisregardisthemysterious‘KingdomofSokar’inthe‘FifthDivisionoftheDuatinwhich‘travellersuponthewayoftheholycountry...enterintothehiddenplaceoftheDuat.’[130]

AsweshallalsoseeinPartsIIIandIV,therearetherepeatedreferencesintheBookofWhatisintheDuat,andinnumerousotherfuneraryandrebirthtexts,toZepTepi,the‘FirstTime’—theremoteepochwhenthegodswerebelievedtohavecometoearthandestablishedtheirkingdominEgypt.[131]ThosegodsincludedThoth-Hermes,the‘Thrice-Great’masterofwisdom,thegoddessIsiswhosecelestialcounterpartwasthestarSirius,andOsiris,the‘onceandfutureking’,whowaskilled,revengedbyhissonHorus,andthenreborntoliveforeverasthe‘LordoftheDuat’.[132]

31.Artist’simpressionofthe‘FirstTime’ofOrion-Osiris.

32.ThecelestialcounterpartofOsiriswasOrion,aconstellationthattheancientEgyptiansknewasSah,the‘FarStrider’,anddepicted(asinthecentralregisterofthisvignettefromthetombofanancientEgyptianarchitectnamedSenmut)bymeansofthethreecharacteristicbeltstars.

ThecelestialcounterpartofOsiriswasOrion—aconstellationthattheancientEgyptiansknewas

Sah,the‘Far-Strider’andmostfrequentlydepictedbymeansofthethreecharactersticbeltstars.AndsinceOsiriswassaidtohaveruledinthe‘FirstTime’wewonderwhetherthiscouldbethereasonwhythethreegreatPyramidsofGizadepictthethreestarsofOrion’sbeltastheylooked12,500yearsagoatwhatmightreasonablybedefinedastheirastronomical‘FirstTime’—i.e.atthebeginningoftheircurrentupwardsprecessionalcycle?

Anevenbiggerquestion,uponwhichmuchofourinvestigationhinges,concernstheidentificationoftheSphinxwiththeconstellationofLeo—andspecificallywiththeconstellationofLeowhenitmarkedthespringequinoxin10,500BC.InPartsIIIandIVwewillfollowastronomicalclues,laidoutintheancientEgyptiantexts,whichstronglysupportthisidentificationandwhichofferintriguinghintsastoitsimplications.

Fundamentalquestions

IfthemonumentsoftheGizanecropoliswereofnosignificanceinthehumanstorythenproblemsinthestudyandinterpretationofthesemonumentswouldbeofnosignificanceeither.Butthissitecouldhardlybemoresignificant.Indeed,thereisasenseinwhichithasalwaysbeenwithus.Itisamarkerofourhistory—amemorialtothegenesisofourcivilization—anditmaystillhavevitalinformationtogiveusaboutourselves.Morethananyotherancientplace,inotherwords,Gizaraises,andmightpossiblyanswer,alltheold,fundamentalquestions:whoweare,wherewecamefrom,perhapsevenwherewearegoing.ForthesereasonswecanhardlyaffordtobeindifferenttotheGreatSphinxandthethreegreatPyramids.Forthesereasonsthequalityofresearchthathasbeencarriedoutaroundthem—andthathasdefinedandexplainedthem—reallydoesmatter.

AsweshallseeinPartIIthisresearchhasbecomestrangelytangledupwithanancienttraditionofquestforhiddenchambersandlostrecordsatGiza...

PartIISeekers

Chapter5TheCaseofthePsychic,

theScholarandtheSphinx

‘Therehasbeenonesystematicsearch,asortofdirectshotatfindingtheHallofRecords,whentheEdgarCayceFoundationfundedSRIInternational...’

Dr.MarkLehner,EdgarCayceFoundationandAREMagazineVentureInward,1985

ThereisatraditionwhichassertsthattheGizamonumentsstandasalastandgrandmemorialtoahighlyadvancedantediluviancivilizationthatwasdestroyedbya‘GreatFlood’.ThistraditionalsoholdsthatsomewhereatGiza,eitherbeneaththeGreatSphinxorwithintheGreatPyramiditself,isconcealeda‘HallofRecords’inwhichispreservedtheentireknowledgeandwisdomofthelostcivilization.

Suchideasmaybeofveryarchaicorigin[133]andhavecontinuedthroughouthistorytoinspireinvestigationsatGiza.InthefourthcenturyAD,forexample,theRomanAmmianusMarcellinusdirectedtreasure-hunterstosearchfor‘certainundergroundgalleriesinthePyramids’,constructedasrepositoriesforscrollsandbooksofpastagesandintended‘topreventtheancientwisdomfrombeinglostintheFlood.’[134]

Likewise,manyoftheArabchroniclersfromabouttheninthcenturyADonwardsseemtohavehadaccesstoacommonsourceofinformationwhichcausedthemtoagreethattheGreatPyramidwasbuilt‘beforetheFlood’asarepositoryforscientificknowledge.CaliphAlMamoun,whoforcedatunnelintothenorthernfaceofthemonumentinAD820,didsooutofaconvictionthathewasenteringarelicfromantediluviantimeswhichhadbeenchargedbyitsmakerwiththesecretsof‘allprofoundscience’,whichcould‘conveyknowledgeofbothhistoryandastronomy’,[135]andwhichwouldbefoundtocontain‘asecretchamberwithmapsandterrestrialspheres’.[136]

Inasimilarvein,anumberofancientEgyptianinscriptionsandpapyrimaketantalizingstatementsabouthiddenchambers—theChamberofArchives,theHallofRecords,etc.,etc.—whichhavebeeninterpretedasreferencestoahypogeumbeneathorclosebytheSphinx.[137]AndCopticlegendsreportthat‘thereexistsasinglesubterraneanchamberundertheSphinxwithentrancestoallthreePyramids...Eachentranceisguardedbystatuesofamazingabilities.’[138]

Inmoderntimes,ideassuchasthesehavebeenkeptverymuchaliveinthedoctrinesofspeculativeFreemasonry[139]andintheteachingsofesotericschoolsliketheAMORCRosicruciansofCaliforniaandtheTheosophicalSocietyofLondonandMadras.Inaddition,fromthe1920stothe1940s,almostidenticalnotionswereexpressedwithcuriousvehemencebytheAmericanpsychicEdgarCayce,knowntosomeasthe‘SleepingProphet’.

Sinceanexaminationof‘psychicintuitions’wouldtakeusfarbeyondtheintendedscopeofthisbookweshalloffernoopinionsonthemeritsorthesourcesofCayce’sinformation.Whatwedofindrelevanttoourinvestigation,however,isthathispronouncementsconcerningasupposedAtlantean‘HallofRecords’atGizahavequietlyspawnedamultimillion-dollarNewAgeindustrythathasembroileditselfdeeplywithmainstreamEgyptologicalresearchintothePyramidsandtheSphinx.

Wefirstlearnedaboutthisunexpectedinvolvement—unexpectedbecausepsychicsandEgyptologistsarenormallyaboutashardtomixaschickensandpolecats—whenreviewingthenumerousstudiesandexcavationsundertakenatGizabytheAmericanEgyptologist,Mark

Lehner.AsthereaderwillrecallfromPartI,ProfessorLehnerhasgoneonrecordseveraltimesduringthe1990stoopposethetheoryofa12,500-year-oldSphinx—andanynotionofaHallofRecordsbeneathit.Duringthe1970sand1980s,however,hewasdirectlyinvolvedwiththefollowersofEdgarCayceandwiththeirdistinctivebeliefsaboutthesecretsandmysteriesofGiza.

TrancingtheHallofRecords

ThemanagementoftheEdgarCayce‘industry’islargelyentrustedtoacorporationknownastheEdgarCayceFoundation(ECF),andtotheaffiliatedAssociationforResearchandEnlightenment(ARE),bothofwhichareheadquarteredintheUScoastaltownofVirginiaBeach.Thefirstimpressionthatmostvisitorsgetonarrivalhereisofasortofmedicalclinicorretirementhomelocatedwithacalmingviewoftheoceaninmind.Thewindowsoftheprincipalbuilding,whicharemadeofopaqueglass,arealittledisconcerting.Butreassuranceisprovidedbyalargeblack-and-whitesign,visiblefromtheparkinglot,whichreads:

A.R.E.

EDGARCAYCEFOUNDATION

AtlanticUniversityVisitorCenter

SchoolofMassage

Bookstore

EdgarCaycewasborninHopkinsvilleinKentuckyin1877.Attheageoftwentyhesufferedfromaspeechimpediment.Afterfruitlessattemptstohaveitdiagnosedbylocaldoctors,hediscoveredthathecouldputhimselfintoadeeptranceandsomehowdiagnosethedisorderanddictatearemedy.Caycewasurgedtotryhistechniqueonothers—withresultsthatweresospectacularlysuccessfulthatwithinmonthshehadgainedanimmensereputationasa‘healer’withthegiftofinnervision.AllsortsofdesperatepeopleflockedtoVirginiaBeachtobediagnosedbythe‘SleepingProphet’.

InhistrancesCaycewouldalsogivepsychic‘readings’tohisenthusiasticfollowers—readingsthatweretakendowninshorthandbyasecretary.[140]Caycewouldalwaysclaimtohaveabsolutelynorecollectionofwhathappenedduringthesetrances,butthe‘readings’showthathefrequentlyspoketohisfollowersabouttheir‘pastlives’inaremoteepoch—theepochof‘Atlantis’,beforeandaftertheterribledelugewhichsupposedlydestroyedthatfabledcontinent.Altogethersome700ofCayce’s‘lifereadings’—nowavailableonCD-ROM—expoundinonewayoranotherontheso-called‘Atlantean’storywhichbeginswith‘humankind’sarrivalonearthsometenmillionyearsago,andendswiththesinkingofthelastremnantsofAtlantis[priorto]10,000BC’.[141]

Theessentialmessageofthesereadingsisthatanumberof‘Atlanteans’escapedthedestructionoftheircontinentandsomehowreachedtheNileValleyinEgyptintheeleventhmillenniumBC.CaycehimselfclaimedtobethereincarnationoftheirhighpriestRa-Ta.AccordingtoDr.DouglasG.Richards,directorandresearcherattheAtlanticUniversity(whichispartoftheEdgarCayceFoundation):‘manywhoreceivedlifereadings[fromCayce]weresaidtohavebeenassociatedwithhiminthispastlife’inprehistoricEgypt.[142]

OneofthemostpersistentaccountsgivenbyEdgarCayceduringhisdeeptrancesconcerned:

Referencesandclues[which]indicateEgyptasarepositoryforrecords—recordsofAtlantisandancientEgyptduringthetimeofRa-Ta,whichmaysomedaybefound.TheyalsomentionagainandagaintombsandpyramidsyettobeuncoveredinEgypt,andgivespecificdatesforthe

buildingoftheGreatPyramid.[143]

ThechronologythatCaycegaveforthislatterenterprisewas‘10,490to10,390BC’.[144]Healsostated:‘...some10,500[years]beforethecomingoftheChrist...therewasfirstthatattempttorestoreandaddtothatwhichhadbeenbegunandwhatiscalledtheSphinx...’Alsoataround10,500BCtheCaycereadingsstatethatavastundergroundrepositorywasestablishedcontainingalibraryofwisdomfromthelostcivilizationofAtlantis:‘Thisinpositionlies,asthesunrisesfromthewaters,thelineofshadow(orlight)fallsbetweenthepawsoftheSphinx...Between,then,theSphinxandtheriver...’[145]InanotherreadingCaycegaveevenmorespecificdirections:‘Thereisachamberorpassagefromtherightforepaw[oftheSphinx]tothisentranceoftherecordchamber...’[146]

Accordingtothereadings,theHallofRecordsistoberediscoveredandre-enteredwhen‘thetimehasbeenfulfilled’—which,Caycesuggested,wouldbeatorjustbeforethecloseofthetwentiethcentury,perhapsin1998.[147]ThereadingsalludefrequentlytotheOldandNewTestamentsoftheBible,containnumerousreferencestoJesus,anddepicttherediscoveryoftheHallofRecordsasbeinglinkedinsomewaytoaseriesofeventsthatwillpreludethe‘SecondComing’ofChrist.[148]

TheScholar

ThecorporatehistoryoftheAssociationforResearchandEnlightenment(ARE)beginsin1931,whenthemanagementofthenewlyfoundedinstitutewasentrustedtoEdgarCayce’seldestson,HughLynnCayce—whohadjustmajoredinpsychology.Hisfirsttaskwastoprovidearepositoryforhisfather’sgrowinglibraryofpsychic‘readings’,asortofmodern‘HallofRecords’inVirginiaBeach.ThistaskwaseventuallycompletedafterEdgarCayce’sdeathin1945.MeanwhiletheAREcontinuedtoexpandandtodayhasflourishedintoamultimillion-dollarorganizationwithover40,000membersworld-wide.Unsurprisingly,however,despiteadiversityofinterests,itsmajorthrustcontinuestobetoprovethevalidityoftheEdgarCaycereadings.Whatthisinvolvesinpracticeisaconcertedattempttofindtheso-called‘HallofRecords’ofAtlantiswhich,aswehaveseen,isbelievedtohavebeenpreservedatGizasince10,500BCundertheSphinxandwhich,astheprophetsaid,wouldbeopenedbeforetheyear2000.AstwoofCayce’sownchildrenrecentlyconfirmed:

OvertwentyyearsagotheECFbegantolaythegroundworkforwhatwouldlaterbecomeactualfieldworkinEgypt.ThespecificareasofinterestweretheSphinx,theGreatPyramid,andtheimmediatesurroundingareaknownastheGizaplateau.ThedrivingforceforthisresearchwasHughLynnCayce.Motivatedbyhisfather’spsychicreadings,aswellasapersonalinterestinarchaeology,heturnedhisenergiesandenthusiasmtoinitiatingsolidarchaeologicalresearchthatmightvalidatethem...[149]

In1973HughLynnmanagedtoroundupagroupofsponsorswhowerereadytofinancealong-termstrategyinEgypt.Firstandforemostthisentailedprovidingan‘academicscholarship...plusasmallstipend’toa‘giftedindividual’whocouldbecomearespectedEgyptologistandgaintheconfidenceoftheleadinglightsofthissternprofession.[150]

The‘giftedindividual’chosentoreceivethestipendwasMarkLehner,[151]until1995aProfessorofEgyptologyattheUniversityofChicago’sworld-famousOrientalInstitute.OftenreferredtoinEdgarCayceliteratureas‘thescholar’,itappearsthatsometimein1973LehnerwasearmarkedbyHughLynnCayceforamissioninEgyptwhichwasenvisagedasfollows:

ThescholarcouldcompleteadegreeinCairoandgainfirst-handexperienceandmakecontactsinhisfield.FortheECF[EdgarCayceFoundation],suchsupportcouldcreatearealisticperspectiveonresearcheffortsinEgypt,producecontacts,andleadeventuallytoresearchinvolvementinthisarea.AlthoughthescholarwouldbeindependentoftheECF,hispresenceinEgyptwouldserveasaneffectiveliaisonorchannelfortheECFtodeveloplong-term

involvementthere.[152]

LehnerarrivedinCairointhefallof1973andstudiedattheAmericanUniversitynearAlTahrirSquare—fromwhencehegraduatedin1975withhighhonours:

AftergraduationtheEdgarCayceFoundationsupportedhimasaresearchfellowforseveralyearsinthedepartmentofanthropology.Duringthistime,thestudentnotonlycontinuedhisacademicstudies,butalsomadecontactswithpeopleandorganizationswellknownfortheirresearch.ThesecontactsmadeitpossiblefortheECFtosponsor—directlyinsomecases,andpartiallyinothers—actualfieldresearch.[153]

Proofunderthepaws

In1974Lehnerpublishedabook,TheEgyptianHeritage,whichiscopyrightedtotheEdgarCayceFoundationandwhichbearsthesubtitle‘BasedontheEdgarCayceReadings’.ItsprimeobjectiveistosubstantiateCayce’sstatementsaboutthesupposed‘Atlanteanconnection’intheprehistoryofEgyptandthe‘HallofRecords’establishedatGizain10,500BC:

Accordingtothe[EdgarCayce}readings,itisalegacywhichwillsoonberediscovered,andwillbearprofounddeterminations—notonlyforthehistoryofdynasticEgypt,butfortheentirephysicalandspiritualepicofourevolutiononthisplanet,andfortheyearsyettopass.[154]

InTheEgyptianHeritageLehneralsoinformsusthat:

Thereare1159EdgarCaycereadingswhichcontainreferencesandinformationontheRa-TaperiodinEgypt.Thestorypresentedherehasbeenculledfromapproximately300ofthesereadings...InpresentingcorrelativeEgyptologicaldataIwillattempttodemonstratethattherearegoodempiricalreasonsforbelievingthattheRa-Tastoryis,infact,rootedintruth.Ofcourse,thefinalconfirmationliesbeneaththepawsoftheSphinxatGiza...[155]

Anomalies

NaturallytheprimeareaofinterestoftheECF/AREintermsof‘actualfieldresearch’was—andremains—scanning,drillingandexcavationinthevicinityoftheSphinxwheretheCaycereadingssaythatthe‘HallofRecords’islocated.

In1973-4,whileMarkLehnerwasstillastudentattheAmericanUniversityinCairo,thefirstinaseriesofseriouspioneeringprojectswaslaunched,usingground-penetratingradarandotherhigh-techremotesensingequipmenttolocate‘anomalies’underthebedrockbeneaththeSphinx.Theseprojectswerechannelledthroughwell-establishedacademicinstitutions—theAinShamsUniversityinCairoandtheprestigiousStanfordResearchInstitute(SRI)intheUSA.[156]

In1977theUSNationalScienceFoundationfundedaprojectatGizaagaininvolvingtheSRI.Thistimeusewasmadeofseveralnewtechniquessuchasresistivitymeasurements(frommetalrodsdrivenintotherockacrosswhichanelectriccurrentwaspassed),magnetometry,andalsothelatestaerialphotographyandthermalinfraredimage-enhancingtechniques.AccordingtotheSRIteam’sofficialreport:‘SeveralanomalieswereobservedasaresultofourresistivitysurveyattheSphinx...Behindtherearpaws(north-westend)werantwotraverses.Bothtraversesindicateananomalythatcouldpossiblybeduetoatunnelalignednorth-westtosouth-east...’[157]

Twoother‘anomalies’werenoted,deepinthebedrock‘infrontofthepawsoftheSphinx’.[158]

AccordingtoECF/AREhistoriansthe1973-4and1977projects‘pavedthewayforwork...thatwouldsucceedindiscoveringhiddenchambers’.[159]Exactlyhowandwhereisnotmadeclear.Atanyratein1978theECF/AREcollaboratedwiththeSRIandprovidedfunds(tothetuneofaboutUS$50,000[160])foramoredetailedsurveyoftheSphinxenclosureandthenearbySphinx

Temple.ThesurveywasrecordedintheSRI’sownrecordsas‘TheSphinxExplorationProject’.ItentailedanextensiveresistivityscanoftheentireflooroftheSphinxandSphinxTempleenclosures.Shouldany‘anomalies’befound,itwasagreedthattheSRIwastoconfirmthemwithacousticsoundingtechniques.Thenextstepwastohaveholescutintothebedrockwithprecisiondrillsthroughwhichborescopecamerascouldthenbeinserted.

Severalanomaliesbeneaththebedrockwereindeedidentifiedandinspectedinthiswaybutprovedtobejustnaturalcavities.

Afallingout

Alsoin1978,USdrillingexpertsfromacompanycalledRecoverySystemsInternational(RSI)arrivedatGizawithatelescopicdiesel-powereddrillandofficialpermits,underthedirectionofanAmericannamedKentWakefield,toboreanumberofholesdeepbeneaththeSphinx.[161]TherewasmoreofaconnectionbetweentheSRIandtheRSIthantheanagramformedbytheirinitials.RecoverySystemsInternational,liketheEdgarCayceFoundation,apparentlyfundedsomeoftheSRI’sprogrammeatGiza,andmadeuseoftheSRI’sresistivityreadingstoguidetheplacementoftheirdrillholes.AccordingtoMarkLehner,whowasthereatthetime,RecoverySystemsInternationalwasprobablyorganized‘justforthisproject’.[162]

TheequipmentforRSI’sworkwasair-freightedtoEgyptandbroughttothesitewhereitwaspositionedintheSphinxTemple,directlyinfrontofthepawsoftheSphinxitself.Oneholewasbored,uneventfully.Asecondholewasthendrilled.MarkLehnerandKentWakefieldexaminedthisholewithaborescopeandsawonly‘Swiss-cheese-likesolutioncavities’whichformnaturallyinlimestone.Thesolidbottomoftheholewastappedwithaplumb-bobbyLehnerwhoconcludedthattherewasnothingunusualaboutit.[163]

Immediatelyafterwardstheprojectwasstopped.AccordingtoMarkLehnerthisabrupthaltwas‘duetolackoftime[and]funds’.[164]AlsoitseemsthatRecoverySystemsInternational‘didnotappreciateatalltheCaycecomponentoftheproject’andthatthiseventuallyledtoa‘seriousfallingoutbetweenRSIandSRI’.[165]

Granitestructures

Shortlyafterthisepisode,in1979,asweshallseeinfurtherdetailbelow,MarkLehnergotinvolvedwiththeAmericanResearchCenterinEgypt(ARCEforshort)—whichistheofficiallyregisteredAmericanEgyptologicalmissioninEgypt.[166]Ataboutthesametime,ZahiHawass,todaytheDirector-GeneraloftheGizaPyramids,wassupervisingexcavations165feettotheeastoftheSphinxTempleandhitbedrockatadepthofonlysixfeet.Afewmonthslater,however—in1980—Egyptianirrigationspecialistscheckingforgroundwaterdrilledinthesamearea,lessthan100feetawayfromtheHawassdig,andwereabletogodownmorethan50feetwithoutimpedimentbeforetheirdrill-bitsuddenlycollidedwithsomethinghardandmassive.Afterfreeingthedrill,muchtotheirsurprise,theyfoundthattheyhadbroughttothesurfacealargelumpofAswangranite.[167]

NograniteoccursnaturallyanywhereintheNileDeltaareawhereGizaislocated,andAswan—thesourceofallthegraniteusedbytheancientsatGiza—islocated500milestothesouth.Thediscoveryofwhatappearstobeasubstantialgraniteobstacle—orperhapsseveralobstacles—50feetbelowgroundlevelinthevicinityoftheSphinxisthereforeintriguingtosaytheleast.

AddingtotheintriguewerefurtherdiscoveriesthattheSRImadearoundtheSphinxin1982asaresultofyetanotherprojectfinancedbytheEdgarCayceFoundation.[168]MarkLehner,whowasonceagainpresentthroughout,describedwhattheSRIdidasfollows:

Theybroughtaverypowerfulacousticalsounder,whichisalongpencil-shapedthing.Theyputitdownadrillhole.ThisiscalledImmersionDownholeAcoustics.Youhavetobeinwater.So

theyputitdownintothewatertableanditsentoutsoundwavesinalldirections.Thentheyputdownalistener,likeastethoscope,andyougetasignalonanoscilloscopeifsoundwavesarecomingthrough;ifthey’renot,youdon’t.Youdiscoverfissuresthisway—ononesideofthefissurethere’snosignalandontheothersidethereis.

Theyputthesounderunderneaththepaw[oftheSphinx]andalwaysgotagood,clearsignal—there’snoundergroundcavityblockingit.Andtheyputitalongthepawbetweentheelbowandthatboxontheside,aroundtheoutsideoftheboxandintothecorner,andtherewasalwaysagoodsignal.

But,atmyprompting,theyputitonthebedrockfloorinsidethebox—anditwasdeadthreeplaceswheretheyputitdown,asthoughthereissomekindofopeningoremptyspaceunderneaththatwasblockingthesignal.ThatwastheverylastdayoftheSRIproject,andtheynevercheckedthatout.[169]

Since1982,weweresurprisedtolearn,almostnofurtherresearchhasbeenofficiallyauthorizedtoinvestigatethenumeroustantalizinghintsofdeeplyburiedstructuresandchambersinthevicinityoftheSphinx.ThesingleexceptionwasThomasDobecki’sseismicworkintheearly1990s.AsreportedinPartI,thisresultedinthediscoveryofwhatappearstobealarge,rectangularchamberbeneaththeforepawsoftheSphinx.Dobecki’sinvestigationswerepartofthewidergeologicalsurveyoftheSphinxledbyProfessorRobertSchochofBostonUniversity—asurvey,asthereaderwillrecall,thatwasbroughtabruptlytoahaltin1993byDr.ZahiHawassoftheEgyptianAntiquitiesOrganization.

Themappingsurveys

TheAmericanResearchCenterinEgypt(ARCE)hasseveraltimesreceivedECF-AREfinancingforitsprogrammeofinvestigationsatGiza.[170]In1979,forexample,aproposalwasmadetotheARCEforafull-scalemappingsurveyinvolvingtheGreatSphinxanditsenclosureinwhichusewouldbemadeofmodernphotogrammetrictechniquestorecordeverydetail,crack,fissure,contourandoutlineofthemonument.Whenthesurveywentahead,MarkLehnerwasappointedasitsFieldDirector.FundersweretheEdgarCayceFoundation,theChaseNationalBankofEgyptandtheFranzheinSynergygroup.[171]

MarkLehnercompletedthemappingsurveyin1983andby1984hisreputationwassealedasAmerica’sleadingexpertontheSphinx.HewasthenappointedDirectorofthenewlyestablishedandmuchmoreextensiveandambitiousGizaMappingProject,againundertheauspicesoftheARCE,andwithsomefunding—again—comingfromtheEdgarCayceFoundationandARE.ThemajorfinancialcontributorsweretheYaleEndowmentforEgyptology,GeneralDynamics,themultimillionaireDavidKoch,andaLosAngelesreal-estatetycoonnamedBruceLudwig.[172]MorerecentlytheGizaMappingProjecthasbeensupersededbytheGizaPlateauProjectwhichalsonumbersDavidKochandBruceLudwigamongstitsfundersandwhichisalsodirectedbyMarkLehner.[173]

Pullingaway

When,exactly,ProfessorLehnerbegantopullawayfromtheinfluenceoftheEdgarCayceFoundationandcrossoverintothemainstreamofprofessionalEgyptologyanditsorthodoxyisnotespeciallyclear.However,somelightmaybeshedonthematterbyaninterviewthathegaveinAugust1984toRobertSmith,editoroftheAREmagazineVentureInward.TheinterviewwaspublishedintwopartsintheJanuary-Februaryissuesof1985.AskedabouthisworkatGiza,Lehnerexplained:

Thehistoryofmyinvolvementbeganin1972whenIwentonanAREtour.WestoppedinEgyptforaweekandIwentouttotheGizaplateauwithagroup,andthenIwentouttotheGizaPyramidsagainbymyselfandsatforawhileintheKing’sChamberoftheGreatPyramid.I

wanderedaroundthecemeteriesthatareoutsidethePyramid,andsomethingpluggedintomeaboutthisplace.IvowedthatIwouldbebackinayear,andsoIwas.IwentbacktostudyattheAmericanUniversityinCairo.DuringthatyearbeforereturningtoCairo,IenthusiasticallyresearchedtheCaycereadingsonEgyptandputtogetherthebook,TheEgyptianHeritage.ThereadingsdescribenotonlyacivilizationinEgyptin10,500BC,butalso,precedingthat,thelostcivilizationofAtlantis,whichwasinitsfinaldays,accordingtotheCayceinformation,whentheSphinxandthePyramidswerebuilt...[174]

Lehnerthenexplainedhowhehadcometorealizethat‘there’sagreatdisparitybetweenthedatingofthemonumentsbyprofessionalscholarsandthatgivenintheCaycereadings’.HeaddedthatforhiminvestigatingtheSphinxwas‘justafocusofageneralmetaphysicalandspiritualquest’.Thishadledhimtowork,heelaborated,‘withthebedrockrealities[and]groundtruth’—realitiesthathadmadehimbracketallhisexpectationsandideasand‘justdealwithwhatthesitehastooffer’.[175]

InVentureInwardmagazineofMay-June1986,RobertSmithpublishedanilluminatingreportaboutameetingthattookplaceattheEdgarCayceFoundationattendedbyMarkLehner,CharlesThomasCayce(PresidentoftheARE),JamesC.Windsor(PresidentoftheEdgarCayceFoundation),EdgarEvansCayce,andotherAREofficials.OntheagendawastheevaluationoffutureECF/AREactivitiesatGiza.SetbacksandmountingscientificevidenceagainsttheCayceprophesieshadcausedsometoquestionwhetheritwasstillworthwhilefundingprojectsthere.Ironically,muchoftheadverseevidencewasbeingturnedupbyLehner’sresearch.[176]RobertSmithrecountsthediscussionthattookplace:

‘Whatdowedonext?’askedEdgarEvansCayce,theyoungersonofEdgarCayceandamemberoftheBoardofTrustees.

‘Shouldwedrillmoreholes?’askedCharlesThomasCayce,presidentoftheARE,andgrandsonofEdgarCayce.

NeitherhasgivenupthesearchforRa-Ta.Lehner,theyoungarchaeologistwhohasledthesearchatGizaforthepastdecade,wantstopressonwithittoo.

‘Youarenotasoptimisticnowabouttheprospectsofvindicatingsomeofthethingsthatweresaidaboutthisareainthereadings,’notedJamesC.Windsor,PresidentoftheEdgarCayceFoundation.‘DoyouhaveanyinterestintheHallofRecords?Isitworthlookingfor?’

‘Oh,absolutely,’repliedLehner.‘Ithinkitis,butnotinastangibleawayasIusedtothink.’[177]

LehnerwentontoexplainatlengthwhyvariousarchaeologicalandscientifictestshadfrustratedhishopesthattheCaycereadingsmightbelinkedtoasuitably‘tangible’reality.‘Whythencontinuethesearch?’wonderedRobertSmith.

‘IhaveasortofgutfeelingthatsomethingisundertheSphinxandthatsomethingisoutthereatthepyramidsinthewayofamystery,’saidLehner.‘Iliketothinkofitassomethingkindofpulsating.’[178]

DuringthemeetingattheEdgarCayceFoundation,CharlesThomasCaycereportedlyaskedLehnerwhetheritwouldbepossibletodrillholesatregularintervalsinordertolocateundergroundpassagesneartheSphinx,butLehnerfeltthattheEgyptianswould‘balk’atthisidea.Hesuggestedinpassing,however,thatacertainAmericanoilcompanyofficial,whoatthattimewasapparentlyworkingforanAmericanmuseummightbeinterestedinusinghis‘crackgeophysicalprospectingteam’forexplorationsbeneaththeSphinx.[179]

Sincemakingthesestatementsandproposals—because,hesays,ofwhatthesitehastaughthim—LehnerhasveeredfurtherandfurtherawayfromtheEdgarCayceinfluence.Todayherepudiatesanynotionofanearliercivilisationin10,500BC.Indeed,socompletedoeshis

conversionappeartohavebeenthatinarecentdenunicationofJohnWest’sgeologicaltheoriesconcerningtheSphinxhefeltcompelledtostate:‘Ibelievewehaveaprofessionalresponsibilitytorespondtonotions—likethoseofCayceandWest—thatwouldrobtheEgyptiansoftheirownheritagebyassigningtheoriginsandgeniusofNileValleycivilizationtosomelong-lostagentlikeAtlantis.’[180]

LehnerdoesnotattempttodenyhisownformerinvolvementwiththeEdgarCayceFoundation,orwithideasaboutAtlantis,butseeksinsteadtofindwaystoreconciletheoriginsofhisformerinterestsin‘mysticalinterpretationsofthePyramidsandtheSphinx’withhispresenthardcorecommitmentto‘bedrockrealities’.LehnercompareshissituationtothatofSirW.M.FlindersPetrie,whohadcometoEgyptinthe1880s‘totestthemystical“pyramidinch”againstthestoneofKhufu’spyramid’—andfoundthe‘pyramidinch’wanting.[181]Petrie,asweshallseeinthenextchapter,hadfollowedinthefootstepsofhisfather,William,andthenotoriousAstronomerRoyalofScotland,PiazziSmyth—bothofwhompassionatelybelievedthattheGreatPyramidhadbeenbuiltunderdivineinspirationbytheIsraelitesduringtheirbondageinEgypt.[182]

LunchwithMr.Cayce

InMay1994weflewtoNewYorkandmadeourwaybycartoVirginiaBeachinNorfolk,Virginia,wheretheheadquartersoftheEdgarCayceFoundation,anditspartnerorganizationtheAssociationforResearchandEnlightenment,arelocated.WewantedtoexploretheunexpectedconnectionsthatthisorganizationhadatonetimeenjoyedwithMarkLehner,andwerecurioustoknowhow—ifatall—theEgyptianAntiquitiesOrganizationandZahiHawass,Lehner’scolleagueatGiza,fittedintoallthis.

MutualfriendsarrangedameetingforuswiththecurrentPresidentoftheAREandtheEdgarCayceFoundation,Mr.CharlesThomasCayce,thegrandsonofEdgarCayce.WewerealsotomeettwoprominentAREmemberswho,wewereinformed,hadcontributedtovariousprojectsatGizainthe1970sand1980sandtothemorerecentgeologicalinvestigationscarriedoutbyJohnWestandRobertSchoch.

ThevenuewastheEdgarCayceFoundationandAREheadquartersonAtlanticAvenue.Thereweweregreetedbycheerfulandfriendlystaff.Itwasanormalbusydayandwesawvisitorsofallagesbrowsinginthewell-stockedlibraryandbookshopandmakingtheirwaytovariouslecturesandmeditationclasses.Thegeneralatmospherewasabitlikethatofthecampusofasmalluniversityorcollege.

WeweretakenforlunchbyMr.CayceatthenearbyRamadaOceanfrontHotel.TherewewerejoinedbythetwoseniorAREmemberswhohadcomefromNewYorkandWashingtontomeetus.ThediscussionatthetablerangedwidelyandincludedwhatseemedtobeacompletelyopenandhonestreviewoftheARE’svariousinitiativesatGizaovertheprevioustwodecades.EveryoneseemedtoknowMarkLehnerwell,andboththemanfromWashingtonandthemanfromNewYorkalsospokeofZahiHawassinextremelypersonalandfriendlyterms.

AtthispointwecouldnotavoidbringingupthematterofJohnWest’srecentsensationalNBCtelevisiondocumentary,MysteryoftheSphinxwhich,aswesawinPartI,LehnerhadtreatedwithdisfavourandwhichhadalsoprovokedthefollowingvigorousrebuttalfromZahiHawass:

ThefilmindicatesanattemptbythesepretenderstoprovethattheageoftheSphinxdatesbacktofifteenthousandyears...[andthat]thebuildersoftheSphinx,andconsequentlythePyramidsandothergreatantiquities,werenottheancientEgyptiansbutotherpeopleofhighercultureandeducationthatcamefromthe‘Atlantis’continentafteritsdestructionandputbeneaththeSphinxthescientificrecordsofthelostcontinent!ItisevidentthatthisJohnWestrepresentsnothingbutacontinuationoftheculturalinvasionofEgypt’scivilization.BeforehimwasEdgarCayceinVirginiawhopretendedhelivedinAtlantisfifteenthousandyearsagoandthenfledtoEgyptwiththerecordswhichheburiedneartheSphinxbeforethedestructionofthecontinent!...[183]

Presentedlatein1993bytheHollywoodactorCharltonHeston,MysteryoftheSphinxhadbeenpartiallyfinancedbytheECF/AREandtheirsupporters,andhadverystronglyendorsedtheviewthattheSphinx,andanumberoftheothermonumentsontheGizanecropolis,mustdatebacktoatleasttheeleventhmillenniumBC.[184]AswereportedinPartI,itwasthissamedocumentarythathadalsobrokenthenewsofThomasDobecki’sseismicsurveysaroundtheSphinxandhisdiscoveryofalargerectangularchamberburieddeepinthebedrockbeneathitsfrontpaws.This,ofcourse,hadsuggestedtotheECF/AREthattherecouldbeaconnectionwithCayce’s‘HallofRecords’.AsCharltonHestonremarkedinhiscommentary:‘theunexpectedcavitydetectedbytheseismographwaslocatedpreciselywhereEdgarCaycesaiditwouldbe—underthefrontpawsoftheSphinx.’[185]

WeaskedCharlesCayceandhistwocolleagueshowtheyfeltaboutHawass’sangryanddismissivereactiontothefilmandhistalkof‘pretenders’.

TheAREmensimplysmiledandshruggedtheirshoulders.Theywereveryconfident,theyinformedus,thateverythingwasworkingforthebest:nomatterwhatanybodysaidordid,thetruthaboutGizawasgoingtoemergeandthe‘HallofRecords’wasgoingtobediscovered,justasEdgarCaycehadprophesied.[186]Onthisnotewepartedcompany.

Correspondence

On15October1995,MarkLehnerwroteusafive-pageletterinresponsetoadraftofthischapterthatwehadaskedhimtoreview.[187]InthesameletterheinformedusthathehadrecentlyresignedfromChicagoUniversity’sOrientalInstituteto‘devotemoretimetoresearchandwriting’.Healsonotifiedusthatheintendedtopublishabookon‘NewAgebeliefsandAncientEgypt’which,hesaid,wouldexpound,ingreaterdetailthanwehavedonehere,onhisinvolvementwithworkfundedbytheEdgarCayceFoundation.[188]

OurcorrespondencewithLehnerwascareoftheHarvardSemiticMuseuminthestateofMassachusetts.AswewritethesewordshiscolleagueinEgypt,Dr.ZahiHawass,issupervisingtheexcavationofanewlydiscovered‘OldKingdom’templecomplexwithundergroundtunnelsimmediatelytothesouth-eastoftheGreatSphinxofGiza.[189]InterviewedinDecember1995forapossibletelevisiondocumentaryconcerningthemysteriesoftheSphinx,HawassledthefilmcrewintoatunnelbeneaththeSphinxitself.‘Really,’hesaid,‘evenIndianaJoneswillneverdreamtobehere.Canyoubelieveit?WearenowinsidetheSphinxinthistunnel.Thistunnelhasbeenneveropenedbefore.Noonereallyknowswhat’sinsidethistunnel.Butwearegoingtoopenitforthefirsttime.’

POSTSCRIPT:FurthercorrespondencewithMarkLehner,givinghiscommentsonthischapter,isreproducedinAppendix3.

Chapter6TheCaseoftheIronPlate,theFreemasons,

theRelicsandtheShafts

‘Iammorethanconvincedofthe...existenceofapassageandprobablyachamber(intheGreatPyramid)containingpossiblytherecordsoftheancientfounders...’

JohnDixon.LettertoPiazziSmythdated25November1871,commentingontheQueen’sChamberintheGreatPyramid

‘DeepinsidetheGreatPyramidliesadeadend[inthesouthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamber].RudolfGantenbrinkcouldexplorebeyondit,butnoonewilllethim.’

SundayTelegraph,London,1January1995

PerhapsthemostexoticresearcherevertohavepronouncedonthemysteriesofthePyramidswasCharlesPiazziSmyth,anineteenth-centuryAstronomerRoyalofScotland.LikeEdgarCayce,hebelievedtheGreatPyramidtobesomehowlinkedtoBiblicalpropheciesconcerningthe‘SecondComing’ofChrist.AndlikeEdgarCayce,too,hisnameturnsupmostunexpectedlyinconnectionwithrecentremarkablediscoveriesatGiza.[190]

Wewillseewhy,laterinthischapter.Meanwhile,asmanyreaderswillrecallfromtheinternationalnewscoverageitreceivedatthetime,highhopeswereraisedinMarch1993ofapossiblehiddenchamberdeepwithintheGreatPyramid.RudolfGantenbrink,aMunich-basedGermanengineer,hadusedatiny,hi-techrobotcameratoexplorethelongnarrowshaftsemanatingfromthenorthernandsouthernwallsoftheQueen’sChamberand,attheendofthesouthernshaft(theonetargetedonthestarSirius)haddiscoveredasmallportcullisdoorcompletewithcopperhandles.Immediatelyafterthefindwasmade,Dr.ZahiHawassenthusedtoaGermantelevisionteam‘inmyopinionthisisTHEdiscoveryinEgypt’andexpressedthehopethat‘records’onpapyrusscrollstodowiththe‘religion’ofthebuildersandmaybethe‘stars’,mightbestashedawaybehindthetantalizingdoor.[191]SimilarhopeswerealsoraisedinTheTimesofLondonwhich,inaddition,notedacuriouslinkwithEdgarCayceandthe‘HallofRecords’:

SECRETPASSAGEPOSESPYRAMIDMYSTERY:Inthe1940sEdgarCayce,theAmericanclairvoyant,prophesiedthediscovery,inthelastquarterofthe20thcenturyandsomewhereneartheSphinx,ofahiddenchambercontainingthehistoricalrecordsofAtlantis.WhetherrecentdiscoveriesintheGreatPyramidofCheops[Khufu]haveanythingtodowiththatisfarfromcertain,butthediscoveryofasmalldoorattheendofalong,hithertounexplored,8-inchsquareshafthassetmanyspeculatingaboutwhat,ifanything,mightliebehindit...’[192]

Aswewritethesewords,morethanthreeyearsafterRudolfGantenbrinkmadehisamazingdiscovery,nofurtherexplorationhasbeenpermittedinsidethesouthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamberandthemysteriousportcullisdoorremainsunopened.DuringthisperiodwenotethatDr.ZahiHawass(ratherlikehisfriendMarkLehnerovertheissueof10,500BC)hasexecutedaradicalvolte-face.Gonearetheeulogiesandthegreatexpectationsandhenowasserts:‘Ithinkthisisnotadoorandnothingisbehindit...’[193]

Doublestandard

ThestoryoftheGreatPyramid’sshafts,andtheoddlycontradictoryEgyptologicalresponsestowhateverisdiscoveredinthem—orwhatevernewideasareproposedconcerningthem—goes

backtothelate1830swhentheBritishexplorerColonelHowardVyse‘satdownbeforetheGreatPyramidasatafortresstobebesieged’.Thiscomment,fromoneofhiscontemporaries,alludestoVyse’srenowneduseofdynamiteto‘explore’theGreatPyramid.[194]Itmighthavebeenmoreappropriate,thoughlesspolite,tosaythatheconfrontedthelastsurvivingwonderoftheancientworldasthoughitwereawomantoberaped.Nevertheless,thefactremainsthatduringahecticseasonofexplorationsandintrusiveexcavations(1836-7),Vyseandhisteamdidmanagetomakewhatlookedliketwoextremelyimportantdiscoveries:

1. Asectionofflatironplate,aboutoneeighthofaninchthick,afootlongandfourincheswide,extractedfromthemasonryofthesouthernfaceofthePyramidattheexitpointofthesouthernshaftoftheKing’sChamber(theshafttargetedonOrion’sbelt).

2. ‘Quarrymarks’daubedinsidetheso-calledrelievingchambersabovetheKing’sChamber.Thesehieroglyphsarethefirstandonly‘inscriptions’everfoundinsidetheGreatPyramid.TheytaketheformoflooselyscrawledgraffitiandincludethenameofKhufu, theFourthDynastyPharaohwhomEgyptologistssupposetohavebeenthebuilderofthemonument.

Thesecondfind—theappearanceofKhufu’sname—hasbeenrepeatedlyhailedbyEgyptologistsduringthepast160yearsasproofpositivethattheotherwiseanonymousPyramidwasindeedbuiltbythePharaohKhufu.Thefirst—theironplate—hasbeendismissedasafraudandtheplateitselfnowliesinanarrowdrawerintheBritishMuseum,asignoredandforgottenastheskullofPiltdownMan.[195]

Suppose,however,thattheEgyptologistshavegotthingsthewrongwayround?

Supposethatitisthe‘quarrymarks’thatareforgedandtheironplatethatisgenuine?

Inthiscasethetidyandwell-worked-outchronologyoftheevolutionofEgyptiansociety,whichappearsinallthestandardtextbooks,wouldbeshowntorestonfrighteninglyinsecurefoundations,theattributionoftheGreatPyramidtoKhufuwouldreverttoundocumentedspeculation,andtheorthodoxdateoftheIronAgeinEgypt—placedbyEgyptologistsasbeingnotearlierthan650BC[196]—wouldhavetobepushedbackalmost2000years.

Wehavearguedelsewhere,andatlength,thatthequarrymarksinsidetheGreatPyramidcouldhavebeenforged—andspecificallythatHowardVyse,whohadspent£10,000onhis1836-7excavations(aprincelysuminthosedays)hadboththemotiveandtheopportunitytoforgethem.[197]Briefly:

1.Itisnotablethatthemarkswereonlydiscoveredinthefour‘relievingchambers’openedbyVysehimself,andnotinthechamberimmediatelybelowthese(andimmediatelyabovetheceilingof theKing’sChamber)whichhadbeenopenedbyaprevious explorer,NathanielDavison, in 1765. It is also notable thatVyse’s diary entry for the day onwhich he firstopened and accessed the lowest of ‘his’ four chambers (i.e. the one above Davison’sChamber) reports a thorough examination but makes no mention whatsoever of anyhieroglyphsprominentlydaubedonthewalls inredpaint.Ontheverynextday,however,whenVysereturnedtothechamberwithwitnesses,thehieroglyphsweresuddenlythere—almostasthoughtheyhadbeenpaintedovernight.[198]

2. AsoneofVyse’scriticshasperceptivelypointedout,‘theperspectiveandanglesatwhichtheinscriptionsweremadeshowsthattheywerepaintednotbythequarrymasonsbeforetheblocks were moved, but rather by someone working in the cramped quarters of the[relieving] chambers after the blocks had been placed in the Pyramid. Instructions forlocatingblocksinaconstructionproject[whichiswhatthequarrymarkspurporttobe]servenopurposeafterthefacthasbeenaccomplished.Clearlytheywereaddedbysomeoneelseandnotbythebuildersthemselves.’[199]

3. Therearehorrendous‘orthographic’problemswiththehieroglyphs.TheseproblemswerefirstpointedoutinthenineteenthcenturybySamuelBirch,aBritishMuseumexpertonthe

ancientEgyptianlanguage.Althoughnobodyeitherthenornowhaspaidanyattentiontohiscomments, hemade the important observation that the styles of writing expressed in the‘quarrymarks’area strangeanomalistichotchpotchofdifferenteras.Someof thecursiveformsandtitlesusedinthesesupposedlyFourthDynastyinscriptionsarefoundnowhereelseinEgyptuntil theMiddleKingdom,about1000years later (when theybecomeplentiful).OthersareunknownuntiltheTwenty-sixthDynasty(664-525BC).Perhapsmosttellingofall,however,istheuseofcertainwordsandphrasesinacompletelyuniqueandzanywaythatoccursnowhereelseintheentiresprawlingcorpusofwritingsthathascomedowntousfrom ancient Egyptian times. To give an example, the hieroglyph for ‘good, gracious’appearswherethenumber18ismeant.[200]

4.TherearedifficultieswiththenameKhufuitselfasitisgiveninthequarrymarks.Itcontainsamistake (a dot surrounded by a circle instead of a simple filled-in circle) that—like theusage of the ‘good, gracious’ hieroglyph—is repeated on no other ancient Egyptianinscription.Interestingly,however,thissamemistakeinthewritingoutofthenameKhufuoccursintheonlytwosourcebooksonhieroglyphsthatwouldhavebeenavailabletoVysein1837:LeondeLaborde’sVoyagede l’ArabiePetreeandSir JohnGardnerWilkinson’sMateriaHieroglyphica.[201]

5. Lastbutnotleast,evenifthequarrymarkswerenotforgedbyVyse,whatdotheyreallyprove?Isn’tattributingtheGreatPyramidtoKhufuonthebasisofafewlinesofgraffitiabit likehandingover thekeysof theEmpireState building to amannamed ‘Kilroy’ justbecausehisnamewasfoundspray-paintedonthewallsofthelift?

Wearefranklypuzzledthatsuchquestionsareneveraskedand,ingeneral,thatEgyptologistsaresoreadytoacceptthequarrymarksas‘proofofKhufu’sownershipofthePyramid.Theirowncredulityonsuchmattersisofcoursetheirbusiness.Neverthelesswethinkthatitvergesonintellectualchicaneryforthesamedubiousattributiontoberegurgitatedagainandagain,inallthestandardtexts,withoutanycautionarynotesaboutthemanyproblems,anachronismsandinconsistenciesthatcastdoubtontheauthenticityandsignificanceofVyse’s‘discovery’.[202]

Strangely,however,hisother‘discovery’,whichEgyptologiststodayunhesitatinglywriteoffasaforgery,giveseveryindicationofbeinggenuine—andhighlysignificant.ThiswasthediscoveryofaflatironplateembeddedinthemasonryofthePyramid’ssouthernface.

Theironplateaffair

Aswehaveseen,thetwomainchambersinthesuperstructureoftheGreatPyramid—theKing’sChamberandtheQueen’sChamber—areeachequippedwithtwolong,narrowshaftswhichboredeepintothesolidmasonry,onedirectednorthwardandtheothertothesouth.ThoseemanatingfromtheKing’sChambercutrightthroughtotheoutside.ThoseemanatingfromtheQueen’sChamberstopsomewherewithinthecoreofthemonument.

TheexistenceoftheKing’sChambershaftswasfirstrecordedbyDr.JohnGreaves,aBritishastronomer,in1636.Itwasnotuntil1837,however,thattheywereinvestigatedthoroughly—byColonelHowardVysewiththeassistanceoftwocivilengineers,JohnPerringandJamesMash.AnothermemberofVyse’steamwasMr.J.R.Hill,anobscureEnglishmanlivinginCairo,whoinMayof1837wasputinchargeofclearingthemouthofthesouthernshaft(whichemergesatthe102ndcourseofmasonryonthesouthfaceofthePyramid).InaccordwithVyse’smethodselsewhere,HillwasinstructedtouseexplosivesandwasthusresponsiblefortheuglyverticalscarwhichmaybeseentothisdayrunningupthecentreofthesouthsideoftheGreatPyramid.

OnFriday,26May1837,afteracoupleofdaysofblastingandclearing,Hilldiscoveredtheflatironplatementionedabove.Vysewassoonafterwardstotrumpetitinhismonumentalopus,OperationsCarriedonatthePyramidsofGizehas‘theoldestpieceofwroughtironknown’,[203]butHillatthetimewascontenttowriteupthediscoveryintheproper,sobermanner:

Thisistocertifythatthepieceofironfoundbymenearthemouthoftheair-passage[shaft],inthesouthernsideoftheGreatPyramidatGizeh,onFriday,May20th,wastakenoutbymefromaninnerjoint,afterhavingremovedbyblastingthetwooutertiersofthestonesofthepresentsurfaceofthePyramid;andthatnojointoropeningofanysortwasconnectedwiththeabovementionedjoint,bywhichtheironcouldhavebeenplacedinitaftertheoriginalbuildingofthePyramid.IalsoshewedtheexactspottoMr.Perring,onSaturday,June24th.[204]

JohnPerring,acivilengineer,thusexaminedtheexactspotofthefind.WithhimwasJamesMash,alsoacivilengineer,andbothwere‘oftheopinionthattheironmusthavebeenleftinthejointduringthebuildingofthePyramid,andthatitcouldnothavebeeninsertedafterwards’.[205]UltimatelyVysesentthemysteriousartefact,togetherwiththecertificationsofHill,PerringandMash,totheBritishMuseum.There,fromtheoutset,thegeneralfeelingwasthatitcouldnotbeagenuinepiece,becausewroughtironwasunknowninthePyramidAge,andthatitmustthereforehavebeen‘introduced’inmuchmorerecenttimes.

In1881theplatewasre-examinedbySirW.M.FlindersPetriewhofounditdifficult,foravarietyofcogentreasons,toagreewiththisanalysis:

Thoughsomedoubthasbeenthrownonthepiece,merelyfromitsrarity,[henoted]yetthevouchersforitareveryprecise;andithasacastofanummulite[fossilizedmarineprotozoa]ontherustofit,provingittohavebeenburiedforagesbesideablockofnummuliticlimestone,andthereforetobecertainlyancient.Noreasonabledoubtcanthereforeexistaboutitsbeingareallygenuinepiece...[206]

DespitethisforcefulopinionfromoneoftheoddballgiantsofEgyptologyinthelateVictorianAge,theprofessionasawholehasbeenunabletocopewiththeideaofapieceofwroughtironbeingcontemporarywiththeGreatPyramid.SuchanotiongoescompletelyagainstthegrainofeverypreconceptionthatEgyptologistsinternalizethroughouttheircareersconcerningthewaysinwhichcivilizationsevolveanddevelop.

Scientificanalysis

Becauseofthesepreoccupations,nofurtherinvestigationsofanysignificancewereundertakenintotheironplateforanother108yearsanditwasnotuntil1989thatafragmentfromitwasatlastsubjectedtorigorousopticalandchemicaltests.ThescientistsresponsiblefortheworkwereDr.M.P.Jones,SeniorTutorintheMineralResourcesEngineeringDepartmentatImperialCollege,London,andhiscolleagueDr.SayedElGayer,alecturerintheFacultyofPetroleumandMiningatEgypt’sSuezUniversity,whogainedhisPh.D.inextractionmetallurgyattheUniversityofAstoninBirmingham.[207]

Theybegantheirstudybycheckingonthenickelcontentoftheironplate.Theirreasonfordoingthiswastoexcludethefaintpossibilitythatitmighthavebeenmanufacturedfrommeteoriticiron(i.e.ironfromfallenmeteorites—amaterialthatisknown,veryrarely,tohavebeenusedduringthePyramidAge).Ready-mademeteoriticironofthissort,however,isalwaysextremelyeasytoidentifybecauseitinvariablycontainsasignificantproportionofnickel—typicallysevenpercentormore.[208]OnthebasisoftheirfirsttestJonesandElGayernoted:‘TheironplatefromGizaisclearlynotofmeteoriticorigin,sinceitcontainsonlyatraceofnickel.’Themetal,therefore,wasman-made.Buthowhaditbeenmade?

Furthertestsprovedthatithadbeensmeltedatatemperaturebetween1000and1100degreescentigrade.Thesetestsalsopickeduptheoddfactthattherewere‘tracesofgoldononefaceoftheironplate’.[209]Perhaps,JonesandElGayerspeculated,itmightoriginallyhavebeen‘gold-plated,andthisgoldmaybeanindicationthatthisartefact...washeldingreatesteemwhenitwasproduced’.[210]

Finally,whenwasitproduced?

Aftercompletinganextremelycarefulanddetailedstudy,thetwometallurgistsreportedasfollows:‘Itisconcluded,onthebasisofthepresentinvestigation,thattheironplateisveryancient.Furthermore,themetallurgicalevidencesupportsthearchaeologicalevidencewhichsuggeststhattheplatewasincorporatedwithinthePyramidatthetimethatstructurewasbeingbuilt.’[211]

WhenJonesandElGayersubmittedtheirfindingstotheBritishMuseum,theywereinforquiteasurprise.Insteadofbeingexcited,officialsfobbedthemoff:‘Thestructureoftheironplateisunusual,’concededPaulCraddockandJanetLang.‘Wearenotsureofthesignificanceororiginofthisstructurebutitisnotnecessarilyindicativeofgreatage.’[212]

TheBritishMuseum’sview

BecausetheironplateappearedtohavebeenremovedoriginallyfromwithinornearthemouthoftheKing’sChamber’s‘Orion’shaftitwasofgreatinteresttous.Wedecidedtotakealookatit.ThroughDr.A.J.Spencer,AssistantCuratoroftheEgyptianAntiquitiesDepartmentattheBritishMuseum,wearrangedaviewingon7November1993.Wewerepermittedtohandletheplateandwereintriguedbyitsunusualweightandtexture.Wecouldalsohardlyfailtonoticethatunderitssurfacepatinatheinternalmetalpossessedabrilliantshine—whichwasrevealedatthepointwherethefragmenthadbeencleanlyslicedoffforElGayer’sandJones’sanalysis.Dr.SpencerrepeatedtheBritishMuseum’sofficialline—thattheplatewasnotoldbuthadbeenintroduced,probablydeliberately,inVyse’stime—andthatElGayerandJones’sconclusionswere‘highlydubious’.[213]

Howandwhycouldtheconclusionsofsucheminentmetallurgistsbedeemed‘highlydubious’,weasked?

Dr.SpencerhadnoanswerandDr.Craddock,whomwespoketoonthephone,didnotwishtoelaborate.

AfewdayslaterwecalledDr.M.P.JonesandheardfromhimhowheandDr.ElGayerhadexaminedtheplateinthelaboratoriesatImperialCollegeLondonin1989.Dr.JonesisnowretiredandlivesinWales.WhenweaskedhimwhathethoughtoftheBritishMuseum’sviewofhisconclusionshewas,understandably,ratherirritated.Heinsistedthattheironplatewas‘veryold’and,likeus,hefelt—sincethereweretwoopposingviews—thatthebestwaytoresolvethismatterwouldbefurthertestinginanindependentlaboratory.

Afterall,theimplicationsofman-madeironin2500BCaretremendous.Andthisisn’tjustamatterofredatingtheso-calledIronAge.Perhapsinawaymoreintriguingarethequestionsraisedastothefunctionthatanironplatemighthavehad,insidethesouthernshaftofthemainchamberintheGreatPyramid,manythousandsofyearsago.Couldtherebearelationshipbetweenthisplateandthestoneportcullisdoorwithcopper‘handles’thatRudolfGantenbrinkhadsorecentlydiscoveredattheendofthesouthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamber—ashaftdirectedto‘Sirius-Isis’,theconsortof‘Orion-Osiris’?

Intheir1989report,ElGayerandJonesnotedthattheplatewasprobablyafragmentcomingfromalargerpiecewhichmightoriginallyhavecomposedasquareplatethatwouldhavefitted,likeasortof‘gate’,neatlyoverthemouthoftheshaft.

Stargate

Inlaterchapterswewillmakedetailedreferencetotheso-called‘PyramidTexts’ofancientEgypt.ThesetextstaketheformofextensivefuneraryandrebirthinscriptionscarvedonthetombwallsofcertainFifth—andSixth-DynastypyramidsatSaqqara,abouttenmilessouthofGiza.EgyptologistsagreethatmuchifnotallofthecontentoftheinscriptionspredatesthePyramidAge.[214]Itisthusunsettlingtodiscoverintheseancientscriptures,supposedlythe

workofneolithicfarmerswhohadhardlyevenbeguntomastercopper,thatthereareabundantreferencestoiron.

ThenamegiventoitisB’ja—‘thedivinemetal’—andwealwaysencounteritindistinctivecontextsrelatedinonewayoranothertoastronomy,tothestarsandtothegods.[215]ForexampleB’jaisfrequentlymentionedinthetextsinconnectionwiththe‘foursonsofHorus’—presumablyrelatedinsomewaytostrangebeingscalledtheShemsuHor,the‘FollowersofHorus’and‘TransfiguredOnes’,whomweshallalsobediscussinginlaterchapters.Atanyrate,theseverymysterious‘sonsofHorus’seemtohavebeenmadeofironortohavehadironfingers:‘Yourchildren’schildrentogetherhaveraisedyouup,namely[thefoursonsofHorus]...yourmouthissplitopenwiththeirironfingers...’[216]

IronisalsomentionedinthetextsasbeingnecessaryfortheconstructionofabizarreinstrumentcalledaMeshtyw.Verymuchresemblingacarpenter’sadzeorcuttingtool,thiswasaceremonialdevicewhichwasusedto‘strikeopenthemouth’ofthedeceasedPharaoh’smummifiedandembalmedcorpse—anindispensableritualifthePharaoh’ssoulweretobere-awakenedtoeternallifeamidstthecyclesofthestars.

InthePyramidTextswethusfindahighpriestmakingthiscrypticstatement:

YourmouthisingoodorderforIsplitopenyourmouthforyou...Oking,IopenyourmouthforyouwiththeadzeofironofUpuaut,Isplitopenyourmouthforyouwiththeadzeofironwhichsplitopenthemouthsofthegods...Horushassplitopenthemouthofthiskingwiththatwherewithhesplitopenthemouthofhisfather,withthatwherewithhesplitopenthemouthofOsiris...[217]

Fromsuchutterances,andmanymorelikethem,itisclearthatironwassomehowseenbythecomposersofthePyramidTextsasbeingimperativeintheritualsaimedatensuringnewlife—cosmicandstellarlife—tothedeadking.MoreimportantlytheaboveversealsoconnectsthemetalanditsusestotheancientprototypeofallsuchritualsbymeansofwhichOsirishimself,Egypt’s‘OnceandFutureKing’,diedandwasthenrestoredtoimmortallifeasLordofthesky-regionofOrion.Thisregion,asweshallseeinPartIII,wasknownastheDuat.InitallthePharaohsofEgypthopedthattheywouldresideeternallyaftertheirowndeaths:

Thegateoftheearthisopenforyou...mayastairwaytotheDuatbesetupforyoutotheplacewhereOrionis...[218]

Oking...theskyconceivesyouwithOrion...theskyhasborneyouwithOrion...[219]

Oking,beasoullikealivingstar...[220]

Thegateoftheearth-godisopen...mayyouremoveyourselftotheskyandsituponyourironthrone...[221]

Theapertureoftheskywindowisopenedforyou...[222]

Thedoorsofironwhichareinthestarryskyarethrownopenforme,andIgothroughthem...[223]

Whatseemstobeenvisagedhere,takenliterallyandreducedtothebasiccommondenominatorsrunningthroughalltheaboveutterances,appearstobenothinglessthananiron‘stargate’intendedtoadmitOsiris,andallthedynastiesofdeadkingsafterhim,intothecelestialrealmsofthebeltofOrion.ButifthePyramidTextsaredescribingastargatethentheyarealsodescribingatimegate—fortheyexpressnodoubtthatbypassingthroughtheiron-dooredportalsoftheskythesoulofthedeceasedwillattainalifeofmillionsofyears,navigatingeternityinthevesselsofthegods.Naturally,therefore,byvirtueofitsoriginalpositionatorneartheendofthesouthernshaftoftheKing’sChamber,wearetemptedtowonderwhethertheneglectedironplateintheBritishMuseummighthavebeenconnectedwithsuchamazinglysophisticatedconceptsand

beliefsaboutimmortalityandabouttheabilityof‘theequippedspirit’togainacompletemasteryoverdeathandtime.

Wewonder,too,whatmighthavebeenthefunctionofothermysteriousobjectsthatwerediscoveredintheshaftsoftheQueen’sChamberwhenthesewerefirstopenedin1872byWaynmanDixon,anenterprisingengineerfromNewcastle-upon-Tyne.

Unknowndarkdistance

UnliketheKing’sChambershafts,thoseintheQueen’sChamber(a)donotexitontheoutsideofthemonumentand(b)werenotoriginallycutthroughthechamber’slimestonewalls.Insteadthebuildersleftthelastfiveinchesintactinthelastblockoverthemouthofeachoftheshafts—thusrenderingtheminvisibleandinaccessibletoanycasualintruder.

ThereaderwillrecallthementionofCharlesPiazziSmythandhisprophetictheoriesabouttheGreatPyramidatthestartofthischapter.Intheearly1860s,whenhewasformulatingthesetheories,hebefriendedacertainWilliamPetrie,anengineer,whoseson,W.M.FlindersPetrie,waslatertobeuniversallyacclaimedasthefounderoftheacademicdisciplineofEgyptology.[224]

WilliamPetriewasamongstthefirst‘Pyramidologists’oftheVictorianAgetogivestrongsupporttoPiazziSmyth’snotionthattheGreatPyramidmightbesomesortofpropheticmonumenttoMankindencodingaMessianicblueprintdesignedtoserveasanadvance-warningmechanismforthe‘SecondComing’ofChrist.[225]‘Therehadbeenatime’,wroteProfessorHermannBruckandDr.MaryBruckintheirauthoritativebiographyoftheAstronomerRoyal,‘whenFlindersPetrieandhisfatherhadwholeheartedlyconcurredwithmostofPiazziSmyth’sideas.’[226]Indeedasthesetwoeminentastronomersandauthorspointout,theyoungFlindersPetriesetouttoEgyptin1880onhisfamousstudyoftheGreatPyramidpreciselybecausehewantedto‘continuePiazziSmyth’swork’.[227]

ReturningnowtotheshaftsintheQueen’sChamber,wewereinterestedtolearnthattheirdiscoverer,theengineerWaynmanDixon—togetherwithhisbrotherJohn—hadalsomaintainedveryclosetieswithPiazziSmyth.Indeed,ithadbeenthroughtheAstronomerRoyal’sdirectinfluencethattheDixonswereabletoexploretheGreatPyramidin1872anddiscoverthepreviouslyconcealedentrancestothenorthernandsouthernstar-shaftsintheQueen’sChamber.[228]

WaynmanDixon’scuriosityhadbeenarousedbytheshaftsintheKing’sChamberwhichprovokedhimtolookforsimilarfeaturesintheQueen’sChamber.Thissearch,whichtookplacesometimeearlyin1872,wasundertakenwiththefullknowledgeofPiazziSmyth,wholaterdescribedthewholematterinhisbook.ThestorygoesthatafternoticingacrackinthesouthernwalloftheQueen’sChamber—roughlywherehethoughtthathemightfindshafts—WaynmanDixonsethis‘carpenterandman-of-all-work’,acertainBillGrundy‘tojumpaholewithahammerandsteelchiselatthatplace.Sotoworkthefaithfulfellowwent,andwithawillwhichsoonbegantomakeawayintothesoftstoneatthispointwhenlo!afteracomparativelyveryfewstrokes,flopwentthechiselrightthroughintosomethingorother.’[229]

The‘somethingorother’BillGrundy’schiselhadreachedturnedouttobe‘arectangular,horizontal,tubularchannel,about9inchesby8inchesintransversebreadthandheight,goingback7feetintothewall,andthenrisingatanangleintoanunknowndarkdistance...’[230]

Thiswasthesouthernshaft.

Next,measuringoffasimilarpositiononthenorthwall,WaynmanDixon‘settheinvaluableBillGrundytoworktherewithhishammerandsteelchisel;andagain,afteraverylittlelabour,flopwentthesaidchiselthroughintosomewhere;whichsomewherewaspresentlyfoundtobeahorizontalpipeorchanneloftransverseproportionsliketheother,and,atadistancewithinthe

masonryof7feet,risingatasimilarangle,butintheoppositedirection,andtrendingindefinitelyfar...’[231]

TogetherwithhisbrotherJohn,WaynmanDixonmadeeffortstoprobeboththenorthernandsouthernshafts—usingajointedrod,somethinglikeachimney-sweep’srod,forthispurpose.[232]Late-nineteenth-centurytechnologywasnotuptothejobandasegmentoftherodbecamewedgedinthenorthernshaft,whereitstillremains.[233]Beforethishappened,however,theDixonsfoundthreesmallrelicsintheshafts.

33.DetailofQueen’sChambershaft.

Theseobjects—aroughstonesphere,asmalltwo-prongedhookmadeoutofsomeformofmetal,andafinepieceofcedarwoodsome12centimetreslongwithstrangenotchescutintoit[234]—wereexportedfromEgyptinthesummerof1872andarrivedsafelyinEnglandafewweekslater.[235]Duringthenextyearorsotheywerecommenteduponinbooks,andevenillustratedinscientificandpopularmagazinessuchasNatureandtheLondonGraphic.[236]Beforetheturnofthecentury,however,theyhaddisappeared.[237]

Links

Acuriousseriesoflinksexistsinvolvingallofthefollowing:

·thediscoveryoftheQueen’sChambershaftswiththeirconstituentrelics;

· the formation of the Egyptian Exploration Society (the EES, British Egyptology’s mostprestigiousorganization);

·thefoundation,atUniversityCollege,London,ofEgyptology’smostprestigiousChair;

·BritishFreemasonry.

In1872,whilsttheDixonbrotherswereexploringtheGreatPyramid,awell-knownFreemasonandparliamentarian,SirJamesAlexander,proposedamotiontobringtoBritaintheincorrectlynamed‘Cleopatra’sNeedle’—a200-tonobeliskofPharaohThutmosisIIIwhichhadoriginallybeenerectedsome3500yearsagointhesacredcityofHeliopolis.[238]FundingfortheprojectcamefromthepersonalfortuneofanotherFreemason,theeminentBritishdermatologist,SirErasmusWilson,[239]andSirJamesAlexanderrecommendedthatthecivilengineerJohnDixon

—alsoaFreemason—shouldbeengagedtocollecttheobeliskfromEgypt.OnthisbasisSirErasmusWilsonpromptlyrecruitedJohnDixon—andalsohisbrother,Waynman,whowasthenlivinginEgypt.[240]

AfewyearslaterthesameErasmusWilsonwasresponsibleforthecreationoftheEgyptianExplorationSociety(theEES)andservedasitsfirstpresident.[241]Thenin1883,WilsonandtheVictorianauthorAmeliaEdwardsco-foundedtheimportantChairinEgyptologyatUniversityCollegeLondon—anditwasthroughWilson’spersonalrecommendationthattheyoungFlindersPetriebecamethefirstscholartooccupyit.[242]

Perhapsallsuchconnectionsarenothingmorethanquaintcoincidences.Ifso,thenitisprobablyalsoacoincidencethatintheseventeenthcenturythefounderoftheAshmoleanMuseuminOxford,oneofthemostprestigiousoftoday’sEgyptologicalresearchcentres(whichholdsthecoveted‘PetrieChair’),wasnoneotherthanEliasAshmole—thefirstmanever,accordingtoMasonichistorians,tobeopenlyinitiatedonBritishsoilintothehithertosecretsocietyofFreemasonry.[243]

WehavenoevidencethattheBrotherhoodisstillasignificantinfluenceinEgyptologytoday.Ourresearchesintothepedigreeofthisinsulardiscipline,however,did,inaratherobliqueway,leadtotherediscoveryoftwoofthethreemissing‘Dixon’relics.

TheBritishMuseumandthemissingcigarbox

ThesethreeitemsaretheonlyrelicsevertohavebeenfoundinsidetheGreatPyramid.Moreovertheplaceinwhichtheywerefound,i.e.thestar-shaftsoftheQueen’sChamber,linksthemdirectlytooneofthekeyaspectsofourownresearch.Inthesummerof1993,therefore,121yearsaftertheyhadbeendiscovered,weresolvedtotrytofindoutwhathadhappenedtothem.

Goingbackthroughpressreports,andtheprivatediariesofthefiguresinvolved,wefoundoutthatJohnandWaynmanDixonhadbroughttherelicstoEnglandinacigarbox.Wealsolearned,asnotedearlier,thattheDixonshadbeeninvolvedinbringingtoEnglandCleopatra’sNeedle.TheobeliskwaserectedontheThamesEmbankment,whereitstandstothisday.JohnDixonwasattheinaugurationceremonyandwasonrecordashavingburied‘alargecigarbox,contentsunknown’beneaththepedestalofthemonument.[244]

Thelogiclookedpersuasive.JohnDixonbroughttherelicstoEnglandinacigarbox.JohnDixonbroughtCleopatra’sNeedletoEngland.AndJohnDixonburiedacigarboxbeneathCleopatra’sNeedle.Aroundthattimetherelicsdisappeared.ThestrongMasoniclinkinthisaffaircalledtomindawell-knownpracticeinoperativeandspeculativeFreemasonrywhichinvolvescertainritualswhenplacingthecorner-stonesofMasonicmonumentsandedifices.ThispracticesuggestedthepossibilitythattherelicsfromtheGreatPyramidcouldhavebeenhiddenunderCleopatra’sNeedlealongwiththeotherMasonicparaphernaliaandmemorabiliaknowntohavebeeninstalledthere.[245]

Atanyrate,therelicsdidgenuinelyseemtohavedisappearedandtheexpertswhomweconsultedattheBritishMuseumsaidtheyhadnoideawheretheycouldhavegoneto.WealsoconsultedProfessorI.E.S.Edwards,theMuseum’sformerKeeperofEgyptianAntiquities(1954-74)andaformervice-presidentoftheEES.EdwardsisBritain’sforemostauthorityonGizaandtheauthorofadefinitivetext,ThePyramidsofEgypt,firstpublishedin1946andreprintedvirtuallyeveryyearsincethen.InalleditionsofthisbookwefoundthathehadmentionedWaynmanDixonandreportedhowtheshaftsintheQueen’sChamberwerediscovered,buthadmadeabsolutelynoreferencetotherelics.This,hetoldus,wasbecausehehadnorecollectionofthemandtherefore,ofcourse,noideaconcerningwhattheirultimatefatemighthavebeen.

Likeourselves,however,ProfessorEdwardsknewofthelinkbetweenFlindersPetrie,Piazzi

SmythandtheDixons,andknewthatPetrie’sexplorationoftheGreatPyramidhadimmediatelyfollowedthatoftheDixons.

Oddlyenough,Petrie,too,makesnomentionoftherelicsinhisownfamousbookPyramidsandTemplesofGizeh—thoughhedoesspeakoftheDixonsandtheshafts.Butcouldhehavereferredtothemelsewhereinhisvoluminouspublications?EdwardssuggestedthatweaskPetrie’sbiographer,theEgyptologistMrs.MargaretHackford-Jones,toresearchthematterinPetrie’sdiariesandprivatepapers.IfhehadmadeanymentionoftheDixonrelicsthenshewoulddefinitelybeabletofindit.ButathoroughsearchbyMrs.Hackford-Jonesbroughtnoresults.[246]

Intheabsenceofviablealternatives,therefore,wewonderedwhetheritmightnotbeworthlookingtoseewhetherthethreecuriousobjectsmightnotstillbeinDixon’scigarboxunderneathCleopatra’sNeedle.

ThestorywaspickedupbytheIndependent,aBritishnationalnewspaper,on6December1993.Interviewedinthereport,ProfessorEdwardsstatedcategoricallythatneitherhenoranyoneelseheknewhadheardoftheserelicsbefore.[247]Wewerethereforetakenbysurpriseon13December1993—onlyaweekafterthearticlecontainingEdwards’squotewaspublished—whenDr.VivianDavies,theKeeperofEgyptianAntiquitiesattheBritishMuseum,casuallyannouncedinalettertotheIndependentthattherelics,stillinthecigarbox,wereinhisDepartment’skeep.[248]

SowhyhadhisDepartmentnotadmittedtohavingthembefore?

‘Ithinktherehasbeenalotofmisunderstandingaboutthiswholebusiness,’soothedaMuseumPRspokesmanafewdayslater.‘Wedidn’tsaywedidnothavethem,wesaidwewerenotawareofhavingthem.’[249]

Afterdoingsomemorediggingwediscoveredwhathadhappened.Therelics(orrathertwoofthembecausetheonlycarbon-datableitem,thepieceofwood,wasmissing)hadnotbeenplacedunderCleopatra’sNeedleaswehadatfirstconjectured.InsteadtheyhadremainedinthehandsoftheDixonfamilyforexactlyahundredyears.Then,in1972,Dixon’sgreat-granddaughterhadtakenthemalongtotheBritishMuseumandhadgenerouslydonatedthemtotheEgyptianAntiquitiesDepartment.TheirreceiptwasrecordedinthemeticuloushandoftheKeeperhimself—Dr.I.E.S.Edwards.[250]ThereaftertherelicsseemedsimplytohavebeenforgottenandonlyresurfacedinDecember1993becauseanEgyptologistnamedDr.PeterShorehappenedtoreadtheIndependent’sstoryaboutoursearchforthem.NowretiredinLiverpool,ShorehadbeenEdwards’sassistantin1972.HerememberedthearrivaloftherelicsattheBritishMuseumandnowpromptlynotifiedtherelevantauthoritiesthattheyhadapotentiallyembarrassingincidentontheirhands.

WenaturallywonderedhowitwaspossiblethatmysteriousrelicsrecoveredfromunexploredshaftsinsidetheGreatPyramidofEgyptcouldhavebeentreatedwithsuchindifferencebyprofessionalEgyptologists.Tobecompletelyhonestwefounditverydifficulttoacceptthattheyreallycouldjusthavebeenforgottenfortwenty-oneyearsbytheBritishMuseum’sEgyptianAntiquitiesDepartment.Whatwecouldnotunderstandatall,however,washowtheycouldhavestayedforgottenduringmostof1993afterarobothadexploredtheverysameshaftsandfoundamuchpublicizedclosed‘door’deepwithinoneofthem.IndeedmorethantwoweeksbeforethearticleintheIndependentcameout,RudolfGantenbrink,thediscovererofthe‘door’,hadvisitedLondonandgivenafulllectureattheBritishMuseumtoalargegroupofEgyptologists—includingProfessorEdwards,Dr.VivianDaviesandmanyotherswhoknewofoursearchforthe‘Dixon’relics.Duringthelecture,Gantenbrinkshowedandexplaineddetailedvideofootage,takenbyhisrobot,oftheinterioroftheQueen’sChambershafts—i.e.theshaftsinwhichtherelicshadbeenfound.Aswellasthe‘door’attheendofthesouthernshaft,thefootagealsoclearlyshowed,stilllyingonthefloorofthenorthernshaft,butathigherlevelsthantheDixons

hadbeenabletoreach,atleasttwodistinctobjects—ametallichook,andanapparentbatonofwood.[251]

InthenextchapterweshalltakealookatGantenbrink’sexploration,andattheeventsthatleduptoandfollowedit.

Chapter7TheCaseoftheRobot,

theGermansandtheDoor

‘Upuaut,awolfdeity...HewaschieflyreveredforhisroleasOpeneroftheWaystotheUnderworld,showingthedeadsoulsthepaththroughthatdarkrealm...’

VeronicaIons,EgyptianMythology,1982

Theintroductionofarobot-cameraintothenarrowmouthofthesouthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamberinMarch1993,andthesubsequentspectaculardiscoveryofaclosedportcullis‘door’200feetalongthatshaft,arenoteventsthatoccurredinavacuum.Onthecontrary,althoughmainstreamEgyptologistsprofesslittleinterestintheQueen’sChamber(whichtheygenerallyregardasan‘unfinished’,‘abandoned’andunimportantfeatureoftheGreatPyramid),quitealotofactivityhadtakenplacearounditduringthepreviousdecade.

In1986,forexample,twoFrencharchitects,GillesDormionandJean-PatriceGoidin,somehowmanagedtoobtainascientificlicencetoconductaspectacularexplorationinsidetheGreatPyramid.DormionandGoidinhadpersuadedcertainseniorofficialsattheEgyptianAntiquitiesOrganizationthata‘hiddenchamber’couldliebehindthewestwallofthehorizontalcorridorleadingtotheQueen’sChamber.Inararemove,theEAOgavepermissionforthedrillingofaseriesofsmallholestotestthetheory.Apparentlysomeevidencewasfoundofalarge‘cavity’whichwasfilledwithunusuallyfinesand—nothingmore—butthiswasenoughtosendtheworldmediaintoafrenzyandtoturnDormionandGoidinintohotmediapropertiesforawhile.Egyptologistsfumedonthequiet.TheprojectwaseventuallystoppedandDormionandGoidinwerenevertoresumetheirworkintheGreatPyramid.[252]

Thesamethinghappenedagainin1988whenaJapanesescientificteamfromWasedaUniversitytookupthechallenge.TheywereledbyProfessorSakujiYoshimura.ThistimetheJapaneseused‘non-destructivetechniques’basedonahigh-techsystemofelectromagneticwavesandradarequipment.They,too,detectedtheexistenceofa‘cavity’offtheQueen’sChamberpassageway,somethreemetresunderthefloorand,asitturnedout,veryclosetowheretheFrenchhaddrilled.Theyalsodetectedalargecavitybehindthenorth-westwalloftheQueen’sChamberitself,anda‘tunnel’outsideandtothesouthofthePyramidwhichappearedtorununderneaththemonument.Beforeanyfurtherexplorationordrillingcouldbedone,theEgyptianauthoritiesintervenedandhaltedtheproject.YoshimuraandhisteamwerenevertoreturntocompletetheirworkintheQueen’sChamber.[253]

Itseemsodd,despiteallthebuzzconcerninghiddenchambersinthevicinityoftheQueen’sChamber,thatnobodyshouldhavetakenacloserlookintotheQueen’sChamber’smysteriousandhithertounexploredshafts.Disappearingastheydo,onenorthwardsandtheothersouthwards,intothebowelsofthemonument,onewouldhavethoughtthatsomebodywouldhavehadthegumptiontoinvestigatethem(usingvideo-camerareconnaissanceinsteadofalltheseunsatisfactoryandinconclusivedrillingsandradarscanningprobes).Indeed,aswehavearguedelsewhere,thereismuchabouttheirconstructionanddesignthatcouldalmosthavebeendeliberatelycontrivedtostimulateandinvitesuchinvestigations.[254]Throughoutthe1980s,however,theconsensusofseniorEgyptologistswasthattheshafts,liketheQueen’sChamberitself,were‘abandoned’featuresoftheGreatPyramid.Nodoubtitwasthepowerofthisconsensus,andthebuilt-inreluctancetochallengeit,thatdiscouragedindividualEgyptologistsfrominterestingthemselvesintheshafts.Afterall,whatwouldbethepointofexploringobscurepartsofthePyramidthateveryoneknewhadbeen‘abandoned’duringconstruction.

Asanon-Egyptologist,theGermanroboticsengineerRudolfGantenbrinkdidnotsufferfromsuchinhibitions.Earlyin1991hesubmittedaproposalforthevideoscopicexaminationoftheshaftstotheGermanArchaeologicalInstituteinCairo.

Planninganadventure

Gantenbrink’sstory,ashereportedittousinmanyhoursofdocumentedconversations,goesbacktoAugust1990whentheEgyptianAntiquitiesOrganizationcommissionedtheGermanArchaeologicalInstituteinCairotoinstallaventilationsysteminsidetheGreatPyramid.Thisprojectwouldmainlyinvolvethe‘cleaning’ofthetwoshaftsoftheKing’sChamberwhich(unlikethoseintheQueen’sChamber)emergeontheoutsidefacesofthepyramidandthuscouldbeofsomeconceivableuseforventilation.Aftercleaning,powerfulelectricfanswouldbeinstalledintheirmouthstoboostthenaturalair-flowthroughthem.

AfewmonthsafteracceptingtheEAO’scommissionfortheventilationprojectRainerStadelmann,theDirectoroftheGermanArchaeologicalInstitute,receivedRudolfGantenbrink’sproposalfortheexplorationoftheQueen’sChambershaftsusingahigh-techminiaturerobot.Thisproposal,acopyofwhichGantenbrinkhaskindlysuppliedtous,isentitledVideoscopischeUntersuchungdersog.LuftkanalederCheopspyramide(VideoscopicInvestigationoftheso-calledAirShaftsinthePyramidofCheops).[255]

TheproposaloutlinesGantenbrink’splanstobuildaspecialrobotequippedwithtwopowerfullampsanda‘CCDFarbvideokamera’withaspecialfixed-focuslensgivingafullgo-degreesangleofvision.Thespecificationsoftherobotwouldincludeapowerfulelectricmotorinorderforittobeabletotacklethesteepslopesoftheshafts.Thevideocameraandthemotorwouldbecontrolledfromaconsoleandmonitorunitstationedinsidethechamberandlinkedtotherobotbyelectriccables.Caterpillartrackswouldbefixedaboveandbelowtherobot’schassisandadjustedwithtwosetsofpowerfulhydrolic-suspensionunitsinordertoensureagoodgripontheceilingandflooroftheshafts.

ThereisnothingintheVideoscopischestudyaboutventilation.WhatitdescribesisunambiguouslyanexplorationintotheunchartedregionsoftheGreatPyramid,anadventureintheQueen’sChambershafts—a‘robot’sjourneyintothepast’.[256]Neverthelessthenextmovewaslogicalenough:StadelmannpassedovertheEAO’s‘ventilation’schemetoRudolfGantenbrink.

NordidGantenbrinkobject.Hehadintended,inanycase,toexaminetheKing’sChambershaftsatsomepointduringhisprojectandsawnodifficultyinfittingtheseshaftswiththeelectricfanscalledforbytheventilationscheme.IndeedtheideaofgettinginvolvedinventilatingthePyramidaswellasexploringitratherappealedtohimsinceitaddeda‘conservationandrestoration’elementtohiswork.

Diversionanddelay

Asplanned,however,GantenbrinkbeganwiththeexplorationoftheQueen’sChambershafts.AssignedbytheGermanArchaeologicalInstitutetoassistGantenbrink,andtoserveastheInstitute’sofficialrepresentativeonsite,wasUliKapp(who,coincidentally,hadalsoassistedMarkLehnerontheARCESphinxProjectin1979-80).[257]ThestartdatewasFebruary1992andthedecisionwasmadetotacklethesouthernshaftfirst[258]—theveryshaftinwhich,inMarch1993,the‘door’wouldbediscovered.

TheinitialexplorationoftheshaftwasnotassimpleasGantenbrinkhadsupposed.HehadtoadapttotheratheroppressiveconditionswithintheQueen’sChamberandfoundthatmanoeuvringthesturdylittlerobotinsidetheconfinedspaceofthenarrowandsteeplyslopingshaftwasdifficultandextremelyslowwork.Bymid-May1992,however,hehadmadeconsiderableprogress,penetratingtoadepthof70feet.Furthermore,ashepeeredcuriouslyinto

hismonitorscreen,hecouldseetheshaftdisappearingintothedeep,darkdistancebeyond.Wherediditleadto?Wasitreally‘abandoned’asthemajorityofEgyptologistsmaintained,[259]ordiditservesomeyetunknownandgreaterfunction?HithertoEgyptologistshadtheorizedthatthisshaftwouldnotbemorethan30feetlongbutnowGantenbrinkhadprovedthemwrong.Whatcouldpossiblylieahead?

Thedesiretocontinuewasirresistible.Butatthisnail-bitingstagehewascalledtoattendtothesecondaryingredientofhisproject—the‘ventilation’oftheGreatPyramidusingtheshaftsoftheKing’sChamber.

SincetheseextendfromtheChamber’snorthernandsouthernwallsrightthroughtotheoutsideofthePyramid,GantenbrinkwasabletoinvestigatethemwithamuchsimplerdevicethanthatrequiredfortheQueen’sChambershafts.ThisdevicehenamedUpuautI.Resemblingacrude,miniaturesledge,andmountedwithavideocamera,itcouldbehauledupanddowntheshaftsbymeansofcableswithpulleysatbothends.

UpuautIcouldonlylookattheKing’sChambershafts—whereitfoundlittleofinterest.Thecleaningjobwasdoneinaquaintermanner.GantenbrinkmadeuseofanoldaxlefromthewreckofanabandonedtruckinthenearbyvillageofNazlet-el-Sammam,whichheattachedtoacableandyankedupanddowntheshaftstopushoutthedebrisandsandthathadpiledupinsidethem.ThisdonehearrangedforsponsorstosupplyandinstallelectricfansandtheninformedtheGermanArchaeologicalInstitutethathewouldnowprepareforthecontinuationofhisexplorationofthemuchmorepromisingandmysterious‘blind-ended’shaftsoftheQueen’sChamber.

UpuantII

GantenbrinkenthusiasticallyproposedtoStadelmannthathewoulddevelopanevenmorepowerfulrobot,tobenamedUpuautII,inordertolaunchthefinalassaultonthecrampedandinaccessibleshafts.Thisnewmachinewouldbespeciallydesignedtoovercomethedifficultiesencounteredbyitspredecessor(theprototyperobot,usedinearly1992,nowdiscardedandjocularlynamed‘thefatherofUpuaut’)inthefirstattempttoexploretheseshafts.UpuautII,Gantenbrinkhaddecided,wouldbesmaller,smarter,andmuchstronger.Heoptedtodesignitfromscratchandtothisendbroughttogetherateamofengineeringandelectronicexperts,mostlyvolunteers,inaspeciallaboratoryinMunich.Whattheyweretocomeupwithduringthecourseofthenextyearwasamarvelofthespaceage.Thebodyoftherobotwasmadeofaparticularlylightbutrobustaluminumusedinaircraftcomponents.Asophisticatedlaserwasincludedwhichcouldprobeanysmallandinaccessibleregionswithintheshaft.Hundredsofelectroniccomponentswereusedtoformtheelectronic‘brain’andguidancesystemoftherobot.Speciallydesignedmotorsandgearswerefittedtothefrontandrearofthemainbody,andsteelstrutswereaddedforextrastability.Evenhydraulichigh-pressurepistonswereincluded,capableofgeneratingathrustof200kilogramstoensurethattherobotcouldbraceitselftightlywithintheshaft.Anewcameraunitwasalsodesignedthatcouldswivelnotonlyhorizontallybutalsoverticallytocatcheveryconceivableangleofview.Twopowerfulhigh-intensitybulbs,fittedoneachsideofthecamera,wouldilluminatethewayahead.Finallyaspecialeight-wheeldrivesystem—fourgrippingthefloorandfourgrippingtheroofoftheshaft—wouldensurethattherobotcouldreachitsfinaldestination.

Problemswithpermits

Duringthelatterpartof1992andtheearlypartof1993,whileUpuautIIwasbeingdesignedandbuiltinMunich,RudolfGantenbrinkarrangedforatelevisioncrewtocomewithhimtoEgypttofilmhisforthcomingexplorationoftheQueen’sChambershafts.Whenheandthecrew(includingthefilm-makerJochenBreitensteinandanassistant,DirkBrakebusch)arrivedinCairoon6March1993,however,theexplorationandfilmingweredelayedbysomethingthatatfirst

appearedtobeonlyaminoradministrativeproblem:theGermanArchaeologicalInstitutehadnotyetobtainedthenecessaryfilmingpermitsfromtheEgyptianAntiquitiesOrganization.Whennopermitswereforthcoming,GantenbrinkreportsthatfirstDr.StadelmannandthenhehimselfapproachedZahiHawass,theEAO’sDirector-GeneraloftheGizaPyramids,whogranted‘verbalpermission’forthefilmingtogoahead.[260]

Accordingly,theexplorationbegan.

Discovery

Mid-March1993wasacrucialperiodforRudolfGantenbrinkinhisworkinsidetheGreatPyramid—allthemorecrucialbecause:(a)thewholeoperationhadcosthimagreatdealofmoney(including$250,000inresearch-and-developmentcostsfortherobotalone);(b)itwasbeingfilmedatpersonalexpenseforacommercialdocumentaryand(c)adeadlineforthecompletionofthefilmhadbeensetforthelastweekofMarch.

Itwasataroundthistime,saysGantenbrink,thatStadelmannrecalledUliKappandwithdrewtheofficialsupportthattheGermanArchaeologicalInstitutehadpreviouslyaccordedtotheexplorationoftheshafts.

Perhapsothermenwouldhavestoppedandgonemeeklyhomeatthispoint.Gantenbrinkisfarfrommeek.Feelingthathewasonthevergeofabreakthrough,hedecidedthathewasgoingtoforgeon—withorwithoutStadelmann’ssupport.

ThecrucialfigurewasnowZahiHawass,whosepersonalauthorityonthesiteprovidedthewhole‘official’sanctionandbackingforGantenbrink’swork.However,Hawass’sundocumented‘verbalpermission’actuallycountedforagreatdealontheGizaplateau.IndeeditwasasgoodasasignedandsealedmandatetothelowlyghafirsguardingtheentrancetotheGreatPyramidandwastakenatfacevaluenotonlybyGantenbrinkandhisteambutalsobyayounginspectorfromtheEAO,MuhammadShahy,whohadbeenassignedtoworkwiththeGermans.[261]

SoGantenbrinkreasonedthathewouldstillbeabletogoinandoutandworkundisturbedintheQueen’sChamber.Thishesuccessfullydid,makingrapidprogresswiththerobotintheexplorationofboththenorthernandthesouthernshafts.

Earlyonthemorningof21March1993,justbeforestartingtheday’sworkasusual,hepaidavisittoZahiHawassathisofficeontheGizaplateau.There,tohisconsternation,helearnedthattheDirectoroftheGizaPyramidshadbeensuspendedfromhispostonaccountofanunrelatedscandalconcerningamissingFourth-Dynastystatue.[262](HawasswasnottobereinstatedasDirectoroftheGizaPyramidsuntilApril1994.)

Thisunexpectedturnofeventscouldnothavecomeatamorevitalmoment—forby21March1993UpuautIIwasdeepinsidethesouthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamberandwas,inGantenbrink’sopinion,veryclosetowhateverlayattheend.Theexploration,however,wastogoon.DestinyhadfixedanamazingrendezvousforGantenbrinkonthenextday,22March,coincidentallythespringequinox.

WithhimintheQueen’sChamberonthatfatefuldaywereJochenBreitenstein,DirkBrakebuschandMuhammadShahy.[263]By10a.m.GantenbrinkhadmanagedtomanoeuvreUpuautIIadistanceof170feetuptheshaft.Atabout180feetasharpsettlementintheflooroftheshaftcreatedadangerousobstaclethatthreatenedtohaltprogressbutthatwaseventuallysurmounted.Then,barelyanhourlater,at11:05a.m.,aftercrawlingatotaldistanceof200feetintotheshaft,thefloorandwallsbecamesmoothandpolishedandtherobotsuddenly—andonemightalmostsay‘inthenickoftime’—reachedtheendofitsjourney.

Asthefirstimagesofthe‘door’withitspeculiarmetalfittingsappearedonthesmalltelevision

monitorintheQueen’sChamber,RudolfGantenbrinkimmediatelyrealisedthemassiveimplicationsofhisfind.Thiswasarchaeologicalhistoryinthemaking[264]—anexcitingandsignificantnewdiscoveryinsidetheworld’smostfamousandmostmysteriousancientmonument.Anditwasinterestingtonotethatunderthelowerwesterncornerofthe‘door’therewasalittlegapbeneathwhichtheredlaserspotprojectedbyUpuautwasseentodisappear.Theurgetolookunderthe‘door’andseewhatevermightliebeyonditmusthavebeenalmostunbearable.Thegap,however,wasfartoosmallforUpuaut’scameratobeabletopeerinto.Afibre-opticlenswouldneedtobeaddedifthatwastobedone,butriggingitwouldtakedays,perhapsevenweeks,toorganize.

Aftertheinitialexcitementhaddieddown,Gantenbrink’sfirstinstinctwastomakedoublycertainthattheuniquevideoimagesthathehadbeenlookingatonthescreenhadbeenproperlyrecorded.Oncehewassatisfiedthattherecordingswereexcellent,heandhisteampackedthetapes,togetherwiththerestoftheirgear,andreturnedtotheirbaseattheMovenpickHotel.

Forseveraldaysafter22Marchnothinghappened,withnoofficialannouncementofanykindbeingmadetothepressbytheGermanArchaeologicalInstitute.Thereason,itseems,wasthatDr.Stadelmanncouldnotmakeuphismindastowhatform,exactly,suchanannouncementshouldtake.Duringthishiatus,GantenbrinkandthefilmcrewdecidedtoreturntoMunich.Theynaturallytookalongalltheirequipment,includingthetwenty-eightvideotapesshotduringtheexploration.Afewdayslater,atthebeginningofApril1993,Gantenbrinksentusacopyofthetapeshowingthediscoveryofthe‘door’.

WepassedthistapeontotheBritishmedia.

Muchado,thennothing

ThefirstmajorstoryappearedonthefrontpageoftheLondonIndependenton16April1993:

ArchaeologistshavediscoveredtheentrancetoapreviouslyunknownchamberwithinthelargestofEgypt’sPyramids.SomeevidencesuggestsitmightcontaintheroyaltreasuresofthePharaohCheops[Khufu],forwhomtheGreatPyramidwasbuilt4500yearsago.Thecontentsofthechamberarealmostcertainlyintact.Theentranceisattheendofaslopingpassage65metreslongbutonlyeightinches(20cm.)wideandeightincheshigh...AccordingtotheBelgianEgyptologistRobertBauval,thepassagepointsdirectlyattheDogstarSirius,heldbytheancientEgyptianstobetheincarnationofthegoddessIsis.OthersmallpassagesinthePyramidappeartopointtootherheavenlybodies—theBeltofOrionandthestarAlphaDraconis,whichatthetimewasintheareanowoccupiedbythePoleStar...

ThereactiontotheIndependent’sfront-pagesplashwaselectrifying.DozensofreportersfromallovertheworldwantedtointerviewGantenbrinkwithinhoursandthatsameeveningBritain’sChannel4TVNewscoveredthestoryindepth.Dr.I.E.S.Edwardsmadearareappearanceinthisreportandcreatedsomethingofasensationbytellingmillionsofexcitedviewersthat‘astatueofthekinggazingtowardstheconstellationofOrion’mightbefoundbehindthemysterious‘door’.‘Butit’sawildguess—wehavenoprecedents,’hewasquicktoadd.

Butwildguessornot,andstillwithnoclearstatementemanatingfromCairo,theinternationalmediahadafieldday:

‘PYRAMIDMAYHOLDPHARAOH’SSECRETS’ranthefrontpageofTheAgeinMelbourne;‘SECRETCHAMBERMAYSOLVEPYRAMIDRIDDLE’shoutedTheTimesinLondon;‘NOUVEAUMYSTEREDANSLAPYRAMIDE’LeMondeannouncedexcitedlyinParis;‘PYRAMIDMYSTERY’reportedtheLosAngelesTimes;‘VIVELATECHNIQUE:PORTEPOURKHEOPS!’criedLeMatininSwitzerland.[265]

ItwasalmostasthoughthecultofthePyramidhadsuddenlycometolifeagain.Atanyratethestorycontinuedtorunformanymoreweeksindozensofregionalnewspapersandseveral

internationalmagazines.[266]Everyone,itseemed,wantedtoknowwhatwasbehindthelittle‘door’,andwhythePyramid’sshaftsweredirectedtowardsthestars...

ThefirstofficialripostecamefromtheGermanArchaeologicalInstitute,throughReutersinGermany,on16April1993.Mrs.ChristineEgorov,Stadelmann’ssecretary—herepresentedastheInstitutsprecherin—firmlypronouncedthattheveryideaofapossiblechamberattheendoftheshaftwasnonsense.TheQueen’sChamber’s‘air-channels’,sheexplained,didnotheadinthedirectionofanythingatallandthepurposeofGantenbrink’srobothadbeensolely‘tomeasurethehumidityofthePyramid’.[267]

Soonafterwards,asecondreportwentoutontheReuterswire,thistimequotingDr.Stadelmann:‘Idon’tknowhowthisstoryhappenedbutIcantellyouthisisveryannoying,’hefumed.‘Thereissurelynootherchamber...thereisnoroombehindthestone.’[268]

Politicalgames

IntheyearsthatfollowedGantenbrinkmaderepeatedeffortstogethisexplorationoftheQueen’sChambershaftsrestarted,arguingthattherewasnoneedtospeculateastowhetherornotthe‘door’wasreallyadoor,orwhethertheremightormightnotbeachamberconcealedbehindit:

Itakeanabsolutelyneutralposition.Itisascientificprocess,andthereisnoneedwhatsoevertoanswerquestionswithspeculationwhenquestionscouldbeansweredmuchmoreeasilybycontinuingtheresearch...Wehaveadevice(ultrasonic)thatwoulddiscoverifthereisacavitybehindtheslab.It’snonsensicaltomaketheorieswhenwehavethetoolstodiscoverthefacts.’[269]

OneofthemainproblemsthatGantenbrinkfacedwasthathedidnotbelongtotheEgyptologicalprofessionbutwasregardedbytheleadingacademicsatGizaasahiredtechnician—whichmeant,bydefinition,thathisviewswereassumedtohavenomerit.Heexplainedhow,afterdiscoveringtheslab-doorinMarch1993,hehadbeenallbutignoredandthefindhandledwithindifference:‘IwasscheduledtomeettheMinisterofCultureaboutthediscovery,butitneverhappened.Apressconferencewasscheduled.Itneverhappened.’[270]

Inlate1994,GantenbrinkannouncedinParisthathewaswillingtosupplytherobottotheEgyptiansandeventrainanEgyptiantechnicianathisownexpensesothattheexplorationcouldresume,butafewweekslaterhewaspolitelyrebuffedbytheEAO’sChairman,Dr.NurElDin:‘ThankyouforyouroffertotraintheEgyptiantechnician[NurElDinhadwritten]...unfortunatelyweareverybusyforthetimebeing,thereforewewillpostponethematter.’[271]

‘Thesearchfortruth’,GantenbrinkcommentedinJanuary1995,‘istooimportanttoberuinedbyasillypoliticalgame.Myonlyhopeisthattheywillsoonreachthesameconclusions.’[272]

BreakfastwithGantenbrink

On19February1995wearrivedinEgyptandthenextmorninghadbreakfastwithRudolfGantenbrinkattheMovenpickHotelinGiza.

HehadbeeninEgyptformostofthepreviousweek,stilltryingtoobtainpermissiontoresumehisexplorationoftheQueen’sChambershafts,andwasreturningtoMunichlaterthatmorning.Duringhisvisit,hetoldus,hehadfinallymanagedtohaveaface-to-facemeetingwithDr.NurElDin.

‘Whatwastheresponse?’weasked.

Gantenbrinkshruggedhisshoulders:‘Encouraging.’Buthelookedlessthanencouraged.

WethenaskedifhehadbeenbackinsidetheQueen’sChamberonthisvisit.

‘No,’hereplied,‘Iprefernottogothere.’

Hecouldnotbearthethought,hetoldus,ofreturningtothesiteofhisgreatdiscoverywithouthisrobot,purposelessly,likeatourist.‘IwillgobackintheQueen’sChamberwithUpuautandcompletetheexplorationoftheshafts,’hesaidproudly,‘orIwon’tgobackthereatall.’

Selectgroups

Thatsamemonth—February1995—oneofthemostprosperousandactivemembersoftheAssociationforResearchandEnlightenmentspoketousbytelephonefromtheUnitedStatesaboutplansthatwereinhandforfurtheringthequestfortheHallofRecordsattheGizanecropolis:

Thenextthreeyearsaregoingtobesuperyears...Wesortofhave‘96setupforourlittleexpeditiontotheSphinx—withundergroundradar.1996waswhenZahisaidwe’dbeabletogo.We’lldomoreground-scanningandmostofallwe’regoingtogettoloveandunderstandthepeoplearoundus,andthevariousgroups,andworkwiththem...andIfigurethatby’98we’llhitsomething.[273]

WelearntinthesameconversationthatthesameindividualhadbeenkeepingaclosewatchoneventssurroundingthehiddendoorintheGreatPyramidduringthetwoyearssinceRudolfGantenbrink’sprojecthadgroundtoahalt.HeclaimedtohavebeeninformedthattheEgyptianauthoritieswouldsoonmakeanattempttoreachthedoorwiththeirownrobotinordertoinsertafibre-opticcamerabeneathitandtoseewhateverliesbeyond.Ourinformantalsosaidthathehadbeeninvitedby‘Zahi’tobeamongsttheselectgroupofwitnessespresentinsidethePyramidwhenthismomenteventuallycomes:‘Hepromisedmeaone-month’sadvancenoticebeforetheydoanything...Something’sdefinitelygoingtohappen.He’snotsurewhen.Hehaddelays—Ithinkwiththerobot—butthey’llgetitdone...’[274]

Butwhatexactlywillgetdone?Bywhom?Withwhatmotive?Howcertainisitthatthepublicwillbeproperlyinformedaboutanyfurtherdiscoveriesthatmightbemade?AndhowreliableandcomprehensivearetheorthodoxEgyptologicalinterpretationsofsuchdiscoverieslikelytobe?

Onethingatanyrateseemscertain:RudolfGantenbrink,whoseinventivenessanddaringledtotheoriginaldiscoveryofthedoorattheendoftheQueen’sChamber’smysterioussouthernshaft,isunlikelytobepresent.InSeptember1995itwasreportedtousthattheEgyptianAntiquitiesOrganizationhadissuednotificationtotheGermanauthoritiesadvisingthattheydidnotwishtopursuetheexplorationintheGreatPyramid.[275]

Burial

AfterreviewingthescholarlygoingsonconcerningthepossiblegeologicalantiquityoftheSphinxandthe‘anomalies’locatedinthebedrockbeneathit,thecaseoftheironplateinthesouthernshaftoftheKing’sChamber,andthecaseoftherelicsfoundintheshaftsoftheQueen’sChamber,wearefranklynotsurprisedbythecaseofGantenbrink’s‘door’.Here,too,orthodoxacademicshaveparticipatedintheburialofresearchthatpromisesnewinsightsintotheGizamonumentsand—morethanthreeyearsafterthediscovery—the‘door’stillremainedunopened.

Wehavenoopinionastowhetherornotitmightleadtoa‘HallofRecords’—‘records’onpapyrusscrollstodowiththe‘religion’ofthebuildersasZahiHawassspeculatedin1993duringhisyearofabsencefromhispostasDirectoroftheGizaPyramids.[276]Ourownresearchhasconvincedus,however,thattheshaftinwhichRudolfGantenbrinkmadehisremarkablediscoveryislinkedtoanarchaicsystemofbeliefsandritualsthatenvisagedthemonumentsoftheGizanecropolisasan‘imageofheaven’.

InPartsIIIandIVwewillattempttodecodethisimageandlearnitsmeaning.

PartIIIDuality

Chapter8TheCluesofDuality

‘Newton...wasthelastofthemagicians...WhydoIcallhimamagician?Becausehelookedatthewholeuniverseandallthatisinitasariddle,asasecretthatcouldbereadbyapplyingpurethoughttocertainevidence,certainmysticclueswhichGodhadlaidabouttheworldtoallowasortofphilosopher’streasurehunttotheesotericbrotherhood.Hebelievedthatthesecluesweretobefoundpartlyintheheavens...partlyincertainpapersandtraditionshandeddownbythebretheren...Bypurethought,byconcentrationofmind,theriddle,hebelieved,wouldberevealedtotheinitiate...’

JohnMaynardKeynes,TheRoyalSociety,NewtonTercentenaryCelebrations,1947

WesawinPartsIandIIhowtheastronomicalcharacterofthearchitectureoftheSphinxandoftheGizaPyramidshasfailedtointerestEgyptologistsandhasnotbeentakenintoaccountintheiranalysisofthefunctionandsignificanceofthemonuments.This,inourview,hasresultedinanumberofseriousmisinterpretationsoftheavailableevidence—perhapsthemostflagrantexamplesofwhich,atthelevelofphysicalexplorationandresearch,havebeenthechronicneglectofthefourastronomicallyalignedshaftsoftheGreatPyramidandthelongandshockingperiodofinactivityoverthematterofthe‘door’inthesouthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamber.

WehintedattheendofPartIthatthelogicofalltheseshafts,andoftheground-planandsymbolismofthePyramidsandtheSphinx,appearstobeconnectedtocertainverypowerfulreligiousandcosmologicalideassetoutinancientEgyptianfuneraryandrebirthtextsandintheso-called‘Hermetic’writings.Theseexpressthephilosophy‘asabove,sobelow’andadvocatethedrawingdowntoearthofcosmicpowersasanessentialstepinMankind’squestforknowledgeofthedivineandimmortalityofthesoul:‘AndI,saidHermes,willmakeMankindintelligent,Iwillconferwisdomonthem,andmakeknowntothemthetruth.Iwillneverceasetobenefittherebythelifeofmortalmen;andthenwillIbenefiteachoneofthem,whentheforceofnatureworkinginhimisinaccordwiththemovementofthestarsabove.’[277]

InthefollowingchapterswewillofferevidencetosuggestthattheextraordinarymonumentsoftheGizanecropolisarepartofagrandandlong-forgottenschemetoinitiatecertainselectindividuals,themostrecentofwhomwerethePharaohsofEgypt,intoanesotericcosmicwisdomlinkingearthtoheavenbymeansofwhichtheysincerelyexpectedtotranscendthelimitsofdeath:

Alltheworldwhichliesbelowhasbeensetinorderandfilledwithcontentsbythethingswhichareplacedabove;forthethingsbelowhavenotthepowertosetinordertheworldabove.Theweakermysteriesmustyieldtothestronger;andthesystemofthingsonhighisstrongerthanthethingsbelow.[278]

ThyprotectoristheStar-God...thysoulpassethon...thybodyisequippedwithpower...Thedoorsofthehiddenlandareopenedbeforethee...Osiris,conquerorofmillionsofyears,comethuntothee...[279]

Cosmicenvironment

TheworldviewoftheancientEgyptians,whichtheyappeartohaveinheritedintactandfullyformedattheverybeginningoftheirhistoricalcivilizationsome5000yearsago,wasprofoundlydualisticandcosmological.ThefoundationofPharaonictheocracy,theunificationofthe‘TwoLands’ofUpperandLowerEgyptintoonekingdom,thenotionsthattheyhadoftheirownpast

andancestry,theirlawsandcalendricalmeasures,thearchitectureoftheirtemplesandpyramidcomplexes,andeventhelandofEgyptitselfandtheNile—allthesewerecosmologicalconceptstothem.Indeed,theysawtheircosmicenvironment(thesky,theMilkyWay,thesunandthestars,themoonandtheplanets,andalltheircycles)asbeingboundtogetherinperfectdualitywiththeirearthlyenvironment(theirlandandtheNile,theirlivingkingandhisancestors,andthecyclesoftheseasonsandepochs).

WesuspectthatthehistoryofancientEgypt,totheextentthatitwaswrittendownatallinpapyriandtabletsandinscriptions,wasfrequentlyexpressedinakindof‘cosmiccode’ritualisticallyandsymbolicallylinked—likethePyramidsthemselves—totheever-changingpatternsofthesky.Fromthisitfollowsthatwemustlooktothesky,justastheEgyptiansdid,ifwewishtounderstandtheideasthattheyweretryingtocommunicateintheir(onthefaceofthings)extremelystrangeandproblematicreligiouswritings.Thesewritingsincludemysteriousandarchaictextsaimedatguidingtheafterlifejourneyofthedeceased,suchastheBookoftheDead(whichtheancientEgyptiansknewasPer-Ém-Hru,theBookof‘ComingForthByDay’),theBookofTwoWays,theBookofGates,theBookofWhatisintheDuatandtheCoffinTexts.Oldestandmostenigmaticofallthesefuneraryandrebirthdocumentshowever,aretheso-calledPyramidTextswhichbegantobecopiedandcompiledfromoldersourcesinthesecondhalfofthethirdmillenniumBC.TheseremarkablerecordshavecomedowntousintheformoflavishhieroglyphicinscriptionsonthetombwallsofanumberofFifth—andSixth-DynastypyramidsatSaqqara,sometenmilestothesouthoftheGizanecropolis,andofferusahithertoneglectedkeybymeansofwhichthesecretsofthegreatPyramidsandtheSphinxcanbeunlocked.

Astronomicalessence

Alltheabove-nameddocuments,andmanymore,havebeentranslatedintomodernlanguagesduringthepasthundredyears,andallhavebeenstudiedbyscholars—themajorityofwhomwouldnotdisputethattheyincorporateacomplexnetworkofastronomicalreferences,symbols,allegoriesandallusions.[280]Onlyahandfulofresearchers,however,haveconsideredthepossibilitythattheseastronomicalcharacteristicscouldconstitutetheessenceofthetexts.InthisgroupthelateGiorgiodeSantillanaandHerthavonDechend,whosestudy,Hamlet’sMill,weencounteredinChapter4,havecommentedonthemannerinwhichthesoulofthedeceasedPharaohwasthoughtofashavingtravelledthroughtheskies:

...well-equipped...withhisPyramidTextorCoffinText,whichrepresentedhisindispensabletimetableandcontainedtheordainedaddressesofeverycelestialindividualhewasexpectedtomeet.ThePharaohrelieduponhisparticulartextasthelessdistinguisheddeadrelieduponhiscopyofchaptersfromtheBookoftheDead,andhewaspreparedtochangeshapeintothe...semblanceofwhatevercelestial‘station’mustbepassed,andtorecitethefittingformulaetoovercomehostilebeings...[281]

SantillanaandvonDechendalsocomment,somewhatwitheringly,onthehopelessinadequacyofmanyofthetranslationsthatscholarsworkwithtoday—translationswhichtreattheastronomicalaspectsofthetextsasthoughtheyareofnoparticularrelevance:

SotheelaborateinstructionsintheBookoftheDead,referringtothesoul’scelestialvoyage,translateinto‘mystical’talk,andmustbetreatedasholymumbojumbo.Butthen,moderntranslatorsbelievesofirmlyintheirowninvention,accordingtowhichtheunderworldhastobelookedforintheinteriorofourglobe—insteadofinthesky—thateven370specificastronomicaltermswouldnotcausethemtostumble.[282]

Theproblemidentifiedhereis,wewilldemonstrate,alargeandmulti-facetedonewhichhasledscholarlyanalysisofthetextsintoablindalleythroughacompleteandconspicuousneglectof:(a)themostimportantreligiousconceptoftheancientEgyptians;(b)themostvitalfeatureoftheirlandandskyand(c)themostfundamentalelementoftheirspiritualandcosmologicalbeliefs.

Otherworld

IntheearliestreligiouswritingsthathavesurvivedfromancientEgyptapowerfulsymbolicterminologyisusedtodescribethecosmic‘worldofthedead’anditsfeatures.ThisworldisreferredtoastheDuat[283]—aconceptthatisroutinelytranslatedbymodernEgyptologistsas‘theUnderworld’(orsometimesasthe‘Netherworld’).[284]InthePyramidTexts,however,theDuatisclearlyalocationinthestarrysky—asmanydistinguishedEgyptologistsofearliergenerationssuchasSelimHassan,SirE.A.WallisBudgeandKurtSethewereundoubtedlyaware.[285]Yeteventhesepioneersfailedtogettogripswiththefullimplicationsandcharacteristicsoftheconceptbecausetheylackedfamiliaritywithastronomy.

Forexample,inhisanalysisofthevariouswaysinwhichthewordDuatwasinscribedinhieroglyphiccharactersthroughoutthewholespanofEgyptianhistory,SelimHassanmakesthefollowingcomment:‘IfweconsidertheevidenceaffordedbythemeaningofitsnameduringtheOldKingdom[thePyramidAge],weshallseethattheoriginalDuat,thefutureUnderworld,waslocalizedinthesky.’[286]HethencitestheviewofKurtSethethat‘theDuatcouldbeeithertheredglowoftwilightwhichprecedesthedawn(i.e.the“falsedawn”)orthespaciousregionintheeastoftheskywherethisglowappears...’[287]

Hassangoesontoquotefromline151ofthePyramidTexts:‘OrionhasbeenenvelopedbytheDuat;whilehewholivesintheHorizon(i.e.Re[thesun-god])purifieshimself;Sothis[Sirius]hasbeenenvelopedbytheDuat...intheembraceof[their]fatherAtum.’

InHassan’sopinion:‘Thisclearlyshowshow,asthesunrisesandpurifieshimselfintheHorizon,thestarsOrionandSothis[Sirius],withwhomtheKingisidentified,areenvelopedbytheDuat.Thisisatrueobservationofnature,anditreallyappearsasthoughthestarsareswallowedupeachmorningintheincreasingglowofthedawn.PerhapsthedeterminativeofthewordDuat,thestarwithinacircle,illustratestheideaofthisenvelopingofthestar.Whenonhiswaytojointhestars,thedeadkingmustfirstpassby(orthrough)theDuatwhichwillservetoguidehimintherightdirection.ThusweseeinUtterance610[ofthePyramidTexts]:“TheDuatguidesyourfeettotheDwelling-placeofOrion...TheDuatguidesyourhandtotheDwelling-placeofOrion.”...’[288]

Starsrisingwiththesun

Hassan’sassessmentofthecelestiallandscapeoftheDuatisonlyaccurateinasmuchasherealizesthatitisintheeast,thatthemomentofobservationisthepre-dawn(whichhecalls‘falsedawn’,andthattheconstellationofOrion(Osiris),thestarSirius(Isis),thesun(Re),andsomeothercosmicfeaturerepresenting‘Atum’(the‘Father’oftheGods),arealltobefoundintheDuat.Becauseheisnotconversantwithbasiccelestialmechanics,however,andbecausehefailstosettherelevantlinesfromthePyramidTextsinthecontextoftheirtimeandtheirplace,hethengoesontomakeaseriouserrorofinterpretationwhichhassubsequentlybeencompoundedbynumerousotherastronomicallyilliteratescholars:

1. The time the Pyramid Texts were compiled was the epoch of 2800 BC to 2300 BCapproximately.[289]

2. The place of observation of the sky was just south of modern Cairo in the so-called‘Memphite necropolis’ (named after Men-nefer, later ‘Memphis’, the first historicallyrecognizedcapitalofancientEgypt),wherestandthegreatPyramidsofGiza(andalsolesserOld Kingdom pyramids such as those at Abu Roash, Abusir, Saqqara, Dahshur andMeidum).[290]

3. Theerror thatHassanmakes ishisassumption that thestars inquestion—i.e.OrionandSirius—areswallowedup‘eachmorning’inthe‘increasingglowofthedawn.’

34.The‘Memphitenecropolis’—PyramidfieldsfromAbuRoashtoDahshur.

35. Rising points of the sun at the solstices and equinoxes as observed from the Memphite

necropolis. In the epoch of 2500 BC—the ‘Pyramid Age’—the Duat was observed andconsideredtobeactiveonlyatthetimeofthesummersolsticewhenthestarsofOrionandSiriusroseheliacally(i.e.justaheadofthesun)atdawn.

Infactthereisonlyonetimeoftheyearwhenthis‘swallowing-up’occurs—atimethatslowlyaltersdowntheepochsbecauseoftheearth’sprecessionalmotion.ThelongandtheshortofitisthatinthePyramidAgethespecificphenomenadescribedinthetexts,andaddressedbyHassan(phenomenaknowntechnicallyasthe‘heliacalrisings’ofOrionandSirius,i.e.therisingsofthesestarsjustaheadofthesunatdawn)couldonlyhavebeenobservedataroundmidsummer—i.e.atthesummersolstice.[291]TheDuat,inotherwords,wasconsideredbytheancientEgyptianstobeactiveonlyatthetimeofthesummersolsticewhenOrionandSiriusroseheliacallyandnot,asHassansuggests,throughouttheyear.

Withthesefactsinmind,letusattempttoreinterpretthecosmicDuat,thistimeplacingitinitsproperastronomicalcontext.

Cosmicriver

OneofthemostsalientfeaturesoftheDuat,asitisdescribedintheancientEgyptiantexts,isitsrelationshiptoagreatcosmic‘river’calledthe‘WindingWaterway’.Severalstudieshaveconfirmedbeyondanyseriousdoubtthatthe‘WindingWaterway’wasthemagicalbandoflightmeanderingacrosstheskythatweknowasthe‘MilkyWay’.[292]Itisalsoevidentthattheancientpriest-astronomerswhocompiledthePyramidTextsidentifiedtheterrestrialcounterpartofthis‘WindingWaterway’intheskyastheRiverNileanditsyearlyflood,the‘GreatInundation’,whichalsohappenedtocoincidewiththesummersolstice:[293]

TheWindingWaterwayisflooded,theFieldsofRushesarefilledwithwater,andIamferriedoverthereontoyondereasternsideoftheSky,theplacewherethegodsfashionedme...[Orion’s]sisterisSothis[Sirius]...[294]

IhavecometomywaterwayswhichareinthebankoftheFloodoftheGreatInundation,totheplaceofcontentment...whichisintheHorizon...[295]

MayyouliftmeandraisemetotheWindingWaterway,mayyousetmeamongthegods,theImperishablestars...[296]

AsSirE.A.WallisBudgerightlyobserved:‘theEgyptians...fromtheearliesttimes...depictedtothemselvesamaterialheaven[theDuat]...onthebanksofaHeavenlyNile,whereontheybuiltcities.’[297]AndsimilarlythephilologistRaymondFaulkner,whotranslatedthePyramidTextsandmuchoftheotherreligiousliteratureofancientEgyptintoEnglish,couldnotavoidmakingtheobviouscorrelationsbetweenthe‘celestialriver’,the‘WindingWaterway’andtheMilkyWay.[298]

KingdomofOsirisinthesky

ThestarsofOrionandSiriusarelocatedontherightbankoftheMilkyWay,which—atthesummersolsticeinthePyramidAge—wouldhaveappearedasavertical‘cosmicriver’inthepre-dawnintheeast.

TotheancientEgyptians,therefore,theDuatcouldnotpossiblyhavebeenseenmerelyassomevague,blank,rose-tintedregionsomewhereovertheeasternhorizon.Onthecontrary,itclearlyhadanextremelyspecificaddressinthesky—the‘DwellingPlace’of‘OrionandSirius’onthebanksofthe‘celestialNile’:

BefirmOOsiris-King[Orion]ontheundersideoftheskywiththeBeautifulStar[Sirius]uponthebendoftheWindingWaterway...[299]

BetakeyourselftotheWaterway...MayastairwaytotheDuatbesetforyoutotheplacewhereOrionis...[300]

OKing,youarethisGreatStar,thecompanionofOrion,whotraversestheskywithOrion,whonavigates[in]theDuatwithOsiris...’[301]

36.TheskyregionoftheDuatwiththestarsofOrionandSiriusrisingheliacallyjustaheadofthesunatdawnonthesummersolstice.Itwasatthistimeoftheyear,andatthismomentonly,that theDuatwas considered to be ‘active’. Note that the MilkyWay at this same momentappearedasavertical‘cosmicriver’intheeast.AlsoshownisthetrajectoryoftheOrionstarsaftertheirdawnrisinguntiltheirculminationatthemeridian.

Withthisstarrylandscapeinmind,wecanbegintoconjureupafairlydetailedimageoftheDuat,the‘KingdomofOsiris’inthesky—adistinctpatternofstars,ataspecificcelestiallocation,thatcomescompletewithitsown‘cosmicNile’.

Butwhenwasthiscosmickingdom‘founded’?

‘FirstTime’

Intheirmostprofoundandbeautifulreligioustexts,aswenotedinPartI,theancientEgyptiansspokeof‘thetimeofthegods’,ZepTepi(literallythe‘FirstTime’)withtheunshakeableconvictionthattherehadindeedbeensuchanepoch.Inotherwords,theybelievedthatZepTepihadbeenanactual,historicalevent.Inlinewiththeirprevailingdualismtheyalsobelievedthatithadbeenprojectedand‘recorded’inthecatalogueofthestarrysky.Indeeditwasastorythatwasre-enactedendlesslyinthecosmicsettingbythecyclicaldisplaysofthecelestialorbsandtheconstellations.

Whattheyhadinmind,inotherwords,wasakindofcosmic‘passionplay’,expressedinthelanguageofallegoricalastronomy,inwhicheachmaincharacterwasidentifiedwithaspecificcelestialbody.Rewasthesun,OsiriswasOrion,IsiswasthestarSirius,Thothwasthemoon—andsoonandsoforth.Norwasthedramaonlyconfinedtothecelestialrealms;onthecontrary,asonemightexpectindualisticancientEgypt,itwasalsore-enactedontheground,amidstthecosmicambianceoftheastronomicalPyramidsofGiza,wheretheeventsofthe‘FirstTime’werecommemoratedformillenniainsecretritualsandliturgies.[302]

Verylittleisknownabouttheseliturgies,oraboutthemythstheyexpressed.AstheEgyptologistR.T.RundleClarkexplains:

Thecreationofthemythswasfoundedoncertainprinciples.Thesearestrangeand,asyet,onlypartiallyunderstood.Themostimportantelementseemstohavebeenasfollows:

(a)Thebasicprinciplesoflife,natureandsocietyweredeterminedbythegodslongago,beforetheestablishmentofkingship.Thisepoch—ZepTepi—‘theFirstTime’—stretchedfromthefirststirringoftheHighGodinthePrimevalWaterstothesettlingofHorusuponthethroneandtheredemptionofOsiris.Allpropermythsrelateeventsormanifestationsofthisepoch.

(b)Anythingwhoseexistenceorauthorityhadtobejustifiedorexplainedmustbereferredtothe‘FirstTime’.Thiswastruefornaturalphenomena,rituals,royalinsignia,theplansoftemples,magicalormedicalformulae,thehieroglyphicsystemofwriting,thecalendar—thewholeparaphernaliaofthecivilization...[303]

RundleClarkhasalsorecognizedthatEgyptianart‘isnearlyallsymbolism’,that‘thearchitecturalarrangementsanddecorationwereakindofmythicallandscape’workeddowntothelastdetail,andthateverythinghadameaning:

Theshrine[tomborpyramidcomplex]ofthegod[theking],forinstance,wasthe‘Horizon’,thelandofgloriouslightbeyondthedawnhorizonwherethegodsdwelt.TheTemplewasanimageoftheuniverseasitnowexistedand,atthesametime,thelandonwhichitstoodwasthePrimevalMoundwhicharosefromthewatersofthePrimevalOceanatCreation...Atthecloseofthedailytempleservice,thepriestsraisedasmallfigureofMaat(thegoddessofLawandOrder)infrontofthedivineimage.ThisactwasmeanttoassertthatTightnessandorderhadbeenre-established,butitwasalsoarepetitionofaneventthattookplaceatthebeginningoftheworld...ofsomemythicalhappeninginthetimeofthegods...[304]

GoldenAgeandtheentryofevil

Inlaterchaptersweshallbereturningtotakeacloserlookatthis‘FirstTime’ofthegods.Here,however,itissufficienttonotethatZepTepiwasregardedasamysteriousandwonderfulgoldenagethathadimmediatelyfollowedCreation.Furthermore,inthemindsoftheancientEgyptiansatleast,thisgoldenagehadnotoccurredinsomehard-to-findnever-neverlandliketheBiblical‘GardenofEden’butinafamiliarandunmistakablyrealphysicalandhistoricalsetting.IndeeditwastheiremphaticbeliefthatthehugetriangularregionjustsouthoftheapexoftheNileDeltaencompassingHeliopolis,MemphisandGizawastheactualgeographicallocationoftheeventsofthe‘FirstTime’—areal‘GardenofEden’,inshort,withrealgeographicalfeaturesandplaces.Itwashere,amidstthissacredlandscape,thatthegodsofthe‘FirstTime’weresaidinthetextstohaveestablishedtheirearthlykingdom.[305]

AndwhatwastheculturalcharacterofthatKingdom?RundleClarkgivesthebestsummary:

...allthatwasgoodorefficaciouswasestablishedontheprincipleslaiddowninthe‘FirstTime’—whichwas,therefore,agoldenageofabsoluteperfection—‘beforerageorclamourorstrifeoruproarhadcomeabout’.Nodeath,diseaseordisasteroccurredinthisblissfulepoch,knownvariouslyas‘thetimeofRe’,‘thetimeofOsiris’,or‘thetimeofHorus’...[306]

37.ThehugetriangularregionjustsouthoftheapexoftheNileDeltaencompassingHeliopolis,MemphisandGizawasregardedbytheancientEgyptiansastheactualgeographicallocationofthe events of the ‘First Time’—a sort of geodetic ‘Garden of Eden’ focused on astronomicallatitude30degreesnorth.

ThegodsOsirisandHorus,togetherwithRe(inhiscompositeformasRe-Atum,the‘Father’ofthegods)wereregardedbytheancientEgyptiansasthesupremeexpressionsandexemplarsofthe‘blissfulepochofthe“FirstTime”’.[307]

OsiristheyrememberedinparticularforhavingbeenthefirsttositonthethroneofthisdivineKingdom,whichheruledjointlywithhisconsortIsis.[308]Thegoldenageofplentyoverwhichtheroyalcouplepresided(duringwhichagricultureandanimalhusbandryweretaughttohumansandlawsandreligiousdoctrinesweresetforthem)washoweverbroughttoanabruptandviolenthaltwhenOsiriswasmurderedbyhisbrother,Seth.Leftwithoutchild,IsisbroughtthedeadOsirisbacktolifeforlongenoughtoreceivehisseed.Asaresultofthisunionshe,induecourse,gavebirthtoHoruswhosedestinyitwastowranglebackthe‘kingdomofOsiris’fromtheclutchesofhiseviluncleSeth.

Shabakatexts

Inallitsessentialelementsthisis,ofcourse,thestorythatweknowasHamlet(whichhasafarolderpedigreethantheShakespeareplay[309]),anditisalso,initsmostrecentHollywoodmanifestation,thestoryoftheLionKing(brothermurdersbrother,bereavedsonofthemurdervictimtakesrevengeonhisuncleandsetstheKingdomtorights).

TheoriginalEgyptianversionofthestory—theso-called‘MemphiteTheology’—isfoundintextsinscribedonamonumentknownasthe‘ShabakaStone’,nowintheBritishMuseum.[310]

Herewereadhow,afteragreatquarrelbetweenHorusandSeth(inwhichHoruslostaneyeandSethatesticle)Geb,theearth-god(thefatherofOsirisandIsis),summonedtheGreatCounciloftheGods—thenine-member‘Ennead’ofHeliopolis—andwiththempassedjudgementbetweenHorusandSeth:

Geb,lordofthegods,commandedtheNineGodstogathertohim.HejudgedbetweenHorusandSeth;heendedtheirquarrel.HemadeSethkingofUpperEgypt,uptotheplaceinwhichhewasborn,whichisSu.AndGebmadeHoruskingofLowerEgypt,uptotheplaceinwhichhisfather[Osiris]wasdrowned[311]whichis‘Division-of-the-Two-Lands’.ThusHorusstoodoveroneregion,andSethstoodoveroneregion.TheymadepeaceovertheTwoLandsatAyan.ThatwasthedivisionoftheTwoLands...[312]

LetusnoteinpassingthatAyanisnotamythicalplacebutwasanactual,physicallocationinancientEgyptimmediatelytothenorthofMemphis,theEarlyDynasticcapitalcity.[313]Thejudgementthatwasmadeherewaslaterchanged,astheShabakaTextsgoontotellus:

ThenitseemedwrongtoGebthattheportionofHoruswasliketheportionofSeth.SoGebgavetoHorushis[Seth’s]inheritance,forhe[Horus]isthesonofhisfirstborn[Osiris]...

ThenHorusstoodoverthetwolands.HeistheuniteroftheTwoLands,proclaimedinthegreatname:Ta-tenen,‘South-of-his-Wall’,‘LordofEternity’...HeisHorus,whoaroseasKingofUpperandLowerEgypt,whounitedtheTwoLandsinthe[District]oftheWall[Memphis],theplacewheretheTwoLandswereunited...[314]

Treasuretrail

WhatwehaveinthisamazingstoryisasortoftreasuretrailofcluesastohowtheancientEgyptiansthemselvessawthemythical-historicaltransferofthe‘deeds’orkeysofthe‘KingdomofOsiris’toHorusbytheGreatEnneadandGeb.

Itseemsclear,forexample,thatthismomentouseventwasthoughttohavetakenplaceatAyan,immediatelytothenorthofMemphis,i.e.about10milesorsosouthofmodernCairo.[315]

AndasforthedeadOsiris,theShabakaTextstellushowthegodwastakenandburied‘inthelandofSokar’:

Thisistheland...theburial[place]ofOsirisintheHouseofSokar...HorusspeakstoIsisand[hersister]Nepthys:‘Hurry,grasphim...’IsisandNepthysspeaktoOsiris:‘Wecome,wetakeyou...’Theyheededintimeandbroughthimtoland.HeenteredthehiddenportalsinthegloryoftheLordsofEternity.ThusOsiriscameintotheEarth,attheRoyalFortress,tothenorthofthelandtowhichhehadcome.AndhissonHorusaskingofUpperEgypt,aroseaskingofLowerEgyptintheembraceofhisfatherOsiris...[316]

Where,what,andwhosewasthe‘landofSokar’?

ItturnsouttohavebeenanepithetusedbytheancientEgyptianstodescribetheextensive‘Memphitenecropolis’incorporatingthePyramid-fieldofGiza.AccordingtoSirE.A.WallisBudge,forexample:‘ThedominionsofSokarweresituatedinthedesertsroundaboutMemphisandweresupposedtocoveralargeextentofterritory.’[317]I.E.S.Edwardstellsusthatthename‘Sokar’wasthatof‘thegodoftheMemphitenecropolis’—apredynasticdeityofthedead—andthat‘byPyramidtimesOsirishadbecomeidentifiedwithSokar’.[318]R.T.RundleClarkthenfurthercomplicatesthepicturebyspeakingof‘Rostau,themodernGiza,theburialplaceofMemphisandthehomeofaformofOsirisknownasSokar’.[319]

Whatconfrontsus,therefore,appearstobealinkedsequenceofideasinvolvingOsiris,Sokar,the‘landofSokar’(identifiedwiththeMemphitenecropolis),andnow‘Rostau’,theancientEgyptiannameforthePyramid-fieldatGiza—anamethatisinfactcarvedinhieroglyphsonthegranitestela,whichweencounteredinPartI,thatstandstothisdaybetweenthepawsofthe

GreatSphinx.[320]ThatsamestelaalsodescribesGizainmoregeneraltermsas‘theSplendidPlaceofthe“FirstTime”’andspeaksoftheSphinxasstandingbeside‘theHouseofSokar’.[321]

Sothecluesonthetreasuretrail,aswellasOsiris,Sokar,thelandofSokarandRostau-Giza,nowalsoincludethe‘HouseofSokar’andleadusbacktowardsZepTepi,the‘FirstTime’.

Bearingallthisinmind,letusreturnforafinallookattheMemphitetheologyasitisexpressedintheShabakaTexts.

WefindHorusfirmlyinpossessionoftheearthly‘KingdomofOsiris’(whichhadofcoursebeenfoundedinthe‘FirstTime’)andwefindthebodyofOsirishimselfsafelyinstalledin‘theHouseofSokar’.[322]Undertheseidealconditions,accordingtothetexts,thespiritualizedformofOsiriswasfreedtodeparttothesky—andtoaspecificlocationintheskythatwehavealreadyidentified:‘theplacewhereOrionis’.[323]ThereitwasheldthathehadestablishedtheDuat—thecosmic‘Otherworld’ontherightbankoftheMilkyWay—asasortofcelestial‘KingdomofOsiris’fortheDead.[324]

Sphinxgod

SelimHassanactuallycallstheDuat‘theKingdomofOsiris’andshowshow‘Osirisisstyled“LordoftheDuat”andtheOsiris-King[i.e.thedeceasedPharaoh]“acompanionofOrion”...’[325]Hethenprovidesapieceofincidentalinformationwhichaddstoourtrailofclueswhenhepointsout,onthebasisofcarefultextualanalysis,thattheDuatappearsinsomewaytobelinkedtoRostau.[326]

38.Thepassageways,chambersandcorridorsofthe‘landofSokar’intheFifthDivisionoftheDuatas depicted on tomb walls bear a close resemblance to the passageways, chambers andcorridorsoftheGreatPyramid.CouldoneofthefunctionsofthePyramidhavebeentoserveasakindof‘model’orsimulationoftheafterworldinwhichinitiatesunderwenttrialsandordeals?

Likeothercommentators,Hassanacknowledgesthat‘thenameofRostauisappliedtotheGizanecropolis’.[327]Buthealso,atvariouspoints,definesRostauas‘theKingdomofOsirisinthetomb’,[328]andas‘theMemphiteUnderworld’—i.e.theMemphiteDuat.[329]Inthiscontextheexaminestheso-calledtwelve‘Divisions’(or‘Hours’)oftheBookofWhatisintheDuatandshowsthatreferencestothe‘landofSokar’appearinthistext.Indeed,tobealittlemorespecific,hedrawsourattentiontoamostintriguingfact.ThelandofSokaroccupiestheFifthDivisionoftheDuat[330]and:‘ThecentreoftheFifthDivision[is]calledRostau.’[331]

SoEgyptologistsdonotdisputethatwehaveaRostauonthegroundintheformofthePyramid-fieldatGizaandaRostauintheskyintheformoftheFifthDivisionoftheDuat—aplace,asthereaderwillrecall,thatwasnotseenasan‘Underworld’bytheancientEgyptiansbutratherasaspecificcelestiallocationinOrion.

Furthermore,aswenotedinpassinginPartI,thepassageways,chambersandcorridorsofthelandofSokar—amplyportrayedontombwallsinsurvivingdepictionsoftheFifthDivisionoftheDuat—uncannilyresemblethepassageways,chambersandcorridorsoftheGreatPyramidof

Giza.IndeedtheresemblanceissoclosethatitispermissibletowonderwhetheroneofthefunctionsofthePyramidmayhavebeentoserveasakindofmodelor‘simulation’oftheafterworldinwhichinitiatesunderwenttrialsandordealsintendedtopreparethemintellectuallyandspirituallyfortheterrifyingexperiencesandjudgementsthatthesoulwasbelievedtoconfrontafterdeath.

Here,perhaps,wasthetestinggroundfortheancientEgyptian‘scienceofimmortality’elaboratedineveryutteranceandvignetteoftheprincipalfuneraryandrebirthtexts—thepurposeofwhichwastofacilitatethejourneyofthesoulthroughthedauntingtrapsandpitfallsoftheDuat.

AdditionalfoodforthoughtinthisregardisprovidedbySelimHassanwhodoesnotneglecttomentionthatoneofthedistinguishingfeaturesoftheFifthDivisionoftheDuatisthepresencethereofagiant‘double-lion’Sphinx-godnamedAker,whoseeminglyprotectsthe‘KingdomofSokar’.[332]Hassanalsopointsoutthat‘aboveAkerinthissceneisalargePyramid’.[333]Hesaysthatthissymbolism,whenputin‘conjunctionwithAkerinSphinxformandthenameofRostau’,suggeststhat‘theFifthDivisionwasoriginallya[complete]versionoftheDuatandhaditsgeographicalcounterpartintheGizanecropolis’.[334]

39. The Fifth Division of theDuat features a gigantic ‘double-lion’ Sphinx-god and a largePyramid. Compare this symbolic imagery with the Great Sphinx and Great Pyramid seen inprofilefromthesouth-east.

Insupportofthisidea,HassanthenrefersustoanotheroftheancientEgyptianfunerarytexts,theso-calledBookofTwoWays,wherementionismadeof‘theHighlandofAker,whichistheDwellingPlaceofOsiris’andalsoof‘OsiriswhoisintheHighlandofAker’.[335]Hassan

suggeststhat‘highlandofAker’maybeareferencetotheGizaplateau,‘whereistheearthlyRostau’.[336]ExactlythesameideaoccurredtotheAmericanEgyptologistMarkLehnerinhis1974pamphlet,TheEgyptianHeritage.[337]Here,aftercompletingastudyofRostau,hewrote:‘itistemptingtoseethelionfiguresofAkerasarepresentationoftheSphinxatGiza.’[338]

RoadsofRostau

TheBookofTwoWaysisatextthatwascopiedontothefloorsandsidesofcoffinsovera250-yearspan(2050-1800BC)duringtheMiddleKingdom.Accordingtothearchaeo-astronomerJaneB.Sellersitwasdesigned‘toaidthesoulofthedeceasedtopassalongtheroadstoRostau,theGateinthenecropoliswhichgivesaccesstothe“PassagesoftheNetherworld”...’[339]

TherelatedCoffinTexts(2134-1783BC)shedfurtherlightonthematterwhentheystate:

IhavepassedoverthepathsofRostau,whetheronwateroronland,andthesearethepathsofOsiris,theyare[also]inthelimitofthesky...[340]

IamOsiris;IhavecometoRostautoknowthesecretsoftheDuat...[341]

IshallnotbeturnedbackatthegatesoftheDuat;IascendtotheskywithOrion...IamonewhocollectshiseffluxinfrontofRostau...[342]

AsSellerspointsout,manyancientEgyptiantextsinsist‘thatthetopographyofRostau,thoughinthesky,isonwaterandonland.’[343]Shealsoproposesthat‘thepathsbywayofwater’couldhavebeeninthatareaoftheskythat‘weknowastheMilkyWay’.[344]Thisideaseemshighlyplausiblewhenwerememberthatthe‘cosmicaddress’oftheDuatisthe‘KingdomofOsirisinOrion’ontherightbankoftheMilkyWay.ThelogicofancientEgyptiandualitythereforesuggeststhat‘thepathsbywayofland’shouldbefoundattheearthlyRostau.

TheearthlyRostauistheGizanecropolis,[345]siteofthethreePyramidsandtheSphinx—sowithallthistalkofsky-grounddualitiesitwouldbealmostperversetoignorethefournarrow‘star-shafts’whichemanateskywardsfromtheKing’sandQueen’sChambersinsidetheGreatPyramid.

ThereaderwillrecallthatthesouthernshaftoftheKing’sChamberwasdirectedataround2500BCtothecentreoftheconstellationofOrion—i.e.toOrion’sbeltatits‘culmination’or‘meridiantransit’45degreesabovethehorizon.Strangely,atthecrucialobservationalmomentinthepredawnonthesummersolstice—crucial,atanyrate,totheancientEgyptiansofthePyramidAge—computersimulationsindicatethatOrionwasseennotatthemeridianbutinthesouth-east,i.e.fartotheleftofthepointintheskytargetedbythesouthernshaftoftheKing’sChamber.

40. Summer solstice in the epoch of 2500BC: theDuat region.Note thatOrion’s belt at thiscrucialobservationalmomentwasnutatthemeridianbutinthesouth-eastandthusfartotheleftof the point in the sky targeted by the southern shaft of theKing’sChamber. The sky seemssomehowoutofkilterandonehastheuncomfortablefeelingthatthebeltstarsneedtobedrawnroundtothesouth,andspecificallytothemeridian,sothattheycaninterlockwiththeshaftthattargetsthem.

Lookingatthesimulation,everythingseemsoutofkilter—dislocated—andonehastheuncomfortablefeelingthatthestarsofOrion’sbeltneedsomehowtobedrawnroundtothesouth,andspecificallytothemeridian,sothattheycaninterlockwiththeshaftthattargetsthem.

WesuspectthatfortheancientEgyptiansthiscuriousandunsettling‘dislocation’oftheskyservedasthestimulusforanesotericjourneywhichwasundertakenonthegroundbythePharaohsthemselvesfollowingcelestialclues.

Asweshallseeinsubsequentchapterstheirquestmayhavebeenforsomethingofimmenseimportance.Butinordertounderstandwhy,wemustfirstfindoutwhotheSphinxis.

Chapter9TheSphinxanditsHorizons

‘TheSphinxhasaGenesis,andthatwasthelion...’

EgyptologistSelimHassan,TheSphinx,Cairo1949

‘[Theconstellationof]Leoresemblestheanimalafterwhichitisnamed.Arighttriangleofstarsoutlinethebacklegs...thefrontoftheconstellation,likeagiantbackwardquestionmark,definesthehead,mane,andfrontlegs.AtthebaseofthequestionmarkisRegulus,theheartofthelion...’

NancyHathaway,FriendlyGuidetotheUniverse,NY1994

EvenacasualreviewofthereligioustextsoftheancientEgyptiansleavesnodoubtthattheyregardedtheirearthlyenvironmentasasacredlandscapewhichtheyhadinheritedfromthegods.Itwastheirabsoluteconvictionthatintheremotegoldenagecalledthe‘FirstTime’Osirishadestablishedasortof‘cosmickingdom’intheMemphiteregionwhichhadbeenpassedontohissonHorusandthencethroughhim,downthecyclesoftheepochs,tosubsequentgenerationsofhuman‘Horus-Kings’—i.e.tothelivingPharaohsofEgypt.

Wehaveseenthattheessenceofthissacred‘KingdomofOsiris’wasthepeculiardualismwithwhichitwasconnectedtoanareaoftheskyknownastheDuat,closetoOrionandSiriusonthewesternsideoftheMilkyWay.WehavealsoseenhowthecentreoftheDuatwascalledRostauandhowRostau,too,existedinbothcosmicandterrestrialrealms:intheheavensitwascharacterizedbythethreestarsofOrion’sbeltandonearthbythethreegreatPyramidsofGiza.Lastbutnotleast,wehaveseenhowtheancientEgyptiansofthePyramidAgeparticularlyobservedtheDuatasitlayalongtheeasternhorizoninthepre-dawnatthetimeofthesummersolstice.

Theimportantwordhereis‘horizon’.Itwillprovetobethekeytothemysteryofwho—orwhat—theGreatSphinxreallyrepresents.

Celestialreflections

Withtheaidofcomputersimulations,andalittleimagination,letusjourneytotheepochof2500BC,whenthePyramidTextswerecompiled,andsetourlocationatHeliopolisontheobservatoryplatformoftheastronomerpriests.Thetimeofyearisthesummersolstice,themomentofobservationisthepre-dawn,andwearelookinginthegeneraldirectionoftheeasternhorizon.ThismeansthatwehaveourbacksturnedtotheGizaPyramidswhichlieacrosstheNilesometwelvemilestoourwest.

LookingeastalsomeansthatwearelookingattheDuat.AndasourcomputerreconstructstheskiesoureyesaredrawntothatregionoftheDuatknownasRostauwhichmanifeststhecelestialcounterpartsofthethreegreatPyramids—thethreestarsofOrion’sbeltglimmeringinthepre-dawn.

Havingregisteredthisimagewesetourdirectiontowardsthewest,towardsthePyramids.Thebodiesofthedistantmonumentsarestillcloakedindarknessbutthefirsthintoftherisingsunlightsuptheircapstoneswithanastralglimmer...

SowecanseethatthereisasenseinwhichtheGizanecropolisisitselfakindof‘horizon’—i.e.thatitsthreepyramidsformareflectioninthewestofthethree‘starsofRostau’thatobserversin

2500BCwouldhaveseenontheeasternhorizonofHeliopolisinthepre-dawnatthesummersolstice.PerhapsthisispreciselywhatwasmeantbyanotherwisecrypticinscriptiononthegranitestelabetweenthepawsoftheSphinxwhichspeaksofGizanotonlyasthe‘SplendidPlaceofthe“FirstTime”’aswehaveseen,butalsoasthe‘HorizonofHeliopolisintheWest’.[346]

Astronomer-priests

WhenthePyramidTextswerecompiledintheepochof2500BC,thereligiouscentreofthePharaonicstatewasatHeliopolis—the‘CityoftheSun’,calledOnorInnubytheancients,whichnowliescompletelyburiedundertheAlMatareyasuburbofmodernCairo.[347]Heliopoliswastheearliestcultcentreofthesun-godReinhisformasAtum,the‘FatheroftheGods’.TheHeliopolitanpriestswerehighinitiatesinthemysteriesoftheheavensandtheirdominantoccupationwastheobservationandrecordingofthevariousmotionsofthesunandthemoon,theplanetsandthestars.[348]

Muchleadsustoconcludethattheybenefitedfromavastheritageofexperiencebasedonsuchobservations,accumulatedoverenormouslylongperiodsoftime.Atanyrate,theancientGreekandRomanscholars—whowereatleasttwomillenniaclosertotheancientEgyptiansthanwearetoday—wereconstantlyinaweatthehighknowledgeandwisdomoftheHeliopolitanandMemphitepriestsandespeciallyoftheirastronomicalscience.

Forexample,asearlyasthefifthcenturyBC,Herodotus(theso-called‘FatherofHistory’)displayedgreatreverenceforthepriestsofEgyptandattributedtothemthediscoveryofthesolaryearandtheinventionofthetwelvesignsofthezodiac—whichhesaystheGreekslaterborrowed.‘Inmyopinion,’hewrote,‘theirmethodofcalculationisbetterthanthatoftheGreeks.’[349]

InthefourthcenturyBCthelearnedAristotle—whowastutortoAlexandertheGreat—similarlyrecognizedthattheEgyptianswereadvancedastronomers‘whoseobservationshavebeenkeptforverymanyyearspast,andfromwhommuchofourevidenceaboutparticularstarsisderived’.[350]

Plato,too,relateshowtheEgyptianpriestsobservedthestars‘for10,000yearsor,sotospeak,foraninfinitetime’.[351]LikewiseDiodorusofSicily,whovisitedEgyptin60BC,insistedthat‘thedispositionofthestarsaswellastheirmovementshavealwaysbeenthesubjectofcarefulobservationsamongtheEgyptians’andthat‘theyhavepreservedtothisdayrecordsconcerningeachofthesestarsoveranincrediblenumberofyears...[352]

Perhapsmostsignificantlyofall,theLycianNeoplatonist,Proclus,whostudiedatAlexandriainthefifthcenturyAD,confirmedthatitwasnottheGreeksbuttheEgyptianswhodiscoveredthephenomenonofPrecession:‘Letthose,whobelieveinobservations,causethestarstomovearoundthepolesofthezodiacbyonedegreeinonehundredyears[meaningthePrecessionrate]towardstheeast,asPtolemyandHipparchusdidbeforehimknow...thattheEgyptianshadalreadytaughtPlatoaboutthemovementofthefixedstars...’[353]

ModernhistoriansandEgyptologists,whoareunanimousintheviewthattheEgyptianswerepoorastronomers,[354]choosetodiscountsuchstatementsasfrivolousoutcriesbymisinformedGreeksandRomans.Thesesamescholarsalldoaccept,however,thatthepriestlycentreatHeliopoliswasalreadyremotelyancientatthedawnofthePyramidAgeandthatithadbeensacredsincetimeimmemorialtothesupremedeitynamedAtum,the‘Self-Created’.[355]

SowhoorwhatexactlywasAtum?

LivingimageofAtum

AddressingthefirstannualmeetingoftheprestigiousEgyptExplorationFundon3July1883,theeminentSwissEgyptologistEdouardNavillehadthistosayaboutAtum:‘therecanbenodoubtthatthelionorthesphinxisaformofAtum...’[356]

Navillewentontocitewhatheconsideredassufficientevidenceforsuchaconclusion:

Iwillciteonlyoneproof,thisisthedeityNefer-Atum.Thisdeitycanberepresentedwiththeheadofalion...normallyhehasahumanform,andwearsonhisheadalotusfromwhichemergetwostraightplumes.Sometimesthetwoemblems[lionandhuman]areunitedandbetweentheheadofthelionandtheplumethereisthebird[hawk]ofHorus.[357]

Thoughinitiallyaconfusingelement,weshallseethatthehawksymbolismofHoruscropsupfrequentlyinconnectionwiththismysteryandgraduallybeginstotakeitsplaceintheoverallpatternthatwillemerge.Meanwhile,muchelseconfirmsthatAtum,theprimordialcreatorgod,wasregardedbytheancientEgyptiansasbeingprimarilyleonineorsphinx-likeinform.

InthePyramidTexts,forexample,wefrequentlyencounterthedesignationRwty,normallytranslatedasthe‘double-lion’[358]becausethehieroglyphicsignshowstwolionseithersidebysideoroneabovetheother.[359]Itisgenerallyaccepted,however,thatafinermeaningforthetermis‘thecreaturewhohastheformofalion’or‘hewhoresemblesthelion’,andthatthesignificanceofthedouble-lionhieroglyphisthatitemphasizesthedualandcosmicnatureofRwty.[360]TheEgyptologistLePageRenoufwrotethatRwtyrepresents‘asinglegodwithalion’sfaceorform’.[361]AndforSelimHassan‘Rwtywasagodintheformofalion’.InHassan’sviewthechoiceofthedouble-lionhieroglyphwasveryprobablylinkedinsomewaytothefactthat:‘sphinxesarealwaysfoundinpairswhenguardingtempledoor-ways,andthefunctionofRwtyisalsothatofaguardian.’[362]

Moreover,inline2032ofthePyramidTexts,asHassanpointsout:‘itissaidoftheKing:“HeistakentoRwtyandpresentedtoAtum”...[and]intheso-calledBookoftheDead...itsays(Ch.3,line1):“OAtum,whoappearsasmasterofthelake,whoshinesasRwty”...’[363]

Indeed,therearemanysuchplacesinthetextswhereRwtyandAtumarelinked.Onetypicalpassagestates:‘OAtum,spiritualizemeinthepresenceofRwty...’[364]Andelsewhereweread:‘Liftupthisking’sdoubletothegod,leadhimtoRwty,causehimtomountuptoAtum...TheKing’srankishighintheMansionofRwty.’[365]

SuchsyncretismwithRwtystronglysupportsa‘lion-like’or‘sphinx-like’appearanceforAtum.WeshouldthereforenotbesurprisedtodiscoverthatinancientEgyptianreligiousartAtumisoftendepictedasasphinxwearingthecharacteristicheadgearofthisgod—atallcrownwithaplumeandlotus.[366]FromsuchdepictionsmanyleadingEgyptologistshaveconcludedthattheGreatSphinxatGiza,thoughallegedlybearingthefaceofKhafre,mayalsohavebeenregardedasanimageofAtum.[367]Indeed,aswesawinPartI,oneofthemostenduringofthemanytitlesbywhichtheSphinxwasknowntotheancientEgyptianswasSheshep-ankhAtum(literally‘livingimageofAtum’)[368]—soweneedbeinlittledoubtaboutthisidentification.

Atum,ReandHorakhti

DespiteallofAtum’swell-knownLion-Sphinxcharacteristics,modernEgyptologistshaveatendencytoignorehisintenseleoninesymbolismwhendiscussinghiscosmicattributes.MoreoftenthannottheyconfinethemselvestodishingoutcertainvaguegeneralitiestotheeffectthatAtumwasthe‘sun-godandcreatoroftheuniverse’,andthathisname:‘...carriestheideaof“totality”inthesenseofanultimateandunalterablestateofperfection.Atumisfrequentlycalled“TheLordofHeliopolis”,themajorcentreofsunworship.Thepresenceofanothersolardeityonthissite,Re,leadstoacoalescenceofthetwogodsintoRe-Atum...’[369]

EgyptologistRosalieDavidinformsusthatattheopeningofthePyramidAge‘thegodRe[orRa]hadtakenoverthecultofanearliergodAtum...[thus]Re-Atumwasnowworshippedasthe

creatoroftheworldaccordingtotheHeliopolitantheology,andhispriestssoughttodistinguishhisvariouscharacteristics’.[370]

Oneoftheseimportantcharacteristics,Daviesadds,wasRe’smanifestationas‘Re-Horakhti’.[371]SincetheliteralmeaningofHorakhtiis“Horus-of-the-Horizon”,[372]itwouldseemthatwhatwearetoenvisageinthislatestpieceofancientEgyptiansyncretismisacoalescenceofthesun’sdiscwithsuchadeity.Furthermore,asastronomersandastrologersarewellaware,thediscofthesundoes,infact,‘coalesce’with(or‘enterthehouse’of)certainstargroups—thetwelveconstellationsofthezodiac—atregularintervalsthroughouttheyear.Soitisreasonabletowonderwhether‘Horus-of-the-Horizon’i.e.Horakhti,couldinfactbeoneofthesezodiacalconstellations.

TheEgyptologistHermannKeesalsogaveconsiderationtothesubjectsofHeliopolisandHorakhti.Inthelightofwhatisabouttofollow,hisremarksareextremelyrelevant:‘TheparticularworshippeculiartoHeliopoliswasthatofthestars.FromtheworshipofthestarsevolvedtheworshipofReintheformof‘Horus-of-the-Horizon...’[373]

Wesuggestthatthisconclusionisinthemaincorrect,thoughnotquiteinthemannerKeessawit.Webelievethatitwasnotmerelyfromageneral‘worshipofthestars’butratherfromanancientstellarimage—thatofaspecificzodiacalconstellation—thatthecompositedeityRe-Horakhtiwasderived.

HorakhtiisrepresentedinancientEgyptianreliefsasamanwithahawk’shead,ontopofwhichreststhesolardisc.[374]InthiswayboththegodHorus(symbolizedbythehawk)andthesuninthe‘horizon’areidentifiedwiththePharaoh-King—regardedasthelivingembodimentofHorus.[375]TheOrientalistLewisSpencenotedadditionallythatthelion‘wasidentifiedtothesolardeities,withthesun-godHorus[and]Re’.[376]Frequently,too,wefindcompositelion-hawkrepresentationsoftheKinginancientdepictions.Forexample,thereisarelieffromthesun-templeofPharaohSahureatAbusir(FifthDynasty,circa2350BC)whichshowstheKingasawingedlionandalsoasalionwithahawk’shead.[377]

41.Thepathofthesun(theecliptic)passingthroughthetwelvezodiacalconstellationsastheyaredepictedinthefamousDenderahZodiacfromUpperEgypt.Thesun’sdisc‘coalesces’with(andissaidtobe‘housedby’)eachoftheseconstellations,oneaftertheother,monthbymonth,duringthecourseofthesolaryear.

42.Horakhti, ‘Horus-of-the-Horizon’,was frequently depicted in ancient Egyptian reliefs as amanwithahawk’sheadontopofwhichreststhesolardisc.

Insummary,therefore,weseemtobelookingatthevarioussymbolicexpressionsofalengthyprocess:inprehistorictimesaprimordialgod,Atum,whoseformwasthelionortheSphinx,wasworshippedbytheHeliopolitanpriests;then,inthePyramidAge,Atumwas‘coalesced’withRe,whoseformwasthesun’sdisc,andfinallywithHawk-headedHorakhti—Horus-of-the-Horizon—symbolizingtheHorus-King.

TheresultwasthesyncretizeddeityAtum-Re-HorakhtiwhosecombinedsymbolismoriginatedfromtheleonineorSphinx-likeimageofAtum.Somehowthiscompositeor‘coalesced’imagewasthenmademanifestinthe‘Horizon’intheearlyPyramidAge.

Inthatepoch,asthereaderwillrecall,thefocusoftheastronomer-priestswasonthesummersolstice,whentheDuatwasactiveintheeasternsky.Inwhatzodiacalsign,seenontheeasternhorizon,didthisallimportant‘coalescence’takeplace?

Horus,Dweller-in-the-Horizon

WhenEdouardNavillewasexcavatingcertainNewKingdomremainsinEgypt’sdeltaregionnorthofCairoin1882-3,hewasstruckbythefactthatalargenumberofthemonumentsheuncoveredwerededicatedtoacompositedeityhecalled‘Atum-Harmarchis’.Associatedwiththesemonumentstherewouldalwaysbeanaos,orsanctuary,containing‘asphinxwithahumanhead’whichNavillestateswas‘awell-knownformofthegodHarmarchis’.[378]

WearebynowfamiliarwithAtum.Butwhoisthis‘Harmarchis’?NavillenotedthatinadditiontohisSphinxformhewasoftenrepresentedas‘agodwithahawk’shead,orasahawkwithasolardisc’—symbolswithwhichwearealsofamiliar—andthat‘Atum-HarmarchiswasthegodofHeliopolis,themostancientcityofEgypt’.[379]

‘Harmarchis’isaGraecianizedrenderingoftheancientEgyptianname,Hor-em-Akhet,whichmeans‘Horus-in-the-Horizon’or‘Horus-Dweller-in-the-Horizon’.[380]Inotherwords,asshouldbeobviousbynow,itisaconceptthatisextremelyclosetoHorakhti,or‘Horus-of-theHorizon’—asclose,atanyrate,asthenuancebetween‘ofontheonehandand‘in’ontheother...

Bothdeitiesarecalledhorizon-dwellers.Botharesometimesdepictedasamanwiththeheadofa

hawk.Bothhaveasolardiscontheirheads.[381]Indeedthereisnorealdifferencebetweenthematallexcept,asweshallsee,inthenatureofthe‘Horizon’inwhichtheyaresaidtodwell.

ThereisoneotherthingaboutHor-em-AkhetandHorakhti,however,thatweneedtotakeaccountoffirst.Thenamesofthesecuriouslycompositeandsyncretizedlion-hawk-solardeitieswerebothfrequently,directlyandinterchangeablyappliedtotheGreatSphinxatGiza.

The‘TwoHorizons’ofHeliopolis

TheearliestsurvivingreferencestoHor-em-AkhetdatefromtheNewKingdom,circa1440BC,andarefoundonalimestonestelaofPharaohAmenhotepII,thebuilderofasmalltemplethatcanstillbeseenonthenorthsideoftheSphinxenclosure.OnthestelaAmenhotepmakesreferencetothe‘PyramidsofHor-em-Akhet’whichSelimHassantakesasasign,‘thatheconsideredtheSphinxtobeolderthanthePyramids’.[382]HassanalsonotesthatthestelaspecificallynamestheGreatSphinxbothasHor-em-AkhetandasHorakhti.[383]

43.Artist’simpressionof‘reconstructed’Sphinxshowingsouthprofile.

Inasimilarvein,inline9ofitsinscription,thegranitestelaofThutmosisIV—whichstandsbetweenthepawsoftheSphinx—referstotheSphinxitselfas‘Hor-em-Akhet-Khepri-Re-Atum’andsubsequently,inline13,as‘Atum-Hor-em-Akhet’,[384]butalsoreferstoThutmosisasthe‘ProtectorofHorakhti’.[385]Anditisonthissamestela,asthereaderwillrecall,thatGizaisdescribedas‘the“Horizon”[Akhet]ofHeliopolisintheWest’—i.e.asa‘reflection’intheWestofwhatviewersinHeliopoliswouldhaveseenontheireasternhorizoninthepre-dawnofthesummersolstice.

ItmayalsobeofrelevancethatthesonofThutmosisIV,AmenhotepIII,isrememberedinancientEgyptianannalsashavingbuiltatempleinhonourofRe-Horakhti,andthatAmenhotep’sson,thenotoriousandenigmaticPharaohAkhenaten,raisedagreatobeliskatLuxorinhonourofRe-Hor-em-Akhet.[386]Akhenatenwasalsotonamehisfamoussolar-cityAkhetAten,the‘Horizonofthesundisc’.[387]AndasSelimHassanpointsouttheAtenorsundiscwasfrequentlyidentifiedbytheancientEgyptianswiththeimageoftheSphinx.[388]Lastbutnotleast,whenAkhenatenascendedthethroneofEgypthechoseashismostprominentepithettheimpressivetitleof‘HighpriestofRe-Horakhti’.[389]

Itisthereforelegitimatetoinquireintowhatexactlyismeantbytheterm‘Horizon’(Akhet)inthenamesHor-em-AkhetandHorakhti.ArethesetwinbeingsknownasHorus-in-the-HorizonandHorus-of-the-Horizontobeassociatedwiththecelestialhorizon—whereskymeetsland?Oraretheytobeassociatedwiththe‘Horizon’ofHeliopolisintheWest,i.e.theGizanecropolis?

Orisitnotmorelikelythatthetextsarepromptingustoconsidertwo‘horizons’atthesametime?

Interestingly,EgyptologistsoftentranslatethenamesHor-em-AkhetandHorakhtiasmeaning

‘Horus-of-the-Two-Horizons’.SirE.A.WallisBudge,forexample,identifiesRe-HorakhtitoRe-Harmarchis[Hor-em-Akhet]andtranslatesbothnamesas‘Ra+Horus-of-the-Two-Horizons’.[390]LikewisetheorientalistLewisSpencewrites:‘Horus-of-the-Two-Horizons,theHarmarchis[Hor-em-Akhet]oftheGreeks,wasoneofchiefformsofthesun-god...thuswefindHarmarchisworshippedprincipallyatHeliopolis...hisbest-knownmonumentisthefamousSphinx,nearthePyramidsofGiza.’[391]

SoifHor-em-AkhetistheGreatSphinxinthewestern‘HorizonofGiza’,thenshouldwenotlookforHorakhti,his‘twin’,intheeasternhorizonofthesky?

Thesearequestionsthatweshallcontinuetopursue.Meanwhile,asEgyptologistAhmedFakhryconfirms,thevariousstelaethatwehavereviewed,andnumerousotherinscriptions,leavenodoubtthatthePharaohsofancientEgyptknewandworshippedtheSphinx(andobviously,too,hiscelestialcounterpart)underthenamesHor-em-AkhetandHorakhti.[392]Fakhryalsopointsoutsomethingelseofrelevance:bothnamesare‘appropriate’since‘theancientnecropolis[ofGiza]wascalledAkhetKhufu,the“Horizon”ofKhufu’.[393]

Strangesilence

BecausetheearliestsurvivingtextscontainingthetermHor-em-AkhetdatefromtheNewKingdom,itisthepresentconsensusofscholarsthattheancientEgyptiansoftheOldKingdomneverspokeoftheSphinx.AccordingtoJaromirMalekofOxfordUniversity,forexample:‘OldKingdomsourcesarestrangelyandsurprisinglysilentabouttheGreatSphinxofGiza.Itwasonlysome1000yearsaftertheSphinxhadbeenmade...thatitwasmentioned...’[394]

Couldthisreallybeso?HowcouldtheOldKingdomEgyptians,havingtakenthetroubletoconstructthehugeGizanecropolisandtherestoftheMemphitemonuments,failtomakeanymentionoftheGreatSphinx?

Onepossibilitywhichdeservestobetakenseriouslyisthattheydidnotmentionitbecausetheydidnotbuildit—butratherinheriteditfromafarearlierepoch.Evenonthisscenario,however,itstrainscredulitytosuppose,inalltheirprolifictexts,carvedonthewallsofnineroyalPyramidsoftheFifthandSixthDynasties,thattheywouldnotmakeasinglereferencetosomagnificentastatueoccupyingsocrucialasite.

Theotherpossibilitywhichhastobeconsidered,therefore,isthatEgyptologistscouldsomehowhavefailedtorecognizethenamegiventotheSphinxinthePyramidTexts.

Thereisoneveryobviouscontender.

Aswehaveseen,theSphinxintheNewKingdomwasknownnotonlyasHor-em-AkhetbutalsoasHorakhti.AndalthoughthenameHor-em-AkhetdefinitelydoesnotappearinthePyramidTextsitisasimplefactthatthenameHorakhtidoes,manytimesover.IndeedthesearchaicscripturescontainhundredsofdirectmentionsofHorakhti,‘Horus-of-the-Horizon’,[395]allofwhichrefer,asscholarsagree,‘tothegodrisingintheeastatdawn’.[396]WhattheyhaveneversuspectedisthepossibilitythattheymaybeconfrontedherebytheancientEgyptiandualisticwayofreferringtoanearthlycounterpartbymeansofitscelestialtwin.

SearchingforHorakhti

‘ThedoorsoftheskyarethrownopenforHorakhti,’statesonetypicalpassageinthePyramidTexts,‘thedoorsoftheskyarethrownopenatdawnforHorusoftheEast...’[397]Elsewhere,inline928,weread:‘goto...Horakhtiatthehorizon...Igouponthiseasternsideofthesky...’[398]

VirtuallyunnoticedbyEgyptologists,whowriteoffallsuchutterancesas‘mysticalmumbo-jumbo’,thePyramidTextsalsoprovideuswithsomeextremelyimportantastronomicalclues

whentheytellus,againandagain,thatthedawnrisingofHorakhtiintheeastcoincideswiththetimeandplace‘wherethegodswereborn’.Forexample:

TheWindingWaterwayisflooded,theFieldsofRushesarefilled,thatImaybeferriedovertotheeasternsideofthesky,totheplacewherethegodswereborn,andIwasborntherewiththem,asHorus,astheHorizonDweller[Horakhti]...[399]

...goto...Horakhtiatthehorizon...ontheeasternsideoftheskywherethegodsareborn.[400]

...thebirthofthegodsbeforeyou[Horus]inthefiveepagomenaldays...[401]

Makinguseoftheproperastronomicalkey,letustrytodecodethisalleged‘mysticalmumbo-jumbo’:

1.The‘placewherethegods[i.e.thestars]areborn’isaspecificdirectionastowherewearetoobserveHorakhti:theeasternhorizon—whereallheavenlybodiesrise.

2. Thetimeofyearatwhichwearetomakeourobservationsisalsoclearlyspecified:theso-called‘fiveepagomenaldays’,orfive‘daysupontheyear’.Tounderstandthisreferenceweneed only remember that the ancient Egyptian calendarwas based on 360 days plus fiveextraorintercalcarydayswhichtheycalled‘thedaysupontheyear’(epagomenaeinGreek).During these fivedays fiveNetersor godswere said to have been born, two ofwhom—OsirisandIsis—wereidentifiedbytheancientEgyptianswiththeconstellationofOrionandthestarSirius(alsocalledSothis).

3. LastbutnotleastthePyramidTextsalsospecifythetimeofdayatwhichtheskyistobeobserved—clearly dawn, since this was when the birth of the gods was said to haveoccurred:

BeholdOsirishascomeasOrion...thedawn-lightbearsyouwithOrion...yourthirdisSothis[Sirius]...’[402]

Sothis[Sirius]isswallowedup[i.e.fadesinthedawn]bytheDuat,pureandlivingintheHorizon.[403]

Thereed-floatsoftheskyarebroughtdowntome...thatImaygouponthemtoHorakhtiatthehorizon.Igouponthiseasternsideoftheskywherethegodsareborn,andIambornasHorus,as‘HimoftheHorizon’...Sothisismy[companion]...[404]

Theskyisclear[islightingup],Sothislives...[405]

ItisSothis...whopreparesyearlysustenanceforyouinhernameof‘Year’...[406]

Geographicalandcosmologicalcontext

ThedayonwhichSothis-Sirius,afteraperiodofinvisibility,wasfirstseenrisingwiththesunatdawn(i.e.theeventreferredtobyastronomersasthe‘heliacalrising’ofthisstar)wastakenbytheancientEgyptiansasthecosmicmarkerforthebeginningoftheirNewYear.

Furthermoreitiscertainfromthepassagesquotedabove,andfrommanyotherreferencesinthePyramidTexts,thatthedawnrisingofSothis-Siriuscoincidedwiththerisingof‘Horakhti’.ThisisanimportantpieceofastronomicalinformationwhichhelpsustoidentifywhoHorakhtiis—orratherwhichcelestialfigureherepresents.

Wealsoknowfromhistoricalrecordsandfromcomputerreconstructionsthattwomajorevents—onecelestialandtheotherterrestrial—coincidedwiththeheliacalrisingofSiriusduringthePyramidAge(circa2500BC).Thecelestialeventwasthesummersolstice.Andtheterrestrialevent,asthereaderwillrecallfromthepreviouschapter,wasthestartoftheNile’sannualflood—the‘GreatInundation’thatbroughtfertilitytotheland.[407]

OncethisgeographicalandcosmologicalcontextisfullytakenintoaccountwecanseeexactlywhatitisthatthecompilersofthePyramidTextsweretransposingfromthegroundtotheskywhentheytellusthattheappearanceofHorakhtiatdawncoincidedintheirepochwiththestartofthe‘greatflood’:

TheWindingWaterwayisflooded,thatImaybeferriedthereontothehorizon,toHorakhti...Rehastakenmetohimself,tothesky,totheeasternsideofthesky,asthisHorus,astheDwellerintheDuat,asthisstarwhichilluminesthesky[which]ismysisterSothis...[408]

ThisisHoruswhocameforthfromtheNile...[409]

TheyrowHorus,theyrowHorusintheprocessionofHorusontheGreatFlood.Thedoorsoftheskyareopened,thedoorsofthefirmamentarethrownopenforHorusoftheEastatdawn...[410]

Alsopassage1172speaksof‘theGreatFloodwhichisinthesky’intheregionoftheDuat.

So,tosummarize,farfrombeing‘mumbo-jumbo’,thePyramidTextsgotogreatlengthstomakeitclearthatduringtheepochoftheircompilation,circa2500BC,therisingofHorakhtiatdawncoincidedwiththesummersolstice,andwiththeseasonoftheinundation,atthemomentwhentheDuat—thecelestialKingdomofOsiris-Orion—occupiedtheeasternportionofthesky.WecanalsodeducefromthetextsthatRe,i.e.thesun’sdisc,wasseensomehowtomergeortounite—or‘coalesce’—withHorakhtiatthesametime.Thisismadeamplyclearbythefollowingreading:‘RehastakenmetohimselftotheeasternsideoftheskyasthisHorus,asthe“DwellerintheDuat”.’[411]

Inotherwords,whatweneedtolookforinordertoidentifyHorakhtiwithcertaintyisanastronomicalconjunctionduringthesummersolsticeinthePyramidAgewhenboththesunandsomeothersignificantcelestialbodywouldhavebeenseentooccupythesamespecificplaceontheeasternhorizon.

Asweshallseeinthenextchapter,computersimulationsprovideuswiththemeanstosearchforsuchaconjunction.TheyalsoenableustorelivethedramaoftheHorus-KingsofancientEgyptastheyparticipatedinanextraordinaryritual,physicallyre-enactingcelestialeventsobservedbytheastronomerpriestsofHeliopolisontheireasternhorizonandreflectedintheartificialwestern‘Horizon’ofHeliopolis,i.e.amongstthevastandeternalmonumentsoftheGizanecropolis.

Chapter10TheQuestoftheHorus-King

‘Egypt...consideredlifetobeeverlastinganddeniedtherealityofdeath...Pharaohwasnotmortalbutagod.ThiswasthefundamentalconceptofEgyptiankingship,thatPharaohwasofdivineessence,agodincarnated...ItiswrongtospeakofthedeificationofPharaoh.HisdivinitywasnotproclaimedatacertainmomentinamannercomparabletotheconcretatioofthedeademperorbytheRomansenate.Hiscoronationwasnotanapotheosisbutanepiphany.’

HenriFrankfort,KingshipandtheGods,1948

‘ThefigureofOsirisisnotexclusivelyathomeinmythology...Eachking,atdeath,becomesOsiris,justaseachking,inlife,appears“onthethroneofHorus”;eachkingisHorus...ThequestionwhetherOsirisandHorusare...godsorkingsis,fortheEgyptian,meaningless.Thesegodsarethelatekingandhissuccessor;thesekingsarethosegods...’

HenriFrankfort,KingshipandtheGods,1948

Thewholeforce,theimpetusandtheveryraisond’êtreofthePharaonicstatewastoprovidealltherequiredceremonialsettingsthatwouldenabletheHorus-Kingtoundertakeasortofsupernaturalquest—ajourneybackintimeintotheearthlyandcosmicrealmsofhis‘father’Osiris.IndeedthiswasthesupremequestinaPharaoh’slifetimeandatitsendlaytheultimateHolyGrailintheformoftheastralbodyofOsiriswhichthekingcouldencounteronlyafterovercomingmanydangers,difficultiesandordealsandafterpassingthroughmanymiraclesandterrors.OnceinthepresenceofOsiristhequestorwouldbeseechhimto‘riseagain’andbestowimmortalitynotonlyonhimself,butonthewholelandofEgypt.ThisgreatritualhadtobeperformedbyeachsuccessiveHorus-King,(perhapseveneachyear)ataspecifictimepreludingthe‘risingofOrion’.

ChildoftheSun,sonofOsiris

InhisbrilliantstudyontheOsiriancosmicmyth,[412]thelateprofessorofEgyptologyatManchesterUniversity,R.T.RundleClark,wrotethat:‘Thekingwasthemediatorbetweenthecommunityandthesourceofdivinepower,obtainingitthroughtheritualandregularizingitthroughhisgovernment.InEgyptthereweretwosourcesofpower—intheskyandinthetombwiththeancestors.ThefirstlocationmadethekingthechildoftheSunGod;thesecondlocationmadehimHorus,thesonofOsiris...’[413]

LetusreiteratethisimportantdualisticqualityoftheHorus-King—’thechildoftheSunGodandthesonofOsiris’—forinitliesthetruemysteryofthegreatOsirianandHorianritualsofthePyramidAge.Thepotentialpowersofnaturewithinthe‘dead’Osirisremained‘inert,asleeporlistless,andcompletelypassive’untiltheHorus-Kingwasabletoundertakea‘journey’totheDuatand‘visithisfather’and‘openhismouth’,i.e.bringhimbacktolife.[414]ThisfinalandsupremeactoffilialdevotionwouldthenreleasealltheforcesofnaturewhichwouldinturnbringforththefloodingoftheNileandthegrowthofvegetation—theforces,inshort,thatwouldfertilizeandregenerateEgypt.InRundleClark’swords:‘Theologically,theresultofHorus’sministrationisthatOsiriscan“sendouthissoul”or“sethimselfinmotion”...ThetimeofOrioninthesouthernskyafterthetimeofitsinvisibilityisthesignforthebeginningofanewseasonofgrowth,therevivalofnatureinallaspects.Osirishasbeentransformedintoa“livingsoul”...’[415]

SirE.A.WallisBudgealsoexplainshow,fromitsearliestbeginnings,thePharaonicstatewas

entirelycommittedtoprovidethecorrectceremonialsettingforeachsuccessiveHorus-Kingtobeabletoperformthe‘journey’intotheDuattovisitthetwofoldrealmofOsirisinthe‘horizon’:

[TheEgyptians]sparednopainsinperformingtheworkswhichtheythoughtwouldhelpthemselvesandtheirdeadtoputonimmortalityandtoarriveinthedominionsofhimwhowas‘theKingofeternityandthelordofeverlastingness’.EverytraditionwhichexistedconcerningtheceremoniesthatwereperformedonbehalfofthedeadOsirisbyHorusandhis‘sons’and‘followers’,atsomeperiodwhichevensofarbackastheIVthDynasty...wasextremelyremote,wascarefullypreservedandfaithfullyimitatedundersucceedingdynasties...Theformulaewhichweredeclaredtohavebeenrecitedduringtheperformanceofsuchceremonieswerewrittendownandcopiedforscoresofgenerations...’[416]

ThewholeemphasisontheKing’sperson,therefore,wasthathewasseenasthelinkbetweenthetwoDuals,oneintheskyandtheotheronland,bothmeanttocontainthe‘KingdomofOsiris’asitwasintheoriginal‘FirstTime’.Thegreat‘journeys’ofHorusthustookplacebothintheskyandonthegroundandran,asitwere,inparallel.Thisishowthedramaseemstohavebeenconceived:

1.IntheskytheHorus-Kingwasthe‘sonoftheSun’andhadtofollowthepathofthesundisc,crossthe‘cosmicriver’ontheSolar-barkandreachtheGatewaythatleadintothesky-Duatofhis‘fatherOsiris’intheeasternhorizon.[417]Hethenhadtotravelononeofthe‘roads’toRostau, thecentreof theDuat,where (thenandnow)are tobe found the threestarsofOrion’sbelt.

2. OnthegroundtheHorus-Kingwasthebodily‘sonofOsiris’andhadtofollowtheearthlypath,crosstheNileonthesolarboatandreachtheGateway(thegreatSphinx)thatledintotheearth-Duatofhis‘fatherOsiris’inthewestern‘horizon’,i.e.thenecropolisofGiza.Hethenhadtotravelononeofthe‘roads’toRostau,thecentreoftheDuat,where (then andnow)aretobefoundthethreegreatPyramidsofGiza.

Inboththese‘journeys’theHorus-Kingsomehowhadtobeabletopassthroughasortof‘timegateway’whichpermittedhimtoenterthetwofoldDuatrealmsofOsiris—i.e.Rostau-Giza—astheywererememberedfromthemythicalgoldenageofthegods:

[ThecouncilsaystoHorus]:Indeedthisjourneyofyours...isaswhen[thefirst]HoruswenttohisfatherOsirissothathemightbeaspiritthereby,thathemightbeasoulthereby...[418]

Indeedthisjourneyofyours,indeedthesejourneysofyours[skyandland]arethejourneysof[thefirst]HorusinsearchofhisfatherOsiris...[419]

Fromsuchreferencesitisquiteobviousthattheeventscataloguedintheskyandonthelandinthe‘twofoldfuneralregionsofOsiris’aresomehowsetor‘frozen’farbackinthepastin‘thetimeofthegods’,thetimeofOsirisandHorus—i.e.ZepTepi,the‘FirstTime’.

Alsoobvious,aswehaveseeninpreviouschapters,isthewayinwhichthetwofoldfuneralregionsofOsirisaresaidtoreflecteachotheratthetimeoftheheliacalrisingofSirius,the‘starofIsis’,thesister-wifeofOsirisandmotherofHorus—anastronomicaleventwhichweknowcoincidedintheearlyPyramidAgewiththeappearanceoftherisingsunatthesummersolstice(knownasthe‘birthofRe’).[420]ItwasatthispropitiousmomentthattheHorus-KingsetoutonhisquestfortheregenerationofEgyptbyparticipatinginagrandrebirthritualsimultaneouslyasthe‘sonofOsiris’andthe‘sonofRe’.

Asthe‘sonofOsiris’heemergedfrom‘thewombofIsis’,i.e.thestarSirius,[421]atdawnonthesummersolstice,i.e.thedayofthe‘BirthofRe’.Itwasthen—andthere—bothatthesky-horizonandontheearth‘horizon’thattheHorus-KingwasmeanttofindhimselfinfrontoftheGatewaytoRostau.GuardingthatGatewayontheearth-horizon’(i.e.atGiza)hewouldencounterthegiganticfigureofalion—theGreatSphinx.AndguardingthatGatewayinthesky-horizonhiscelestialcounterpartwouldfind...what?

Asusual,onceweunderstandtheirprofoundlyastronomicalnature,thePyramidTextsprovideuswithallthenecessaryco-ordinatestoanswerthisquestion.Itissimplyamatterofrealizingthatthe‘weird’symboliclanguageusedinthetexts—farfrombeingmumbo-jumbo—isinfactaprecisescientificterminologydressedupintheliturgicalclothingofacosmicdrama.[422]

SeventydaysfromHorakhti

Itiswellknown,andnotamatterofcontroversyevenamongstEgyptologists,[423]thatthewholeemphasisoftheancientEgyptianrebirthcultwasontheseventydaysof‘invisibility’whichSirius,thestarofIsis,enduredeachyear.Theseseventydayswereseenasacosmicpreparationforastralrebirthand,notsurprisingly,theywerematchedtotheperiodofembalminginthemummificationritualsofthedead.[424]Theculminationandcrescendoofthisseventy-dayperiodcamewiththefirstdawnreappearance,orrising,ofSiriuswhich,asthereaderwillrecall,occurredataroundthetimeofthesummersolsticeduringthePyramidAge.Thiswaswhentheastronomer-priestsofHeliopolisobservedwhatistechnicallyknownastheheliacalrisingofSiriusintheeast.[425]

Sinceitwasbelievedthatallthepotentialpowersofnatureneededtocausethe‘rebirth’ofthecosmicHorus-Kingwerebuildingupinthe‘womb’ofthegoddessIsisduringthesecrucialseventydays,wecansupposethatthebeginningoftheperiodmarkedthebeginningofthe‘journey’ofHorusintothe‘underworld’—whentheDuatwaslocked,asitwere,belowthehorizonandthusdirectly‘underneath’theGizanecropolis.

FromthisitfollowsthatweareinvitedtofindoutwheretheHorus-King’scelestialcounterpart—i.e.thediscofthesun—stoodintheskysomeseventydayspriortotheheliacalrisingofSirius.ThePyramidTextsagaingiveustheclue.TheyspecifythatatthistimetheHorus-solar-KingwastobefoundonthebanksoftheMilkyWayjustabouttoboardthesolarbark.[426]RememberingthattheastronomicalobservationsinthetextsweremadeduringthemiddleofthethirdmillenniumBC,letustrytodecodethisimageryusingcomputersimulations.

44.PositionoftheDuatsky-regionatdawnatvarioustimesoftheyearintheepochof2500BC,thePyramidAge.TheDuatwasconsideredtobecomeactiveonlyatthesummersolsticeinmid-June when the stars of Orion and Sirius rose heliacally. Some 70 days prior to this crucialobservationalmoment theDuatwas ‘locked’ below the horizon and thus, in a sense, directly‘underneath’theGizanecropolis.

Weknow,ofcourse,thatthe‘path’ofthesun(whichastronomerscalltheecliptic)passesthroughtwelvedistinctconstellationsinthecourseofacompleteyear—theconstellationsofthezodiac.Circa2500BC,therefore,letusseewherethesunwouldhavebeenalongtheeclipticpathsomeseventydaysbeforetheheliacalrisingofSirius.Itwould,wediscover,havebeenneartheheadofTaurus(theHyades)andpoisedontherightbankoftheMilkyWay.[427]

Intheritualordramaperformedbytheking,isitnotpossiblethatthiscelestialeventwasthesourceoftheimageryofthecosmicHorusaboutto‘board’acosmic‘bark’withthesun-godinordertocrossawaterway(the‘WindingWaterway’,i.e.theMilkyWay):[428]

ThekingembarkswithReonthisgreatbarkofhis,henavigatesinittothehorizonwithhim...[429]

ThekingshallgoaboardthebarklikeReonthebanksoftheWindingWaterway...[430]

TheWindingWaterwayisflooded...youcrossthereontothehorizon,totheplacewherethegodswereborn...yoursister[companion]isSothis...[431]

MayyoucrosstheWindingWaterway...mayyoufallintheeasternsideofthesky,mayyousitinthe...horizon...[432]

He[Horus]goesaboardthebarklikeReatthebanksoftheWindingWaterway...[433]

Aswewindtheancientskiesalittleforwardintimeonourcomputerwediscoverthattwenty-fivedaysafterbeingstationedneartheHyades-Taurusontherightbankofthecosmicriverthesunhasindeed‘crossed’theMilkyWayandisnow‘sailing’eastwardsalongtheeclipticpathinthedirectionofthegreatzodiacalconstellationofLeo—seenasahuge‘crouchinglion’inthesky.Wearenowjustalittleoversixweeksawayfromthesummersolstice:

Thereed-floatsoftheskyaresetdownformethatImaycrossonthemtothehorizon,toHorakhti...toyondereasternsideofthesky...SummonsismadetomebyRe...asHorus,astheHorizonDweller...[434]

ThedoorsoftheskyarethrownopenforHorakhti...thedoors‘oftheskyarethrownopenatdawnforHorusoftheEast...[435]

...goto...Horakhtiatthehorizon...ontheeasternsideoftheskywherethegodsareborn.[436]

Followingthisextremelyclearandspecificinstructionto‘gotoHorakhti’atthehorizon(theretomeetthesunrise)wecontinueoureastwardjourneyalongtheeclipticpathwithasensethatwearerapidlyconverginguponavital‘station’inthequestoftheHorus-King.

45.Epochof2500BC, thePyramidAge, seventydaysbefore the summer solstice: an initiatetrackingthejourneyofthe‘solar’Horus,thediscofthesun,fromitsstationontheright‘bank’oftheMilkyWay.

46.Epochof2500BC,thePyramidAge:aninitiatetrackingthejourneyofthe‘solar’Horus,thediscof the sun, to its conjunctionwithRegulus, theheart-starofLeo, atdawnon the summersolstice.TheritualleavesnoroomfordoubtthattheenigmaticfigureofHorakhti,sofrequentlyreferredtointhePyramidTexts,isnoneotherthantheconstellationofLeo.

Theweekspassinsecondsonourcomputerscreenandwhenweatlast‘reachtheeasternsideofthesky’—atthehorizon,atthehighlysignificantmomentwhen‘thegodsareborn’,i.e.attheexacttimeofrisingofthestarSirius—weseethataverypowerfulcelestialconjunctionhasoccurred:thesun(whichisnowatthesummersolsticepoint)standsexactlybetweenthe‘paws’ofLeo.[437]ThesolardiscispositionednearthebreastofthecosmiclionwhereitseemstomergewiththebrightstarRegulus—the‘starofKings’.[438]

Thegreatcelestial‘journey’performedbythecosmicHorus-Kingalongtheeclipticpaththereforeturnsouttoleadquiteunambiguouslytooneveryspecificplaceintheheavenlylandscape:betweenthe‘paws’ofLeoandrightinfrontofits‘breast’.

Theimplicationsareobvious.

TheenigmaticfigureofHorakhti,whoseidentitywehavebeenattemptingtoestablish,canbenoneotherthantheconstellationofLeo—thegiantcosmiclion,orsphinx,whostandsatthegatesofthesky-Duatandwhoassumesthenameof‘Horus-of-the-Horizon’.

LetusnowtransposetheHorus-Kingtothelandandfollowhisjourneytotheearthly‘Horus-in-the-Horizon’—bywhom,ofcourse,wemeanHor-em-Akhet,theGreatSphinxinthe‘horizon’ofGiza.

TheHighRoadandtheLowRoad

TheHorus-KingstandsontheeastbankoftheNile,neartheroyalresidence.[439]Aftercompletingcertainritualsheboardsagreat‘solarboat’[440]—perhapstheveryboatthatwasfoundin1954buriedinapitnearthesouthfaceoftheGreatPyramid—andistakentothewestbankoftheriverinthevalleybeneaththeGizaplateau.Hedisembarks,makeshiswayuptotheTempleoftheSphinx,andwalksbetweenthepawsofthegreatstatuetostandinfrontofitsbreast.

HeisnowattheGatewaytoRostau[441]andabouttoentertheFifthDivisionoftheDuat—theholyofholiesoftheOsirianafterworldKingdom.Moreover,heispresentedwithachoiceof‘twoways’or‘roads’toreachRostau:onewhichison‘land’andtheotherin‘water’.[442]

47.The‘astral’KingdomofOsirisinRostau.Artist’simpressionofthecorrelationofthethreeGizaPyramidsandthethreestarsofOrion’sbeltinZepTepi,the‘FirstTime’.

TheeminentGermanphilologist,AdolfErman,explains:

WhoeverenterstherealmsofthedeadbythesacredplaceofRostauhas,aswelearnfromamapoftheHereafter,tworoutesopentohim,whichwouldleadhimtothelandoftheblessed,onebywater,theotherbyland.Botharezigzag,andatravellercannotchangefromonetotheother,forbetweenthemliesaseaoffire...Alsobeforeenteringuponeitheroftheseroutesthereisagateoffiretobepassed...[443]

Havingmadehischoice,theHorus-Kingdemandstobetakentosee‘hisfather’Osirisinhisastralform.AmediatororpriestreportstoOsirisandstates:

ItisnotIwhoasksthathemayseeyouinthisformofyourswhichhascomeintobeingforyou;OOsiris,someoneasksthathemayseeyouinthisformofyourswhichhascomeintobeingforyou;itisyoursonwhoasks...itisHoruswhoasksthathemayseeyouinthisform...alovingson...[444]

48.Artist’simpressionoftheoriginalHorusleadingthewayfortheHorus-Kinginitiateintotheplacewherethe‘Seat’ofOsirisistobefoundintheastralPyramidoffinalinitiation.

Horusthendeclarestothecouncilofthegods:

Theskyquivers,theearthshakesbeforeme,forIamamagician,Ipossessmagic.IhavecomethatImayglorifyOrion,thatImaysetOsirisatthehead...[445]

Ihavecometoyou,myfather,Ihavecometoyou,Osiris...[446]

Next,inamosttellingmanner,thecouncilofthegodsissuesthefollowinginstruction:

OHorus,theKing[yourfather]isOsiris,thisPyramidoftheKingisOsiris,thisconstructionofhisisOsiris;betakeyourselftoit...[447]

AndfurtherlightmaybeshedontheidentityoftheOsiris-PyramidbyapassagefromtheBookofWhatisintheDuatwhichspeaksofamysterious‘district’intheDuat:‘whichis440cubitsinlengthand440cubitsinbreadth’.[448]Canitbeacoincidence,sincetheEgyptianroyalcubitisequivalentto20.6inchesand440cubitsthereforeamountstojustover755feet,thatthedimensionsgivenareidenticaltothoseoftheGreatPyramid’ssquarebase?[449]

Atanyrate,afterpassingthroughmoreordealsandadventures,thequestingHorus-KingfinallyreachesOsiris-OrionandfindshimlistlessinthetenebrousunderworldofhisPyramid.Atthisvitaljuncture,thequestor’sroleistobidhis‘fatherOsiris’toawakeandbereborn—i.e.,indualisticastronomicalterms,toriseanewintheeastatdawnasOrion:‘AwakeforHorus!...Raiseyourself!...ThegatesoftheDuatareopenedforyou...Spiritualizeyourself...MayastairwaytotheDuatbesetupforyoutotheplacewhereOrionis...’[450]

Where,then,nearorundertheSphinxcanwefindthe‘twoways’orthe‘tworoads’ofRostau?

AndwhyshouldtheHorus-Kingbemadetochoosebetweenthem?

Subterraneanworld

OneoftheancientnamesoftheGizanecropolis,aswehaveseen,wasAkhetKhufu—Kherit-Neter-Akhet-Khufuinfull,usuallyrenderedintoEnglishas‘thenecropolisoftheHorizonofKhufu’.InhisdictionaryofancientEgyptianhieroglyphs,SirE.A.WallisBudgetranslatesthewordKherit-Neteras‘cemetery,necropolis’.[451]SelimHassan,however,pointsoutthatKherit-Netercanhavethealternativemeaningof‘under,orbelongingtoaGod’.[452]AndBudgeaddsthatKheritcanalsomean‘estate’andthattherootoftheword,i.e.Kher,canmean‘undersomething’,‘thelowerpart’or‘downwards’.[453]

Inaddition,asHassanalsoremindsus,Kherit‘maybeappliedtotheUnderworld[Duat],perhapsasalingeringmemoryoftheconceptionofRostauastheKingdomofOsirisinthetomb’.[454]Couldsuchnuancesimplymorethanalingeringmemory?Inotherwords,isitnotpossible,aswehavealreadysuggestedinPartI,thatunderthenecropolis-‘horizon’ofGizatherecouldbean‘estate’ofsomekind—perhapsanetworkofsubterraneanchambersandpassageways?

InhisHandbookofEgyptianReligion,theGermanEgyptologistAdolfErmanwrotethat:‘thecelebratedshrineRostau,thegatesoftheways,leddirectlytotheunderworld.Itispossiblethatpartofthisshrinehassurvivedintheso-calledTempleoftheSphinx...’[455]

Furthermore,commentingontheword‘Rostau’,R.O.Faulkner,thetranslatorofthePyramidTexts,saysthatthisisalso‘thetermforaramporslideformovingthesarcophagusintoatomb,transferredtoaregionofthebeyond’.[456]Dr.I.E.S.Edwards,ontheotherhand,saysthatthecausewaywhichlinksapyramidcomplexwithitsvalleytemple‘wascalled“placeofthehaul”or“entranceofthehaul”(Rostau)becauseitwasthewayalongwhichsledgesbearingthebodyofthedeadkingandhispersonalpossessionswouldbehauledathisfuneral’.[457]

LinkingtheValleyTempleneartheSphinxwiththecentralPyramidontheGizaplateau,asthereaderwillrecall,aretheremainsofanenormouscauseway.Mightnotthiscausewayor‘road’beoneofthe‘ways’totheheartlandofRostaudescribedintheancienttexts?Suchcauseways—thoughnowinallcasesfallenintoruin—wereoriginallyrectangulartunnelsroofedoverwithlimestoneslabsanddecoratedwithstar-spangledceilings.[458]ItiseasytoseehowsymbolismofthiskindwouldhavebeenbeappropriateinthecontextoftheHorus-King’scosmicquesttofindtheastralformofOsiris.

ThecausewayoftheSphinxrunstotheimmediatesouthofthemonumentataboutthelevelofitsshoulderandthenceslopesgentlyupwardsinawesterlydirectiontowardsthegreat‘MortuaryTemple’thatstandsoutsidetheeastfaceofthecentralPyramidofGiza.Beingineverysense‘dry’,itmakessensetoconsiderthiscausewayasbeingthe‘roadbyland’toRostau.

Butwheremighttheother‘road’belocated—the‘waythroughwater’?TheremaybeanimportantclueintheBookofWhatisintheDuat.Inthiseerietextthereisadepictionofthehermeticallysealedchamberofthe‘KingdomofSokar’—Sokar-Osiris—whichisalsotheFifthDivisionoftheDuat.ThedepictionshowsatunnelfilledwithwaterpassingunderthepawsofalargeSphinx(seepage148).Thetunnelslopesgentlyupwardsleading,finally,totheSixthDivision.

Interestinglyenough,aswesawinPartI,geologistsworkingaroundtheGreatSphinxintheearly1990sidentifiedalargerectangularchamberandother‘anomalies’inthebedrockdirectlybeneaththemonument’spaws.Interestingly,too,itiswellknownthatfarbelowtheSphinxisanundergroundwatertablewhichhasbeenconstantlyreplenishedsincetimesimmemorialbycapillaryactionfromtheNile.[459]

Tunnel

Dr.JeanKerisel,theeminentFrenchengineerwhoseworkintheSubterraneanChamberoftheGreatPyramidwearealreadyfamiliarwith,[460]hasrecentlytakenthegeologicalevidencefurtherbysuggestingthattheSphinxmaystandovertheentrancetoa700-metre-longtunnelleadingtotheGreatPyramid—atunnelthatwasoncefilledorpartiallyfilledwithwater.[461]

Couldsuchatunnelbetheother‘way’thattheHorus-Kinghadtotaketo‘seetheastralformofhisFather’,i.e.Orion?ThefactthatinsidetheKing’sChamberoftheGreatPyramidis,indeed,astar-shaftpointeddirectlyatOrion’sbelt—the‘Rostau’inthesky—addscogencytonotionsofsomesortofundergroundaccessroutethatmighthavebeenusedbyinitiatestojourneyinsecretfromtheSphinxtotheinnerpassagesandchambersofthePyramid.

Furthermore,inthePyramidTextsweoftenhearofa‘CausewayofHappiness’whichisinthe

‘NorthoftheFieldofOfferings’.AndinthefollowingpassagetheHorus-Kingseemstobestandingattheentranceofsucha‘causeway’atexactlythetimeSiriusisperformingitsheliacalrising,i.e.‘HeraldingtheNewYear’70daysafterthesun’scrossingoftheMilkyWay:

IamtheheraldoftheYear,OOsiris,IhavecomeonbusinessofyourfatherGeb[theearth-god]...Ispeaktoyou,Ihavemadeyouenduring.‘CausewayofHappiness’isthenameofthiscausewaynorthoftheFieldofOfferings.StandUp,Osiris,andcommendmetothosewhoareinchargeofthe‘CausewayofHappiness’northoftheFieldofOfferingsjustasyoucommendedHorustoIsisonthatdayonwhichyoumadeherpregnant...[462]

The‘FieldofOfferings’hadacelestiallocationintheDuatsomewherenearOrion.[463]Dualisticlogicthereforesuggeststhatitsearthlycounterpartmusthavebeenaplacewhere‘offerings’weremadebytheHorus-KingwhenhewasabouttoentertheGizanecropolis.Withthisinmind,itissurelyofrelevancethatmanyoftheNewKingdomsphinxstelaefoundatGiza,includingthegranitestelaofThutmosisIVthatstandsbetweenthepawsoftheSphinxitself,doinfactshowtheHorus-Kingsmakingofferingsinatempleinfrontofthemonument.[464]Furthermore,asthetextquotedabovemakesclear,the‘CausewayofHappiness’rantothenorthofthe‘FieldofOfferings’.Anunderground‘causeway’runningnorth-westfromthetempleoftheSphinxwouldleadtotheGreatPyramid.

SocouldKerisel’sboldhypothesisberight?[465]CouldsuchanundergroundsystemexistatGiza?

Stargate

ThesearequestionsthatweshallreturntoinPartIV.MeanwhilewhatarewetomakeofthementionofIsisandherpregnancythatalsoappearsintheabovetext?

InTheOrionMysteryithasbeenshownthattheGreatPyramid’sso-calledQueen’sChambercouldhavebeenusedforasymbolic‘copulation’or‘seeding’ritualinvolvingthepersonoftheHorus-KingontheonehandandthegoddessIsisinherastralform(i.e.thestarSirius)ontheother.Intermsofsky-grounddualismthetwomighthavebeenthoughtofasbeing‘connected’throughtheChamber’ssouthernstar-shaft,whichwastargetedonthemeridian-transitofSiriusinthePyramidAge.[466]ThishypothesisisstrengthenedbythefactthatsuchacopulationritualisfoundclearlydepictedinthePyramidTextsandthatthemomentwhenOsirissupposedlymadeIsis‘pregnant’isspecifiedasbeingwhenSiriuscrossedthemeridianatdawn.[467]ThetextsalsostateofOsiris-Orion:‘YoursisterIsiscomestoyourejoicingforloveofyou.Youhaveplacedheronyourphallusandyourseedissuesinher,shebeingreadyas“Sothis”[Sirius]...’[468]

49. Artist’s impression of the ‘cosmic’ Great Pyramid superimposing the star Sirius over thepositionofthe‘gate’intheSiriusstar-shaft.

WastheHorus-King,then,somehowmeanttofindhiswayunderandintotheGreatPyramidandthencetoitsupperchamberswiththeirstar-shafts?

AndwhatmightreallybethesignificanceofRudolfGantenbrink’srecentdiscovery,whichwehaveconsideredatlengthinPartII,ofamysterious‘gate’or‘doorway’deepinsideoneofthoseshafts—theveryshaftthattargetedthemeridian-transitofSiriusinthePyramidAge?

Lastbutnotleast,isitacoincidencethattheancientEgyptianwordsba,‘star’,alsocarriesthemeanings‘gate’,‘foldingdoor’and‘greatdoorofheaven’?[469]

Again,thesearemattersonwhichweshallhavetopostponefurtherconjectureuntilPartIV.Meanwhileletusreturntothequesttouniteskyandground—thuswinningtheGrailofimmortality—inwhichalltheHorus-KingsofancientEgyptparticipated.

TheSplendidPlaceofthe‘FirstTime’

WeleftthecosmicHorus-Kingstandingintheskywiththesolardiscbetweenthe‘paws’ofthecelestiallion,theconstellationofLeo—onthespotmarkedbythestarRegulus.

InthePyramidAgeRegulusroseatapproximately28degreesnorthofdueeast.[470]ItisfromthisspotthereforethattheHorus-Kingintheskymustsomehowtravel—ononeofthe‘roads’toRostau—toreachOrion’sbelt.

NowwetransposeagaintotheHorus-KinginhisearthlyformatGiza,standingbetweenthepawsofthegreatSphinx.

Itisthemomentofdawnonthesummersolsticeintheepochof2500BC,withLeorisingat28degreesnorthofdueeast,andweimmediatelynoticethatsomethingiswrongwiththesky-groundpattern.

TheSphinxgazesdueeast,i.e.hedoesnotgazeatLeo,hiscelestialcounterpart.

50.Epochof2500BC,thePyramidAge:therisingofLeoatthesummersolstice.NotethatinthisepochthegazeofHor-em-Akhet,‘Horus-in-the-Horizon’—i.e.theGreatSphinx—isnotinalignmentwithHorakhti, ‘Horus-of-the-Horizon’, i.e. the constellationofLeo.The readerwillrecall that this same sense of a curious ‘dislocation’ of the sky-ground images at the summersolsticein2500BCalsoappliestothethreegreatPyramidsandthethreestarsofOrion’sbelt.

51.Summersolsticeintheepochof2500BC.Artist’simpressionoftheDuatregionasviewedfromtheHorizonofGiza.

AndthecausewayconnectingthecentralPyramidtotheSphinxcomplexisdirected14degreessouthofdueeast—i.e.fartotherightofthespotwherethecosmicHorus-KingissupposedlyathisstationbetweenthepawsofLeoandreadytotraveltoRostau.

Sowhyisthesky-imageinthe‘wrongplace’ontheeasternhorizon?Ortoexpresstheproblemtherightwayround,andinthecorrectdualisticterminology,whyisHor-em-Akhet,Horus-in-the-Horizon—i.e.theGreatSphinx—notinalignmentwithHorakhti,Horus-of-the-Horizon,i.e.theconstellationofLeo?Why,too,isthecausewayoftheSphinxnotdirectedtotherisingsunsoasto‘link-up’theHorus-Kingwithhiscosmicsolarcounterpart?

Thereis,itseems,acurious‘dislocation’betweenthegroundandtheskyatthesummersolsticeintheepochof2500BC.Moreover,asthereaderwillrecallfromChapter8,thissenseoftheentirearrangementbeingoutofkilterisnotconfinedtotheSphinxandLeointhatepochbutinvolvesthethreegreatPyramidsofGizaaswell.

Itmaybethecasethatthesolutiontotheriddlehasallalongbeenstaringusintheface.Inscribed

onthegranitestelathattheSphinxholdsbetweenitsownheavilyerodedpaws—astelathatwasplacedthereinhonourofThutmosisIV,amightyHorus-KingofEgypt—wereadthefollowingimpressiveroyaltitulary:

TheMajestyofHorus,MightyBullBegettingRadiance,FavouriteoftheTwoGoddesses,EnduringinKingshiplikeAtum,GoldenHorus,MightyofSword,RepellingtheNineBows,KingofUpperandLowerEgypt,SonofRe,Thutmosis...givenlife,stability,satisfaction...forever.LivetheGoodGod,SonofAtum,ProtectorofHorakhti,LivingImageoftheAll-Lord,Sovereign...,beautifulofFacelikeHisFather,whocameforthequippedwiththeformofHorusuponhim...SonofAtum,ofhisbody,Thutmosis...HeirofHorusUponHisThrone...[471]

Doesthissoundlikeamanwhodidnothaveaclue,assomeEgyptologistssuggest,[472]astowhatthegreatSphinxandtheothermonumentsofGizareallyrepresented?Surelynot.Sowhat,then,didthemajesticHorus-Kingdeclarethissacreddomaintobe?

Inonesimple,powerfulphrase,asthereaderwillrecall,hestatedthatitwas‘TheSplendidPlaceofthe“FirstTime”’.[473]

Isitnotlikely,whenheutteredthesewords,thatThutmosis,‘HeirofHorusUponHisThrone’,wasrepeatingwhateveryHorus-KingbeforehimhaddeclaredtheGizaplateautobe?

52.Artist’s impressionof‘reconstructed’SphinxshowingthestatueofaHorus-King,whichisknowntohaveoncestoodbetweenitspaws,gazingatthecelestialcounterpartofthe‘SplendidPlaceoftheFirstTime’intheeasternhorizon.

Isitnotlikelythathecalledit‘TheSplendidPlaceofthe“FirstTime”’becausethatisexactlywhatitwasrememberedtobeintraditionsthathadbeenhandeddownfromremotest,almostincomprehensible,antiquity?

Couldthisbewhytheskyof2500BCseemstobesobadlyoutofkilter,somehowskewedandtwisted,i.e.‘inthewrongplace’?Coulditbenotsomuchinthewrongplaceasatthewrongtime?

Shouldwesetourcomputertosearchforanothertimethatmightmatchthemonumentstothe

sky,atimelongbeforeThutmosis,longbeforeKhafreandKhufu,the‘time’whenOsirisestablishedhiskingdomonearth—inotherwords,the‘FirstTime’?

Whenwasthe‘FirstTime’?

PartIVMap

Chapter11TheUnseenAcademy

‘TheEgyptiansbelievedthatinthebeginningtheirlandwasruledbyadynastyofgreatgods,ofwhomHorus,thesonofIsisandOsiris,wasthelast.Hewassucceededbyadynastyofsemi-divinebeingsknownasthe“followersofHorus”,who,inturn,gaveplacetothehistoricalkingsofEgypt.’

SelimHassan,TheSphinx,Cairo,1949

Whenwasthe‘genesis’ofcivilizationinEgypt?Whendid‘history’begin?

AccordingtoT.G.H.James,formerlyKeeperofEgyptianAntiquitiesattheBritishMuseum,andarepresentativevoiceoforthodoxopiniononthesematters:‘ThefirsttrulyhistoricalperiodisthatwhichbeginswiththeinventionofwritinganditisgenerallyknownastheDynasticPeriod.Itisaperiodextendingfromabout3100BCto332BCanditderivesitsnamefromthethirty-onedynastiesintowhichthesuccessivekingsofEgyptweredividedinaschemepreservedintheworkofManetho,apriestlyhistorianwholivedduringthe[thirdcenturyBC].TheunletteredcultureswhichflourishedinEgyptbeforethebeginningoftheDynasticPeriod,andwhichexhibitsomeofthecharacteristicswhichmarktheearliestphasesofEgyptiancultureintheDynasticPeriod,areknownasPredynastic...SuchtracesofhumanlifeasarefoundintheNileValleydatingfrombeforethePredynasticPeriodareusuallydescribedinthetermsusedforEuropeanPrehistory—Palaeolithic,MesolithicandNeolithic.’[474]

Sotherewehaveit.Egyptianhistory—andcivilizationwithit—beganataround3100BC.Beforethatthereweremerely‘unletteredcultures’(admittedlywithsome‘civilized’characteristics),whichwereinturnprecededby‘StoneAge’savages(‘Palaeolithic’meansliterally‘OldStoneAge’).

ThewayJamesputsit,thewholepictureseemsveryclear-cut,orderlyandprecise.HereallymakesitsoundasthoughallthefactsarenowinhandconcerningthePredynasticEgyptiansandtheirforebears,andthatnothingmoreremainstobediscoveredaboutanyofthem.

SuchanodynenotionsofthepastarewidespreadamongstEgyptologistswhoagainandagainintheirtextbooks,andalsoinmass-marketpublicationslikeNationalGeographicandTime-Life’smisleadinglynamedLostCivilizationsseries,conveythecomfortingimpressionthattheprehistoryofEgyptiswellunderstood,organized,categorizedandsafelyputinitsplace(JamesevenrefersustoonespecificplaceintheBritishMuseumwhereparticularenlightenmentapparentlyawaitsus:the‘SixthEgyptianRoom’withitsdefinitivedisplayof‘primitivetoolsmadebythePalaeolithicinhabitantsofEgypt’).[475]Likewise,ontheothersideoftheAtlanticaswesawinPartI,Dr.PeterLecovara,CuratoroftheMuseumofFineArtsinBoston,assuresusthat‘thousandsofEgyptologistsworkingforhundredsofyearshavestudiedthisproblem[theprehistoryofEgypt]andthechronologyisprettymuchworkedout.Thereisnobigsurpriseinstoreforus.’[476]

Butiseverythingreallyasorderlyandaswellworkedoutasthe‘experts’say?Andcanwereallybesosurethatthereis‘nobigsurpriseinstoreforus’?

InourviewLecovara,James,andthemanyotherscholarswhosharetheiropinions,woulddowelltoremembertheadviceofthelateLabibHabachi,formerlytheEgyptiangovernment’sChiefInspectorofAntiquities,whowarnedin1984that‘Egyptologyisafieldinwhichchancediscoverymaydisproveanestablishedtheory’.[477]Inthelightofthispossibility,Habachi’ssuggestionwasthatEgyptologistsshouldavoidmaking‘unqualifiedstatements’andbehonest

enoughto‘salttheircommentswith“probably”and“perhaps”.’[478]

Certainlyalittlemore‘probably’and‘perhaps’wouldbeinorderwherethePredynasticandearlierperiodsofEgyptianhistoryareconcerned.Farfromtheimpressionconveyedtothepublic,thetruth,assomescholarsarepreparedtoadmit,isthat‘ThestateofknowledgeofEgyptianprehistoryinthelatetwentiethcenturyisstillfragmentary’.[479]

ThesearethewordsofNicholasGrimal,ProfessorofEgyptologyattheSorbonneUniversityinParis,whoalsoconcedes:

IthasbeenclearsincetheSecondWorldWarnotonlythat‘prehistory’beforethePharaohswasexpandingonahithertounsuspectedscale,butalsothatitappearedtobesodiverseandself-containedthatitwasdifficulttoregarditsimplyasa‘preparatory’stagefortheDynasticPeriod...[480]

TheprevailingEgyptologicalconsensus(towhichGrimalinthisrespectatleastisanexception)isunabletoofferanycoherenttheorywhichexplainsthese‘diverse’and‘self-contained’characteristicsofEgyptianprehistory,orthataccountfortheveryseriousproblemsofapparentnon-continuitybetweenthePredynasticandtheDynasticPeriods.TheancientEgyptiansthemselves,however,passeddownrecordstouswhichmaycontaintheanswertothewholemystery.TheserecordsprovidedetailedinformationconcerningaperiodthatextendsbackmanythousandsofyearsbeforethesuddenemergenceofthePharaonicstateintheepochof3000BC.

Theonlyproblemisthatnooneispreparedtotaketheserecordsseriously.CouldthisbebecausetheyconflictwiththemodernscholarlyconsensusonEgyptianchronology?Readersmustmakeuptheirownmindsbut,asweshallseebelow,elementsofthesamerecordswhichdoconformtothecurrenttheoryareacceptedandtakenseriouslybyEgyptologists.

Threeeras

AsT.G.H.Jamestellsusinhisremarksquotedearlier,modernstudyofancientEgyptianchronologyislargelybasedonManetho’sHistoryofEgypt.TherespectedProfessorWalterEmeryputsthingsmuchthesamewaywhenhereportsthatthewritingsofManethoareof‘immenseimportanceandformtheframeworkonwhichEgyptianhistoryhasbeenbuilt’.[481]

OneofthereasonsthatManetho’ssystemissodurableandremainsinusebyEgyptologiststodayisthatithasagainandagainproveditselftobeaccurate.Heisknowntohavebasediton‘mucholderdocuments,orking-lists,towhich,asalearnedpriesthehadaccess’.[482]Furthermoreanumberofdocumentsinthiscategory—notablythePalermoStone,theTurinPapyrusandtheAbydosKing-List—havebeenfoundandtranslated.InthewordsofthelateProfessorMichaelHoffman,aleadingexpertonEgyptbeforethePharaohs:‘ArchaeologistsandEgyptologistshavediscoveredfivesuchlistswhich,despitesomediscrepancies,supportManethoingeneral.’[483]

Lookingatallthesurvivingsources,itisclearthatthreedistincterasofkingshipwereremembered:

·ThefirsterawaswhentheNeteru,(‘Neters’or‘Gods’)ruledthelandofEgypt—anepochthatculminatedwiththekingshipofHorus,thesonofOsirisandIsis.

· Thencametheeraofthe‘FollowersofHorus’,theShemsuHor,(alsoknownbynumerousother titles and epithets)which took the divineHorian lineage across the ages and up to ahuman Pharaoh namedMenes (also known as Narmer or ‘King Scorpion’), the legendary‘UnifieroftheTwoLandsofUpperandLowerEgypt’.

·AfterMenescametheso-called‘Dynastic’Kings,whosenamesareindividuallycataloguedintheking-lists.

EgyptologistsplacethereignofMenesincirca3000BCandregardhimasthefirst‘historical’kingof‘Dynastic’Egypt.[484]TheyconcedethatafewPredynastic‘chieftains’musthaveprecededhiminboththenorthandsouthofthecountrybuttheyemphaticallyrejectanysuggestionthatthe‘Neters’andthe‘FollowersofHorus’cataloguedintheking-lists(andreferredtowithsomeprominencebyManetho)couldhavebeenhistoricalindividuals.Onthecontrary,theconsensusviewisthattheNeters,being‘Gods’,areobviousreligiousfictionsandthattheShemsuHoraretoberegardedasnothingmorethan‘mythicalkings’whoruledinanequally‘mythicalkingdom’.

So,scholarsacceptashistoryonlythebitsofManethoandthesurvivingking-liststhatfittheirtheory—i.e.therecordsoftheDynasticPeriodfromMeneson—anddevalueallreferencesinthosesamerecordstoearlierandmoremysterioustimes.

WritingintheCambridgeAncientHistory,forexample,ProfessorT.E.PeetgroupstogetheralltheancientEgyptiansourcesconcerningthechronologyofthe‘Gods’andthe‘FollowersofHorus’andthendismissestheentirecorpusofmaterialwiththefollowingthrowawayremark:‘Fromthehistoricalpointofviewthereislittletobemadeofthis.’[485]

Likewise,inKingshipandtheGods,hisdetailedstudyofthePharaonicstate,theeminentHenriFrankfort,ProfessorofPreclassicalAntiquityattheUniversityofLondon,hadthistosayaboutthe‘FollowersofHorus’:

...itappearsthat‘FollowersofHorus’isavaguedesignationforthekingsofadistantpast...butitwouldseemunwisetotreatthetermasprimarilyofahistoricalnature.Foreachkingbecameatdeathoneofthecorporationof‘transfiguredspirits’...[and]mergedwiththatnebulousspiritualforcewhichhadsupportedthelivingrulersanddescendentsoftheThroneofHorussincetimeimmemorial.[486]

Highinitiates

WefeelobligedtopointoutthatthiswasnotatallhowtheancientEgyptiansviewedtheirownhistory.Forthemtherewasneveranyquestionofmythicalepochsor‘nebulousspiritualforces’lurkinginthedistantpast.Forthem,tostatemattersplainly,the‘FollowersofHorus’,andthegeographicallandscapeinwhichtheyhad‘ruled’,wereunquestionablerealitiestowhichtheyweredirectlyandinseverablyconnected.Indeed,ifonetakestheEgyptianaccountsandtraditionsseriouslywhatthe‘FollowersofHorus’begintosoundlikeisalineageofreal,although‘unnamed’individualswhosefunctionandduty,asHenriFrankforthimselfsuggested,wastoprovidethe‘spiritualforce’behindthemonarchy(thoughbynomeansina‘vague’or‘nebulous’manner).TheEgyptians’ownaccountsalsoinvitetheconclusionthattheroleofthese‘Followers’mayhavebeentocarrydowntheagesabodyofextraordinaryknowledgeharkingbacktotheevenmoremysterious‘timeoftheNeteru’—i.e.the‘Gods’.

Fromavailableprimarysources,inotherwords,theoverallpicturethatemergesisthatthe‘FollowersofHorus’maynothavebeen‘kings’intheusualsenseofthewordbutratherimmenselypowerfulandenlightenedindividuals—highinitiateswhowerecarefullyselectedbyanéliteacademythatestablisheditselfatthesacredsiteofHeliopolis-Gizathousandsofyearsbeforehistorybegan.Thereismuchtosuggest,too,thattheancientEgyptiantextsarerightandthatPharaoniccivilizationmayindeedhaveoweditsuniquesparkofgeniustojustsucha‘brotherhood’linkedtojustsuchanarchaicandéliteacademy.

SowhomighttheShemsuHorreallyhavebeen?Andwhatwerethey‘following’?

FollowingtheWayofHorus

Heliopolis—ancientOnorInnu—wastheoldestorganizedreligiouscentreinEgyptandmostprobablyintheworld.Situatedsome12milesnortheastoftheGizaplateau,andalreadyhoary

withageatthedawnofthePharaonicepoch,itisidentifiedbytraditionasthesourceofthesecretsofastralimmortalitywhichthePyramidbuildersclaimedtohaveinherited.IndeedthetitleoftheHighPriestofHeliopolis,asProfessorI.E.S.Edwardshasrecentlydemonstrated,was‘ChiefoftheAstronomers’,andtheregaliaofthisnotablewasaceremonialrobespangledwithfive-pointedstars.[487]

53.Osiris-Orionshowingthewaytohis‘Followers’,theHorus-Kings,whoarethecustodiansofhisdualkingdomintheDuat.

AswehavealreadyhintedinPartIII,thedominantconcernsoftheelitist,‘scientific’priestsofHeliopoliswerewithrecordingthemotionsofthestars,measuringandcommemoratingthepassageoftime,andpeeringintothemysteriesoftheepochs.Ithaslongbeenknown,too,thattheycarefullystudiedthecycleofthesuninitsperceivedyearlycircuitalongthezodiacalpath.Andmorerecently,compellingevidencehasemergedthattheyalsofollowedthefarlongercosmiccycleofthe‘GreatYear’—namelytheprecessional‘drift’ofthestarscausedbytheearth’saxial‘wobble’.Thereaderwillrecallthatthisvastcycleof25,920yearswasmeasuredbytheslowrotationofthetwelvezodiacalconstellationsinrelationtothepointofsunriseonthevernalequinox—inshort,the‘precessionoftheequinoxes’inwhichasuccessionofastrological‘Ages’,each2160yearsinduration,wasbelievedtohavebeguntounfoldafterakindofspiritualandcultural‘BigBang’knownasZepTepi—the‘FirstTime’oftheGods.

Toobserveandaccuratelymeasuretherateoftheprecessionoftheequinoxesisafeatthatcouldonlyhavebeenachievedbyscientificallyminded,intellectuallyadvancedandhighlyorganizedpeoplewithalongtraditionofpreciseobservationalastronomy.Similarly,thebuildingofthethreegreatPyramidsofGizawasnottheworkoftechnologicalprimitivesonlyrecentlyemergedfromtheStoneAge.Onthecontrary,ashistoriansofscienceGiorgiodeSantillanaandHerthavonDechendhavepointedout,suchaccomplishments‘shouldbeacogentreasonforconcludingthatseriousandintelligentmenwereatworkbehindthestage,menwhowereboundtohaveusedatechnicalterminology’.[488]

Weshallarguethat‘seriousandintelligentmen’—andapparentlywomentoo—wereindeedatworkbehindthestageofprehistoryinEgyptandproposethatoneofthemanynamesbywhichtheywereknownwasthe‘FollowersofHorus’.Wepropose,too,thattheirpurpose,towhichtheirgenerationsadheredforthousandsofyearswiththerigourofamessianiccult,mayhavebeentobringtofruitionagreatcosmicblueprint.Andwehaveevidencethattheslowunfoldingandimplementationofthisplansomehowentailedtrackingtwoobservable‘ways’takenbythecelestialbodiesacrosstheages—‘ways’whicharebothconsequencesoftheearth’saxialprecession:

·Firstthe‘way’ofthestars:theseappearto‘drift’inthesensethattheirplaceanddayofrisingat the horizon changes, accompanied by corresponding changes in their altitude at the

meridian.

· Secondlythe‘way’ofthesun,whichalsoappearsto‘drift’—inthiscase‘westwards’alongtheeclipticpathsothatthe‘pointer’ofthevernalequinoxappearsto‘sweep’slowlythrougheachoneofthetwelvezodiacalsignsevery2160years.

InthecodedastronomicallanguageoftheancientsofHeliopolis,wewillarguethatthenotionoffollowingthesun’swestwarddriftthroughthezodiactranslatesas‘FollowingtheWayofHorus(thesun)acrosstheages’.Andwewillshowthatthe‘FollowersofHorus’aremostlikelytohaveacquiredtheirenigmatictitlebecauseitdescribedpreciselywhattheydidandstoodfor.Theywere,wesuspect,astrologersandastronomersparexcellencewhohadbeenfollowingandrecordingthepositionofthevernalpointacrosstheagesfromtheepochofthe‘FirstTime’totheepochofthehistoricalkingsofEgypt.

Lastbutnotleast,wealsoproposeasahypothesisforfurthertestingthatatawell-definedandpredeterminedhistoricalmoment‘writteninthestars’the‘FollowersofHorus’mayhavetakenstepstomobilizethenativeinhabitantsofEgypt,unitethemintoatheocraticstateandharnesstheirenergiestothefurtherfulfilmentofacosmicblueprintinwhichthegreatPyramidsonthewestbankoftheNileweretoplayapivotalrole...

Chapter12Sagesand‘Followers’

‘TheintroductiontothefirstEdfucosmologicalrecorddisclosesthetraditionthatthecontentsoftheserecordswerethe“wordsoftheSages”.Wearetoldthatthissacredbookwasbelievedtobea“CopyofthewritingswhichThothmadeaccordingtothewordsoftheSages”...’

E.A.E.Reymond,TheMythicalOriginoftheEgyptianTemple,1969

Itisaconventionamongstmodernscholarsthatmythsdonotcountashistoricalevidence—and,aswesawinthelastchapter,thisconventionisparticularlystronglyadheredtobyEgyptologists.

Yetthereareseveralwell-knowncasesinarchaeologywheremythsthathavebeendismissedas‘unhistorical’werelaterprovedtohavebeenentirelyaccurate.Oneexampleconcernstheworld-famousTroyofHomer’sIliad(agreatprose-poemcompiledfromearlieroralsourcescirca800BC).UntilnotlongagomostscholarswereconvincedthatTroywasa‘mythicalcity’—i.e.entirelyafigmentofHomer’sfertileimagination.In1871,however,the‘buccaneer’GermanexplorerHeinrichSchliemannprovedorthodoxopinionwrongwhenhefollowedgeographicalcluescontainedintheIliadanddiscoveredTroyinwesternTurkeyneartheDardanelles(theancientHellespont)—exactlywhereHomerhadsaiditwaslocated.Schliemannandtwootherintrepidresearchers,theGreekscholarKalokairinosandtheBritisharchaeologistSirArthurEvans,thenwentontocapthisachievementbyfollowingupmythsconcerningthegreat‘Minoan’civilizationthatwassaidtohaveexistedontheislandofCrete.Thesemyths,too,weredismissedasunhistoricalbyorthodoxopinionbutwerevindicatedwhenSchliemannandhisteamexcavatedtheremainsofahighlyadvancedculturenowfirmlyidentifiedasthatofthe‘Minoans’.[489]

Similarly,intheIndiansubcontinent,thegreatbodyofancientSanskritscripturesknownastheRig-Vedacontainsrepeatedreferencestoahighcivilization,livinginfortifiedcities,thathadprecededtheAryaninvasionsmorethan4000yearsago.Againthesereferenceswereuniversallydismissedas‘mythical’—until,thatis,theruinsofthegreat‘IndusValley’citiessuchasHarappaandMoenjodarobegantobeunearthedinthetwentiethcenturyandprovedtodatebackasfaras2500BC.[490]

Inshort,therecordshowsthatwholecitiesandcivilizationswhichwereonceclassifiedasmythical(andthereforeofnohistoricalinterest)haveahabitagainandagainofsuddenlymaterializingfromthemistsofobscurityandbecominghistoricalrealities.

CouldthesamethingbeabouttohappeninEgypt?

Guardiansofrecords

AmongstotherpeoplessuchastheRomansandtheGreeks,whowereconsiderablyclosertoancientEgyptthanweare,itwasheldtobeaxiomaticthatthePharaohsandtheirpriestsweretheguardiansofaccuraterecordsconcerningcertainhighlysignificanteventsthathadtakenplacelong,longago.Indeedtheserecordswereactuallyseenandstudied,atthesacredcityofHeliopolis,bysuchdistinguishedvisitorsasHerodotus(fifthcenturyBC),theGreeklawmakerSolon(640-560BC)andhisfellowcountrymanthescientistPythagoras(sixthcenturyBC).[491]FromtheirreportsderivedtheGreekimpressionofEgyptreportedbyPlato:[492]

WeGreeksareinrealitychildrencomparedwiththispeoplewithtraditionstentimesolder.Andasnothingofpreciousremembranceofthepastwouldlongsurviveinourcountry,Egypthas

recordedandkepteternallythewisdomoftheoldtimes.Thewallsofitstemplesarecoveredwithinscriptionsandthepriestshavealwaysundertheirowneyesthatdivineheritage...Thegenerationscontinuetotransmittosuccessivegenerationsthesesacredthingsunchanged:songs,dances,rhythms,rituals,music,paintings,allcomingfromtimeimmemorialwhengodsgovernedtheearthinthedawnofcivilization.[493]

WehavealreadymadefrequentmentionofZepTepi,thesupposedlymythical‘FirstTime’oftheGods—aremoteepochwithwhichtheancientEgyptiansassociatedtheoriginsoftheircivilization.AndinthelastchapterwenotedthatManetho’sfabledHistory,andanumberofinscriptionsknownasking-lists,alsoreferbacktodistantgoldenageswhenthegods,andthensubsequentlythemysterious‘FollowersofHorus’,ruledintheNileValley.Beforeimmersingourselvesinthenextchapterinthetrulyimmensechronologyofwhichallthelistsspeak,ourobjectivehere,asPlatoprompts,istotakealookatthe‘wallsoftemples’—specificallyattheso-called‘BuildingTexts’(circa200BC)inscribedonthewallsoftheTempleofEdfuthatstandsinUpperEgyptmidwaybetweenLuxorandAswan.Thesetexts,whichcontainaseriesofextraordinaryreferencestothe‘FirstTime’,areacceptedbyscholarsastheonlysurvivingfragmentsofamuchmoreancient,muchlarger,andmuchmorecoherentbodyofcosmogonicalliterature—nowlonglost—thatonceincorporatedacomplete‘mythicalhistory’ofEgypt,ofitsgodsandofthetemplesbuilttohonourthem.[494]Inthetexts,the‘FollowersofHorus’areequatedandmergedwithother‘mythical’beings,sometimesseeminglydivine,sometimeshuman,whoarealwaysportrayedasthebringersandpreserversofknowledgedowntheages—asanélitebrotherhooddedicatedtothetransmissionofwisdomandtothequestforresurrectionandrebirth...

Memoriesofthedawn

TheTempleofEdfuinitspresentformwaserectedoveratwohundred-yearperiodbetween237BCand57BCbutincorporatespartsofmuchearlierstructuresdatingbacktothePyramidAge(forexampleportionsoftheinnerandouterwesternenclosurewall).Moreover,likeallmajortemples,itwasbuilt‘onhallowedground’andthereattachestoitarecollectionofvastantiquityandofmomentousantecedents.[495]

Thus,onthefaceofthings,theBuildingTextsappeartobenothingmorethanahistoryoftheEdfuTempleitself,togetherwithdescriptionsofitsroomsandhallsandoftheirritualpurposeandsignificance.[496]Acloserlook,however,asE.A.E.ReymondofManchesterUniversityhasdemonstrated,revealsasubtextwhichhints:

attheexistenceofcertainmythologicalevents...wherethefoundation,buildingandbringingtolifeofthehistoricaltemple[ofEdfu]isinterpretedashappeninginamythicalage.Thehistoricaltempleisinterpretedastheworkofthegodsthemselves,andasanentityofamythicalnature.This...seemstoindicateabeliefinahistoricaltemplethatwasadirectcontinuation,projection,andreflexionofamythicaltemplethatcameintoexistenceatthebeginningoftheworld...[497]

Needlesstosaythe‘beginningoftheworld’isasynonymintheEdfuTextsforthe‘FirstTime’,alsoknownasthe‘EarlyPrimevalAge’.Inthisepoch,welearn,the‘wordsoftheSages’werecopieddownbythewisdom-godThothintoabookthatcodifiedthelocationsofcertain‘sacredmounds’alongtheNile.Thetitleofthislostbook,accordingtothetexts,wasSpecificationsoftheMoundsoftheEarlyPrimaevalAge,anditwasbelievedtohavecontainedrecordsnotonlyofallthelesser‘Mounds’,ortemples,butalsooftheGreatPrimevalMounditself,theplacewheretimehadsupposedlybegun.[498]

Severalpointsofinterestarise:

1.The‘GreatPrimevalMound’hasrecentlybeenassociatedbyProfessorI.E.S.EdwardswiththenaturaloutcroppingofrockthatisknowntolieundertheGreatPyramidofEgyptandtohave been incorporated into its lower courses of masonry.[499] This analysis appears to

reinforce the connections that we have already established in Part I between the Gizanecropolisandthe‘FirstTime’.

2.The‘Sages’referredtointheEdfuBuildingTextswereseveninnumber.Theirspecialrolewas as ‘the only divine beingswho knew how the temples and sacred placeswere to becreated’.AnditwastheywhoinitiatedconstructionworkattheGreatPrimevalMound.Thiswork,inwhichThothalsoparticipated,involvedthesettingoutanderectionoftheoriginal‘mythical’templeofthe‘FirstTime’.[500]

3.Alsoconstructedunderthedirectionofthe‘SevenSages’wasanedificespecifiedashwt-ntr,‘themansionofthegod’:‘“Speedyofconstruction”,mencalleditbyname.Thesanctuaryiswithinit,“GreatSeat”byname,andallitschapelsareaccordingtothenorm.’[501]

4.Whenalltheseworkswerecomplete‘themagicalprotection(swrmdw)ofthatsitewasmadebytheSages’.[502]

5.InthewholecorpusofancientEgyptianwritings,theEdfuBuildingTextspreservetheonlyreferences to the ‘SevenSages’ that have survived to the present day.Egyptologists havethereforepaidlittleattentiontotheidentityofthesebeingsbeyondconcedingthatthattheyappeartohaveplayedapartin‘amuchwiderandmoregeneraltheoryconcerningtheoriginof sacred domains and their temples’.[503] In our opinion, however, there is somethingnotableaboutthecontextinwhichtheTextsdescribetheSages.Thiscontextismarkedbyapreponderanceof ‘Flood’ imagery inwhich the ‘primevalwaters’ (outofwhich theGreatPrimevalMound emerged) are depicted as gradually receding.[504]We are reminded ofNoah’smountain-toponwhichtheArksettledaftertheBiblicalDeluge,andofthe‘SevenSages’ (Apkallu) of ancientBabylonian traditionwhowere said to have ‘lived before theFlood’andtohavebuiltthewallsofthesacredcityofUruk.[505]LikewiseisitanaccidentthatinIndiantradition‘SevenSages’(Rishis)arerememberedtohavesurvivedtheFlood,their purpose being to preserve and pass down to future generations the wisdom of theantediluvianworld?[506]

InallcasestheSagesappearastheenlightenedsurvivorsofacataclysmthatwipedtheearthclean,whothensetaboutmakingafreshstartatthedawnofanewage—which,inancientEgypt,wasreferredtoasthe‘FirstTime’.AsReymondconfirmsinhermasterlystudyoftheEdfuTexts:

thefirsteraknownbyourprincipalsourceswasaperiodwhichstartedfromwhatexistedinthepast.Thegeneraltoneoftherecordseemstoconveytheviewthatanancientworld,afterhavingbeenconstituted,wasdestroyed,andasadeadworlditcametobethebasisofanewperiodofcreationwhichatfirstwasthere-creationandresurrectionofwhatoncehadexistedinthepast.[507]

Wisdomandknowledge

AccordingtotheEdfuTextstheSevenSagesandtheothergodscameoriginallyfromanisland,[508]the‘HomelandofthePrimevalOnes’.[509]Asnotedabove,thetextsareadamantthattheagencythatdestroyedthisislandwasaflood.Theyalsotellusthatitcametoitsendsuddenly[510]andthatthemajorityofits‘divineinhabitants’weredrowned.[511]ArrivinginEgypt,thosefewwhosurvivedthenbecame‘theBuilderGods,whofashionedintheprimevaltime,theLordsofLight...theGhosts,theAncestors...whoraisedtheseedforgodsandmen...theSeniorOneswhocameintobeingatthebeginning,whoilluminedthislandwhentheycameforthunitedly...’[512]

Itwasnotbelievedthattheseremarkablebeingswereimmortal.Onthecontrary,aftertheyhadcompletedtheirtaskstheydiedandtheirchildrentooktheirplacesandperformedfuneraryritesontheirbehalf.[513]Inthisway,justlikethe‘FollowersofHorus’,thegenerationsofthe

‘BuilderGods’,or‘Sages’,or‘Ghosts’or‘LordsofLight’describedintheEdfuTextscouldconstantlyrenewthemselves—thuspassingdowntothefuturetraditionsandwisdomsstemmingfromapreviousepochoftheearth.Indeed,thesimilaritiesbetweenthe‘SeniorOnes’ofEdfuandtheShemsuHorofHeliopolitantraditionaresomarkeditishardtoescapetheconclusionthatbothepithets,andthenumerousothersthatexist,arealldescriptionsofthesameshadowybrotherhood.

ThisimpressionisstrengthenedbytheconstantreferencesintheEdfuTextstothe‘wisdomoftheSages’(wisdombeingoneofthedefiningcharacteristicsofthe‘FollowersofHorus’)andtherepeatedemphasisthattheirspecialgiftwasknowledge—including,butnotlimitedto,theknowledgeofarchitecture.[514]LikewiseitisnoteworthythattheSagesaresaidtohavespecifiedtheplansanddesignsthatweretobeusedforallfuturetemples—arolefrequentlyaccordedinothercontextstothe‘FollowersofHorus’.Forexample,thetempleofDendera(alittletothenorthofEdfu)isinscribedwithBuildingTextsofitsownwhichstatethatthe‘greatplan’followedbyitsarchitectswas‘recordedinancientwritingshandeddownfromthe“FollowersofHorus”’.[515]

Heliopolitanorigins

Theearliest-survivingreferencestothe‘FollowersofHorus’occurinthePyramidTexts.ItisthereforeunlikelytobeanaccidentthatthenotionintheEdfuTextsoftheGreatPrimevalMoundemergingfromthewatersofauniversaldelugecoincidesexactlywithimagerythathasalsobeenpreservedinthePyramidTextsinwhich,asE.A.E.Reymondsummarizes:‘TheEarthinitsearliestshapewaspicturedasamoundwhichemergedfromtheprimevalwater.Thismounditselfwasthenconsideredasadivinebeing,andastheoriginalterrestrialconfigurationonwhichthecreator,Atum,dwelt.’[516]

Asiswellknown,thecompilationofthePyramidTextswasundertakenbythepriestsofHeliopolis.[517]ItmaythereforebeofrelevancethatancientEgyptiantraditionsattributethefoundingofHeliopolistothe‘FollowersofHorus’—inaperiodlongbeforethebeginningofDynastictimes—andthatthereisanEgyptianpapyrus,nowintheBerlinMuseum,whichclearlysuggeststhatHeliopolisinsomeway‘existedbeforetheearthwascreated’.[518]Onceagain,thisinterlinkscloselywithacentralpropositionoftheEdfuTexts,namelythatthe‘newworld’createdbytheSagesaftertheFloodwasconceivedofanddesignedbyitsmakersas‘theresurrectionoftheformerworldofthegods.’[519]

Thereareotherlinkstoo.ForexamplewhatReymondcalls‘themanifestationoftheresurrectionofthefirstholyworld’tooktheformintheEdfuTextsofanuprightcolumnorrod,‘thePerch’onwhichagreatbird,theDivineFalcon,rested.[520]InHeliopolistherestoodapillar(indeedInnu,theEgyptiannameforHeliopolis,actuallymeans‘pillar’[521])onwhichitwasbelievedthatanother‘Divine’bird—theBennu,orphoenix—periodicallyrested.[522]AndinterestinglythehieroglyphforHeliopolis—acolumnsurmountedbyacrossabove(orbeside)acircledividedintoeightparts[523]—isvirtuallyidenticaltoahieroglyphdepictingtheEdfu‘Perch’thatisreproducedbyFlindersPetrieinhisRoyalTombsoftheEarliestDynasties.[524]

Forallthesereasons,andmanyothers,Reymondconcludesthat‘theEdfudocumentarysourcesoffer...oneargumentmoreinfavourofthetheorythattheritualoftheEgyptiantemplewasHeliopolitaninorigin...WeareoftheopinionthattheEdfurecordspreservethememoryofaPredynasticreligiouscentrewhichonceexistedneartoMemphis,whichtheEgyptianslookedonasthehomelandoftheEgyptiantemple.’[525]

Whatbettercandidateisthereforthat‘PredynasticreligiouscentreneartoMemphis’—that‘homeland’oftheEgyptiantemple—thanthesacredcityofHeliopolisanditsassociatedPyramidsandotherstructuresontheGizaplateau?Moreover,asthereaderwillrecall,theGiza/HeliopoliscomplexliestothenorthofancientMemphis.Inthislightawell-knowntextontheinnerfaceoftheenclosurewallofthetempleatEdfutakesonaspecialmeaning,forittells

usthatthetemplewasbuilt‘atthedictatesoftheAncestors’accordingtowhatwaswritteninacertain‘book’whichhad‘descendedfromtheskytothenorthofMemphis’.[526]

ThereisofcourseasenseinwhichthecosmicmonumentsofGizacouldthemselvesbesaidtobeakindof‘book’writteninstoneand‘descendedfromthesky’—for,aswenowknow,thethreegreatPyramidsaretheterrestrialcounterpartsofthethreestarsofOrion’sbeltandtheSphinxdrawsdowntoearththeregalimageofLeo,thecelestiallion.

Cycleofthephoenix

ThePrimevalMound,identifiedwiththeGreatPyramidandwiththenaturalmoundofrockthatisincorporatedintothefoundationsofthatmonument,isenvisagedinthePyramidTextsasaplaceatonceofbirthanddeath,andalsoasaplaceofrebirth.[527]TheseideasfitwellwiththeancientEgyptianritualsfor‘awakeningOsiris’andattainingastralimmortality—andwiththequestoftheHorus-King—thatwehavedescribedinearlierchapters.Theyalsoaccordwiththesensethatthetextsconveyofacyclicalrhythmatworkintheuniverseasthevast‘Mill’ofthezodiacgrindsoutthedestinyofworldages.

InHeliopolitantheology,alltheseprocessesweregroupedtogether,summarizedandexpressedinasingleimage—theBennubird,thelegendaryPhoenixwhichatcertainwidelyseparatedintervals‘fashionedanestofaromaticboughsandspices,setitonfireandwasconsumedintheflames.Fromthepyremiraculouslyspranganewphoenix,which,afterembalmingitsfather’sashesinaneggofmyrrh,flewwiththeashestoHeliopoliswhereitdepositedtheminthealtaroftheEgyptiansun-god,Re.AvariantofthestorymadethedyingphoenixflytoHeliopolisandimmolateitselfinthealtarfire,fromwhichtheyoungphoenixthenrose...TheEgyptiansassociatedthephoenixwithimmortality.’[528]

SourcesvaryastotheperiodoftheBennu’sreturn,butinhisauthoritativestudyonthesubjectR.T.RundleClarkmentionsthefigureof12,954years.[529]Letusnotethatthisfigureaccordsverycloselywithahalf-cycleofprecession(wherethefullcycle,aswehaveseen,is25,920years).Assuch,‘thereturnofthephoenix’couldbeexpressedinastronomicaltermseitherasaslow‘sweep’ofthevernalpointthroughsixhousesofthezodiac—forexamplefromthebeginningofLeotothebeginningofAquarius—or,atthemeridian,asthenumberofyearsrequiredforastartomovebetweenitsminimumandmaximumaltitudesabovethehorizon.

Whenconsideringsuchco-ordinatesinthesky,weareimmediatelyremindedoftheGizanecropolis—ofhowthegazeoftheGreatSphinxtargetsthevernalpointontheeasternhorizon,andofhowthestar-shaftsoftheGreatPyramidlockintothemeridianwithmachine-ageaccuracy.MoreoveritcanhardlybeanaccidentthatthecapstoneorpyramidionplacedontopofallpyramidswasknownintheancientEgyptianlanguageastheBenbenandwasconsideredtobeasymboloftheBennubird(andthusalsoofrebirthandimmortality).[530]ThesecapstoneswerereplicasoftheoriginalBenbenstone—perhapsaconical,‘orientated’meteorite[531]—whichwassaidtohave‘fallenfromheaven’andwhichwaskeptinHeliopolis,perchedatopapillarinaTemplecalledthe‘MansionofthePhoenix’.[532]

Isitnotapparent,therefore,thatweareconfrontedherebyatightlyknitcomplexofinterwovenideas,alladditionallycomplicatedbymassesofEgyptiandualism,inwhichstonestandsforbird,andbirdforstone,[533]andbothtogetherspeakofrebirthandofthe‘eternalreturn’?

ThecapstoneisofcoursemissingfromthesummitoftheGreatPyramidatGiza.AndtheBenbenofHeliopoliswasalreadylonglosttohistorybythetimeoftheGreeks...[534]

Willthesetreasures,too,soonerorlater‘return’?

54.Artist’simpressionofthe‘MansionofthePhoenix’inHeliopoliswithitsoriginalpillarandpyramid-shapedBenbenstone.

Ancestorgods

‘UnderlyingallEgyptianspeculation’,asR.T.RundleClarkhasobserved,‘isthebeliefthattimeiscomposedofrecurrentcycleswhicharedivinelyappointed...’[535]Thereisfurthermoreagoverningmomentamongstallthesecyclesandepochs—the‘genesisevent’thattheEgyptianscalledZepTepi,the‘FirstTime’.

Zepmeans‘Time’,Tepimeans‘First’.

ButTepialsohasotherconnotations.Forexample,itisthewordfor‘theforemostpointofaship’anditcanlikewisebeinterpretedas‘thefirstdayofaperiodoftime’.Moreover,accordingtotheastuteanalysisofRobertK.G.Temple:‘ThebasicmeaningofthewordTepis“mouth”...andevenmorefundamentallythe“beginningorcommencementofanything”.’[536]

Perhapsbecauseofthispersistentconnectionwiththebeginningofthings,Tepicanalsomean‘ancestors’.AndtheTepi-aui-qerr-en-petwere‘theancestor-godsofthecircleofthesky’.[537]AlsointhePyramidTextsTepi-auiisoneofthemanytitlesbywhichtheancestraldeitiesofthe‘earlyprimevalage’wereknown—thegodsandSages,or‘FollowersofHorus’,whoweresupposedlythere,atthedawnofcivilization,whenthephoenixalightedatopthepillaratHeliopolis,utteringagreatcryandsettinginmotionthe‘time’ofourpresentepochoftheworld...

Curiously,thehieroglyphicsignusedtodeterminetheTepi-auiisthebodyofalarge,slouchinglion,withonlythepaws,breastandheadshown.AndwefindasimilardevicebeingusedasthedeterminativeforaverysimilarclassofbeingscalledtheAkeru,describedinWallisBudge’sHieroglyphicDictionaryasagroupofgodssaidtobetheancestorsofRe.[538]

ThereaderwillrecallfromearlierchaptersthatoneofthedistinguishingfeaturesoftheFifthDivisionoftheDuatisthepresencethereofagiantdouble-lionSphinx-godnamedAkerwhomEgyptologistMarkLehnersuggestsmaybe‘arepresentationoftheSphinxatGiza’.[539]SinceitisfromAkerthattheAkeruderivetheirname,itisnaturalthatthehieroglyphsshoulddepictthemeitherintheformofslouchinglions,oroftwolionsbacktoback,orofadouble-headedlion.[540]

Sothetextsseemtoinviteustoattachleoninecharacteristicstothe‘menorgodsofoldentimes’,tothe‘Ancestors’,andtotheSages.Buttheyalsoinvitesomethingelsewhen,asweshallseein

thenextchapter,theylinkthewholeconceptofancestraldynastiesofgodsandspiritswithanothercloselyrelatedword,Akhu,meaning,variously,the‘ShiningOnes’,the‘StarPeople’orthe‘Venerables’.Inthiswaytheywillleadusbacktothetrailofthe‘FollowersofHorus’andtothenotionthatforthousandsofyears—spanningboththeprehistoricandthehistoricperiods—themembersofahiddenacademymayhavebeenatworkbehindthescenesinEgypt,observingthestarswithscientificrigourandmanipulatingmenandeventsaccordingtoacelestialtimetable...

Chapter13FollowingtheStars

‘ThedispositionofthestarsaswellastheirmovementshavealwaysbeenthesubjectofcarefulobservationamongtheEgyptians...theyhavepreservedtothisdayrecordsconcerningeachofthesestarsoveranincrediblenumberofyears,thisstudyhavingbeenzealouslypreservedamongthemfromancienttimes.’

DiodorusSiculus,BookV,firstcenturyBC

ItshouldbeclearbynowthattheancientEgyptianshadverydistinctideasaboutthelengthandscopeoftheirhistory,andthattheysetthe‘FirstTime’,the‘genesisevent’fortheircivilization,farbackinwhattheEdfuBuildingTextscallthe‘EarlyPrimevalAge’.Justhowlongagothateventactuallytookplaceisnotanissuethatwillbeeasilyresolvedbecausethesurvivingtexts—theking-lists,theveryfewfragmentsofManetho’sHistorythathavebeenpreserved,andcertaintravellers’tales—aremostlyincompleteandattimesmutuallycontradictory.Moreoverweareobligedtocutourwaythroughaluxuriantjungleofdiverseterminologies—Sages,Ancestors,SpiritsoftheDead,the‘FollowersofHorus’,etc.,etc.—whichfurthercomplicatestheproblemoftryingtoarriveatacoherentpicture.Nevertheless,letusseewhatwecangleanfromtheseancientsources.Letustrytoputthejigsawpuzzletogether...

Shiningones

Amongsttheveryfewking-liststhathavesurvivedtothepresentday,theso-called‘TurinPapyrus’reachesparticularlydeeplyintothedarkabyssofthepast.Regrettably,morethanhalfofthecontentsofthisfragiledocumentfromthesecondmillenniumBChavebeenlostbecauseofthegrossincompetencewithwhichitwashandledbyscholarswhenitwastransferred(inabiscuittin)fromthecollectionoftheKingofSardiniatoitspresenthomeintheMuseumofTurin.[541]Theremainingfragments,however,offeroccasionaltantalisingglimpsesofanastonishingchronology.

OfthegreatestimportanceamongstthesefragmentsisabadlydamagedverticalregisterinwhichthenamesandreignsoftenNeteruor‘Gods’wereoriginallygiven.Althoughinmostcasesthedurationsofthesereignsarenowillegibleorcompletelybrokenaway,itispossibletoreadthefigureof3126yearsascribedtotheruleofthewisdom-godThothandthefigureof300yearsascribedtoHorus,thelastfully‘divine’kingofEgypt.[542]Immediatelyafterwardscomesasecondverticalregisterdevotedtothe‘FollowersofHorus’—theShemsuHor—themostprominentofthatgeneralclassofbeingsvariouslycalled‘Ancestors’,or‘Sages’or‘Ghosts’or‘Spirits’whomtheEgyptiansrememberedashavingbridgedthegapbetweenthetimeofthegodsandthetimeofMenes(thesupposedfirstkingofthefirsthistoricalDynastycirca3000BC).[543]Againmuchoftheregisterismissing,butitslasttwolines,whichseemtorepresentasumming-up,areofparticularinterest:‘TheAkhu,ShemsuHor,13,420years;ReignsbeforetheShemsuHor,23,200years;Total36,620years.’[544]

Thepluralword‘Akhu’isnormallytranslatedas‘Venerables’.[545]Yet,aswehintedattheendofthelastchapter,acloseexaminationofthefullrangeofmeaningsthattheancientEgyptiansattachedtoitsuggeststhatanotherandfarmoreintriguingpossibilityexists—onethatisconcealedbysogeneralizedanepithet.Tobespecific,thehieroglyphsforAkhucanalsomean‘TransfiguredBeings’,‘ShiningOnes’,‘ShiningBeings’or‘AstralSpirits’—understandablyidentifiedbysomelinguistswiththestars.[546]Andthereareothershadesofmeaning,too,thatcryouttobetakenintoaccount.ForexampleinSirE.A.WallisBudge’sauthoritative

HieroglyphicDictionarythefollowingadditionaldefinitionsareprovidedforAkhu:‘tobebright’,‘tobeexcellent’,or‘tobewise’and‘instructed’.[547]AndBudgefurtherinformsusthatthewordwasfrequentlyassociatedwith‘thosewhoreciteformulae’.[548]

Suchdata,wesuggest,callsforarethinkofthetitle‘Venerables’asappliedtothe‘FollowersofHorus’intheTurinPapyrus.[549]Ratherthanmerelybeing‘venerable’,isitnotpossiblethatwhatwasmeanttobeconveyedbythewordAkhuinthiscontextwasapictureofvastlyenlightenedandlearnedpeople,apparentlywithsomeconnectiontoorinterestinthestars—inshortanéliteofhighlyinitiatedastronomer-philosophers?

Insupportofthisnotionisthefactthatthe‘FollowersofHorus’werefrequentlylinkedintheancienttextstoanotherequallyenlightenedand‘shining’classofancestralbeingscalledthe‘SoulsofPe’andthe‘SoulsofNekhen’.[550]NowPeandNekhenwereactualgeographicallocationsinEgypt—theformerinthenorthandthelatterinthesouth.[551]Interestinglyenough,however,asProfessorHenriFrankforthasconfirmed,the‘Souls’ofboththeseplaceswerealsofrequentlygroupedcollectivelyunderyetanothertitle,the‘SoulsofHeliopolis’,[552]whoweresaid‘toassisttheKing’sascenttoheaven,afunctioncommonlyperformedbytheSoulsofNekhenandPe...AreliefdepictingthisfunctionshowstheSoulsofPeandNekhenintheact,whilethetextcallsthemthe“SoulsofHeliopolis”.’[553]

Itisgenerallyacceptedthattheterm‘Soul’—Ba—asusedbytheancientEgyptianshadstellarattributesconnectedtothenotionofeternallifeintheDuattowhichallthehistoricalPharaohsaspired.Moreover,asFrankfortrightlypointsout,thePyramidTextsdoindeeddefinethedominantroleofthe‘Souls’ofPeandNekhen—andthusthe‘Souls’ofHeliopolis—asbeingtoensurethatwhenaPharaohdiedhewouldbe‘equipped’toascendtotheskyandfindhiswayintothecosmicKingdomofOsiris.[554]ThisinturncoincideswithwhatweknowoftheSagesofEdfuandthe‘FollowersofHorus’,bothofwhom,aswehaveseen,maybeidentifiedwithasingleandoriginallyHeliopolitan‘brotherhood’oftemple-makerswhosefunctionwastoprepareandinitiatethegenerationsoftheHorus-Kingsinordertobringaboutthe‘resurrection’ofwhatwasrememberedas‘theformerworldofthegods’.[555]

Legacy

ThenotionthatsomeformofinvisiblecollegecouldhaveestablisheditselfatHeliopolisthousandsofyearsbeforethePharaohs,andcouldhavebeentheinitiatingforcebehindthecreationandunfoldingofancientEgyptiancivilization,helpstoexplainoneofthegreatestmysteriesconfrontedbyEgyptology—namelytheextremelysudden,indeeddramatic,mannerinwhichPharaonicculture‘tookoff’intheearlythirdmillenniumBC.TheindependentresearcherJohnAnthonyWest,whosebreakthroughworkonthegeologyoftheSphinxwereportedinPartI,formulatestheproblemespeciallywell:

EveryaspectofEgyptianknowledgeseemstohavebeencompleteattheverybeginning.Thesciences,artisticandarchitecturaltechniquesandthehieroglyphicsystemshowvirtuallynosignsofaperiodof‘development’;indeed,manyoftheachievementsoftheearliestdynastieswereneversurpassedorevenequalledlateron.ThisastonishingfactisreadilyadmittedbyorthodoxEgyptologists,butthemagnitudeofthemysteryitposesisskilfullyunderstated,whileitsmanyimplicationsgounmentioned.

Howdoesacomplexcivilizationspringfull-blownintobeing?Lookata1905automobileandcompareittoamodernone.Thereisnomistakingtheprocessof‘development’.ButinEgypttherearenoparallels.Everythingisrightthereatthestart.

Theanswertothemysteryisofcourseobvious,butbecauseitisrepellenttotheprevailingcastofmodernthinking,itisseldomseriouslyconsidered.Egyptiancivilizationwasnota‘development’,itwasalegacy.[556]

Mightnotthepreserversofthatlegacy,whoeventuallybequeathedittothePharaohsatthebeginningoftheDynasticPeriod,havebeenthosereveredandsecretiveindividuals—the‘FollowersofHorus’,theSages,theSeniorOnes—whosememoryhauntsthemostarchaictraditionsofEgyptlikeapersistentghost?

Godsandheroes

InadditiontotheTurinPapyrusotherchronologicalrecordssupportthenotionofanimmenselyancient‘academy’atworkbehindthescenesinEgypt.Amongstthese,themostinfluentialwerecompiled,aswesawearlier,byManetho(literally,‘TruthofThoth’),wholivedinthethirdcenturyBCandwho‘rosetobehighpriestinthetempleatHeliopolis’.[557]TherehewrotehisnowlostHistoryofEgyptwhichlatercommentatorstelluswasdividedupintothreevolumesdealing,respectively,with‘theGods,theDemigods,theSpiritsoftheDeadandthemortalKingswhoruledEgypt’.[558]

The‘Gods’itseems,ruledfor13,900years.Afterthem‘theDemigodsandSpiritsoftheDead’—epithetsforthe‘FollowersofHorus’—ruledforafurther11,025years.[559]Thenbeganthereignofthemortalkings,whichManethodividedintothethirty-onedynastiesstillusedandacceptedbyscholarstoday.

OtherfragmentsfromManetho’sHistoryalsosuggestthatimportantandpowerfulbeingswerepresentinEgyptlongbeforethedawnofitshistoricalperiodundertheruleofMenes.ForexampleFragment3,preservedintheworksofGeorgeSyncellus,speaksof‘sixdynastiesorsixgodswho...reignedfor11,985years’.[560]AndinanumberofsourcesManethoissaidtohavegiventhefigureof36,525yearsfortheentiredurationofthecivilizationofEgyptfromthetimeofthegodsdowntotheendofthelastdynastyofmortalkings.[561]

Aratherdifferenttotalofaround23,000yearshasbeenhandeddowntousbytheGreekhistorianDiodorusSiculuswhovisitedEgyptinthefirstcenturyBCandspoketherewithpriestsandchroniclers.Accordingtothestorieshewastold:‘AtfirstGodsandHeroesruledEgyptforalittlelessthan18,000years...Mortalshavebeenkingsoftheircountry,theysay,foralittlelessthan5000years.’[562]

Timebridge

AnoverviewofalltheavailablechronologiesincontextofotherrelateddocumentssuchasthePyramidTextsandtheEdfuBuildingTextsleavestwodistinctimpressions.Despitetheconflictsandconfusionsovertheprecisenumbersofyearsinvolved,anddespitetheendlessproliferationofnamesandtitlesandhonorificsandepithets:

· ItisclearthattheancientEgyptiansthoughtintermsofverylongperiodsoftimeandwouldnever have accepted the Egyptological view that their civilization ‘began’ with the FirstDynastyofPharaohs.

· It is clear that theywere aware of an ‘influence’ atwork in their history—a continuous,unbrokeninfluencethathadextendedovermanythousandsofyearsandthatwaswieldedbyanélitegroupofdivineandsemi-divinebeings,oftenassociatedwithleoninesymbolism,whowerecalledvariously‘GodsandHeroes’, the‘SpiritsoftheDead’,the‘Souls’, the‘Sages’,the ‘Shining Ones’, the ‘Ancestors’, the ‘Ancestor-Gods of the Circle of the Sky’, the‘FollowersofHorus’,etc.,etc.

Itisclear,inotherwords,thattheancientEgyptiansenvisagedakindof‘timebridge’,linkingtheworldofmentotheworldofthegods,todaytoyesterdayand‘now’tothe‘FirstTime’.Itisclear,toothatresponsibilityformaintainingthis‘bridge’wasattributedtothe‘FollowersofHorus’(bythisandmanyothernames).Anditisclearthatthe‘Followers’wererememberedashavingcarrieddownintactthetraditionsandsecretsofthegods—alwayspreservingthem,

permittingnotasinglechange—untilfinallysharingthemwiththefirstdynastiesofEgypt’smortalkings.

55.ItisclearthattheancientEgyptianswereawareofan‘influence’atworkintheirhistory—acontinuous,unbrokeninfluencethatextendedovermanythousandsofyearsandthatwaswieldedbyanélitegroupofdivineandsemi-divinebeings.

Followingthevernalpoint

TheetymologyoftheancientEgyptiantermShemsuHor,‘FollowersofHorus’,wasstudiedbytheAlsatianscholarR.A.SchwallerdeLubiczwhoconcluded:‘ThetermShemsuHor...literallymeans...“thosewhofollowthepathofHorus”,thatis,the“Horianway”,alsocalledthesolarway...TheseFollowersofHorusbearwiththemaknowledgeof“divineorigin”andunifythecountrywithit...’[563]

The‘solarway’or‘pathofHorus’is,ofcourse,theecliptic—thatimaginarywayorpathintheskyonwhichthesunappearstotravelthroughthetwelvesignsofthezodiac.Aswesawinearlierchapters,thedirectionofthesun’s‘journey’duringthecourseofthesolaryearisAquariusàPiscesàAriesàTaurusàGeminiàCanceràLeo,etc.,etc.Thereaderwillrecall,however,thatthereisalsoanother,moreponderousmotion,theprecessionoftheearth’saxis,whichgraduallyrotatesthe‘ruling’constellationagainstthebackgroundofwhichthesunisseentoriseatdawnonthevernalequinox.Thisgreatcycle,or‘GreatYear’,takes25,920solaryearstocomplete,withthevernalpointspending2,160yearsineachofthetwelvezodiacalconstellations.ThedirectionofmotionisLeoàCanceràGeminiàTaurusàAriesàPiscesàAquarius,etc.,etc.,i.e.thereverseoftheroutepursuedbythesunduringthecourseofthesolaryear.

Wesuggestthatthe‘FollowersofHorus’followed—inaveryprecise,astronomicalsense—notonlytheannualpathofthesun,eastwardsthroughthezodiac,butalso,forthousandsofyears,thevernalpoint’srelentlessprecessionaldriftwestwardsthroughthesametwelveconstellations.Wealsosuggestthatthisshadowybrotherhood,whosemembersweresaidtohavecarriedthe‘knowledgeofdivineorigin’(whichtheywouldlateruseto‘unifythecountry’),mayhaveinterrelatedonanextremelyselectivebasiswiththemoreprimitiveinhabitantsoftheNileValleyintheprehistoricandPredynasticperiods,interbreedingwithchosenwomenandrecruitingnewgenerationsfromamongstthebrightestandthebestoftheiroffspring—butleavinglittleornotraceoftheirpresenceinthearchaeologicalrecord.Wesuggest,too,thataroundthebeginningofthethirdmillenniumBCsomethinghappenedinthecosmicorderofthenightsky—somethinglongpreordainedandexpectedbytheirastronomers—thatcausedthe‘Followers’tolaunchtheirgrandattempttoinitiateand‘unify’thehistoricalcivilizationofEgypt.Lastbutnotleast,wesuggestthatwhoevertheyreallymayhavebeen,itwasthe‘Followers’—theSages,theBuilderGods—whoprovidedthisnascentcivilizationwiththeinjectionofadvancedtechnical

knowledge,engineering,architecturalandorganizingskillsnecessaryforthecompletionofthevastcelestial‘temple’thatweknowtodayastheGizanecropolis...

Inthenextchapterswewilltestsomeofthesehypotheses.

Chapter14Space-TimeCo-ordinates

‘Themindhaslostitscuttingedge,wehardlyunderstandtheancients.’

GregoiredeTours,sixthcenturyAD

Inastronomicaltermsthe‘vernalpoint’isthe‘address’thatthesunoccupiesonthespringequinox—itsparticularpositiononthatparticulardayagainstthebackgroundofthezodiacalconstellationsthatencircletheecliptic(i.e.theperceived‘path’ofthesun).Asaresultofacosmiccoincidencethesetwelveprominentconstellationsaredistributedintheheavensintheplaneoftheecliptic(i.e.intheplaneoftheearth’sorbitaroundthesun)and,furthermore,arespacedoutmoreorlessevenlyaroundit.Thevernalpoint,however,isnotfixed.Becauseofthephenomenonofprecession,aswehaveseeninearlierchapters,itgraduallysweepsaroundthewhole‘dial’ofthezodiacatapreciseandpredictablerate.

Between3000BCand2500BC,theepochinwhichEgyptappearstohavereceivedthesuddensparkofgeniusthatinitiatedthemostbrilliantachievementsofthePyramidAge,thevernalpointwasstationedontheimmediateright(i.e.‘west’)bankoftheMilkyWay,driftingalmostimperceptiblyslowlypastthesmallgroupofstars,knownastheHyades,whichformtheheadofTaurus[564]—theBulloftheSky.

WhatthismeansisthatthevernalpointhadarrivedinthatregionoftheskydominatedbytheadjacentconstellationsofTaurusandOrion,andparticularlybythethreestarsofOrion’sbelt.Moreover,aswehaveseeninPartI,thethreegreatPyramidsofGiza—whichstandonthewestbankoftheNile—weredesignedtoserveasterrestrialmodels,or‘doubles’ofthosethreestars.

Nowhereistheinterestingthing.IfweregardtheGizaPyramids(inrelationtotheNile)aspartofascaled-down‘map’oftherightbankoftheMilkyWay,thenwewouldneedtoextendthat‘map’some20milestothesouthinordertoarriveatthepointonthegroundwheretheHyades-Taurusshouldberepresented.HowlikelyisittobeanaccidentthattwoenormousPyramids—theso-called‘Bent’and‘Red’PyramidsofDahshur—arefoundatthisspot?Andhowlikelyisittobeanaccident,aswasdemonstratedinTheOrionMystery,thatthesiteplanofthesemonuments,i.e.theirpatternontheground,correlatesverypreciselywiththepatternintheskyofthetwomostprominentstarsintheHyades?[565]

Wesuggestnoneofthisisaccidental,thatthe‘celestialsignal’which‘sparkedofftheincrediblePyramid-buildingprogrammeofEgypt’sFourthDynastywasprovidedbytheprecessionaldriftofthevernalpointintotheHyades-Taurusregion,andthatthe‘HyadesPyramids’ofDahshurwerethereforenaturallybuiltfirst.

SuchatheoryprovidesamotiveforthevastenterpriseofFourth-DynastyPyramidconstruction(involvingsome25milliontonsofstoneblocks—morethan75percentofallthestonethatwasquarriedandshapedintoPyramidsduringthePyramidAge).[566]Inaddition,itaccordsfullywitharchaeologicalevidencewhichsuggeststhatthetwosuperbPyramidsatDahshurwerebuiltbySneferu(2572-2551BC),thefounderoftheFourthDynastyandthefatherofKhufu.InotherwordstheBentandtheRedPyramidswereindeedbuiltbeforeanyofthegreatPyramidsofGiza[567]—whichisexactlywhatonewouldexpectifthedriftofthevernalpointintotheHyades-Tauruswasthetriggerthatsetthewholeenterpriseinmotion.

Andthereissomethingelse.

Journeyintime

TheHyades-Taurusregion,togetherwithitsterrestrialanalogue,isidentifiedinthePyramidTextsasthestartingpointfortheHorus-King’s‘quest’—i.e.thatgreatdualisticjourney,enactedbothintheskyandontheground,thatwedescribedinPartIII.Asthereaderwillrecall,thetextsspecificallyandunambiguouslyinstructHorusinhissolarform,i.e.thesun’sdisc,topositionhimselfatthisstartingpointandthenceto‘gotoHorakhti’,i.e.tovoyageeastwardstowardstheconstellationofLeo.Andwehaveseenhowthesunactuallydoesthis,sailingalongtheeclipticpathduringthesolaryearinthedirectionTaurusàGeminiàCanceràLeo.

Thisorderoftheconstellationsthereforeappearstodefine‘forward’movementintimeand,atonelevel,theidentifiableastronomicaleventsdescribedinthetextsdoindeedunfoldinthe‘normal’forwarddirectionofthesolaryear(afterbeingstationednearTaurus,andthencrossingtheMilkyWay,thesunreachesLeolaterintheyear—i.e.laterintime).Moreoverthissame‘normal’forwardmotionalsoappearstobemirroredintheritualperformedbytheHorus-Kingontheground:i.e.aftercrossingtheriverNileitisinevitablethattheinitiatewillarriveatthebreastoftheGreatSphinxsomewhatlaterintime.

ButinthePyramidTexts,andinthearrangementoftheGizamonuments—asinsomuchelsethathascomedowntousfromancientEgypt—everythingmaynotbequitewhatitseems.Anawarenessoftheeffectsofprecessiononthepartofthe‘FollowersofHorus’(andthelaterpriestsofHeliopolis)wouldhaveincludedanintensefocusonthestellarbackgroundatthevernalequinoxandanunderstandingthatthesun’s‘journey’towardsHorakhti-Leo,ascalibratedatthis‘governingmoment‘oftheyear,wouldbydefinitionhavebeenajourneybackwardsintimethroughasuccessionof‘world-ages’—i.e.fromtheAgeofTaurus,circa3000BC(whenthesunonthevernalequinoxroseagainstthestellarbackgroundoftheconstellationofTaurus)totheAgeofLeo,circa10,500BC,whenthesunonthevernalequinoxroseagainstthebackgroundofthecelestiallion.

SowhenwereadinthePyramidTextsthatthe‘FollowersofHorus’areurgingtheHorus-KingtotravelfromTaurustoLeoitispossiblethattheymayhavehadinmindsomethingrathercomplexandclever.Itispossible,inotherwords,thataswellasofferingthesun’sannualpaththroughtheconstellationsasakindof‘treasuretrail’fortheinitiatetofollowonhiswaytothebreastoftheSphinx,theymayalsohaveofferedhimknowledgeofitsslowreversemotionatthevernalequinox—perhapsashiscuetoembarkonadifferentkindofjourney,againsttheflowofprecessionandbacktothe‘FirstTime’.

Thisismorethanspeculation.AswesawattheendofPartIII,theHorus-King’sjourneytothebreastoftheSphinxwasundertakenatthesummersolsticeduringthePyramidAge(becauseinthatepochitwasatthesummersolsticethatthegreatconjunctionofthesunwithHorakhti-Leooccurred).Wealsosaw,however,thattheinitiatewhohadcorrectlyfollowedthe‘treasuretrail’setoutinthetexts,andwhohadreachedtheSphinxinthepre-dawnonthesummersolstice,wouldimmediatelyhavebecomeawareofacurious‘dislocation’betweenskyandground.Hewouldhavenoticed,inparticular,thattheSphinxgazeddueeastbutthathiscelestialcounterpart—Horakhti-Leo—wasrisingatapointonthehorizonlocatedsome28degreesnorthofdueeast.HewouldalsohavenoticedthatthethreegreatPyramidsofGizapreciselystraddledthemeridianbutthattheirterrestrialcounterparts,thethreestarsofOrion’sbelt,hunglowinthesouth-easternportionofthepre-dawnsky,fartotheleftofthemeridian.

Giventheprofoundlyastronomicalcharacterofhisreligiousframeofreferencehemightwellhavefeltanuminousurgeto‘putskyandgroundtogetheragain’—i.e.,sotoarrangemattersthattheSphinxwouldbegazingdirectlyatLeointhepre-dawn,whilst,atthesamemoment,thethreestarsofOrion’sbeltwouldstraddlethemeridianintheprecisepattern‘specified’bythemeridionallayoutofthePyramids.Ifthatcouldsomehowbebroughtaboutthenthemonumentswouldtrulyrepresent‘animageofheaven’[568]—astheoldHermeticdoctrinesteach—andthelandofEgypt‘whichoncewasholy,alandwhichlovedthegodsandwhereinalonethegodsdeignedtosojournonearth’,mightonceagainbecome,asitwasbefore,‘theteacherof

Mankind’.[569]

ButhowcouldtheHorus-Kinghopetouniteskyandground?

Theonlywaywouldbeifhewereequippedtouseprecession—presumablyjustasanintellectualtool—totravelbackwardsintime.

Forasthereaderwillrecalltherewasatimewhenauniquecelestialconjunctioninvolvingthemomentofsunrise,theconstellationofLeo,andthemeridian-transitofthethreestarsofOrion’sbelt,didindeedoccur.Thattime,ofcourse,wasnearthebeginningoftheAgeofLeo,ataround10,500BC,[570]some8000yearspriortothePyramidAge.

Becomingequipped

TheUtterancesconventionallynumbered471,472and473intheancientEgyptianPyramidTextscontaininformationofanextraordinarynature.Inviewoftheimportanceofthisinformation,wesetitoutinfullbelow:

Iamtheessenceofagod,thesonofagod,themessengerofagod,[saystheHorus-King].TheFollowersofHoruscleanseme,theybatheme,theydryme,theyreciteformetheSpell[formula]forHimwhoisontheRightWay,theyreciteformetheSpellofHimwhoAscends,andIascendtothesky.

IwillgoaboardthisBarkofRe[theSolarBark]...EverygodwillrejoiceatmeetingmeastheyrejoiceatmeetingRe[thesun]whenheascendsfromtheeasternsideoftheskyinpeace,inpeace.

Theskyquivers,theearthquakesbeforeme,forIamamagician,Ipossessmagic...IhavecomethatImayglorifyOrion,thatImaysetOsirisatthehead,thatImaysetthegodsupontheirthrones.

OMahaf,Bullofthegods[Taurus-Hyades],bringmethis[solarbark]andsetmeonyonderside...Thereed-floatsoftheskyaresetdownformebytheday-barkthatI[thesolarHorus-King]maygouponthemtoReattheHorizon.ThereedfloatsoftheskyarebroughtdowntomebythenightbarkthatImaygouponthemtoHorakhtiatthehorizon.Igoupontheeasternsideoftheskywherethegodsareborn,andIambornasHorus,asHimoftheHorizon...IhavefoundtheAkhuswiththeirmouthsequipped...

‘Whoareyou?’saythey[theAkhus],withtheirmouthsequipped.

‘IamanAkhuwithmymouthequipped.’

‘Howhasthishappenedtoyou,’saythey,theAkhuswiththeirmouthsequipped,‘thatyouhavecometothisplacemorenoblethananyplace?’

‘Ihavecometothisplacemorenoblethananyplacebecause:Thereed-floatsoftheskyweresetdownforRe[thesundiscandtheemblemoftheHorus-King]thatRemightcross[theMilkyWay]onthemtoHorakhtiattheHorizon...’[571]

56.Artist’simpressionoftheuniquecelestialconjunctionthatoccurredatsunriseonthevernalequinoxintheepochof10,500BC.

TheseUtterancesappeartodescribeanimportantpartoftheHorus-King’sinitiatoryjourney—anordealofquestionsandanswersbasedonastronomicalsciencewrappedupinesotericsymbols.Theinquisitorsarethe‘FollowersofHorus’,alsoknownastheAkhus(the‘Venerables’,the‘ShiningOnes’,the‘TransfiguredSpirits’,etc.,etc.).Moreover,aswewouldexpect,theHorus-King’scosmicjourneybeginsintheTaurus-Hyadesregionofthesky,ontherightbankoftheMilkyWay.andproceedsalongtheeclipticpathtoendatLeoi.e.‘Horakhti’,atthehorizon.Here,at‘thisplacemorenoblethananyplace’,theAkhusgreethim—indeedheclaimstohavebecomeanAkhuhimself—andgivehimthefinalinstructionsordirectionsthathewillneedtocompletehisquest.

Whatwehavetoconsideristhepossibilitythatthesefinalinstructionsmightsomehowhave‘equipped’theHorus-Kingtomakethenecessaryjourneybackintime,tothe‘FirstTime’,andintothecosmicKingdomofOsiriswhenskyandgroundwereunitedinperfectharmony.

Unification

Asthereaderwillrecallfromthepreviouschapter,the‘FollowersofHorus’weresaidtohavepossessed‘aknowledgeofdivineorigin’thatwastobeusedto‘unifythecountry’.ItisthereforepresumablyofrelevancethatlargenumbersofancientEgyptianinscriptionsandpapyrimakereferencetoaneventknownas‘theUnitingoftheTwoLands’—aneventthatiseloquentlyrelatedintheso-calledShabakaTexts(the‘MemphiteTheology’)whichwehavereviewedinPartIII.

Itisthescholarlyconsensusthatthe‘UnificationoftheTwoLands’wasapoliticalandeconomic‘federation’betweensouthernandnorthernEgypt,resultingfromthemilitaryconquestofthelatterbytheformer,whichsupposedlyoccurredataroundtheyear3000BC.[572]Thisconquest,asT.G.H.Jamesinformsus,‘waseffectedbyaKingknowntohistoryasMenes.NocontemporarymonumentbearsaroyalnamethatcanwithcertaintybereadasMenes,butheisgenerallyidentifiedwithKingNarmerwhoisshownwearingboththeredandwhitecrowns[respectivelyofnorthernandsouthernEgypt]onagreatpalette[nowintheCairoMuseum].WiththeunificationoftheKingdomsbeginsthehistoricperiodofEgypt.’[573]

Alsosometimesreferredtoas‘KingScorpion’(afterasymbolthatappearsonanarchaicmace-

head)wehavealreadymetMenes-Narmer.[574]Wehavenoted,too,thestrangeEgyptologicaldoublestandardbywhichheisaccordedthestatusofagenuinehistoricalfigurewhilsthispredecessors—mentionedwithequalprominenceintheking-listsandManetho—aredismissedas‘mythicalbeings’.

Indeed,Egyptologistsspeakwithsuchimmenseconfidenceof‘thepoliticalconsolidationofEgyptaround3000BC’andofthe‘unificationunderNarmer’[575]thatonewouldsupposetheywereinpossessionofbundlesuponbundlesofancienttreaties,landdeedsandhistoricalrecords.Thetruth,however,asJameshalfadmits,isthatnothingisknownforsureaboutthesupposedfirstPharaohoftheFirstDynasty.Onthecontrary,thewholeofwhatwereadabouthim,includinghisidentificationwith‘Narmer’,isscholarlyspeculationbasedonidiosyncraticinterpretationsofcertainscenes—someofwhichdepictbattles—thatarecarvedontheso-called‘NarmerPalette’andoncertainvotivemace-headsfromHierakonpolis(anancientreligiouscapitalinsouthernEgypt).[576]

Inshort,Egyptology’scasethat‘theUnificationoftheTwoLands’referstothepoliticalunificationofnorthernandsouthernEgyptunderMenesrestsonthreecompletelyuninscribedartefactswhicharecarvedwithscenesthatmightbearsuchaninterpretation—butthatcouldalsobeinterpretedinmanyotherways.ThesecuriousartefactstelluspreciouslittleaboutMenes-Narmerhimself,[577]letalonewhathispoliticalandterritorialaspirations—orthoseofanybodyelse—mighthavebeencirca3000BCinEgypt.Semi-legendaryorsemi-historical,Narmer(orMenesor‘KingScorpion’—takeyourpick)isthusthequintessential‘KingArthur’ofEgyptology.Andso,too,ishissupposed‘UnificationofEgypt’—whichisalsoveiledinsemi-mythical,semi-historicalconfusion,verymuchliketheconfederationofKingArthur’sRoundTable.[578]

MoreovertheconclusionthatMenes-Narmerwasthefirstrulertohavebeeninvolvedinthe‘UnificationoftheTwoLands’clashesrudelywiththebeliefsoftheancientEgyptiansthemselves.Theirrecordsandtraditionsmakeitclearthattherehadbeenearlier‘Unifications’inthe‘TimeoftheGods’—allgoingbacktotheoriginalKingdomofOsiris,the‘Kingdomofthe“FirstTime”’whichwastornasunderbySethandthenunifiedonceagainbyHorus.

Wedonotthinkthatthistalkof‘Unification’waseverentirelytodowitheventsthathappenedontheground.Althoughwedonotdisputethatsomeformofpoliticalunificationdidindeedtakeplaceataround3000BC,wesuspectthatindualisticEgyptawiderunderstandingofthewholeissuewillnotbepossibleunlesseventsintheskyaretakenintoaccountaswell.BuildingonearlierworkdonebyEgyptologistandarchaeoastronomerJaneB.Sellers,[579]wesuggestthattheoriginalnotionof‘Unification’—towhichalllaterattemptsto‘UnifytheTwoLands’weredirectlyrelated—hadsomethingtodowiththeprecessionaldriftofthestars...

Highandfar-offtimes

InherlandmarkstudyTheDeathofGodsinAncientEgyptSellerssetsoutpersuasiveastronomicalandtextualevidencetoshowthattheprehistoricEgyptians—atleastasfarbackas7300BC—hadobservedandtrackedtheslowprecessionallyinducedchangesthatconstantlyrelocatethecosmic‘address’oftheconstellationofOrion.Andshearguesthat,althoughpoliticalunitywascreditedtoMenes,therewasamucholdernotionofthe‘Unification’basednotoneventsonearthbutthoseobservedinthesky...[580]Indeed,shegoessofarastoclaimthatMenesmerelybroughttofruitionaveryancientandarchetypalvisionofcosmicdualitywhichsoperfectlyharmonizedwiththementalityoftheancientEgyptians‘astoappearbothinevitableandperennial’:‘Adualmonarchyunitedundertheruleofonewasaformthatcamefromthemistsofdistantantiquity.Itwasaformthathadbeencreatedforgodsintheheavens,andhowinevitableitwasthatanimitationofthecosmicordershouldprevailformenonearth.’[581]

SellerssupportshercasebydrawingonthelateHenriFrankfort’sstudiesofancientEgyptiankingship.Likeher,theformerProfessorofPreclassicalAntiquityattheUniversityofLondon

wasfirmlyoftheopinionthatitwas‘possibletoviewtheunificationofEgypt,notastheephemeraloutcomeofconflictingambitions,butastherevelationofapredestinedorder’.[582]Andhewasfurtherconvincedthat‘thedualmonarchycentredroundMemphisrealizedadivineplan’,thatthesocialandstateorderestablishedbyMenes-Narmerwaspresented‘aspartofthecosmicorder’,[583]andthatMenes-Narmer,inestablishinghimselfassolerulerofUpperandLowerEgypt,wasperforming‘anactinharmonywiththeEgyptiantendencytounderstandtheworldindualisticterms,“aseriesofpairsofcontrastsbalancedinunchangingequilibrium”...’[584]

WhatSellerswasabletoaddtothis,asaresultofherownpowerfulinsightsintoancientEgyptiancosmologyandobservationalastronomy,wasthenotionthateventstakingplaceonthegroundweresomehowdirectlyconditionedbyobservationsofthesky—andalsothatwhatwasobservedintheskywasdescribedmoreorlessaccuratelyincertain‘myths’:

Iampostulatingthecreationofspecificmythstodealwithdistressingalterationsinthesky,followedbyanartificialduality,orsymmetry,imposed,notjustonthedeities,butongeographicalcentresofworship,andthisdualityremainedaconstantinEgyptianaffairsthroughoutitshistory.ItwasharkingbacktoawonderfulGoldenAge,nowlost,anagewhentheskieshadhadamagnificentbalance,andthereligionhadbeenfreshandnew...’[585]

TheGoldenAgetowhichSellersisreferringis,ofcourse,ZepTepi,the‘FirstTime’.Andthe‘distressingalterationsinthesky’whichshebelievesthatcertainmythswerecreatedtoexplainwerecausedbythephenomenonofprecession—specificallytheprecessionaldriftofthegreatconstellationofOrionawayfromthestationthatithadoccupiedatthe‘FirstTime’.[586]

ThesearedaringanddangerousstepsforanotherwiseorthodoxEgyptologisttohavetaken.Nevertheless,asweshallseeinthenextchapters,Sellerscouldbewronginunderstandingthemyths—bywhichshemeansprincipallythePyramidTextsandtheMemphiteTheology—merelyasaccountsfabricatedbysuperstitiousprieststo‘explain’precessionaldrift.Thepossibilityneedstobeconfrontedsquareonthatelementsoftheseancienttraditions,andthemonumentsandritualsthataresoinextricablylinkedtothem,couldhavebeendeliberatelycontrivedasvehiclestocarryanelaborateandingenious‘message’fromapastepochotherwiselongforgottentoaspecificepochinthefuture—fromthe‘FirstTime’toanastronomicallydefined‘LastTime’[587]—perhapseventotheveryepochinwhichweourselveslivetoday.Perhapsbothepochsthuslinkedtogetheraresusceptibletoaccuratedatinganddecodingifonlytherightkeycanbefound.Andperhapswemayyetbeabletoreadandunderstandthegreatcosmicblueprintthatthe‘FollowersofHorus’soughttoimplement...

Whoknowswhatmightresult?

Theremightevencome,toquotethewordsofGiorgiodeSantillana,‘somekindof“Renaissance”outofthehopelesslycondemnedandtrampledpast,whencertainideascometolifeagain...Weshouldnotdepriveourgrandchildrenofalastchanceattheheritageofthehighestandfarthest-offtimes.’[588]

Chapter15WhentheSkyJoinedtheEarth

‘MyKingdomisnotofthisworld....’

John18:36

‘GreatistheCosmicOrder,forithasnotchangedsincethetimeofOsiris,whoputitthere...’

Ptahotep,ahighpriestofthePyramidAge

AccordingtotheCreationnarrativeoftheancientEgyptians,Nut,theSky-goddess,andGeb,theearth-god,joinedinsexualunion,butwerethenrudelyseparatedbytheinterventionofShu,thegodofair,atmosphereanddryness.NeverthelesstheuniondidproduceoffspringintheformofIsisandOsiris,NepthysandSeth.Andinduecourse,aswehaveseen,Osirisbecametheruleroftheidealized‘Kingdomofthe“FirstTime”’,wasmurderedbySeth,experiencedresurrection,andthenfinallyascendedintotheheavenswhereheestablishedthecosmic‘Kingdom’oftheDuat.Thereaderwillrememberthatacrucialroleineffectinghis‘astralrebirth’wasplayedbyHorus,hissonbythewidowIsis,thearchetypeforallthehistoricalHorus-KingsofancientEgypt—whorevengedhimselfonSethandlaterreunifiedthedividedKingdom.

Itcanthusbesaidthatakindofcosmicblueprinttoestablish—orreestablish—aunified‘KingdomofOsiris’onearthhadbeendevisedfromtheoutsetbythe‘gods’andthuslongbeforetheadventof‘historical’kingshipbyMenes-NarmeratthebeginningofthethirdmillenniumBC.

Separation

IntheShabakaTexts(whichexpresstheMemphiteTheology)wereadthatthedefeatofSethbyHoruswasfollowedbyaconvocationofthegods,undertheleadershipofGeb,whosatinjudgementoverthetwo‘contenders’.Initiallyeachonewasgivenauthoritytoruleoverhisownarea:‘ThesearethewordsofGebtoHorus[ofthenorth]andSeth[ofthesouth]:“Ihaveseparatedyou”—LowerandUpperEgypt...ThenHorusstoodoveroneregionandSethstoodoveroneregion...’[589]

Later,however,asthereaderwillrecallfromPartIII,Geb‘gavetoHorus[Seth’s]inheritance’:‘ThenHorusstoodovertheland.Heistheuniterofthisland...HeisHoruswhoaroseaskingofUpperandLowerEgypt,whounitedtheTwoLandsin[theregionofMemphis],—the“place”wheretheTwoLandswereunited...’[590]

Thecuriousphrase‘Ihaveseparatedyou’whichGebuttered,issymbolicofthe‘separation’thathe,too,hadenduredfromhisconsortthesky-goddess,Nut.Withthisinmind,shouldwenotconsiderthepossibilitythatthenotionsof‘UpperEgypt’and‘LowerEgypt’—thoughobviouslyrelatingatoneleveltothegeographicalsouthandnorthoftheearthlycountry—mightalsoatanotherlevelhavebeenintendedtosuggestgroundandsky?

Doubles

ThereismuchintheMemphiteTheologywhichsupportsthepropositionthattheareaswhichweretraditionallyregardedasthesouthernandnorthernsacredregionsofOsiris—AbydosandMemphis—werenotonlymeanttobeconsideredinterrestrialtermsbutalsoincosmicterms.

Inparticular,ametaphorisrelayedaroundtheimageryofthehuge‘body’ofOsiris‘drifting’withthewatersoftheNilefromhissouthernshrineatAbydostoreachhisnorthernshrineinthe

‘landofSokar’—i.e.theMemphitenecropolisingeneralandinparticulartheGizaplateauwhere,intheformofthethreegreatPyramids,wesuspectthatthe‘body’ofOsirisliesoutstretcheduponthesandtothepresentday...

Atanyrate,thissamebasicimageryofOsirislyingonthewesternbankoftheNilenearMemphisalsocropsupinthePyramidTexts,whichaddafurtherclue:‘They[IsisandNepthys]havefoundOsiris...“whenhisnamebecameSokar”...’[591]Theterm‘whenhisnamebecameSokar’doesclearlyseemtoimplythatthe‘body’ofOsirismergedwiththelandofSokari.e.theMemphitenecropolis,andthathisimage—i.e.the‘astral’imageoftheOrionregionofthesky—wassomehowgraftedontoit.Theimpressionthatthis‘image’musthavesomethingtodowiththePyramidsofGizaisthenconfirmedelsewhereinthePyramidTexts.Inthefollowingpassage,forexample,theHorus-Kingaddressesthe‘LowerSky’towhichhe‘willdescendtotheplacewherethegodsare’anduttersthispowerfulandcrypticdeclaration:

IfIcomewithmyka[double],openyourarmstome;themouthsofthegodswillbeopenedandwillrequestthatIascendtothesky,andIwillascend.

AboonwhichGeb(earth)andAtumgrant:thatthisPyramidandTemplebeinstalledformeandformydouble,andthatthisPyramidandTemplebeenclosedformeandformydouble...

AsforanyonewhoshalllayafingeronthisPyramidandthisTemplewhichbelongtomeandtomydouble,hewillhavelaidafingerontheMansion[Kingdom]...whichisinthesky...[592]

Itisbeyondthescopeofthisbooktopresentadetailedtreatiseontheconceptoftheka—the‘double’,theastralorspiritualessenceofapersonorthing—andofitsroleinancientEgyptianfunerarybeliefs.Muchconfusionhasbeengeneratedaroundthisimportantsubject.[593]Attheveryleast,however,itiscertainthatwhatconfrontsusinthekaisyetanotherexampleoftheprevailingdualisminEgyptianthought.Moreoveritsuseincontextoftheutterancequotedaboveremindsusthatthe‘image’ofOsiris‘whenhisnamebecameSokar’—i.e.theMemphitePyramidnecropolis—shouldatalltimesbeconsideredashavingacosmicorcelestial‘double’.Anditshouldbeobvious,too,thatthis‘double’canonlybetheOsirianKingdomintheDuat—whichthePyramidTextsdeclaretobe‘thePlaceWhereOrionIs’.IndeedasMargaretBunsonnotesinherEncyclopaediaofAncientEgypt:‘Kas...servedasguardiansofplaces...OsiriswasalwayscalledthekaofthePyramids...’[594]

OtherpassagesfromthePyramidTextssupportthisgeneralanalysis:

OHorus,thisKingisOsiris,thisPyramidofthekingisOsiris,thisconstructionofhisisOsiris,betakeyourselftoit...[595]

Awake[Osiris]forHorus...spiritualizeyourself[i.e.becomeanastralbeing]...MayastairwaytotheskybesetupforyoutothePlaceWhereOrionIs...[596]

Live,bealive,beyoung...besideOrioninthesky...[597]

OOsiris-King,youarethisgreatstar,thecompanionofOrion,whotraversestheskywithOrion,who‘sails’intheDuatwithOsiris...[598]

Link-up

Strangely,despitetheobvioussky-grounddualismandprofoundlyastronomical‘flavour’oftheTexts,noscholarotherthanJaneB.Sellers[599]hasevergivenseriousconsiderationtothepossibilitythatreferencestothe‘Unification’ofthe‘Upper’and‘Lower’KingdomsofOsirismighthavesomethingtodowithastronomy.IndeedtheonlyEgyptologisteventogetclosetosuchanunorthodoxwayofthinkingwasSelimHassanwhenheobserved:‘theEgyptiansheldtheideaoftheexistenceofmorethanonesky,possiblysuperimposed...CertainlinesinthePyramidTextsstronglysuggestthat“Upper”and“Lower”Egypteachhaditsownparticularsky...i.e.thetwoskiesinoppositiontotheTwoLandsofUpperandLowerEgypt.’[600]

InhismonumentalstudyofancientEgyptiancosmology,Hassanalsodrewattentiontoanintriguingpapyrus,nowkeptattheLouvreMuseuminParis,[601]whichsuggeststhatthe‘TwoSkies’inquestionwereconsideredasbeing‘onefortheearthandtheotherfortheDuat’.[602]‘Thesepluralskies’,wroteHassan,‘weresuperimposedoneabovetheother.’[603]

Pursuingsuchlinesofthought,weweretodiscoverthatsimilarideasaredepictedintheCoffinTexts.Therereferenceismadetothe‘Upper’and‘Lower’landscapeswhicharesaidtobeboundtothe‘TwoHorizons’—oneintheeast(thesky)andoneinthewest(theearthi.e.theMemphitenecropolis[604]):‘Open!OSkyandEarth,OeasternandwesternHorizons,openyouchapelsofUpperandLowerEgypt...’[605]

Thelanguageofallthesetextsisexotic,ladenwiththedualisticthinkingthatlayattheheartofancientEgyptiansocietyandthatmayhavebeentheengineofitsgreatestachievements.InthePyramidAge,aswehaveseen,thegigantic‘image’ofOsirisappearstohavebeenphysicallydefinedonthegroundwiththecreationofthe‘Lower’landscapeoftheMemphitePyramids—adevelopmentreferredtointhePyramidTextsbymeansoftheobviousmetaphor‘WhenhisnamebecameSokar’.Likewise,itshouldcomeasnosurprisethatthegiganticcelestial‘image’ofOsirisintheskyisreferredtointhesametextsbymeansofthesamemetaphoricaldevice,i.e.‘WhenhisnamebecameOrion’:‘Horuscomes,Thothappears...TheyraiseOsirisfromuponhissideandmakehimstandup...whentherecameintobeingthishisnameofOrion,longoflegandlengthyofstride,whopresidesover“Upper”Egypt...Raiseyourself,OOsiris...theskyisgiventoyou,theearthisgiventoyou...’[606]SelimHassan,againalmostbutnotquitegettingthepoint,commentsasfollows:‘thislineshowsthatOsiriswasgiventhedominionofheavenandearth.’[607]

57.(Left)Thesky-DuatofOsiris‘inhisnameofOrion’.(Right)Theground-DuatofOsiris‘inhisnameofSokar’.

Yetclearlythereismoretosay.These‘dominions’werebynomeansvagueandgeneralbutweredefinedintheskybythepatternofOrion’sstars,andweredefinedontheground—inthelandof‘Sokar’(i.e.theMemphitenecropolis)—bythepatternofthePyramids.

Wewonderwhetherthefirstmajor‘station’ofthequest-journeyoftheHorus-King,reachedafterhehadbeenpromptedto‘findtheastralbodyofOsiris’,mightnothavebeentheinitiate’sdawningawarenessthatthebodyinquestionwasadualitythatcouldonlybeapproachedbylinkingOrionwiththepatternoftheGreatPyramidsintheMemphitenecropolis.

Ridingthevernalpoint

ThereaderwillrememberthatthestartingpointoftheHorus-King’s‘journeyinthesky’waswhenthesun’spositionalongthezodiac(duringthesolaryear)wasclosetotheHyades,atthe‘head’oftheconstellationofTaurus,standing,asitwere,onthebanksoftheMilkyWay.

IfwenowtransposethisskyimagetothegroundthentheHorus-Kingwouldhavetoplacehimselfnearthe‘Bent’andthe‘Red’PyramidsofDahshursome20milessouthofGiza(butneverthelessstillverymuchpartoftheextensiveMemphitenecropolis).Aswesawinthelastchapter,thetriggerfortheconstructionofthesetwoFourth-DynastymonumentsappearstohavebeentheslowprecessionaldriftofthevernalpointintotheHyades-TaurusregionoftheskyinthethirdmillenniumBC.IndeeditismorethanpossiblethatbybuildingthosePyramids(whichmapthetwobrighteststarsintheHyades)PharaohSneferu(2575-2551BC)wasdeliberatelylayingdownamarkerforthepositionofthevernalpointinhisepoch.

Ifhewasdoingthat,asalltheevidenceseemstosuggest,thenitisprobablethatsuchahighlyinitiatedHorus-Kingwouldalsohaveknownthatbymetaphorically‘boarding’thesolarbarkatthespringequinox,andcrossingtheMilkyWay,hewouldeffectivelybe‘sailingbackintime’—againsttheflowofprecession—ridingthevernalpointtowardsthedistantconstellationofLeo.

Butwhy,then,allthisparallelemphasisinthetextsonOrion-Osirismovingfromsomewhereinthedistant‘south’tohisfinalrestingplaceintheMemphitenecropolis?

Secretspell

WesuspectthatforthousandsofyearsbeforethePyramidAge,hundredsofgenerationsofHeliopolitanastronomer-priestshadkepttheconstellationofOrioncontinuouslyunderobservation,payingparticularattentiontoitsplaceofmeridian-transit—i.e.thealtitudeabovethehorizonatwhichitcrossedthecelestialmeridian.Wethinkthatcarefulrecordswerekept,perhapswritten,perhapsorallyencodedintheancient‘mythological’languageofprecessionalastronomy.[608]AndwesupposethatnotewastakenofOrion’sslowprecessionaldrift—theeffectofwhichwasthattheconstellationwouldhaveseemedtobeslowlydriftingnorthwardsalongthewest‘bank’oftheMilkyWay.

ItisourhypothesisthatthemythicalimageofthevastbodyofOsirisslowlybeingcarriedtothenorth,i.e.‘drifting’onthewatersoftheNile,isaspecificpieceofastronomicalterminologycoinedtodescribethelong-termchangesbeingeffectedbyprecessioninOrion’scelestial‘address’.IntheMemphiteTheology,asthereaderwillrecall,thisdriftwasdepictedashavingcommencedinthesouth,symbolicallycalledAbydos(inarchaeologicaltermsthemostsoutherly‘shrine’ofOsiris),andtohavecarriedthe‘body’ofthedeadgodtoapointinthenorthsymbolicallycalledSokar,i.e.theMemphitenecropolis(themostnortherly‘shrine’ofOsiris).AswesawinPartIII,theShabakaTextstellusthatwhenhereachedthispoint:

Osiriswasdrownedinhiswater.IsisandNepthyslookedout,beheldhim,andattendedtohim.HorusquicklycommandedIsisandNepthystograspOsirisandpreventhis[submerging].Theyheededintimeandbroughthimtoland.[.HeenteredthehiddenportalsinthegloryoftheLordsofEternity.ThusOsiriscameintotheearthattheRoyalFortress[Memphis],tothenorthofthelandtowhichhehadcome[Abydos].[609]

58.TheeffectofOrion’sslowprecessionalslideupthemeridianbetween10,500BCand2500BCisthattheconstellationwouldliterallyhaveappearedtobe‘drifting’veryslowlynorthwardsalongthecourseoftheMilkyWay.

InthelightofwhatwenowknowitishardtoimaginethatthereferencetoOsiriscoming‘intotheearth’(ordowntoearth?)couldsignifyanythingotherthanthephysicalconstructionofthe‘bodyofOsirisontheground’onthewestbanksoftheNile—intheformofthegreatPyramid-fieldsofthesprawlingMemphitenecropolis.SinceOsirisisOrionthedesiretoachievesuchaneffectwouldmorethanadequatelyexplainwhythethreePyramidsofGizashouldhavebeenarrangedinthepatternofthethreestarsofOrion’sbelt.Moreover,sinceweknowthatthestatedgoaloftheHorus-King’squestwasnotonlytofindtheastral‘body’ofOsirisbuttofinditasitwasinthe‘FirstTime’,weshouldnotbesurprisedbythefactthatthePyramids,aswesawinPartI,aresetoutonthegroundinthepatternthattheymadeatthebeginning(i.e.‘southernmostpoint’)ofthatconstellation’supward(i.e.‘northerly’)precessionalhalf-cycle.

SowewonderwhetheritispossiblethatthequestoftheHorus-Kingmighthavehadasitsultimateobjectivetheacquisitionofknowledgeconcerningthe‘FirstTime’—perhapseventheacquisitionofspecificknowledgefromthatremoteepochwhenthegodshadwalkedtheearth?

SeveralpassagesinthePyramidTextsinvitesuchspeculation.Forexample,wearetoldthattheHorus-Kingmust‘travelupstream’—i.e.mustpushagainstthenaturaldriftof‘time’—inordertoreachOrion-Osirisinhisproper‘FirstTime’setting:

BetakeyourselftotheWaterway,fareupstream[south],travelaboutAbydosinthisspirit-formofyourswhichthegodscommandtobelongtoyou;mayastairway[road]totheDuatbesetupforyoutothePlaceWhereOrionIs...[610]

TheyhavefoundOsiris...‘WhenhisnamebecameSokar’[Memphitenecropolis]...Wakeup[Osiris]forHorus...raiseyourself...faresouthward[upstream]tothelake,crossoverthesea[sky],foryouarehewhostandsuntiringinthemidstofAbydos...[611]

BetakeyourselftotheWaterway,fareupstream...traverseAbydos.ThecelestialportaltotheHorizonisopentoyou...mayyouremoveyourselftothesky,fortheroadsofthecelestialexpanseswhichleaduptoHorusarecleanedforyou...foryouhavetraversedtheWindingWaterway[MilkyWay]whichisinthenorthoftheskyasastarcrossingtheseawhichisbeneaththesky.TheDuathasgraspedyourhandatthePlaceWhereOrionIs...[612]

LikewisethereisastrikingpassageintheCoffinTextswhichreferstosomesecret‘spell’orformulatoallowthedeceasedtousethe‘pathofRostau’onthelandandinthesky(i.e.thepathtotheGizanecropolisonlandandtoOrion’sbeltinthesky)inorderto‘godowntoanyskyhewishestogodownto’:

IhavepassedonthepathofRostau,whetheronwateroronland,andthesearethepathsofOsiris[Orion],theyareinthelimitofthesky.Asforhimwhoknowsthespell[formula]forgoingdownintothem,hehimselfisagodinthesuiteofThoth[meaningheisaswiseasThoth,‘thecontrollerofthestars’[613]][and]hewillgodowntoanyskyhewishestogodownto...[614]

Specialnumbers

Wesuspectthatthephraseto‘godowntoanysky’suggestsanawareness—andrecording—ofprecessionallyinducedchangesinthepositionsofthestarsoverlongperiodsoftime.Andwealsonoteitsimplicationthatifthechoseninitiatewasequippedwiththecorrectnumericalspellthenhewouldbeabletoworkout—andvisualize—thecorrectpositionsofthestarsinanyepochofhischoosing,pastorfuture.

OnceagainSellersstandsoutamongstEgyptologistsforbeingthefirsttohaveentertainedsuchapparentlyoutlandishnotions.‘Itispossible’,shewrites,‘thatearlymanencodedinhismythsspecialnumbers;numbersthatseemedtorevealtoinitiatesanamazingknowledgeofthemovementofthecelestialspheres.’[615]

Suchnumbers,sheargues,appeartohavebeenderivedfromasustained,scientificstudyofthecycleofprecessionandameasurementofitsrateand,puzzlingly,turnouttobeextremely‘closetothecalculationsmadewithtoday’ssophisticatedprocedures’.Intriguingly,too,thereisevidencenotonly‘thatthesecalculationsweremade,andconclusionsdrawn’,butalsothat‘theyweretransmittedtoothersbysecretencodingthatwasaccessibleonlytoanélitefew’:[616]Inshort,Sellersconcludes,‘ancientmancalculatedaspecialnumberthathebelievedwouldbringthisthreateningcycle[ofprecession]backtoitsstartingpoint...’[617]

The‘specialnumber’towhichSellersisreferringtois25,920(andmultiplesanddivisionsofit)andthusrepresentstheduration,insolaryears,ofafullprecessionalcycleor‘GreatYear’.[618]Sheshowshowitcanbederivedfromavarietyofsimplecombinationsofothernumbers—5,12,36,72,360,432,2160,etc.,etc.—allofwhichareinturnderivedfrompreciseobservationsofprecession.Mostcruciallyofall,sheshowsthatthispeculiarsequenceofnumbersoccursintheancientEgyptianmythofOsiriswhere,notably‘72conspirators’aresaidtohavebeeninvolvedwithSethinthemurderoftheGod-King.[619]

AswasshowninFingerprintsoftheGods,thesun’sperceivedmotionthroughthesignsofthezodiacatthevernalequinoxproceedsattherateofonedegreeeveryseventy-twoyears.Fromthisitfollowsthatamovementofthevernalpointthrough30degreeswilltake2160yearstocomplete,60degreeswilltake4320years,andafull360-degreecyclewillrequire25,920years.[620]

Curiouslyenough,asthereaderwillrecallfromPartI,theGreatPyramiditselfincorporatesarecordoftheseprecessionalnumbers—sinceitskeydimensions(itsheightandtheperimeterofitsbase)appeartohavebeendesignedasamathematicalmodeloftheearth’spolarradiusandequatorialcircumferenceonascaleof1:43,200.Thenumber43,200is,ofcourse,exactly600times72.Whatwehaveinthisremarkablemonument,therefore,isnotjustascalemodelofahemisphereoftheearthbutalsooneinwhichthescaleinvolvedincorporatesa‘specialnumber’derivedfromoneofthekeyplanetarymotionsoftheearthitself—i.e.therateofitsaxialprecession.

InshortitseemsthatsecretknowledgeisindeedavailableinthemythofOsirisandinthedimensionsoftheGreatPyramid.Withthissecretknowledge,ifwewantedtofixaspecificdate—say1008yearsinthefuture—andcommunicateittootherinitiates,thenwecoulddosowiththe‘specialnumber’14(72x14=1008).Wewouldalsohavetospecifythe‘zeropoint’fromwhichtheyweretomaketheircalculations—i.e.thepresentepoch—andthismightbedonewithsomekindofsymbolicormathematicalmarkertoindicatewherethevernalpointpresentlyis,i.e.

movingoutofPiscesandintoAquarius.

Asimilarexercisecouldlikewisebecarriedoutinreverse.Byfollowingthe‘eastwards’directionalongtheeclipticpathwecan‘find’(calculate,workout)wherethevernalpointwasatanyepochinthepast.ThusiftodaywewishedtousetheprecessionalcodetodirectattentiontowardsthePyramidAgewewouldneedtoconfidetootherinitiatesthe‘specialnumber’of62.5(72x62.5=4500yearsago=approximately2500BC).Again,wecouldruleoutanyambiguityastothezerodatefromwhichthecalculationsweretobemadeifwecouldfindawaytoindicatethepresentpositionofthevernalpoint.

WehaveseenthatthisiswhatSneferuappearstohavedonewiththetwoPyramidsatDahshur,whichmapthetwosidesoftheheadofthecelestialbull—the‘address’ofthevernalpointinhisepoch.Andinasense,thoughwithagreatdealmorespecificityandprecision,thiscouldalsobeexactlywhatthebuildersoftheGreatPyramidweredoingwhentheydeliberatelytargetedthesouthernshaftsoftheKing’sandQueen’sChambersonthemeridian-transitsofsuchsignificantstarsasOrionandSiriusintheepochof2500BC.Tobeclearaboutthis,itseemstouswellworthinvestigatingthepossibilitythatbysettingupsuchobviousandprecise‘timemarkers’theyweretryingtoprovideanunambiguouszeropoint—circa2500BC—forcalculationsthatcouldonlybeundertakenbyinitiatessteepedinthemysteriesofprecession,whowereequippedbytheirtrainingtodrawoutthehiddenportentsconcealedincertain‘specialnumbers’.

WenoteinpassingthatiftheHorus-Kingcouldhavebeenprovidedwiththe‘specialnumber’111.111,andhaduseditinthewaydescribedabove,itwouldhaveledhimbackto(72x111.111years=)7,999.99yearsbeforethespecified‘groundzero’,i.e.toalmostexactly8000yearsbefore2500BC—inshort,to10,500BC.

Weknowthisseemslikewishfulnumerologyoftheworstsort—i.e.‘factoringin’anarbitraryvaluetoasetofcalculationssoastoprocurespurious‘corroboration’foraspecificdesireddate(inthiscasethedateof10,500BC,twelveandahalfthousandyearsbeforethepresent,thatwehavealreadyhighlightedinChapter3inconnectionwiththeSphinxandthePyramidsofGiza).Theproblem,however,isthatthenumber111.111maywellnotbeanarbitraryvalue.Atanyrate,ithaslongbeenrecognizedthatthemainnumericalfactorinthedesignoftheGreatPyramid,andindeedoftheGizanecropolisasawhole,istheprimenumber11—aprimenumberbeingonethatisonlydivisiblebyitselftoproducethewholenumber1.Thus11dividedby11,i.e.theratio11:11,producesthewholenumber1(while11dividedbyanythingelse,i.e.anyotherratio,would,ofnecessity,generateafraction).

WhatisintriguingisthewaythatthearchitectureoftheGreatPyramidrespondstothenumber11whenitisdivided,ormultiplied,byotherwholenumbers.Thereaderwillrecall,forexample,thatitssidelengthofjustover755feetisequivalentto440Egyptianroyalcubits—i.e.11times40cubits.[621]Inaddition,itsheight-to-baseratiois7:11.[622]Thesloperatioofitssidesis14:11(tan51degrees50’).[623]AndthesloperatioofthesouthernshaftoftheKing’sChamber—theshaftthatwastargetedonOrion’sbeltin2500BC—is11:11(tan45degrees).[624]

Arguably,therefore,theratio11:11,whichintegrateswithour‘specialnumber’111.111,couldbeconsideredasasortofmathematicalkey,or‘stargate’toOrion’sbelt.Moreover,asweshallsee,amovementof111.111degrees‘backwardsalongtheeclipticfrom‘ground-zero’attheHyades-Taurus,theheadofthecelestialbull,wouldplacethevernalpoint‘underneath’thecosmiclion.

Isitnotpreciselysuchalocation,underneaththeGreatSphinx,thattheHorus-Kingisurgedtoinvestigateashestandsbetweenitspaws‘withhismouthequipped’andfacesthequestionsoftheAkhuswhoseinitiationshaveledhimthisfar?Indeed,doesitnotseemprobablethatthe‘quest-journey’devisedbythe‘FollowersofHorus’wascarefullystructuredsoastosharpenthemindoftheinitiatebyrequiringhimtopiecetogetheralltheclueshimselfuntilhefinallyarrivedattherealizationthatsomewhereunderneaththeGreatSphinxofGizawassomething(writtenor

pictorialrecords,artefacts,maps,astronomicalcharts)thattouchedon‘theknowledgeofadivineorigin’,thatwasofimmenseimportance,andthathadbeenconcealedtheresincethe‘FirstTime’?

Inconsideringsuchquestions,weareremindedoftheHermeticdoctrineswhichtransmitatraditionofthewisdomgodThothwhowassaidtohave‘succeededinunderstandingthemysteriesoftheheavens[andtohave]revealedthembyinscribingtheminsacredbookswhichhethenhidhereonearth,intendingthattheyshouldbesearchedforbyfuturegenerationsbutfoundonlybythefullyworthy’.[625]Dothe‘sacredbooksofThoth’,ortheirequivalent,stilllieinthebedrockbeneaththeGreatSphinxofGiza,anddothe‘fullyworthy’stillseekthemthere?

Seekersaftertruth

Otherquestions,too,havebeenraisedimplicitlyandexplicitlyintheforegoingchapters:

1. Were theGreatSphinxand thegreatPyramidsofGizadesigned to serveaspartsof animmensethree-dimensional‘model’oftheskyofthe‘FirstTime’?

2.Couldotherfeaturesofthenecropolisalsobepartofthismodel?

3. Ifso,thenhasenoughsurvivedforustocomparethemodelwithcomputersimulationsoftheskiesaboveGizainpreviousepochsandthusarriveatanaccuratearchaeoastronomicaldating for the ‘First Time’, i.e. for the true ‘genesis’ of the extraordinary civilization ofEgypt?

4. By lookingat simulationsof theancient skieswouldwenot, touse the languageof theEgyptianfunerarytexts,be‘goingdowntoanyskywewishedtogodownto’?

5. Isitanaccidentthatsomanyofthesetextshavesurvivedforthousandsofyears,orcouldtheircompilershaveintendedthemtosurviveandcarefullydesignedtheminsuchawaythathumannaturewouldensuretheircopyingandrecopyingdowntheages(aprocessthathasbeenpromiscuously resumed in the last century and a half, since the decipherment of theancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, with the Coffin Texts, the Pyramid Texts, the Book of theDead,etc.,etc.,nowtranslatedandreprintedindozensofmodernlanguagesandeditions—andevenavailableonCD-ROM)?

6.Inotherwords,isitnotpossibleinourreadingsofthetexts,andinouranalysisoftheritualstowhich theywere linked, thatwehavestumbleduponamessageof primordial antiquitythatwascomposednotjustforthePyramidAge,andnotjustfortheHorus-KingsofancientEgypt,butforall‘seekersafterthetruth’—fromanyculture,inanyepoch—whomightbe‘equipped’toputtextsandmonumentstogetherandtoviewtheskiesofformertimes?

Chapter16MessageinaBottle?

‘Wehavereachedthisfascinatingpointinourevolution...wehavereachedthetimewhenweknowwecantalktoeachotheracrossthedistancesbetweenthestars...’

Dr.JohnBillingham,NASAAmesResearchCenter,1995

Togetherwiththeancienttextsandritualsthatarelinkedtothem,couldthevastmonumentsoftheGizanecropolishavebeendesignedtotransmitamessagefromoneculturetoanother—amessagenotacrossspace,butacrosstime?

Egyptologistsreplytosuchquestionsbyrollingtheireyesandhootingderisively.Indeedtheywouldnotbe‘Egyptologists’(oratanyratetheycouldnotlongremainwithinthatprofession)iftheyreactedwithanythingotherthanscornanddisbelieftosuggestionsthatthenecropolismightbemorethanacemetery,thattheGreatSphinxmightsignificantlypredatetheepochof2500BC,andthatthePyramidsmightnotbejust‘royaltombs’.Bythesametoken,noself-respectingEgyptologistwouldbepreparedtoconsider,evenforamoment,theoutlandishpossibilitythatsomesortofmysterious‘message’mighthavebeenencodedintothemonuments.

Sowhomshouldweturntoforadvicewhenconfrontedbywhatwesuspectmaybeamessagefromacivilizationsofardistantfromusintimeastobealmostunknowable?

Anti-cipher

TheonlyscientistsactivelyworkingonsuchproblemstodayarethoseinvolvedintheSearchforExtraterrestrialIntelligence—SETIforshort.Theyendlesslysweeptheheavensformessagesfromdistantcivilizationsandtheyhavethereforenaturallyhadtogivesomethoughttowhatmighthappeniftheyeverdididentifysuchamessage.AccordingtoDr.PhilipMorissonoftheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology:

Tobeginwithwewouldknowverylittleaboutit.Ifwereceiveditwewouldnotunderstandwhatwe’regetting.Butwewouldhaveanunmistakablesignal,fullofstructure,fullofchallenge.Thebestpeoplewouldtrytodecodeit,anditwillbeeasytodobecausethosewhohaveconstructeditwouldhavemadeiteasytodecode,otherwisethere’snopoint.Thisisanti-cryptography:‘Iwanttomakeamessageforyou,whonevergotintouchwithanysymbolsofmine,nokeynoclue,neverthelessyou’llbeabletoreadit...’Iwouldhavetofillitfullofcluesandunmistakablecleverdevices...[626]

Inhisbook,Cosmos,ProfessorCarlSaganofCornellUniversitymakesmuchthesamepoint—anddoesso,curiouslyenough,withreferencetotheancientEgyptianhieroglyphicsystem.Heexplainsthatthe‘Egyptianhieroglyphicsare,insignificantpart,asimplesubstitutioncipher.Butnoteveryhieroglyphisaletterorsyllable.Somearepictographs...’Whenitcametotranslation,this‘mixoflettersandpictographscausedsomegriefforinterpreters...’Intheearlynineteenthcentury,however,abreakthroughwasmadebytheFrenchscholarChampollionwhodecipheredthefamous‘RosettaStone’,aslabofblackbasaltbearingidenticalinscriptionsinEgyptianhieroglyphicsandinGreek.SinceChampollioncouldreadtheGreek,allheneededwassomekindof‘key’torelatespecifichieroglyphstospecificGreekwordsorletters.ThiskeywasprovidedbytheconstantrepetitionintheGreektextofthenameofPharaohPtolemyVandanequalnumberofrepetitionsintheEgyptiantextofadistinctiveoblongenclosure—knownasacartouche—containingarepeatedgroupofhieroglyphs.AsSagancomments:

Thecartoucheswerethekey...almostasthoughthePharaohsofEgypthadcircledtheirownnamestomakethegoingeasierforEgyptologiststwothousandyearsinthefuture...Whatajoyitmusthavebeen[forChampollion]toopenthisone-waycommunicationchannelwithanothercivilization,topermitaculturethathadbeenmuteformillenniatospeakofitshistory,magic,medicine,religion,politicsandphilosophy.[627]

ProfessorSaganthenoffersacomparisonthatishighlyappositetoourpresentinquiry.‘Today,’hesays:

weareagainseekingmessagesfromanancientandexoticcivilization,thistimehiddenfromusnotonlyintime,butinspace.Ifweshouldreceivearadiomessagefromanextraterrestrialcivilization,howcoulditpossiblybeunderstood?Extraterrestrialintelligencewillbeelegant,complex,internallyconsistentandutterlyalien.Extraterrestrialswould,ofcourse,wishtomakeamessagesenttousascomprehensibleaspossible.Buthowcouldthey?IsthereinanysenseaninterstellarRosettaStone?Webelievethereisacommonlanguagethatalltechnicalcivilizations,nomatterhowdifferent,musthave.Thatcommonlanguageisscienceandmathematics.ThelawsofNaturearethesameeverywhere.[628]

Itseemstousthatifthereisindeedaveryancient‘message’atGizathenitislikelytobeexpressedinthelanguageofscienceandmathematicsthatSaganidentifies—andforthesamereason.Moreover,givenitsneedtocontinue‘transmitting’coherentlyacrossthousandsofyears(andchasmsofculturalchange),wethinkthatthecomposerofsuchamessagewouldbelikelytomakeuseofthePrecessionoftheEquinoxes,theoneparticular‘lawofNature’thatcanbesaidtogovern,andmeasure—andidentify—longperiodsofterrestrialtime.

Durablevehicles

ThePyramidsandtheGreatSphinxatGizaare,aboveallelse,aselegant,ascomplex,asinternallyconsistentandasutterly‘alien’astheextraterrestrialintelligencethatSaganenvisages(alieninthesenseofthetremendous,almostsuperhumanscaleofthesestructuresandoftheiruncanny—andinourtermsapparentlyunnecessary—precision).

Moreover,returningbrieflytoDr.PhilipMorisson’sremarksquotedearlier,wethinkthattheGizanecropolisalsoqualifiesratherwellforthedescription‘packedfullofcluesandunmistakablecleverdevices’.[629]Indeed,itseemstousthatatrulyastonishingquantumofingenuitywasinvestedbythePyramidbuilderstoensurethatthefourfundamentalaspectsofan‘unmistakable’messagewerethoroughlyelaboratedhere:

1. thecreationofdurable,unequivocalmarkerswhichcouldserveasbeaconstoinflamethecuriosityandengagetheintelligenceoffuturegenerationsofseekers;

2.theuseofthe‘commonlanguage’ofprecessionalastronomy;

3. theuseofprecessionalco-ordinatestosignalspecifictime-referentslinkingpasttopresentandpresenttofuture;

4.Cunninglyconcealedstore-rooms,or‘HallsofRecords’thatcouldonlybefoundandenteredbythosewhowerefullyinitiatedinthe‘silentlanguage’andthuscouldreadandfollowitsclues.

Inaddition,thoughthemonumentsareenabledto‘speak’fromthemomentthattheirastronomicalcontextisunderstood,wehavealsotoconsidertheamazingprofusionoffunerarytextsthathavecomedowntousfromallperiodsofEgyptianhistory—allapparentlyemanatingfromthesameveryfewcommonsources.[630]Aswehaveseen,thesetextsoperatelike‘software’tothemonuments’‘hardware’,chartingtheroutethattheHorus-King(andallotherfutureseekers)mustfollow.

WerecallaremarkmadebyGiorgiodeSantillanaandHerthavonDechendinHamlet’sMillto

theeffectthatthegreatstrengthofmythsasvehiclesforspecifictechnicalinformationisthattheyarecapableoftransmittingthatinformationindependentlyoftheknowledgeofindividualstory-tellers.[631]Inotherwordsaslongasamythcontinuestobetoldtrue,itwillalsocontinuetotransmitanyhighermessagethatmaybeconcealedwithinitsstructure—evenifneitherthetellernorthehearerunderstandsthatmessage.

So,too,wesuspect,withtheancientEgyptianfunerarytexts.Wewouldbesurprisediftheownersofmanyofthecoffinsandtombwallsontowhichtheywerecopiedhadeventhefaintestinklingthatspecificastronomicalobservationsanddirectionswerebeingduplicatedattheirexpense.Whatmotivatedthemwaspreciselywhatthetextsoffered—thelureofimmortallife.Yetbytakingthatluredidtheynotinfactguaranteeakindofimmortalityforthetextsthemselves?Didtheynotensurethatsomanyfaithfulcopieswouldbemadethatsomeatleastwouldbeboundtosurviveformanythousandsofyears?

Wethinkthattherewerealwayspeoplewhounderstoodthetrue‘scienceofimmortality’connectedtothetexts,andwhowereabletoreadtheastronomicalallegoriesinwhichdeepersecrets,notgrantedtothecommonherd,layconcealed.Wepresumethatthesepeoplewereoncecalledthe‘FollowersofHorus’,thattheyoperatedasaninvisiblecollegebehindthescenesinEgyptianprehistoryandhistory,thattheirprimarycultcentrewasatGiza-Heliopolis,andthattheywereresponsiblefortheinitiationofkingsandtherealizationofblueprints.Wealsothinkthatthetimetablestheyworkedto—andalmosteverythingofsignificancethattheydid—wasinonewayoranotherwritteninthestars.

Hintsandmemories

ThepowerfullyastronomicalcharacteroftheGizanecropolis,althoughignoredbyEgyptologists,hasbeenrecognizedbyopen-mindedandintuitiveresearchersthroughouthistory.TheHermeticNeoplatonistsofAlexandria,forexample,appeartohavebeenacutelysensitivetothepossibilityofa‘message’andwerequicktodiscernthestrongastralqualitiesofthetextualmaterialandthemonuments.[632]ThescholarProclus(fifthcenturyAD)alsoacknowledgedthattheGreatPyramidwasastronomicallydesigned—andwithcertainspecificstarsinmind.Indeed,inhiscommentaryonPlato’sTimaeus(whichdealswiththestoryofthelostcivilizationof‘Atlantis’),Proclusreportedstrangelythat‘theGreatPyramidwasusedasanobservationforSirius’.[633]

Vaguememoriesofanastronomicallyconstructed‘message’atGizaappeartohavefiltereddowntotheMiddleAges.AtanyratetheArabchroniclersinthisperiodspokeoftheGreatPyramidas‘atempletothestars’andfrequentlyconnectedittotheBiblical‘Flood’whichtheydatedtocirca10,300BC.[634]AlsoofrelevanceisareportwrittenbytheArabgeographerYakutalHamawi(eleventhcenturyAD)totheeffectthatthestar-worshippersofHarran,theSabians(whose‘holybooks’weresupposedlythewritingsofThoth-Hermes)cameatthattimeonspecialpilgrimagestothePyramidsatGiza.[635]IthasalsobeenpointedoutthattheverynameoftheSabians—inArabicSa’Ba—almostcertainlyderivedfromtheancientEgyptianwordforstar,i.e.Sba.[636]AndthereaderwillrecallfromPartIthatasfarbackastheearlysecondmillenniumBC—i.e.almostthreethousandyearsbeforeYakutalHamawileftushisreportconnectingtheSabianstothePyramids—pilgrimsfromHarranareknowntohavevisitedtheSphinxwhichtheyworshippedasagodunderthenameHwl.[637]

Intheseventeenthcentury,theBritishmathematicianSirIsaacNewtonbecamedeeplyinterestedintheGreatPyramidandwroteadissertationonitsmathematicalandgeodeticqualitiesbasedondatathathadbeengatheredatGizabyDr.JohnGreaves,theSavillianProfessorofAstronomyatOxford.[638]Later,in1865theAstronomerRoyalofScotland,CharlesPiazziSmyth,launchedaninvestigationintotheGreatPyramidwhichhewasconvincedwasaninstrumentofprophecythatincorporatedaMessianic‘message’.ItwasPiazziSmythwhofirstaccuratelymeasuredanddemonstratedtheintensepolarandmeridionalalignmentsofthemonument,theprecisionofwhichheassignedtosightingsoftheancientPolestar,AlphaDraconis.[639]

Inthefirsthalfofthetwentiethcentury,asuccessionofeminentastronomers—suchasRichardProctor,EugeneAntoniadi,JeanBaptisteBiotandNormanLockyer—madepersistentattemptstodrawattentiontotheastronomicalqualitiesoftheGizamonuments.Theirefforts,however,hadlittleimpactonprofessionalEgyptologistswhobythistimefeltthattheyhadgotthewholeintellectualbusinessofthenecropolis‘wrappedup’(itwasacemetery),didnotunderstandastronomyatall(andclaimedthattheancientEgyptiansdidn’teither),androutinelygangeduptodebunk,derideorsimplyignoreanyastronomical‘theories’whichdivergedfromtheirconsensus.

Despitethishostileintellectualclimate,weareoftheopinionattheendofourownresearchthatthebigquestionisnolongerwhetherthemonumentsofGizaweredesignedtoexpresskeyastronomicalandmathematicalprinciples,butwhy.

Onceagain,thecluemaylieinthenarrowstar-shaftsoftheGreatPyramid.

Thelanguageofthestars

ThefirstmajorbreakthroughinunderstandingthefunctionoftheGreatPyramid’sshaftswasmadeinthesummerof1963bytheAmericanastronomerVirginiaTrimbleandtheEgyptologist-architect,Dr.AlexanderBadawy.ItcameaboutbecausetheydecidedtofollowupBadawy’s‘hunch’thattheshaftsmightnotbe‘ventilationchannels’asEgyptologistssupposed,[640]butmightinsteadprovetohaveasymbolicfunctionrelatedtotheastralritualsofthePyramidbuilders.VirginiaTrimblewasabletobuttresshercolleague’sintuitionbyshowingthattheshaftsfromtheKing’sChamberhadpointed,intheepochof2500BC,tomajorstarsystemsthatwereofcrucialimportancetothePyramidbuilders.AsreaderswillrecallfromPartI,thenorthernshafthadbeentargetedonAlphaDraconis—thePoleStarinthePyramidAge—andthesouthernshafthadbeentargetedonOrion’sbelt.[641]

TodayVirginiaTrimbleisaseniorprofessorofastronomyatUCLAandtheUniversityofMarylandandisalsotheVice-PresidentoftheAmericanAstronomicalSociety.Herviews,aswellasbeingenlightenedbyacomprehensivegraspofastronomy,accordfullywithcommonsense:

WhichconstellationstheEgyptianssawintheskyisstillsomethingofamystery...buttheyhadoneconstellationthatwasanerectstandingman,Osiris,thegod.AndtheoneconstellationthatlookslikeastandingmantoeveryoneisOrion,andtheidentificationbetweenadeceasedPharaohandthegodOsirismadeOrionimmediatelyacandidateforashaftwhosesolepurposewastoenablethesoulofthePharaohtocommunicatebetweenearthandsky...[642]

WhenwemetVirginiaTrimbleweimmediatelyrealizedwewereinthepresenceofanacuteandformidablethinker.AlexanderBadawyhadpassedawayinthelate1980syetsheremainedundaunted.Shehadconcludedthattheshaftswereastronomicallyaligned,shesaid,andthattheyhadanastronomicalfunction,becauselogicandevidencedictatedthatthiswasthecase.

Trimble’sviewshavewongeneralacceptanceamongstseniorastronomers.Togiveonerecentexample,Dr.MaryBruckofEdinburgh,writingintheJournaloftheBritishAstronomicalAssociationin1995,hadthistosayabouttheshafts:‘Theiralignmentsare...compatiblewiththehypothesisthattheyindicatetheculminationofcertainimportantstarsaroundthe25thcenturyBC...TheadditionofaSiriusshaft[southernshaftoftheQueen’sChamber]totheOriononestronglysupportstheclaimthattheyhaveanastronomicalsignificance.’[643]

Thought-tools

Wesuggestthatoneofthemajorobjectivesoftheunseenacademy,whosememberswereknownasthe‘FollowersofHorus’,wasto‘fix’theepochof2500BC(i.e.4500yearsbeforethepresent)byusingtheGreatPyramid,itspreciselyangledshafts,andthestarsofOrion’sbelt.We

suggestthattheyenvisagedthosestarsratherlikethegaugeofagiganticslidingscalesetacrossthesouthmeridian.Oncethis‘thought-tool’wasinplacealltheyneededtodoinordertodetermineadateeitherinthepastorinthefuturewasmentallyto‘slide’thebeltupordownthemeridianfromthe‘zeropoint’targetedbythesouthernshaftoftheKing’sChamber.

Wealsosuggestthatasecondandsomewhatsimilar‘thought-tool’wasattachedtotheecliptic(theapparentannualpathofthesunthroughthetwelveconstellationsofthezodiac).Herethegaugewasthevernalpoint.Bymentallyslidingittotheleft(east)ortotheright(west)ofa‘fixed’markerontheeclipticthe‘FollowersofHorus’wouldonceagainhavebeenabletodetermineanddenominateeitherapastdateoradateinthefuture...

Inourownepoch,circaAD2000,thevernalpointispoisedtoenterthesignor‘Age’ofAquarius.Foralittleover2000yearsithasbeenpassingthroughPisces(160BCtoAD2000)andbeforethatitwasinAries(2320BCto160BC).InthePyramidAgethevernalpointslowlysweptthroughTaurus(4480BCto2320BC).Goingfurtherbackwereachthe‘Ages’ofGemini(6640BCto4480BC)andthenCancer(8800BCto6640BC).Aftersix‘GreatMonths’wereachtheAgeofLeo(10,960BCto8800BC).

NowimaginethatwefindanancientdocumentatGizawhichstatesthatitwascomposedwhenthevernalpointwasinthesignoftheRam—i.e.whenthesunonthespringequinoxroseagainstthestellarbackgroundoftheconstellationofAries.Armedwiththisinformationallthatwecandoisroughlybracketthedocument’sdateasbeingsomewherebetween2320BCand160BC,Whatweneedinordertoarriveatamoreprecisechronologyissomemeansto‘fine-tune’thevernalpoint.ItisherethatthespecificutilityoftheslidingscaleatthemeridianbecomesapparentbecauseiftheancientdocumentnotonlystatedwhichzodiacalsignhousedthevernalpointbutalsoadvisedthattheloweststarofOrion’sbeltcrossedthemeridianatanaltitudeof50degreesabovethehorizonthenwewouldbeable,usingprecession,tocalculatewithgreataccuracythatthedateinquestionmustbeverynear1400BC.[644]

ThePyramidAgeoccurredwhenthevernalpointwasinTaurusand,aswehaveseen,thefine-tuningpermittedbythe45-degreeangleoftheGreatPyramid’s‘Orionshaft’drawsparticularattentiontothedateof2500BC.Withthisdate,4500yearsbeforethepresent,wecanuseprecessiontocalculatetheexactpositionofthevernalpoint—which,asthereaderwillrecall,wasneartheheadoftheHyades-Taurusatthattime,closetotheright(i.e.west)bankoftheMilkyWay.

Thereaderwillalsonothaveforgottenthatthisisthe‘address’giveninthePyramidTextsasthestartingpointforthecosmicjourneyofthesolarHorus-King.Itisherethathereceiveshisinstructionstoboardthesolar-barkand‘sail’acrosstheMilkyWaytowardsthe‘horizon’tomeetupwithHorakhti.Hisdirectionoftravelis,therefore,eastwards,i.e.totheleftofthevernalpoint.Intermsofthechronologyofthe‘GreatYear’ofprecession(asdistinctfromthesolaryear),thismeansthattheHorus-KingisnowpoisedtotravelbackintimetowardstheageofLeo-Horakhtiandtoaspecificspotontheeclipticpath—‘TheSplendidPlaceofthe“FirstTime”’...‘theplacemorenoblethananyplace’.[645]

Butwhereisthatplace?HowistheHorus-King(initiate,seeker)tofinditinthe2160-year,30-degreeswathethattheconstellationofLeooccupiesontheecliptic?

TheansweristhathewouldhavetousethegaugeofOrion’sbeltatthemeridiantofine-tunetheexactplaceofthevernalpointandhencealsotoarriveatanexactdate.Inhismind’seyehewouldhavetoslidethebelt‘down’themeridiantoits‘FirstTime’andthenseehowfartotheeastthatoperationhad‘pushed’thevernalpointalongtheecliptic.

Whereverthatplacewaswouldbethecelestialdestinationthatthe‘FollowersofHorus’wereurginghimtoreach.

Anditwould,ofcourse,haveitscounterpartonthegroundatGiza,inthevicinityofthelion-

bodiedSphinx.

Chapter17ThePlaceofthe‘FirstTime’

‘KnowthatwewouldbeuniversalscientistsifitweregiventoustoinhabitthesacredlandofEgypt...’

Manetho,Egyptianhighpriest,thirdcenturyBC

‘Ihavecometothisplacemorenoblethananyplace...’

PyramidTexts

Theepochofthe‘FirstTime’,ZepTepi,wasfrequentlyreferredtoasthe‘FirstTimeofHorus’,the‘FirstTimeofRe’andthe‘FirstTimeofOsiris’.[646]Theimplicationofthisterminologyisthatthepositionofthe(vernal)sunalongtheeclipticpath,whichdenotedthe‘FirstTime’,wasalsoseentobemarked—perhaps‘controlled’wouldbeabetterword—bythepositionofOsiris-Orionatthemeridian.

Aswehaveseen,theancientbrotherhoodofastronomer-priestswhodesignedtheGreatPyramid,andwhowerelaterresponsibleforthecompilationofthePyramidTexts,werewellawareofOrion’sslowprecessionaldrift‘upwards’—‘northwards’intheallegoricallanguageofthetexts—whentheconstellationwassightedatthemeridianoverlongperiodsoftime.Theyalsoknewthattheywere‘fixing’aspecificlocationtowhichthe‘bodyofthegod’haddrifted(andaspecificdateintime—2500BCinourcalendar)whentheytargetedthemeridianat45degreeswiththesouthernshaftoftheKing’sChamber.Theyknew,inotherwords,thatthebeltstarswouldrisetohigheraltitudesabovethehorizon(i.e.driftfurther‘north’)infutureepochsand,conversely,thattheyhadbeenatloweraltitudes(i.e.‘furthersouth’)inpreviousepochs.ThereaderwillrecallfromChapter1thatthelowest(‘southernmost’)pointintheentireprecessionalcycleofOrion’sbelt—the‘FirstTimeofOsiris’inallegoricalterms—occurredin10,500BC.Mostmysteriously,itistheprecisedispositionofthesestarsintheskyatthatdatethatisfrozenonthegroundintheformofthethreegreatPyramidsofGiza.

Itwasthemysteryofthisperfectmeridian-to-meridianmatch,togetherwiththeequinoctialalignmentofthelion-bodiedSphinx(andthevastantiquityofthatmonumentasindicatedbygeology)thatprovokedustoundertakethepresentinvestigation.ForwhilewedidnotdisputetheorthodoxEgyptologicaldatingofthePyramidstotheepochof2500BC,wehadastrongintuitionthattheirlayoutintheimageofOrion’sbeltsome8000yearsearlierwasmostunlikelytohavecomeaboutbychance.

Wearenowsatisfiedthatchancewasnotinvolved.Afterfactoring-inthedatapreservedinthevaststorehousesofancientEgyptianfunerary‘software’,itseemstousobviousthatwhatwascreated—orrathercompleted—atGizain2500BCwasanentirelydeliberateworkofsky-grounddualism.Itwasamodel(onalavishscaleintendedtodojusticetoitscosmicoriginal)ofthe‘kingdom’establishedbyOsirisinthesky-Duatintheremoteepoch‘whenhisnamebecameOrion’—i.e.inhis‘FirstTime’.Itwasalso,foralltime,the‘KingdomofOsiris’ontheground—‘whenhisnamebecameSokar’(inthelowerDuat,i.e.theMemphitenecropolis).

Itmayhavebeenthecasethattheground-planofthethreegreatPyramidswasphysicallyestablishedin10,500BC—perhapsintheformoflowplatforms.Oritmayhavebeenthatpreciseastronomicalrecordsfromthatepochwerepreservedandhandeddowntotheastronomer-priestsofHeliopolisbythe‘FollowersofHorus’.Eitherway,wearestillreasonablycertainthatthePyramidsthemselveswerelargelybuiltin2500BCwhenEgyptologistssaytheywere.Wearealsosure,however,thatthesitewasalreadyvastlyancientbythenandhadbeenthe

domainofthe‘Followers’—theSages,the‘SeniorOnes’—fortheprevious8000years.

Wethinktheevidencesuggestsacontinuoustransmissionofadvancedscientificandengineeringknowledgeoverthathugegulfoftime,andthusthecontinuouspresenceinEgypt,fromthePalaeolithicintotheDynasticPeriod,ofhighlyenlightenedandsophisticatedindividuals—thoseshadowyAkhussaidinthetextstohavepossessed‘aknowledgeofdivineorigin’.

Fine-tuningLeo

Thebasisforthisconjecture,aboveandbeyondtheastronomicalalignmentsoftheGizanecropolis,isthegeologicalconditionoftheSphinxwhichwehavedescribedinPartI.Tostatemattersbriefly:thesignsofintenseprecipitation-inducedweatheringvisibletothisdayonthegreatmonumentitself,andontherock-hewntrenchsurroundingit,areconsistentwithanageofmorethan12,000years.

Thegenesisdateindicatedbyastronomyforthesiteasawholeis10,500BC.ThatiswhatthelayoutofthePyramidssays,eveniftheythemselvesareyounger.Andthat,too,aswesawinChapter3,iswhatisproclaimedbythedue-eastorientationoftheSphinx.ItsastronomicalandleoninesymbolismdoesnotmakeanysenseunlessitwasbuiltasanequinoctialmarkerfortheAgeofLeo.

Butwhen,exactly,intheAgeofLeo?Theconstellationspans30degreesalongtheeclipticandhousedthesunonthevernalequinoxfrom10,960BCto8800BC—aperiodof2160years.Sowheninthatperiod?

ThereisnowaytoanswerthisquestiononthebasisofthealignmentsoftheSphinxalone,oronthebasisofwhatonemaydeducefromitsalignmentsanditsgeologyviewedtogether.Whatisneededispreciselywhatthe‘FollowersofHorus’provideduswith—athought-toolwithwhichtofine-tunethedate.Thatthought-toolistheslidingscaleofOrion’sbeltandthedatethatitfine-tunesfortheGreatSphinxis10,500BC.

Butitalsodoessomethingelse.Asthescale‘slides’downthemeridianitalso‘pushes’thevernalpointsteadilyeastwardsalongtheecliptic,bringingittorestin10,500BC(the‘bottomofthescale’)ataspecificstellaraddressthatcanbeidentifiedbyprecessionalcalculations.

Intermsofthesky-grounddualismoftheinitiatoryquestoftheHorus-King,itisobviousthatthevernalpoint’s‘stellaraddress’in10,500BC—i.e.itsprecisewhereaboutsontheeclipticwithintheconstellationofLeo—islikelytohaveaterrestrialanalogue.Onceweknowwhat’swhatwiththesky,inotherwords,weshouldknowwheretolookontheground.

Andwoulditbeentirelyunreasonabletosupposethatwhatwewouldfindthere,ifwehadcalculatedexactlywheretolook,mightturnouttobeaphysicalentranceintothatmythical‘placemorenoblethananyplace’,the‘SplendidPlaceofthe“FirstTime”’?

Settingstars

Asthoughtorewardsuchconjectures,likeaone-armedbanditcoughingupthejackpot,allthebellsandlightsoftheGizanecropolisstartringingandflashingatoncewhentheslidingscaleofOrion’sbeltispusheddowntoits‘FirstTime’in10,500BC.

WealreadyknowfromChapter3thatwhattheprincipalmonumentsseemtomodelisanunusualastronomicalconjunctionthatoccurredatthespringequinoxinthatdistantepoch.NotonlydidtheGreatSphinxgazeathisowncelestialcounterpartintheskybutalsothemomentofsunrise(atthepointonthehorizontargetedbytheSphinx’sgaze)coincided,tothesecond,withthemeridian-transitofOrion’sbelt(whichiswhatthethreePyramidsmodel).

Iftheseweretheonlycorrespondencestheywouldalreadybetoodetailedtobeattributedto

coincidence.Butthereisagreatdealmore.Forexample,immediatelysouthofthethirdandsmallestofthethreegreatPyramidsisagroupofthree‘satellite’pyramids.Egyptologistsgenerallyrefertothemasthe‘tombs’ofqueensofthePharaohMenkaure.Sincetheycontainnoinscriptions,northeslightesttraceofhumanremainsorfuneraryequipment,suchanattributioncanneverbeanythingmorethanamatterofopinion.Howeverthese‘satellite’pyramidsdohaveanunambiguousastronomicalalignment:theyformarowrunningeast-west—theequinoxsunrise-sunsetdirection.

TheBritishgeometricianandpyramidresearcher,RobinCook,hasrecentlyshownthatthesethreesatellitepyramidsbearadesignedrelationshiptotheGizanecropolisasawhole.[647]Theyappeartobelocatedontheboundaryofacircle,orartificial‘horizon’,thefocusofwhichisthePyramidofKhafreandthecircumferenceofwhichenvelopsthewholenecropolis.Anangleof27degreeswestofsouth[648]—correspondingtoanazimuthof207degrees[649]—seemstobedefinedbyastraightlineextendingfromthemeridianaxisofthePyramidofKhafretothesethree‘satellite’pyramidsofMenkaure.[650]Ingeneralthesatellitesgivetheimpressionofbeing‘reducedmodels’ofthethreeGreatPyramids.Whatisnotablydifferenthowever,isthatthelatterlieatanangleof45degreestothemeridian,whiletheformerrunfromeasttowestatright-anglestothemeridian.Thisapparentarchitecturalanomaly,togetherwiththeircuriouslocationatazimuth207degreesontheartificial‘horizon’ofGiza,begsanobviousquestion:areweagainlookingatdatableskyeventfrozeninarchitecture?

59.Epochof10,500BC:settingofthethreestarsofOrion’sbeltinlinewiththethreesatellitePyramidsonthesouthernrimoftheHorizonofGiza.

Thecomputerconfirmsthatweare.In10,500BC,ontherealhorizonofGiza,thelowestofthethreestarsofOrion’sbelt,AlNitak,setat27degreeswestofsouth—i.e.atazimuth207degrees.Moreover,thebeltstarsatthatmomentwouldhaveformedanaxisrunningeast-west—thealignmentthatismimickedbythethreesatellitepyramids.

Sirius

Anotherbitofthe10,500BC‘jackpotofcorrespondences’concernsthestarSirius,whichsymbolizestheveryheartoftheancientEgyptianmystery.

Allstars,includingourownsun(andoursolarsystemwithit)movethroughspace.Becauseofthevastdistancesinvolved,however(hundredsandoftenthousandsoflight-years),this‘propermotion’registersbarelyperceptibleeffectsonthepositionsintheskyofthemajorityofstarsasviewedfromearth.Wherethesestarsareconcernedtheonlysignificantfactorisprecession(which,asweknow,isaperceived‘motion’thatisactuallycausedbyawobbleontheaxisofthe

earth).

Siriusisoneofthemajorexceptionstothisrule.Asmanyreaderswillbeaware,itisthebrighteststarinthesky.Itisalsooneoftheneareststarstoearth,beingonly8.4light-yearsaway.Becauseofthisproximityitregistersaverylarge‘propermotion’inspacerelativetoourownsolarsystem—largeenoughtobringaboutobservablechangesinitscelestialaddress,overandabovethosecausedbyprecession,withinjustafewthousandyears.

Tobespecificaboutthis,thepropermotionofSiriusisestimatedtobeintherangeof1.21arc-secondsperyear(about1degreeevery3000years).Thismeansthatforanepochasfarbackas10,500BC,thechangeinitscelestialco-ordinatesresultingfrompropermotioncouldexceed3fulldegreesofarc,i.e.aboutsixtimestheapparentdiameterofthemoon.[651]

Oncethisrapidandnoticeablerateofmovementistakenintoaccountalongsidetheeffectsofprecession,computersimulationsindicatearatherintriguingstateofaffairs.CalculationsshowthatwhenSiriusreachedits‘FirstTime’—i.e.itslowestaltitudeabovethehorizon—viewersatthelatitudeofGiza(30degreesnorth)wouldhaveseenitrestingexactlyonthehorizon.Moreoveritwasfromthislatitude,andthislatitudeonly,thatsuchaconjunctionofstarandhorizoncouldbewitnessed.Theimplicationisthataspecialco-relationshipexistsbetweenthelatitudeofGizaandthestarSiriusatits‘FirstTime’.[652]

60.Artist’simpressionofthe‘FirstTime’ofSirius,intheepochof10,500BC,whenthebrightstarofIsiswouldhavebeenseentoberestingexactlyonthehorizon.

Becauseofitslargepropermotionthereisuncertaintyoverwhenexactlythe‘FirstTime’ofSiriuswouldhaveoccurred.Thereisnodoubt,however,thatitwouldhavebeensomewherebetween11,500and10,500BC.[653]Wewonder,therefore,whetherthedecisiontoestablishthesacredsiteofGizaat30degreesnorthlatitudecouldhavebeenconnectedtothis‘FirstTime’ofSirius?Andwerecallthatin1993RudolfGantenbrink’srobotcameradiscoveredamysterious‘door’insidetheGreatPyramid,morethan200feetalongthenarrowsouthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamber.[654]Theshaftinwhichthe‘door’wasfoundwas,ofcourse,targetedonthemeridian-transitofSiriusin2500BC.

Cross-quartercauseways

AmongstthestrangestandmostunaccountablefeaturesoftheGizanecropolisarethemassivecausewaysthatlinkeachofthethreegreatPyramidswiththeNileValleybelow.Todayonly

fragmentsoftheirflooringsremain,butaslateasthefifthcenturyBCatleastonecauseway,thatoftheGreatPyramid,wasstillalmostintact.WeknowthisbecauseitwasseenanddescribedbytheGreekhistorianHerodotus(484-420BC)—whoreflectedthatitsconstructionalmostmatched,inengineeringprowessandarchitecturalsplendour,thatoftheGreatPyramiditself.[655]

RecentarchaeologicalresearchhasconfirmedthattheinformationprovidedbyHerodotusiscorrect.Moreover,wenowknowthattheroofsofthecausewayswerespangledontheirundersideswithpatternsofstars[656]—highlyappropriatesymbolismif,aswebelieveisthecase,thesegrandandcuriouscorridorsweredesignedtoserveasViaeSacrae—ceremonial‘roadways’whichinitiateswouldfollowontheirwaytothe‘Pyramid-stars’ofRostau-Giza.[657]

ThecausewayfromtheThirdPyramid(thePyramidofMenkaure)isdirecteddue-east,[658]likethegazeoftheSphinx,andthusconformstothegeneralnorth-southandeast-westgridstructureoftheGizanecropolis.BycontrastthetwocausewayslinkedtotheothertwoPyramidsdefinitelydonotconformtothatgridstructure.AsaresultoftheworkofgeometricianJohnLegon,whohasundertakenadetailedanalysisofthesite-plansandgridsprovidedbymodernEgyptologists(suchasSelimHassan,Reisner,Holscher,RickeandLauer),wenowknowthatthisanomalousnonconformityneverthelessincorporatesitsownstrictsymmetry:‘whilethecausewayoftheThirdPyramidisaligneddueeast-west,thecausewaysoftheSecondandGreatPyramidsbothhaveabearingof14degrees—theformertothesouthandthelattertothenorthofdueeast.’[659]

61.ThecourseofthesunthroughouttheyearasviewedfromthelatitudeofGiza.Afullrangeof56degreesisdefinedbetweensummersolsticeat28degreesnorthofeastandwintersolsticeat28degreessouthofeast(withtheequinox,ofcourse,atdueeast).The‘cross-quarter’sunrisestherefore occur at 14 degrees north of east and 14 degrees south of east respectively, thusdividingthesun’srangealongthehorizonintofourequalparts.

62.TheKhufucausewayruns14degreesnorthofeastinperfectalignmentwiththecross-quartersunrisethatfallsbetweenthespringequinoxandthesummersolstice(andthusalso,onthesun’s‘returnjourney’,betweenthesummersolsticeandtheautumnequinox).

63. The Menkaure causeway runs due east in perfect alignment with sunrise on the springequinoxandontheautumnequinox.

64. The Khafre causeway runs 14 degrees south of east in perfect alignment with the cross-quartersunrisethatfallsbetweenthewintersolsticeandthespringequinox(andthusalso,onthesun’s‘returnjourney’,betweentheautumnequinoxandthewintersolstice).

LegonhasalsoprovidedconclusiveevidencethatthedesignoftheKhufuandKhafrecausewaysisinfactintegratedwiththegeometryoftheGizacomplexasawhole—andnotmerelywiththatoftheindividualPyramidsthemselves.Furthermore,farfrombeingconditionedbythetopographyofthesite(ashadpreviouslybeensupposed)thedirectionofthesecauseways(14degreesnorthandsouthofeastrespectively)showseverysignofbeingpartofa‘unifiedplan’whose‘hiddenpurpose’andimpetus‘possiblyresidedwiththepriestsofHeliopolis’.[660]

Butwhat‘hiddenpurpose’coulddictatethedecisiontodirectonecausewaydueeast,another14degreessouthofdueeast,andathird14degreesnorthofdueeast?

WhensunriseisobservedconscientiouslythroughoutthecourseoftheyearfromthelatitudeofGiza,theanswertothisquestionbecomesobvious.Here,aseverywhereelseontheplanet,thesunrisesdueeast—inlinewiththeMenkaurecauseway(andthegazeoftheSphinx)—onthespringequinox.WhatisuniqueaboutthelatitudeofGiza,aswehavenotedseveraltimespreviously,isthatonthesummersolstice(thelongestdayoftheyear)thesunrises28degreestothenorthofdueeastwhilstonthewintersolstice(theshortestday)itrises28degreestothesouthofdueeast.Thisgivesafullvariationof56degreesanditisasimplematteroffactthatwhatastronomersrefertoasthe‘cross-quarters’ofthisvariation,i.e.thesunrise-pointslocatedexactlyhalfwaybetweeneachequinoxandsolstice,areat14degreesnorthofdueeastand14degreessouthofdueeastrespectively.Inshortthethreecausewayssignalandbrackettheequinoxwithtwogigantic‘arrows’pointedatthecross-quartersunrisesandathirdarrow(theMenkaure

causeway)pointedattheequinoxsunriseitself.Inthisfashionthesun’srangethroughouttheyearalongtheeasternhorizonisarchitecturallydividedintofourequalsegmentseachwitharangeof14degrees—i.e.intoitsastronomical‘cross-quarters’.

Nowafocusonthecross-quarterdays,togetherwiththeequinoxesandsolstices,isanextremelywell-documentedphenomenonamongstmanyancientastronomicallymindedpeoples(dictatingthealignmentoftheirtemplesandthedatesoftheirmostimportantfestivals).[661]ItisthereforenotsurprisingtofindsuchafocusexpressedinthearchitectureoftheGizanecropolis.Neithershouldwebesurprisedbytheaccuracywithwhichthecausewaysdefinethecross-quarterssincealltheotheralignmentsofthenecropoliswereachievedwithequallyhighprecision.

65. Epoch of 10,500 BC: the rising of Leo on the cross-quarter sunrise between the wintersolsticeandthespringequinox.Thissunriseoccursat14degreessouthofeast,thepointonthehorizontargetedbytheKhafrecauseway.

66. Epoch of 10,500BC: gaze of the Sphinx on the cross-quarter sunrise between thewintersolsticeandthespringequinox.Note theprofileof theconstellationofLeowithonly itshead,backandshouldersprotrudingabovethesky-horizonandcomparewiththeprofileoftheSphinx,asviewedfromthesouth.

67. The Great Sphinx in the ‘ground-horizon’ of Giza, with only its massive head, back andshouldersprotrudingintoviewabovegroundlevel.Onceagaintheimagesintheskyandontheground‘lock’at10,500BC.

Thereisonefeatureofthelayout,however,thatistrulyexceptionalandremarkable.

Computerreconstructionsoftheancientskiesrevealthatifwecouldtravelbackintimetothecross-quarterdaythatfellbetweenthewintersolsticeandthevernalequinoxin10,500BC,andpositionourselvesatthe‘top’,i.e.thewesternend,oftheKhafrecausewaygazingalongittowardstheedgeofthe‘Horizon’ofGiza,thenwewouldwitnessthefollowingcelestialeventsatdawn:

1.Thesunwouldriseat14degreessouthofeastindirectalignmentwiththecauseway;[662]

2. ImmediatelytotheleftofthispointwouldbethegreatconstellationofLeo-Horakhti,withonly itsmassive head and shoulders protruding above the horizon line (itwould, in otherwords,appeartobepartiallysunk,or‘buried’inthe‘HorizonoftheSky’).

Nowletuslookdownfromtheskytotheground.FollowingthesoutheasterlydirectionofthecausewayfromthesameviewpointwenotethatitsinksdownwiththegeneralslopeoftheGizaplateauandpassesjusttothesouthofthesouthernedgeoftheSphinxenclosure.TheSphinxitself—Hor-em-Akhet—standspartiallysunk,or‘buried’inthatenclosure(andthusinthe‘HorizonofGiza’)withonlyitsmassiveheadandshouldersprotrudingoutofthegroundline.

Onceagaintheimagesofskyandgroundmatchperfectlyat10,500BCandinnootherepoch...

Treasuremap

Wesaidearlierthatinthearchitectural-astronomicalsystemofthePyramidbuildersthepositionofthevernalpointalongtheeclipticwhichdenotedthe‘SplendidPlaceofthe“FirstTime”’wasconsideredtobe‘controlled’bythepositionofOsiris-Orionatthemeridian:‘slide’Orion’sbeltupfromitslocationat2500BCandthevernalpointis‘pushed’westwardsaroundtheecliptic(andforwardintime)inthedirectionTaurusàAriesàPiscesàAquarius;‘slide’itdownandthevernalpointispushed‘east’,i.e.backintime,inthedirectionTaurusàGeminiàCanceràLeo.Soin10,500BC,withthebeltstarsfully‘sliddown’totheirlowestpossiblealtitudeabovethehorizon,howfararoundtheecliptichasthevernalpointbeen‘pushed?WeknowitisinLeo.ButwhereinLeo?

Computersimulationsshowthatitlayexactly111.111degreeseastofthestationthatithadoccupiedat2500BC.ThenithadbeenattheheadoftheHyades-TaurusclosetotherightbankoftheMilkyWay;8000yearsearlieritlaydirectlyundertherearpawsoftheconstellationofLeo.

Aswehavehinted,thisisalocationthatislikelytohaveaterrestrial‘double’.ThethreestarsofOrion’sbelthavetheirterrestrialdoublesintheformofthethreeGreatPyramids.TheconstellationofLeo-HorakhtihasitsterrestrialdoubleintheformofHor-em-Akhet,i.e.theGreatSphinx.The‘HorizonoftheSky’hasitsterrestrialdoubleintheformofthe‘HorizonofGiza’.AndtheGreatSphinxcrouchesliterallywithinthis‘Horizon’.

ItwastothebreastoftheGreatSphinx,atthesummersolsticeinthePyramidAge,thatthequestoftheHorus-Kingled.ThereheencounteredtheAkhus:

‘Howhasthishappenedtoyou’,saythey,theAkhuswiththeirmouthsequipped,‘thatyouhavecometothisplacemorenoblethananyplace?’

‘Ihavecome...becausethereedfloatsoftheskyweresetdownforRe[thesun-discandcosmic‘double’oftheHorus-King]thatRemightcross[theMilkyWay]onthemtoHorakhtiattheHorizon’...[663]

Inotherwords,theHorus-Kinghassuccessfullyunderstoodandusedthecluesprovidedintheritual.Hehasnotedandfollowedthepathofthesunduringthesolaryearfromitsstartingpoint—designatedinthetextsasbeingbesidetheHyades-Taurus,i.e.the‘BulloftheSky’—andthenceacrosstheMilkyWayuntilthemomentofitsconjunctionwithRegulus,theheart-starofLeo.Hehasthentakenthiscelestialtreasuremap,transposeditsco-ordinatestotheground,madehiswayacrosstheRiverNileandascendedtotheGizaplateau,comingeventuallytothebreastoftheSphinx.

WethinkthathereceivedtherethenecessarycluesorinstructionstofindtheentrancetotheterrestrialDuat,tothe‘KingdomofOsiris’ontheground—inshorttothe‘SplendidPlaceofthe“FirstTime”’wherehewouldhavetogoinordertocompletehisquest.Andwesuggestthatthesecluesweredesignedtoencouragehimtotrackthevernalpoint,justaswehavedone,tothe

locationthatitwouldhaveoccupiedin10,500BCwhenOrion’sbelthadreachedthelowestpointinitsprecessionalcycle.

InotherwordsitisourhypothesisthattheGizamonuments,thepast,presentandfutureskiesthatlieabovethem,andtheancientfunerarytextsthatinterlinkthem,conveythelineamentsofamessage.Inattemptingtoreadthismessagewehavedonenomorethanfollowtheinitiation‘journey’oftheHorus-KingsofEgypt.AndliketheancientHorus-Kingswe,too,havearrivedatamostintriguingcrossroad.Thetrailofinitiationhasguidedus,directedusandfinallyluredustostandinfrontoftheGreatSphinxand,likeOedipus,toconfronttheultimateriddles:‘Wheredidwecomefrom?’‘Wherearewetogoto?’

ThegazeoftheSphinxurgesustoseethroughtheshadowyveilandseekthe‘FirstTime’.But,havingdonethat,italsoprovokesustoaskwhethertheremightnotinfactbesomethingatGiza,somethingphysical,thatwouldgiveformtothesite’sstrangeauraofvastandexceptionalantiquity.

WerememberapassagefromtheCoffinTextswhichinvitesustoconsiderthepossibilitythatsomegreat‘secret’ofOsirismayremainhiddenwithinorbeneaththemonumentsofRostau-Gizaina‘sealed’container:‘Thisisthesealedthing,whichisindarkness,withfireaboutit,whichcontainstheeffluxofOsiris,anditisputinRostau.Ithasbeenhiddensinceitfellfromhim,anditiswhatcamedownfromhimontothedesertofsand;itmeansthatwhatbelongedtohimwasputinRostau...’[664]

WhatcanitbethatwasputinRostau?

Whathiddenthingwithfireaboutit?

Andwhereindarknessdoesitlie?

IfwelookatourcomputersimulationoftheskiesoverGizain10,500BCtheanswerappearstobestaringusintheface.Inthatyear,inthepredawnonthespringequinox,theconstellationofLeocouldbeseenrisingslowlyintheeast.Byaround5a.m.itwasfullyrisen,exactlystraddlingdueeast—alioninthesky,withitsbellyrestingonthehorizon.Atthesamemoment,thesun—markingthevernalpoint—laysome12degreesbeneathitsrearpaws.

68.TheHorus-King’s treasuremap: theheliacal risingofLeoon thespringequinox in10,500BC. The sun, marking the vernal point, lies below the horizon, some 12 degrees beneath theconstellation’srearpaws.Whenthis imageis transposedto theground, thelogicof theHorus-King’s quest suggests the possibility of a hidden chamber deep in the bedrock of the Gizaplateau,approximatelytoofeetbeneaththerearpawsoftheSphinx.

Whenwetranslatethissky-imageontotheground,intheformofacolossal,leonine,equinoctialmonumentwithitsbellyrestingonthebedrockoftherealphysicalenvironmentofthe‘HorizonofGiza’,wedoindeedfindourselveslookingattheHorus-King’streasuremap.Itisamap,notburiedintheearthbutcunninglyconcealedintime,where‘X’almostliterally‘marksaspot’directlyundertherearpawsoftheGreatSphinxofEgyptatadepth,wewouldguess,ofabout100feet.

69.PossiblelocationsofanundergroundsystemofpassagewaysandchambersbeneaththeGreatSphinx suggested by astronomical correlations and by seismographic tests (see Part I of thepresentwork).

Ifwehavereadthemessageofthe‘FollowersofHorus’right,thenthereissomethingof

momentousimportancethere,waitingtobefound—byseismicsurveys,bydrillingandexcavations,inshortbyarediscoveryandexplorationofthehiddencorridorsandchambersoftheearthly‘KingdomofOsiris’.

Itcouldbetheultimateprize.

ConclusionReturntotheBeginning

‘Istandbeforethemasterswhowitnessedthegenesis,whoweretheauthorsoftheirownforms,whowalkedthedark,circuitouspassagesoftheirownbecoming...Istandbeforethemasterswhowitnessedthetransformationofthebodyofamanintothebodyinspirit,whowerewitnessestoresurrectionwhenthecorpseofOsirisenteredthemountainandthesoulofOsiriswalkedoutshining...whenhecameforthfromdeath,ashiningthing,hisfacewhitewithheat...Istandbeforethemasterswhoknowthehistoriesofthedead,whodecidewhichtalestohearagain,whojudgethebooksoflivesaseitherfullorempty,whoarethemselvesauthorsoftruth.AndtheyareIsisandOsiris,thedivineintelligences.Andwhenthestoryiswrittenandtheendisgoodandthesoulofamanisperfected,withashouttheylifthimintoheaven...’

AncientEgyptianBookoftheDead(NormandiEllistranslation)

Thedictionarytellsusthat,separatelyfromitsmodernusage,theword‘glamour’hasatraditionalmeaningroughlyequivalentto‘magicspell’or‘charm’,andistheOldScottishvariantof:‘grammar...henceamagicspell,becauseoccultpracticeswerepopularlyassociatedwithlearning.’

Isitpossiblethatmenandwomenofgreatwisdomandlearningcasta‘glamour’overtheGizanecropolisatsomepointinthedistantpast?Weretheythepossessorsofasyetunguessed-atsecretsthattheywishedtohidehere?Anddidtheysucceedinconcealingthosesecretsalmostinplainview?Forthousandsofyears,inotherwords,hastheancientEgyptianroyalcemeteryatGizaveiledthepresenceofsomethingelse—somethingofvastlygreatersignificanceforthestoryofMankind?

OnethingwearesureofisthatunlikethehundredsofFourth-DynastymastabatombstothewestoftheSphinxandclusteredaroundthethreegreatPyramids,thePyramidsthemselveswereneverdesignedtoserveprimarilyasburialplaces.WedonotruleoutthepossibilitythatthePharaohsKhufu,KhafreandMenkauremayatonetimehavebeenburiedwithinthem—althoughthereisnoevidenceforthis—butwearenowsatisfiedthatthetranscendenteffortandskillthatwentintotheconstructionoftheseawe-inspiringmonumentswasmotivatedbyahigherpurpose.

WethinkthatpurposewasconnectedtothequestforeternallifewrappedupinacompletereligiousandspiritualsystemthattheancientEgyptiansinheritedfromunknownpredecessorsandthattheylatercodifiedintheireerieandother-worldlyfuneraryandrebirthtexts.Wesuggest,inshort,thatitwasthegoalofimmortality,notjustforonePharaohbutformany,thatthecorridorsandpassagesandhiddenchambersandconcealedgatesanddoorwaysoftheGizacomplexwereultimatelydesignedtoserve.DepictedintheBookofWhatisintheDuatasbeingfilledwithmonsters,thesenarrow,claustrophobic,terrifyingplaces,hemmedinonallsidesbysheerstonewalls,wereinourviewconceivedastheultimatetestinggroundforinitiates.Heretheywouldbeforcedtofaceandovercometheirmosthorribleanddebilitatingfears.Heretheywouldpassthroughunimaginableordealsofthespiritandthemind.Heretheywouldlearnesotericwisdomthroughactsofconcentratedintelligenceandwill.Heretheywouldbeprepared,throughpracticeandexperience,forthemomentofphysicaldeathandforthenightmaresthatwouldfollowit,sothatthesetransitionswouldnotconfuseorparalysethem—astheymightother,unprepared,souls—andsothattheymightbecome‘equippedspirits’abletomoveastheywishedthroughheavenandearth,‘unfailingly,andregularlyandeternally’.[665]

SuchwastheloftygoaloftheHorus-King’squestandtheancientEgyptiansclearlybelievedthatinordertoattainittheinitiatewouldhavetoparticipateinthediscovery,theunveiling,the

revelation,ofsomethingofmomentousimportance—somethingthatwouldbestowwisdom,andknowledgeofthe‘FirstTime’,andofthemysteriesofthecosmos,andofOsiris,theOnceandFutureKing.

WearethereforeremindedofaHermeticText,writteninGreekbutcompiledinAlexandriainEgyptsome2000yearsago,thatisknownastheKoreKosmu(orVirginoftheWorld).[666]Likeothersuchwritings,thistextspeaksofThoth,theancientEgyptianwisdom-god,butreferstohimbyhisGreekname,Hermes:

Suchwasall-knowingHermes,whosawallthings,andseeingunderstood,andunderstandinghadthepowerbothtodiscloseandtogiveexplanation.Forwhatheknew,hegravedonstone;yetthoughhegravedthemontostonehehidthemmostly...Thesacredsymbolsofthecosmicelements[he]hidawayhardbythesecretsofOsiris...keepingsuresilence,thateveryyoungerageofcosmictimemightseekforthem.[667]

Thetextthentellsusthatbeforehe‘returnedtoHeaven’Hermesinvokedaspellonthesecretwritingsandknowledgethathehadhidden:

Oholybooks,whohavebeenmadebymyimmortalhands,byincorruption’smagicspells...freefromdecaythroughouteternityremain,andincorruptfromtime.Becomeunseeable,unfindable,foreveryonewhosefootshalltreadtheplainsofthisland,untilOldHeavendothbringforthmeetinstrumentsforyou...[668]

Whatinstrumentsmightleadtotherecoveryof‘unseeableandunfindable’secretsconcealedatGiza?

Ourresearchhaspersuadedusthatascientificlanguageofprecessionaltimeandallegoricalastronomywasdeliberatelyexpressedintheprincipalmonumentsthereandinthetextsthatrelatetothem.Fromquiteanearlystageinourinvestigation,wehopedthatthislanguagemightshednewlightontheenigmaticcivilizationofEgypt.Wedidnotatfirstsuspect,however,thatitwouldalsoturnouttoencodespecificcelestialcoordinatesorthatthesewouldtransposeontothegroundintheformofanarcane‘treasuremap’,directingtheattentionofseekerstoapreciselocationinthebedrockdeepbeneaththeSphinx.

Nordidwesuspect,untilwemetthem,thatotherssuchastheEdgarCayceFoundationandtheStanfordResearchInstitute—seePartII—mightalreadybelookingthere.

Osirisbreathes

Throughoutthisinvestigationwehavetriedtosticktothefacts,evenwhenthefactshavebeenverystrange.

WhenwesaythattheSphinx,thethreeGreatPyramids,thecausewaysandotherassociatedmonumentsoftheGizanecropolisformahugeastronomicaldiagramwearesimplyreportingafact.WhenwesaythatthisdiagramdepictstheskiesaboveGizain10,500BCwearereportingafact.WhenwesaythattheSphinxbearserosionmarkswhichindicatethatitwascarvedbeforetheSaharabecameadesertwearereportingafact.WhenwesaythattheancientEgyptiansattributedtheircivilizationto‘thegods’andtothe‘FollowersofHorus’wearereportingfacts.WhenwesaythatthesedivineandhumancivilizerswererememberedashavingcometotheNileValleyinZepTepi—the‘FirstTime’—wearereportingafact.WhenwesaythattheancientEgyptianrecordstellusthis‘FirstTime’wasanepochintheremotepast,thousandsofyearsbeforetheeraofthePharaohs,wearereportingafact.

OurcivilizationhashadthescientificwherewithaltogettogripswiththemanyproblemsoftheGizanecropolisforlessthantwocenturies,anditisonlyinthelasttwodecadesthatcomputertechnologyhasmadeitpossibleforustoreconstructtheancientskiesandseethepatternsandconjunctionsthatunfoldedthere.Duringthisperiodaccesstothesite,andknowledgeaboutit,

hasbeenmonopolizedbymembersofthearchaeologicalandEgyptologicalprofessionswhohaveagreedamongstthemselvesastotheorigin,andage,andfunctionofthemonuments.Newevidencewhichdoesnotsupportthisscholarlyconsensus,andwhichmightactivelyundermineit,hasagainandagainbeenoverlooked,orsidelined,andsometimesevendeliberatelyconcealedfromthepublic.This,weassume,iswhyeverythingtodowiththeshaftsoftheGreatPyramid—theirstellaralignments,theironplate,therelics,andthediscoveryofthe‘door’—hasmetwithsuchpeculiarandinappropriateresponsesfromEgyptologistsandarchaeologists.Andweassumethatitexplains,too,whythesamescholarshavepaidsuchscantattentiontothesolidcasethatgeologistshavemadeforthevastantiquityoftheSphinx.[669]

TheGizamonumentsarealegacyforMankind,preservedalmostintactoverthousandsofyears,and,outsidetheprivilegedcirclesofEgyptologyandarchaeology,thereistodayabroad-basedexpectationthattheymightbeabouttorevealaremarkablesecret.Thatexpectationmayormaynotprovetobecorrect.Neverthelessinanintellectualculturepolarizedbypublicanticipationandorthodoxreaction,wefeelitisonlywisethatfutureexplorationsatthenecropolisshouldbeconductedwithcomplete‘transparency’andaccountability.Inparticulartheopeningofthe‘door’insidethesouthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamber,thevideoscopicexaminationofthenorthernshaft,andanyfurtherremote-sensinganddrillingsurveysconductedaroundtheSphinx,shouldbecarriedoutunderthescrutinyoftheinternationalmassmediaandshouldnotagainbesubjectedtobizarreandinexplicabledelays.

Wecannotpredictwhatnewdiscoverieswillbemadebysuchresearch,orevenwhetheranynewdiscoverieswillbemade.However,aftercompletingourownarchaeoastronomicalinvestigation,andfollowingthequestoftheHorus-King,weareleftwithanenhancedsenseofthetremendousmysteryofthisamazingsite—asensethatitstruestoryhasonlyjustbeguntobetold.Lookingattheawe-inspiringscaleandprecisionofthemonumentswefeel,too,thatthepurposeoftheancientmaster-builderswassublime,andthattheydidindeedfindawaytoinitiatethosewhowouldcomeafter—thousandsofyearsinthefuture—bymakinguseoftheuniversallanguageofthestars.

Theyfoundawaytosendamessageacrosstheagesinacodesosimpleandsoself-explanatorythatitmightrightlybedescribedasananti-cipher.

Perhapsthetimehascometolistentothatclear,compellingsignalthatbeckonstousoutofthedarknessofprehistory.Perhapsthetimehascometoseektheburiedtreasureofourforgottengenesisanddestiny:

Starsfadelikememorytheinstantbeforedawn.Lowintheeastthesunappears,goldenasanopeningeye.Thatwhichcanbenamedmustexist.Thatwhichisnamedcanbewritten.Thatwhichiswrittenshallberemembered.Thatwhichisrememberedlives.InthelandofEgyptOsirisbreathes...[670]

Appendix1TheScalesoftheWorld

‘WethreekingsofOrionare;

Bearinggiftswetraverseafar;

Fieldandfountain,

Moorandmountain,

Followingyonderstar.

Oh!Starofwonder,Starofmight,

Starwithroyalbeautybright!

Westwardleading,

Stillproceeding,

Guideustothyperfectlight.

HEistheKingofGlory.’

InherthesisontheastronomicalcontentofancientEgyptianfunerarytexts,JaneB.SellersobservesthatSpell17oftheBookoftheDead,whichisdrawnfromextremelyancientsources,alludesincosmictermstothe‘unification’orjoiningofthe‘TwoLands’:[671]‘Horus,sonofOsirisandIsis...wasmaderulerintheplaceofhisfather,Osiris,onthatdaytheTwoLandswereunited.ItmeanstheunionoftheTwoLandsattheburialofOsiris...’[672]

Followingthisstatement,Spell17alsomakesspecificreferencetothe‘sun-god’andhowhewasnotobstructedbythecelestialriverbutrather‘passedon,havingbathedintheWindingWaterway’.[673]

SellersnotestheconclusionofYaleastronomer-EgyptologistVirginiaLeeDavisthatthe‘WindingWaterway’ofthePyramidTextsistobeequatedwiththeMilkyWayandthatthisfeatureofthesky‘divides’thecosmiclandscapeintotwohalves.[674]Shethenadds:‘Ihavecontendedthatthejoiningofthetwolandsisajoiningofskytoearth.’[675]

Infact,bothSellersandDavisarriveatthesameconclusion,namelythatthe‘divider’ofthecelestiallandscapeistheMilkyWay,andthatwhichcrossesitfromonesidetotheotheristhesun.Sellersalsoobservesthatthepointof‘crossing’oftheeclipticpathisneartheV-shapedHyades-Taurusconstellation.[676]

Ifweseektobepreciseaboutthesematterswewilldiscoverthatthepointofcrossingisinfactalittlefurthereastalongtheeclipticpath,markingaspotonthewesternshoreoftheMilkyWaywheretodayisfoundtheM1nebula,alsoknownastheCrabNebula.[677]

Sellers,oddly,doesnotpursuethelogicalsequenceofeventsinSpell17,namelythatthesuncontinuesalongitsjourney,reachesthe‘otherside’(i.e.theeasternside)oftheMilkyWay,andthenceheadstowardstheconstellationofLeo.Indeed,Spell17bidsthesolar‘Horus’,i.e.thesun-disc,to‘run,runtothis’location:‘HowwellbuiltisyourHouse,OAtum,howwellfoundedisyourmansion,ODoubleLion...’

AtumorAtum-Re,aswasshowninTheOrionMystery,wasoriginallyveneratedasa‘pillar’inHeliopoliswhich,asmanyresearchershaveconcluded,wasalsoseenashis‘phallus’.[678]Asomewhatsimilar‘pillar’,theso-calledDjedpillar,wasalsoassociatedwithOsiris.[679]Bearingthisinmind,Spell17makesamosttellingstatement:‘AsfortheLionwhosemouthisbrightandwhoseheadisshining,heisthePhallusofOsiris.Otherwisesaid,heisthePhallusofRe...’[680]

EarlierinSpell17wearespecificallyinformedthatAtumis:

...inhissun-disc.OtherwisesaidheisRewhenherisesintheeasternhorizonofthesky.

Tomebelongsyesterday,Iknowtomorrow.

Whatdoesitmean?Asforyesterday,thatisOsiris.Asfortomorrow,thatisReinwhichthefoesoftheLordOfAllweredestroyedandHoruswasmadetorule.Otherwisesaid:Thatisthedayofthe‘Weremain’festival,whentheburialofOsiriswasorderedbyhisfatherRe.

TheBattle-Groundofthegodswasmadeinaccordancewithmycommand.

Whatdoesitmean?ItistheWest.ItwasmadeforthesoulsofthegodsinaccordancewiththecommandofOsiris,LordoftheWesternDesert.Otherwisesaid:ItmeansthatthisistheWest,towhichRemadeeverygoddescendandhefoughtfortheTwo[Lands]forit.

IknowthatGreatGodwhoisinit.

Whoishe?ItisOsiris...[681]

Fromthistextwecanseethataspecial‘landofthegods’wasenvisagedashavingbeenestablishedintheWesternDesertatthetimeoftheburialofOsiris—thatisinthefar-offepochoftheFirstTime.ThiswasalsothedayonwhichHorusunitedtheTwoLandsandinheritedthis‘battleground’or‘landofthegods’.

70.TheDjedpillarofOsiris,flankedbyIsisandNepthys.Aboveitisthesymbolof”theHoriansun-god,probablymarkingthemeridian-transitofthesolardisc.

WehaveseeninearlierchaptershowtheMemphiteTheologyintheShabakaTextsnominatestheareainwhichthese‘unification’eventstookplaceasAyannearMemphis.[682]Oddly,theprocessof‘theUnificationoftheTwoLands’isalsoreferredtointhesesamesourcesas‘theBalanceoftheTwoLands,inwhichUpperandLowerEgypthavebeenweighed...’[683]

InthepresentworkwehavebroughtforwardadditionalevidenceinsupportofSellers’scontentionthatthe‘TwoLands’inquestionwereindeed‘sky’and‘earth’andwehavealsoshownthatveryspecificpartsoftheskyandearthweremeant—i.e.the‘Orion-Leo-Taurus’sky-regionandthe‘Giza-Heliopolis-Memphis’earth-region.

Buthowcouldthesetwosky-to-earthregionsbe‘balanced’and‘weighed’?

Astateofperfectorder

Thepointof‘balance’isdefinedonthegroundas:‘...Ayan,thatwasthedivisionoftheTwoLands...inthenameofthe“WhiteWall”[Memphis]...’[684]

WehaveseenhowthisterrestriallocationcorrespondstoapointintheskyalongtheeclipticpathmarkingthespotonthewesternshoreoftheMilkyWaywheretheM1CrabNebulaislocated.

AcloserlookattheMemphiteTheology,however,revealsthatwhileAyanisenvisagedasthepivotor‘balancepoint’oftheTwoLands,theactualprocessof‘weighing’isdescribedastakingplacesomewhereelse—specificallyin‘theland...[ofthe]burialofOsirisintheHouseofSokar...’[685]

Sincewehavealreadydemonstratedthat‘thelandoftheHouseofSokar’wasRostau,i.e.theGizanecropolis,wecanconclude—byasimpletranspositionofsky-groundterminology—thatthe‘weighing’or‘balancing’ofthelandwassomehowdoneatGiza,andmostlikelybesideorwithintheGreatPyramid,theoriginal‘House’ofSokar-Osiris.[686]

ButwhyshouldtheGreatPyramidhavebeenseenasan‘instrument’bywhichthe‘TwoLands’—skyandground—couldbe‘balanced’ataspecificspot,i.e.atAyan-Memphis?

71. Sun-boat on the back of the double-lion hieroglyph for Aker. [Top] is a scene ofrevivification,showingthesolarpathfromeasttowest.Notethehawk’sheadbeneaththesolardiskatthemeridian.

Wemustremindourselvesthatthechronologyandcontextofthe‘unification’eventswasset

waybackinthecosmiclandscapeofthe‘FirstTime’.Letus,therefore,transfertheimagerythatnowconfrontsusbacktotheepoch10,500BC,andseehowthesupposed‘perfectbalance’wasachievedatthecosmic‘Ayan’,i.e.atthelocation,markedbytheM1CrabNebulathatwehavealreadyidentifiedontheeclipticpath.

ThethreegreatPyramidsofGiza,ofcourse,becomeOrion’sbeltatthemeridian—withtheGreatPyramiditselfbeingrepresentedbyitsspecificcelestialcounterpart,AlNitak,thelowestofthethreebeltstars.

Thediagramreproducedonpage283[#74]showsOrion’sbeltwithAlNitakatthemeridianin10,500BC.Atthisprecisemoment,aswesawinChapter17,thevernal-equinoxpointlaydueeast,justbelowLeo.Meanwhilethe‘opposed’autumnalequinoxpointlaypreciselyduewest(justbelowAquarius).Inshort,thiswasatimewhenthe‘TwoSkies’—oneoneachsideoftheMilkyWay—wereinperfectbalance,perfectlydivided,justasthetextsdescribe.

Muchsuggeststhatthe‘FollowersofHorus’envisagedtheeclipticpathofthesunarchinglikethehugebeamofascaleacrossthevisiblesky.OneendofthisbeamwasmarkedbyLeoatthevernal-equinoxpoint,andtheotherbyAquariusattheautumnal-equinoxpoint.So,whenAlNitakcametorestatthecelestialmeridianonthevernalequinoxin10,500BCtheskycouldrightlybesaidtohavebeeninastateofperfectorder.

Maat

CosmicOrder,inthesymbolicterminologyoftheancientEgyptians,wasknownasMaat.Thesamewordalsomeans‘justice’and‘law’—forexamplethejusticethatwasexercisedbythe‘councilofgods’ofHeliopoliswhentheyjudgedinfavourofHorus,afterhisconflictwithSeth,andpassedontohimthelegacyoftheOsirianthrone.

TheancientEgyptianreligioustextstransmitdetailsofoneofthehighritualsoftheOsirianliturgy—the‘weighingofthesoul’ofthedeadintheGreatJudgementHallofOsiris.Thisisasortofarchetypal‘JudgementofSolomon’,withtheweighingbeingdoneontheGreatScalesofMaat.

ThePapyrusofAniintheBritishMuseumprovidesuswithaparticularlyvividdepictionoftheGreatJudgementHall,andalsooftheGreatScalesofMaat.Theselatterhaveaname—Mekhaat[687]—whichmeansinothercontexts‘thebalanceoftheEarth’.[688]

72.TheScalesofMaat.(Source:BritishMuseumpapyrus9901-3).

Thehieroglyphicdeterminativesignfortheverb‘toweigh’showsatriangle,orbuilder’s

‘square’,withaplumb-bobsuspendedfromtheapex[689]—asignwhichcanalsomeanto‘balancetheearth’.[690]Thetriangledistinctlyrecallstheprofileorcross-sectionofapyramid.

AswehaveseeninPartIIofthisbook,acuriousstonesphere,alengthofwoodenrod,andabronzehookwerefoundinsidetheGreatPyramidin1872,sealedsincethetimeoftheconstructionofthemonumentintheshaftsoftheQueen’sChamber.Mr.HenryWilliamsChisholm,theHeadoftheStandardsDepartmentoftheBoardofTradeinLondon,carefullyexaminedtheserelicsintheyearoftheirdiscoveryandconcludedthatthespherewasmostprobablyastandardweightandthattherodandhookmightalsohavehadfunctionsconnectedwithweighingandmeasuring.Hepublishedtheseconclusionsintheprestigiousjournal,Nature,on26December1872.

SimilarviewswereheldbytheAstronomerRoyalofScotland,CharlesPiazziSmyth,whoalsoexaminedtherelicsin1872.[691]

AndacertainMr.E.H.PringlesuggestedinalettertoNaturethatthestonespherecouldhavebeena‘mason’splumb-bob’andthatthe‘bronzehookandthecedarrodmayhaveformedpartofthesametool’.[692]

A‘plumb-bob’ofsomesortmusthavebeenusedtoaligntheslopesoftheshafts.Andwehavealsoseenhowa‘plumb-bob’wasusedinthehieroglyphicsignmeaning‘weighing’and,byextension,‘thebalance’.

PerhapstheGreatPyramid—theterrestrialcounterpartofthestarAlNitak—wasseenasaweighingdeviceor‘instrument’playingitspartinsomeasyetunexplainedattempttorestorethe‘balance’orcosmicorderoftheworld,i.e.Maat,asitwasinthe‘FirstTime’.Letusconsiderthispossibility.

Jugglingforbalance

WesawinChapter3thattheGreatPyramidfunctionsasamathematicalscalemodelofthenorthernhemisphereoftheearthonascaleof1:43,200.[693]Bytranspositionandextension,therefore,itshouldbeobviousthatthemonumentcanalsoserveasanarchitecturalandmathematicalrepresentationofthenorthernhemisphereofthesky.[694]

Nowifwelookatacross-sectionoftheGreatPyramid,wenoticethateachofitstwosetsof‘star-shafts’—i.e.thenorthernandthesouthernintheKing’sandQueen’sChambersrespectively—aretheoreticallyintendedtoemergeatthesameheightsonthenorthandsouthfacesofthemonument.Theyappeartohangoutlikegiganticarmsbalancing,asitwere,thewholegeometricalschemeofthePyramid.Butthereissomethingcuriousaboutthepositionofthetwochambersfromwhichtheseshaftsemanate.TheQueen’sChamberliesalongthecentre-lineofthePyramid.TheKing’sChamber,ontheotherhand,isoffsetsomewhattothesouthofthecentre-line—almostasthoughthe‘counterweight’onahugesetofscaleshadbeenslidtotheleftinordertoachieve‘balance’.

Theconsequencesofthiscuriousarchitecturalanomalyareasfollows:

1. Queen’sChamber: the‘designed’averageangleof the twoshafts is38degrees08’, thusformingarightanglewiththefacesofthepyramid(51degrees52’+38degrees08’=90degrees).[695]

2.King’sChamber:the‘designed’angleofthesouthernshaftis45degrees00’andthatofthenorthernshaftis32degrees30’.Thiscounteractstheeffectsoftheoffsetofthechamberandrestoresthe‘balance’ofthegeneralgeometricaldesign.

73.Cross-sectionsoftheGreatPyramidshowingthe‘balancing’ofthemonumentwiththestar-shafts.

ThealtitudeofAlNitakatthemeridianin2500BCwas45degrees—inlinewiththesouthernshaftoftheKing’sChamber.ThereaderwillrecallthatthevernalpointinthisepochwasjustovertheHyades-Taurus,whoseterrestrialcounterpartwehaveidentifiedastheregionoftheDahshurPyramids.[696]

ButletusseeinwhatepochAlNitakwouldhavecrossedthemeridianat38degrees08’altitude—i.e.inalignmentwiththesouthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamber?

Precessionalcalculationsshowthatsuchanalignmentwouldhaveoccurredincirca3850BC—adatethatisextremelyclosetothatfavouredbymanyearlierEgyptologistsfortheepochofthe‘Unification’whichwassupposedlysealedatAyan-Memphis.[697]Itisthereforesurelyofinteresttonotethatin3850BCthevernalpointwaspositionedneartheM1CrabNebula,thespotonthecelestiallandscape—andalongtheeclipticpath—thatwehaveidentifiedasthesky-counterpartofAyan-Memphis.

ThreeWiseMen

In10,500BCthestarAlNitakinthebeltofOrionwasatthelowestaltitudeofitsprecessional

cycleandLeohousedthevernal-equinoxpoint.Inourownepoch—theepochofAD2000—theotherextremeofthecurious‘balancingmechanism’ofGizaisabouttobereached:AlNitaktodaystandswithinafewarcsecondsofthehighestaltitudethatitwillattaininitsprecessionalcycleandthevernalpointisabouttodriftintotheconstellationofAquarius.Betweenthe‘FirstTime’andthe‘LastTime’,inotherwords,theskieshavereversedthemselves—literallyflippedlefttoright—withAquariusnowmarkingthevernalequinoxandLeomarkingtheautumnalequinox.

WewonderwhetheritispossiblethatthesagesofHeliopolis,workingatthedawnofhistory,couldsomehowhavecreatedanarchetypal‘device’,adevicedesignedtotriggeroffmessianiceventsacrossthe‘Ages’—thePyramidAgewhenthevernalpointwasinTaurus,forexample,theChristicAgeinPisces,[698]andperhapsevena‘NewAge’inAquarius?

Wenoteinthisconnectionthatincirca330BC,whenthevernalpointwasbeginningitsprecessionaldriftintothe‘AgeofPisces’,thealtitudeofAlNitak(viewedfromthelatitudeofGiza)was51degrees52’—theangleofslopeoftheGreatPyramid.AtthistimetheconquestsofAlexandertheGreat(356-323BC),andtheresultingmergeroftheEasternandWesternworlds,triggeredgreatexpectationsofamessianic‘Return’intheEast.FirstatAlexandria,thenacrosstheLevant,ageneralagitationbegan,asiftriggeredbysomeprophetic‘device’,whichculminatedinthegreatmessianiceventsofChristianity.[699]

74a.Theskyaswillbeseenin2450ADat the‘LastTime’ofOrion.Notethevernal(spring)equinoxinthewest.

74b.The skyaswas seen in10,500BCat the ‘FirstTime’ofOrion.Note thevernal (spring)equinoxtotheeast.

ThethreestarsofOrion’sbeltaredepictedinthefolkloreofmanycountriesastheheraldic‘ThreeWiseMen’,or‘Kings’,or‘Magi’fromtheEast,whofeatureintheChristicnativitystory.[700]Interestingly,aswesawinPartI,thestar-worshippingSabiansofHarran—archetypalMagi—appeartohaveperformedannualpilgrimagestoGizafromatleastasfarbackasthesecondmillenniumBCuntilaslateastheeleventhcenturyAD.[701]Interestingly,too,asseenfromHarran—whichiseastofBethlehemandatahigherlatitudethanGiza—thebeltstarAlNitakwouldhaveculminatedatthemeridianat51degrees52’in4BC,thegenerallyacceptedbirthyearofChrist.Inthatyearalsothe‘birthstar’Siriuswouldhaverisenandbeenbrightlyvisibleintheeastasthesunsetatdusk.[702]

Istheresomething—someancienttradition,veiled,butstillverymuchalive,thatissubtlycarryingblueprintsandplansacrosstheagesaimedatgeneratingmessianicfervour,andchangingthecourseofhistory,atcertaincrucialmomentswhichare‘writteninthestars’?

Andissuchamomentnowapproaching?

Isthe‘device’abouttoreactivateitself?

Weshallreturntothesequestionsinournextbook.

Appendix2CorrespondencewithMarkLehner

ConcerningChapter5

TheEgyptologistMarkLehnerwassentthefirstdraftofChapter5ofthisbook,achapterthatlargelyconcernshimself.Hiscommentsandcorrectionsweretakenintoaccount,andthedraftwasrewrittenintheformthatispublishedherewith.WhenDr.LehnerwassentthereviseddrafthewroteusthefollowinglettermakingfurthercommentswhichweagreedtoreproduceinfullasanAppendix.OurownreplytoDr.Lehner’sletterisalsoappended.

From:MarkLehner

To:Mr.RobertG.BauvalandMr.GrahamHancock

November16,1995

DearGrahamandRobert,

Thankyouforyourletterof12November1995andfortheseconddraftofyourChapter5,‘TheCaseofthePsychic,theScholarAndtheSphinx’(!).ItappearstobemuchmoreaccuratethanthefirstdraftconcerningtheeventsofwhichIwasapart.

Ihavethefollowingobservationstomakeandcorrectionstosuggest(againopentothepublic):

p.86:‘hispronouncements...spawnedmulti-milliondollarindustry...embroiled...withmainstreamEgyptologicalresearch...firstlearnedabout...whenreviewing...MarkLehner.’

DoyoumeantoconveythatCaycealone(withouttheosophy,anthroposophy,freemasonry,astrology,sacredmetrology,channeling,UFOaficionados,andShirleyMacClaine)spawnedamulti-milliondollarindustrythatfeddirectlyintomyinvolvementwithEgyptology?Thatwouldbealittleabsurd.

p.92:‘TheequipmentforRSI’swork...Immediatelyafterwardstheprojectwasstopped.’

Thisisstillnotquiteright.Thedrillingequipmentwastestedandusedelsewhere,forexample,westoftheSecondPyramid,beforeitwasbroughtdownforthetwoholesintheSphinxTemple.Theprojectwasnotstoppedimmediatelyafterwards.RSI/SRIdrilledtwomoreholesinthesoutheastcorneroftheflooroftheSphinxandunderthesouthforepawoftheSphinx.ThentheprojectkindoffizzledtoanendbecauseofthefallingoutbetweenRSIandSRIand,asIremember,becausetheSRIteamhadbeeninEgyptforacoupleofmonthsormoreandhadotherwork.

p.92:‘didnotappreciate...ledto...fallingoutbetweenRSIandSRI.’

AsIrecall,althoughRSIdidnotappreciateparticularlytheCayceinvolvement,thefallingoutbetweenRSIandSRIwasoverfiduciaryissues.Whydon’tyoucontactSRIandaskthem?

p.93:‘Addingtotheintrigue...yetanotherprojectfinancedbytheEdgarCayceFoundation.’

Youdowanttohangontothatintrigue!No,thiswasnotyetanotherproject.Thedown-holeimmersionacousticalsoundingwasdoneinthelastdaysofSRI’sfieldworkattheSphinxin1978,not1982,notanotherproject.Idonothave,atpresent,acopyofthisVentureInwardbutifitsaysthisisanotherprojectin1982,itiswrong.AllthatIdescribeinthequoteyouexcerptedhappenedthelastfewdaysofthe1978project.

p.93:‘asurvey,asthereaderwillrecall,...abrupthalt...AntiquitiesOrganization.’

Youseeminclinedtosee‘abrupthalts’.YoushouldnotcitemetoverifythispointbecauseIwasnotattheseevents,butmyimpressionisthatSchoch,West,andDobeckiwerenotthwartedintheirfirstseasonofworkattheSphinx.PermissionforsuchworkisgrantedordeniedbyalargecommitteeoftheSupremeCouncilforAntiquities(formerlyEgyptianAntiquitiesOrganization).

p.94:‘PullingAway.When,exactly,ProfessorLehnerbegantopullawayfromtheinfluenceoftheEdgarCayceFoundationandcrossedoverintothemainstreamofprofessionalEgyptologyanditsorthodoxyisnotespeciallyclear.’

Areyousuggesting,basedonyourownunderstandingofhowbeliefsystemsoperate,thattherearedefinitelineswhere‘nowyoubelieve’and‘nowyoudon’t’?Youseemparticularlyinterestedinthisquestion.ThewayyouframeitremindsmeoftheUSCongressionalhearingsontheWatergatecover-upconspiracy:‘WhatdidthePresidentknow,andwhendidheknowit?’‘WhatdidLehnerbelieve,andwhendidhenotbelieveit?!’

Letmeoffersomebiographytouseifyousochoose.

IalreadyhaddoubtswhenIwenttoEgyptin1973,sinceCayce’sancienthistorydidnotagreemuchwithanthropologycoursesItookattheUniversityofNorthDakota.ButasIindicatedinmylastletter,IdidindeedhavehopesthatevidencecouldbefoundofpasteventsbearingsomeagreementwithCayce’sstory.

DuringmytwoyearsattheAmericanUniversityinCairoImajoredinanthropology,andtookmyfirstcoursesinEgyptianarchaeologyandprehistory.IalsospentmostofmyfreetimeatGiza,andIvisitedotherancientsitesandarchaeologicalprojects.Ididnotfind‘footprintsofthegods’.BybecomingacquaintedwithavastamountofpreviousarchaeologicalresearchwithwhichtheCaycecommunityandlike-mindedEgypt-enthusiastsareonlyminimallyfamiliar,Ifoundthe‘footprints’ofpeople—theirtoolmarks,names,familyrelationships,skeletons,andmaterialculture.

In1974IreadsocialpsychologistLeonFestinger’sworkon‘cognitivedissonance’,inparticularhisbook,WhenProphecyFails.Festingerdealswithpeoplereactingtoconflictbetweenarevealedbeliefsystemandempiricallyderivedinformation,thatis,physicalevidence.Inhiswork,IrecognizedmanyattributesoftheCayceworldview,myownbelief,andmygrowingdoubts.

WhenIreturnedtoVirginiaBeachIwouldoutlineinlecturesandconversationstherealachaeologicalevidencesurroundingtheSphinxandthePyramidsanditsconflictwiththeCayce

pictureofEgypt.Ispoketomygoodfriendsandsupporters,likeHughLynnandJosephJahoda(areyourtwounnamedAREmensupposedtoremainasmysteriousas‘TheScholar’?),aboutmydoubts,andhowtheCaycecommunityandbeliefsystemfitsmanyaspectsdiscussedbyFestingerandothersocialscientists.

InthesetalksIbegantosuggesttotheCaycecommunitythattheylookattheEgypt/AtlantisstoryasamythinthesensethatJosephCampbellpopularized,orthatCarlJungdrewuponinhispsychologyofarchetypes.Althoughthemythisnotliterallytrue,itmayinsomewaybeliterarilytrue.TheCayce‘readings’themselvessay,intheirownway,thattheinnerworldofsymbolsandarchetypesismore‘real’thantheparticularsofthephysicalworld.IcomparedCayce’sHallofRecordstotheWizardofOz.Yes,weallwantthe‘soundandfury’andpowerfulwizardrytobereal,withouthavingtopayattentiontothelittlemanbehindthecurtain(ourselves).Inarchaeology,manydilettantesandNewAgerswanttobeonthetrailofalostcivilization,aliens,yes,‘thegods’,withouthavingtopayattentiontotherealpeoplebehindtime’scurtainandwithouthavingtodealwiththedifficultsubjectmatteruponwhichso-called‘orthodox’scholarsbasetheirviews.

(Anaside:SoaJohnWestcanblastEgyptologistsforsuppressingthesacredscienceinherentinEgyptianculturewithoutbeingabletoreadEgyptianlanguage—alittlelikesayingoneknowsShakespeare’srealmeaningwithoutreadingEnglish.Anotherpyramidtheoristsaid,inananimateddinnerconversation,‘Where’stheevidence?ThepyramidstandsouttherewithnoevidenceofhowtheancientEgyptianscouldhavebuiltit.’ItickedofffourEgyptologicaltitles—allinEnglish—devotedtoancientEgyptiantools,technology,stonebuilding,andmaterialsandindustries.Althoughhehadpublishedawidelyacclaimedbookwithanewtheoryonthepyramids,headmittedtonothavingreadasingleoneofthesebasicworks.Itwouldbesomuchmorefunandchallengingifsuchtheoristsdidactuallyreadandabsorbsuchprimarysources,andthenlaunchedthedialogue.)

TheseideaswereonmymindasIjoinedmyfirst‘mainstream’excavationin1976.TheyarereflectedinmystatementthattheHallofRecordsisworthlookingfor,butnotinatangibleway.Youknow,liketheHolyGrail.

In1977-78IhadtheopportunitynotonlytoworkwiththeSRIprojectatGiza,butalsotoworkwithZahiHawassinexcavationsofancientdepositsneglectedbyearlierarchaeologistsinthenortheastcorneroftheSphinxfloor—justbesidethenorthforepaw,andontheflooroftheSphinxTemple.Werecoveredpottery,partsofstonetools,andothermaterialdirectlyonthefloor,fillingdeepcrevassesandnooksandcrannies—materialincontextsthatonlymakesenseasleftbytheOldKingdomSphinxandpyramidbuilders.

Suchfindings,andthenegativeresultsoftheSRIproject,sealeditforme.Thatis,IknewtherewasanextremelylowprobabilitythatCayce’sstoryofEgyptandtheGizamonuments(andhisancient‘history’involvingAtlantis,etc.)reflectedrealevents.

MyinterestintheCayce-likegenreofliteratureashavinganythingtodowiththearchaeologicalrecordwasgone,althoughIamstillinterestedinthisgenreasasocialandliteraryphenomenon.Myencounterswithbedrockrealitywerefarmorefascinating.Iwasexcitedbytheprocessofreconstructingthepastfromempiricalevidence.Iputasidemyinterestinthedynamicsofbeliefs,andingeneralquestionsofphilosophyandreligion,asIspentthenextdecadedoingarchaeologicalfieldworkforprojectsatvariousplacesinEgypt.AtGiza,myinterestandresearchwasnolongerpremisedonCayceoranysimilarpointofview.In1982IcarriedouttheresearchandwritingforanEgyptologicalmonographonthetombofHetepheres(publishedin1985bytheGermanArchaeologicalInstitute).Cayceideashadnothingtodowiththiswork.

MeanwhileHughLynnCayce(untilhedied),CharlesThomasCayceandothermembersoftheCaycecommunityremainedveryclosefriends.Some(butnotall)werestillinterestedincontributingtoresearchatGiza.TheirsupportofthePyramidsRadiocarbonDatingProjectwasa

waytodosomethingusefulforthearchaeologyofthepyramids,aswellastotesttheirideasabouttheoriginanddateoftheGreatPyramidandSphinx.

Irememberaverypersonalmomentin1983whenIwasworkingforanexpeditionatAbydos,thecultcenterofOsirisinUpperEgypt.ThetombsofEgypt’searliestpharaohsweresunkintoaspuroflowdesertfartothewestofthecultivation,nearthebaseofthegreatcleftinthehighcliffs,probablyseenbytheancientsassymbolizingtheentrancetotheNetherworld.Manycenturieslater,oneofthetombsofarealmanwhoruledasoneoftheFirstDynastykingswasoutfittedastheTombofOsiris.Oversubsequentcenturieshundredsofpilgrimsleftpotteryofferings,resultinginmoundsofmillionsofshardsthatmaskedthesite,promptingitsArabicname,Ummel-Qa-ab,‘MotherofPots’.OneeveningnearsunsetIwalkedfromthedighousetoUmmel-Qa-ab.IstoodonthemoundsabovethesetombsandwonderediftheancientpilgrimsreallybelievedthegodOsirishimselfwasburiedhere,andif‘thosewhositnearthetemple’(asaZenproverbwouldsay)—thelocalpriests—knewtheyhadsimplyoutfittedoneoftheFirstDynastytombsofapharaohto‘symbolize’theburialofOsiris.IthoughtofmyownpilgrimagethatbroughtmetoEgyptinthefirstplace,andthemythoftheHallofRecords.Irealizedthatthiswaspartofaworldviewthathadmovedfarawayfromme,likeachunkoficethathadseparatedfromacontinentandwasnowmeltinginadistantsea.

Sorrytobesolong-winded.ButGraham,Iagreewithyourstatementinyourlastletterthatreadersshouldbeinpossessionofthefactstoevaluatetheopinionsofacademicauthorities.

Sincerely,

MarkLehner

PSDetails:Itprobablydoesnotmattermuchforapopularreadership,butthedifferencebetweenanAssistantProfessor—mytitleattheOrientalInstitute—andProfessorissignificantinthetenure-trackworld.Iresignedmyfulltimepost,butIamstillaVisitingAssistantProfessorattheUniversityofChicagoandOrientalInstitute,Ireturneveryotheryeartoteach.

cc:BruceLudwig

DouglasRawls

To:MarkLehner

From:GrahamHancock

8December1995

DearMark,

Thankyouforyourfurtherletterof16November1995inresponsetoourreviseddraftofChapter5.Wegreatlyappreciateyouropenness.

Ifyouhavenoobjections,weproposetopublishthereviseddraftofChapter5asyouhaveseenitandtopublishyour16November1995letterinfullasanappendixtoourbook.Weconsiderthistobeafairandreasonablewaytopresentthewholemattertothepublic.Ifwedon’thearbackfromyouinthenextcoupleofweekswewillassumethisisOKwithyou.

MerryChristmasandahappyNewYear!

Warmbestwishes,

GrahamHancock

PSWerememberoneEgyptologicaltitle(notfour)thatyou‘tickedoff’duringacertain‘animateddinnerconversation’.TheonetitlewasClarkeandEngelbach’sAncientEgyptianConstructionandArchitecture.We’vebothreaditsinceandweren’toverlyimpressed.RobertBauval,asyouknow,isaconstructionengineerbytrainingandspenttwentyyearsactuallybuildingenormousbuildingsintheMiddleEast.Inmyopinion—ClarkeandEngelbachnotwithstanding—thisgiveshimarathergoodbasisfromwhichtoengagein‘funandchallenging’dialogueabouttheconstructionlogisticsoftheGreatPyramid.There’snosubstituteforrealexperiencenomatterhowmany‘primarysources’we‘readandabsorb’.(Andbytheway,inwhatsenseareClarkeandEngelbachaprimarysource?WeretheypresentwhenthePyramidwasbuilt?Didtheybuildit?)

Appendix3HarnessingTimewiththeStars:

TheHermeticAxiom‘AsAboveSoBelow’

andtheHorizonofGiza

AnobserveratGiza,asanywhereelseontheglobewherethehorizontalviewisnotobstructed,willperceivethelandscapeasahugecirclewhoseedgeisthehorizonwithhimselfatthecentre—hencetheterm‘Horizon’usedbytheancientswhenreferringtotheGizanecropolis.Makingapparentcontactwiththehorizonisthecelestiallandscape,thelatterperceivedasahugecirculardomeorhemisphere.

The‘below’,earth-landscape,issteadfast.The‘above’,sky-landscape,however,appearstorotateinperpetualmotionaroundanimaginaryaxiswhichpassesthroughthetwopolesoftheearthandextendstothe‘celestialpoles’inthesky.Theapparentrotationoftheskymakesthecelestialorbs—thestars,thesun,themoonandtheplanets—riseintheeast,culminateatthemeridian(animaginarylooprunningduenorth-southdirectlyovertheobserver’shead)andsetinthewest.

Observationsofsunrisethroughtheyearwillfixfourdistinctpoints,sometimescalledthecolures,ontheeclipticpathofthesunaroundthetwelvezodiacalconstellations.Thesearethetwoequinoxes(springandautumn),andthetwosolstices(summerandwinter).Todaythesetakeplaceinthefollowingzodiacalsigns:

1.Springequinox(21March)withthesuninPisces.

2.Summersolstice(21June)withthesuninTaurus.

3.Autumnequinox(22September)withthesuninVirgo.

4.Wintersolstice(21December)withthesuninSagittarius.

Thetablebelowshowsinwhichzodiacalsignsthefour‘colures’fellforavarietyofdifferentepochs:

EPOCH 10,000BC 5000BC 3000BC 1000BC 2500AD

S.Equinox Leo Gemini Taurus Aries Aquarius

S.Solstice Scorpio Virgo Leo Cancer Taurus

A.Equinox Aquarius Sagittarius Scorpio Libra Leo

W.Solstice Taurus Pisces Aquarius Capricorn Scorpio

Strictlyspeaking,theterm‘colures’denotesthetwogreatcirclesofthecelestialspherewhichareatrightanglestoeachother,passthroughthepolesandintersectthetwoequinoxpointsandthetwosolsticepointsrespectively.

Thediurnalordailyapparentmotionofthesunisfromeasttowest.Theannualoryearlyapparentmotionismuchslowerfromwesttoeastagainstthebackgroundofthestarrylandscapethroughapathknownastheecliptic,orzodiacalcircle(containingthetwelvezodiacalsigns).Alsobecauseofthephenomenonoftheprecessionoftheequinoxes,thefourpointsonthecolures(thetwoequinoxesandthetwosolstices)willappeartodriftwestwardsattheveryslow

rateof50.3arc-secondsperyear(afullcircuitinapproximately25,920years).

Theseapparentcyclicalmotionsoftheskyare,ofcourse,causednotbytheskyitselfmovingbutbytheearth’sownspinonitsaxisinoneday,itsorbitalrevolutionaroundthesuninoneyear,anditsslowwobble-likemotioninoneGreatYear(of25,920‘solar’years).Aswehavealreadysaid,themostnoticeableeffectofthelatteristhatthefourpointsonthecolureswhichmarkthetwoequinoxesandthetwosolsticesontheecliptic,willdriftinclockwisedirectionalongthegreateclipticor‘zodiacal’circle.

Everydaythereisamomentwhenthesefourpointsonthecoluresfindthemselvesinprecisealignmentwiththefourcardinalpointsoftheterrestrialglobedefinedbythedirectionsdueeast,duesouth,duewestandduenorthonthecircleofthehorizon.Thisiswhenitcanbesaidthattheskyandeartharea‘reflection’ofeachother.Inarchaicterminology,thisiswhenthe‘Hermetic’axiomof‘asabovesobelow’canbemostfaithfullyexpressed.

Atthisexactmomentthecolurecontainingthetwosolsticepointswillbeloopingabovetheheadoftheobserverfromnorthtosouth,andthusbecomestheprimemeridianoftheobserver.Thecolurewhichcontainsthetwoequinoxpointswillloopfromeasttowestandwillintersectthehorizonatdueeasttoduewest,andthusdefinetheparalleloftheobserver.Again,usingarchaicterminology,thisiswhentheobserverisatthe‘centreofthevisibleuniverse’.

Asimpleyetquiteprecisewayofknowingwhenthisidealistic‘asabovesobelow’conjunctiontakesplaceistomakeuseofabrightstarthatsitsonthecolurecontainingthetwosolsticepoints.Thechoiceofabrightstaronthecolureasneartothewintersolsticepointaspossible,willpermittheobservertolocktheskyinthemostfavourableconditionpossible:theprecisemomentoftherisingofthevernal(spring)pointintheeast.Thisissimplyachievedbywaitingforthestarinquestiontotransitthesouthmeridian.Whenthishappens,thewintersolsticepointisduesouth,andalltheothercolureslocktotheremainingcardinaldirections.

Theeffectoftheprecessionofthevernalpoint,however,willcausethechosenstartochangepositionwithtime.Afteracenturyorsothestarcannolongerbeused.

TheGreatPyramidisoftensaidtobeperfectlysettothefourcardinalpoints.Whatseemsmorelikely,asweshallsee,isthatitissetperfectlytothefourcolurepointswhentheytransitthecardinaldirections.Thesetting-outofthePyramid,therefore,isnotmerelydirectionalbutalso,andperhapsmoreespecially,dependenton‘time’.

In1934theFrenchastronomerE.M.Antoniadicorrectlynotedthatthe‘astronomicalcharacterofthepyramids(ofGiza)isestablishedbythefollowingfacts:

1.Theyarealmostexactly,andintentionally,onthethirtiethparallelofthelatitudeNorth.

2.Theyaremarvellouslyorientatedonthecardinalpoints.

3. Theirinclinedpassagewayswere,withtheirclosing,colossalmeridianinstruments,byfarthelargesteverconstructed.’[703]

Theseconfirmedfacts,andalsothefactthattheGreatPyramidisanear-perfectmathematicalmodelofthecelestialdomeorhemisphere,makethismonumentamaterialandearthlyrepresentationofthesky-landscape.Whenlinkedtoaspecificstar,however,theelementof‘time’isintroducedintotheequation.

Werecallthattheancientbuildersfixedthemainnorth-southaxisoftheGreatPyramidtothesouthmeridiantransitofthebrightstarAlnitak,thelowestofthethreestarsinOrion’sbelt.WealsorecallthatthegenerallayoutofthethreePyramidsofGizaisat45degreestothemeridianaxisandthatthispeculiarity,inturn,isreflectedinthesky-imageofthethreestarsinOrion’sbeltastheyappearedinc.10,500BC.Thiswasnoarbitrarydate,however,becauseitdenotedthelowestpointor‘FirstTime’intheprecessionalcycleofOrion.Totheancients,Orionwas

‘Osiris’,andthelatter,too,hada‘FirstTime’orgenesis.

Computerreconstructionsoftheancientskiesof10,500BCshowthatthestarAlnitakwaslocatedpreciselyonthecolurecontainingthetwosolsticepoints,andnearertothewintersolstice.Ifanobserverwasthereto‘lock’theperfect‘asabovesobelow’conditionin10,500BC,theimageoftheskycontainingthestarAlnitakwouldconvertintoa‘hologram’onthegroundpreciselyinthemannerwefindatGizatoday.Thatsuchaperfectsky-to-earthcorrelationcannotbetheresultofsomeincredible‘coincidence’isconfirmedbytheequinoctialrisingofLeo,whichtookplaceinpreciselythesameepochof10,500BCandpreciselywhenthestarAlnitaktransitedthesouthmeridian.Thisbroughtthevernal(spring)equinoxpointinperfectalignmentwiththeGreatSphinx,theterrestrialcounterpartoftheimageofLeo.Theconclusionthusseemsinevitable:theancientsappeartohaveestablishedaglobalprime-meridianatGizalockedintothetimeframeof10,500BC.

Allthisimplies,however,thattheancientsweresomehowattemptingto‘navigate’notonlyindistance(‘space’)butalsoin‘time’.Whatdidtheyhaveinmind?Howcan‘time’benavigated?

Hypotheticallyatleast,atime-relatedapparatuslockedintothecoluresof10,500BCwouldpresentthe‘reincarnated’Horus-Kingwithasubliminallandscapeor‘magicaltheatre’,attheheightofhisextensiveinitiation,toworkoutintuitivelyhowfarintimehis‘soul’hadtravelledfromitspointofgenesis.InPartsIIIandIVofthisbookwehaveshownhowtheHorus-Kingmayhaveusedthephenomenonoftheprecessionoftheequinoxestoperformsuchataskbyinducinghismindtoundertakeajourneyorquesttofindhis‘ancestors’usingthesubliminalarchitecturalsettingor‘cosmicambiance’ofGizaassomesortof‘star-memory’device.Todayweuseacomputertore-createtheancientskiesonatelevisionmonitor.WearesuggestingthattheHorus-Kinginitiatecouldperformthistaskintuitivelywiththe‘computer’ofhismindandthe‘monitor’ofhisinnerperception.Thisconclusiondoesnotpresentaproblemtous.Wehavefoundthatbyfullyfamiliarizingourselveswiththeapparentmotionsoftheskiesandbyconstantlyreconstructingancientskieswiththeaidofcomputers,images,coordinatesandepochssubliminallyenterthemindandbecomeloggedinthememory.Wehavediscoveredforourselvesthatthese‘files’areeasilyretrievedatwillwithoutthemechanisticaidofthecomputer.Hypotheticallythen,withsuch‘star-memory’loggedinthemind,shouldwesuddenlyfindourselvesflungintoafuture‘timezone’,sayAD6000,wecouldrelativelyeasily‘workout’howfaraheadintimewehadmoved.

Byextensionofsuchrhetoric,therefore,itcouldbesaidthatthefunctionoftheGizablueprintistoprovideavirtuallyindestructible‘holographic’apparatusfortheuseof‘reincarnated’or‘reborn’entitiesoftheHorianlineageinordertoinduce‘remembrance’ofa‘divine’geneticorigininEgyptinthetime-frameof10,500BC.Theultimatefunction,however,appearstohavebeentoperpetuatethe‘immortality’oftheirsoulsinto‘time’—inshort,theultimategnosticexperienceentailingthereleaseofthespiritualpartofthelivingentityfromitsmaterial,inert,part.Toputitinotherterms,‘living’manistheresultofaholographicunionbetweenmatterandspirit.Itwouldverymuchappearthatthe‘FollowersofHorus’understoodthecosmicmechanismtosomehowre-separatethetwo.

Suchquestions,wearewellaware,leadusintothemistyrealmofmetaphysics,extrasensoryperceptionandpsychicthinkingfromwhichwehavetriedtosteerclear.Nonetheless,wemustrespondtoourintuitivefeelingthataformofmetaphysicalthinkingverymuchlikethiswasusedbythosemysterious‘FollowersofHorus’whosettheirinitiatoryand‘astronomical’academyatHeliopolis—andwhosegeniusresultedintheconstructionoftheamazing‘holographic’star/stone(spirit/matter)apparatusofGiza.Allreferencesintheancienttextstothismysteriousbrotherhoodsuggestthatwearedealingnotwith‘priests’butwithhighadeptswhofullyunderstoodtheworkingofthehumanpsycheandthesubliminaltechniquesneededtoevoke‘remotememory’throughdeep-feltinnerperceptionsof‘time’.Theesotericteachingsandinitiationsintosuchcosmicmysteriesusingtheskiesarecertainlynotprosaicones,as

Egyptologistsmaintain,todevelopandrefinecalendricalsystemsfor‘landirrigation’and‘religiousceremonies’,butfarmoresubtle:somehowtoreachandharnesstheextrasensorycapabilitiesofthehumanmindinordertolinkuptotheinvisibleandimmaterial,yetveryperceptible,‘fluxoftime’.

Thequestions,forthoselookingfor‘scientific’explanations,canbeformulatedinanotherway:Dowehumanscarry‘remotememoryfiles’lockedinourgenes?Andifso,canitnotbepossiblethatsuch‘files’couldberetrievedbyusingthecorrectsubliminalkeys?

Moreprovocativestill:isour‘consciousness’umbilicallylinkedto‘time’suchthatitmerelypassesthroughbiologicalmatter,ourselves,likeathreadpassingthroughpearlsandstones?

Ithaslongbeenappreciatedbystudentsofintellectualhistorythatmonumentalarchitectureandarchetypalimagescanserveaspowerfulsubliminaldevicestoevokedormant‘memory’inthemindsofthosewhoaremadereceptivethroughinitiation.ThemuralsandpanelsofgothiccathedralsorthepaintedceilingssuchasthoseintheSistineChapelarebutobviousexamplesofsuchpowerfulmind-games—aptlycalled‘silentpoetry’bythefourth-centuryBCpoet,SimonidesofCeos.Theseancientmemory-aids,andthetechniquesrefinedforusingthem,whicharelooselytermed‘mnemotechnics’today,werethesubjectofamajorthesisbyDameFrancesA.Yatesin1966entitledTheArtofMemory.InthisbookYatesshowsthatpowerfulcerebraltechniquesweretaughtinancientGreecewhichwererootedintheso-called‘Egyptianhermetictradition’.[704]Recently,theauthorMurryHope,inathesisentitledTimetheUltimateEnergy,tackledthecomplexsubjectof‘timetravel’asaformofenergy,andsuggestedthatpre-dynasticEgyptianadeptsmayhaveunderstoodandharnessed‘time’throughayet-to-bediscoveredabilitytobreakawayfromtheconfinesofbiological‘time’andintoanothermentalrealmoftime-perception.MurryHopetermedthisrealm‘OuterTime’.Likewise,inanotherrecentstudy,FromAtlantistotheSphinx,theauthorandphilosopherColinWilsonboldlyproposesthattheancientsmayhavecultivatedpowerfulextrasensorycapabilitiesthrough‘adifferentknowledgesystem’basedonintuitivethinking(asopposedtorationalisticor‘solar’thinking)inordertoenterhigherstatesofconsciousness.Suchhigherconsciousnessmighthavebeenthekeyintoalteredperceptionsof‘time’.

Thatsuchuntappedabilitiestoperceivedilatedtime-fieldsmightbeanintrinsicpartofhumanmentalmachinerywasveryseriouslyinvestigatedbyoneofAmerica’smostprestigiousscientificfoundations,theStanfordResearchInstituteinCalifornia—betterknownasSRIInternational.In1972SRIInternationalwasrecruitedasmainconsultantfortheso-calledremoteviewingprogrammesrunbytheCIAandothergovernmentagenciesincludingtheUSnavy,theUSarmyandtheUSDefenseIntelligenceAgency(DIA).Theseprogrammesweremanagedbyahighlyrespectedphysicist,Dr.HalPuthoff,whosoughtoutandemployedrenownedpsychics(called‘remoteviewers’inSRIjargon)to‘locate’enemymilitarytargetsandinstallationsusingextrasensorycapabilities.

ThereaderwillrecallthatSRIInternational(whichhasbeendescribedas‘America’ssecondlargestthink-tank’)wasalso,in1973,involvedinhigh-techarchaeologicalprojectsinEgyptand,atleastononeoccasion,workedinparticipationwiththeEdgarCayceFoundation(ECF)inaseriesofremotesensingprojectsatGiza(seeChapter5).

Many‘remoteviewers’involvedintheremoteviewingprogrammes,suchasthepsychicIngoSwannandNelRiley,thelatterasergeantintheUSarmy,openlyclaimedtohavetheinnerabilitiestoundertakeaformof‘timetravel’intoanyremotelocationsontheglobe.SuchclaimsareinmanywaysreminiscentofthosemadebytheEdgarCayceadeptswhomaintainthat,wheninanalteredstateofconsciousnesssuchasdeeptranceorhypnosis,theycan‘remember’pastlives,i.e.‘timetravel’mentallytoremotelocations.Caycehimself,whoisdubbedAmerica’sbest-knownmediumandpsychic,claimedtohavehadapreviouslifeinEgyptin10,500BC—aclaimwhichatonetime,aswehaveseeninChapter5,wasconsideredworthyofinvestigationbyEgyptologistMarkLehnerintheearly1970swithintheframeworkofhisscientificresearchat

Giza.

Appendix4Carbon-datingtheGreatPyramid:

Implicationsofalittle-knownStudy

TheevidencepresentedinthisbookconcerningtheoriginsandantiquityofthemonumentsoftheGizanecropolissuggeststhatthegenesisandoriginalplanningandlayoutofthesitemaybedated,usingthetoolsofmoderncomputer-aidedarchaeoastronomy,totheepochof10,500BC.Wehavealsoargued,onthebasisofacombinationofgeological,architecturalandarchaeoastronomicalindicators,thattheGreatSphinx,itsassociatedmegalithic‘temples’,andatleastthelowercoursesoftheso-called‘PyramidofKhafre’,mayinfacthavebeenbuiltatthatexceedinglyremotedate.

ItisimportanttonotethatwedonotdatetheconstructionoftheGreatPyramidto10,500BC.Onthecontrary,wepointoutthatitsinternalastronomicalalignments—thestar-shaftsoftheKing’sandQueen’sChambers—areconsistentwithacompletiondateduringancientEgypt’s‘OldKingdom’,somewherearound2500BC.Suchadateshould,initself,beuncontroversialsinceitinnowaycontradictsthescholarlyconsensusthatthemonumentwasbuiltbyKhufu,thesecondPharaohoftheFourthDynasty,whoruledfrom2551-2528BC.[705]Whatplacesourtheoryinsharpcontradictiontotheorthodoxview,however,isoursuggestionthatthemysteriousstructuresoftheGizanecropolismayallbetheresultofanenormouslylong-drawn-outperiodofarchitecturalelaborationanddevelopment—aperiodthathaditsgenesisin10,500BC,thatcametoanendwiththecompletionoftheGreatPyramidcome8000yearslaterin2500BC,andthatwasguidedthroughoutbyaunifiedmaster-plan.

AccordingtoorthodoxEgyptologists,theGreatPyramidistheresultofonlyjustover100yearsofarchitecturaldevelopment,beginningwiththeconstructionofthestep-pyramidofZoseratSaqqaranotearlierthan2630BC,passingthroughanumberof‘experimental’modelsoftruePyramids(oneatMeidumandattwoDashour,allattributedtoKhufu’sfatherSneferu)andleadinginexorablytothetechnologicalmasteryoftheGreatPyramidnotearlierthan2551BC(thedateofKhufu’sownascensiontothethrone).Anevolutionary‘sequence’inpyramid-constructionthusliesattheheartoftheorthodoxEgyptologicaltheory—asequenceinwhichtheGreatPyramidisseenashavingevolvedfrom(andthushavingbeenprecededby)thefourearlierpyramids.[706]

Butsupposethosefourpyramidswereprovedtobenotearlierbutlaterstructures?Suppose,forexample,thatobjectiveandunambiguousarchaeologicalevidenceweretoemerge—say,reliablecarbon-datedsamples—whichindicatedthatworkontheGreatPyramidhadinfactbegunsome1300yearsbeforethebirthofKhufuandthatthemonumenthadstoodsubstantiallycompletesome300yearsbeforehisaccessiontothethrone?Suchevidence,ifitexisted,wouldrenderobsoletetheorthodoxEgyptologicaltheoryabouttheorigins,functionanddatingoftheGreatPyramidsinceitwoulddestroytheSaqqaraàMeidumàDashouràGiza‘sequence’bymakingthetechnologically-advancedGreatPyramidfarolderthanitssupposedoldest‘ancestor’,thefarmorerudimentarystep-pyramidofZoser.Withthesequencenolongervalid,itwouldthenbeevenmoredifficultthanit,isatpresentforscholarstoexplaintheimmensearchitecturalcompetenceandprecisionoftheGreatPyramid(sinceitdefiesreasontosupposethatsuchadvancedandsophisticatedworkcouldhavebeenundertakenbybuilderswithnopriorknowledgeofmonumentalarchitecture).

Curiously,objectiveevidencedoesexistwhichcastsseriousdoubtontheorthodoxarchaeologicalsequence.Thisevidencewasprocuredandpublishedin1986bythePyramids

Carbon-datingProject,directedbyMarkLehner(andreferredtoinpassinginhiscorrespondencewithus,seeAppendixIIIabove).WithfundingfromtheEdgarCayceFoundation,LehnercollectedfifteensamplesofancientmortarfromthemasonryoftheGreatPyramid.Thesesamplesofmortarwerechosenbecausetheycontainedfragmentsoforganicmaterialwhich,unlikenaturalstone,wouldbesusceptibletocarbon-dating.TwoofthesamplesweretestedintheRadiocarbonLaboratoryoftheSouthernMethodistUniversityinDallasTexasandtheotherthirteenweretakentolaboratoriesinZurich,Switzerland,fordatingbythemoresophisticatedacceleratormethod.Accordingtoproperprocedure,theresultswerethencalibratedandconfirmedwithrespecttotree-ringsamples.[707]

Theoutcomewassurprising.AsMarkLehnercommentedatthetime:

Thedatesrunfrom3809BCto2869BC.Sogenerallythedatesare...significantlyearlierthanthebestEgyptologicaldateforKhufu...Inshort,theradiocarbondates,dependingonwhichsampleyounote,suggestthattheEgyptologicalchronologyisanythingfrom200to1200yearsoff.Youcanlookatthisalmostlikeabellcurve,andwhenyoucutitdownthemiddleyoucansummarizetheresultsbysayingourdatesare400to450yearstooearlyfortheOldKingdomPyramids,especiallythoseoftheFourthDynasty...Nowthisisreallyradical...Imeanit’llmakeabigstink.TheGizapyramidis400yearsolderthanEgyptologistsbelieve.[708]

DespiteLehner’sinsistencethatthecarbon-datingwasconductedaccordingtorigorousscientificprocedures[709](enough,normally,toqualifythesedatesforfullacceptancebyscholars)itisastrangefactthatalmostno‘stink’atallhasbeencausedbyhisstudy.Onthecontrary,itsimplicationshavebeenandcontinuetobeuniversallyignoredbyEgyptologistsandhavenotbeenwidelypublishedorconsideredineithertheacademicorthepopularpress.Weareatalosstoexplainthisapparentfailureofscholarshipandareequallyunabletounderstandwhytherehasbeennomovetoextractandcarbon-datefurthersamplesoftheGreatPyramid’smortarinordertotestLehner’spotentiallyrevolutionaryresults.

Whathastobeconsidered,however,istheunsettlingpossibilitythatsomekindofpatternmayunderliethesestrangeoversights.

AswereportedinChapter6,apieceofwoodthathadbeensealedinsidetheshaftsoftheQueen’sChambersincecompletionofconstructionworkonthatroom,wasamongsttheuniquecollectionofrelicsbroughtoutoftheGreatPyramidin1872bytheBritishengineerWaynmanDixon.Theothertwo‘Dixonrelics’—thesmallmetalhookandthestonesphere—havebeenlocatedafterhavingbeen‘misplaced’bytheBritishMuseumforaverylongwhile.Thewhereaboutsofthepieceofwood,however,istodayunknown.[710]

Thisisveryfrustrating.Beingorganic,woodcanbeaccuratelycarbon-dated.SincethisparticularpieceofwoodisknowntohavebeensealedinsidethePyramidatthetimeofconstructionofthemonument,radiocarbonresultsfromitcould,theoretically,confirmthedatewhenthatconstructiontookplace.

Amissingpieceofwoodcannotbetested.Fortunately,however,aswealsoreportedinChapter6,itisprobablethatanothersuchpieceofwoodisstillinsituatsomedepthinsidethenorthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamber.Thispiecewasclearlyvisibleinfilm,takenbyRudolfGantenbrink’srobot-cameraUpuaut,thatwasshowntoagatheringofseniorEgyptologistsattheBritishMuseumon22November1993.[711]

Weareinformedthatitwouldbearelativelysimpleandinexpensivetasktoextractthepieceofwoodfromthenorthernshaft.MorethantwoandahalfyearsafterthatscreeningattheBritishMuseum,however,noattempthasbeenmadetotakeadvantageofthisopportunity.Thepieceofwoodstillsitsthere,itsageunknown,andRudolfGantenbrink,aswesawinChapter6,hasnotbeenpermittedtocompletehisexplorationoftheshafts.

Appendix5TheDoorInsidetheGreatPyramid;

TunnelsandChambers

UndertheGreatSphinx

Furtherdevelopments

SincethefirstEnglish-languageeditionofthisbookwenttopressinFebruary1996therehavebeenanumberofsignificantdevelopmentsconcerningtheopeningofthedoorintheGreatPyramidattheendofthesouthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamber(seeinparticularChapter7)andthesearchfortunnelsandchambersundertheGreatSphinx(seeinparticularChapter2andChapter5).Weanticipatethattherewillbefurtherdevelopments—quitepossiblyofmajorhistoricalsignificance—whichwewillcoverinafuturebook.Itisourintention,meanwhile,tomonitorthis‘runningstory’andtoupdateourreadersinaseriesofappendicesthatwillbepublishedinfutureeditionsofTheMessageoftheSphinx.

TheupdatepresentedherewithcoverstheperiodfromMarchtoend-August1996.

TheGreatPyramid

Attheendof1995,asreportedinChapter6andChapter7,thepositionoftheEgyptianAntiquitiesOrganizationregardingthe‘door’attheendofthesouthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamberwasapparentlyoneofofficialdisinterest.ThereaderwillrecallthatDr.NurElDin,ChairmanoftheEAO(nowrenamedtheSupremeCouncilofAntiquities)haddeclinedRudolfGantenbrink’soffertodonatetherobottotheEgyptiangovernmentandtotrainanEgyptiantechniciantooperateit:‘ThankyouforyouroffertotraintheEgyptiantechnician...Unfortunatelyweareverybusyforthetimebeing,thereforewewillpostponethematter...[712]SimilarlyDr.ZahiHawasshaddeclared:‘Idonotthinkthisisadoorandnothingisbehindit.’[713]

InMarch1996,however,Dr.Hawasschangedhismind,declaringintheEgyptianGazettethatGantenbrink’sfindwasofhugeinterestandthatthedoorwouldbeopenedinSeptember1996byamultinationalteamledbytheEgyptiangeologist(andNASAconsultant)Dr.FaroukElBaz.RudolfGantenbrinkwouldnotbeinvolvedand‘anotherrobot’—notUpuaut—wouldbeusedtoexploretheshaft.Participatingintheexplorationwouldbea‘Canadian’contingent.[714]

TheCanadianelement,‘Amtex’,isheadedbyPeterZuuring,awealthyDutch-Canadianbusinessman,whotoldusthathehadshowntheEgyptianshowthedoorcouldbeopened‘relativelyinexpensively...We’reworkingwithSparAerospacetodesignaminiaturearmwithtoolsthatcouldfirsttapthedoor,knockitandtrytoleverthingsalittlebittoseeifthere’sanythingloose.ButIthinkultimatelywe’llgostraightthrough.’

Intwoconversations,SouringtoldusthathethoughtitunlikelythattheprojectcouldstartasearlyasSeptember1996:thefollowingyear,hesaid,1997,wasfarmorelikely.Theobjective,whichmighttakesometime,wastoraisethehugesumoftenmilliondollarstopromoteastaged‘liveopening’ofthedooroninternationaltelevisionnetworks.‘I’mworkingwithaprivateguywhoisapersonalfriendofHawassandweareabsolutelygoingtodrumthisthingtodeath.Whatevertheeventwearegoingtostage,itwillbetelevisedlive.’[715]

TheGreatSphinx

In1993-4(seeChapter2andChapter5)Dr.ZahiHawassappearedtobeadamantlyopposedtothenotionthattheSphinxmightbefarolderthanancientEgypt—andthustheworkofalostcivilization.ThereaderwillrecallthattheEAOofficialwasparticularlyincensedbytheNBCtelevisionfilm,TheMysteryoftheSphinx,thatwasmadeabouttheworkofJohnAnthonyWest.InadditionHawasshadbeenpersonallyresponsibleforexpellingJohnWestandhisresearchteamfromtheSphinxenclosure.TheteamincludedthegeologistRobertSchoch,aProfessoratBostonUniversity,andtheseismologistThomasDobecki(whowastoidentifyalargerectangularchamberconcealedinthebedrockatadepthofabouttwentyfeetbeneaththefrontpawsoftheSphinx).

TheNBCdocumentarylinkedtheSphinxtoAtlantisandsuggestedthatthechamberthatThomasDobecki’sseismographhaddetectedbeneathitspawsmightcontainsomesortof‘timecapsule’ofAtlanteanwisdomandhistory.Hawasscalledtheseclaims:‘Americanhallucinations.Westisanamateur.Thereisabsolutelynoscientificbaseforanyofthis.Wehaveoldermonumentsinthesamearea.Theydefinitelyweren’tbuiltbymenfromAtlantis.It’snonsenseandwewon’tallowourmonumentstobeexploitedforpersonalenrichment.TheSphinxisthesoulofEgypt.’[716]

AnarticleintheEgyptianpressrespondingtotheNBCfilmquotedDr.HawassonhisfurtherreasonsforexpellingJohnWestandhisteamfromtheSphinxenclosure:‘IhavefoundthattheirworkiscarriedoutbyinstallingendoscopesintheSphinx’sbodyandshootingfilmsforallphasesoftheworkinapropaganda...butnotinascientificmanner.Ithereforesuspendedtheworkofthisunscientificmissionandmadeareportwhichwaspresentedtothepermanentcommissionwhorejectedthemission’sworkinthefuture.’[717]

TheNBCfilmwasproducedbyBorisSaid(seeChapter2)andpartiallyfinancedbyinvestmentsfrommembersoftheAssociationforResearchandEnlightenment(ARE).HeadquarteredinVirginiaBeachintheUnitedStates(seeChapter5),theAREisamultimilliondollarorganizationthatexiststopromulgatetheteachingsandpropheciesoftheAmericanpsychicEdgarCayce,whodiedin1945.ProminentamongstCayce’spronouncementsweremanystatements—someofwhichwerereportedintheNBCfilm—totheeffectthattheSphinxhadbeenbuiltin10,500BCbythesurvivorsofAtlantiswhohadconcealedbeneathita‘HallofRecords’containingallthewisdomoftheirlostcivilizationandthetruehistoryofthehumanrace.CayceprophesiedthatthisHallofRecordswouldberediscoveredandopenedbetween1996and1998.HeconnectedtheopeningtothesecondcomingofChristandassertedthatthecontentsoftheHallwouldnotbesharedwiththegeneralpublicuntilmanyyearsafterithadfirstbeenenteredby‘threewhowouldmakeoftheperfectwayoflife.’[718]

In1995JohnWestandProfessorRobertSchochofBostonUniversity(incooperationwiththeprestigiousPrincetonEngineeringAnomaliesResearchLaboratory,betterknownasPEAR)putinanapplicationtotheEgyptianauthoritiestoresumetheirresearch.Theirapplicationwasignored.

AttheendofMarch1996theEgyptianauthoritiesgrantedaone-yearlicensetoanewteamtoconductsurveysaroundtheSphinxandtheGizanecropolisusingseismicequipmentandground-penetratingradar.Thisteam,whichclaimedacademicsponsorshipfromFloridaStateUniversity(andreportedlyinvolvedtheparticipationoffourgeologistsfromthatuniversity),waslargelyfinanced,throughtheSchorFoundationofNewYork,byDr.JosephSchor,anAmericanmultimillionaire.Dr.Schorisalife-memberoftheAREandwasoneofthetwoAREmemberswhometusatVirginiaBeachwithCharlesThomasCayceinMay1994(seeChapter5).Laterthatmonthhewrotetousofhisgreatpersonalinterestincorroborating‘theCaycerecordswhichindicatedthattheculturewhichledtothebuildingofthePyramidsdatesfrom10,500BC.’Healsostatedhiswish‘tofurtherdelineatethatcivilization.’[719]

On11April1996,whenweinformedJosephSchorthatweintendedtowriteaboutthesemattersintheLondonDailyMail,hethreateneduswithalibelactionandstated:‘Wedonotworkforthe

EdgarCaycegroup...ThemajorpurposeoftheSchorFoundationandtheFloridaStateUniversityistoaidinthepreservationandrestorationofthePyramidsandSphinx.InadditionwearesurveyingtheundergroundoftheGizaPlateautofindfaultsandchasmsthatmightcollapse.Thiswillincreasethesafetyoftheplateaubecausechasmsandfaultscanbecollapsedorropedofffortheprotectionoftouristsandplateaupersonnel.’[720]

On14April1996Dr.ZahiHawassgavearatherdifferentaccount,mentioninghiddentunnelsaroundthePyramidsandtheSphinx.Hemadenomentionofthequestionofpublicsafetybuthintedthat‘excavationofthetunnelswouldrevealmanycluesregardingtheestablishmentoftheGizapyramids.’[721]

Nordidthatquestionappeartobethemainthrustofashortvideo,SecretChamber,inwhichDr.Hawasstookpart.FilmedonlocationinCairoinNovemberandDecember1995,thevideowasproducedandwrittenbyBorisSaidand,accordingtohim,financedtothetuneofonehundredthousanddollarsbyJosephSchor.Inthisvideo,aswereportedattheendofChapter5,Dr.HawassisshownscramblingintoatunnelundertheSphinx.Whenhereachesthebottomheturnstofacethecameraandwhisperstotheviewer:‘EvenIndianaJoneswillneverdreamtobehere.Canyoubelieveit?WearenowinsidetheSphinx,inthistunnel.Thistunnelhasneverbeenopenedbefore.Noonereallyknowswhat’sinsidethistunnelbutwearegoingtoopenitforthefirsttime.’[722]

Thenarratorofthevideodriveshomeaninterestingpoint:‘EdgarCayce,America’sfamous“SleepingProphet”,predictedthatachamberwouldbediscoveredbeneaththeSphinx—achambercontainingtherecordedhistoryofhumancivilization.Forthefirsttimeeverwe’llshowyouwhatliesbeneaththisgreatstatue—achamberwhichwillbeopened,live,forourtelevisioncameras.’[723]

InJuly1996,afterworldwideprotestovertheactivitiesoftheSchorFoundationandFloridaStateUniversityattheSphinx,Dr.HawassclaimedonSouthAfricanradiothathehadhaltedtheproject:‘Ifoundthattheirworkisnotfollowingthecorrectsteps...Iwrotealettertothemsayingthattheycannotdoworkagainbecausetheyarenotreallyfollowingthecorrectwork.’[724]

Thatsamemonth,however,rumorsbegantocirculatethattheteamhadidentifiedninefurthertunnelsorchambersundertheGizaPlateau.Inallofthem,apparently,theirremote-sensingequipmenthadidentifiedobjectsmadeofmetal.

BytheendofAugust1996,despiteHawass’sstatement,teammembersstillappearedconfidentthattheirprojectwouldgoaheadandBorisSaidwasreputedtobenegotiatingwithmajortelevisionnetworksintheUnitedStatesforanexclusivedocumentaryontheSphinx.

TheEdgarCaycelegacy

AswesawinChapter5,EdgarCayce(knowninAmericaasthe‘SleepingProphet’becausehegavehispsychic‘readings’inatrance-likestate)believedhimselftobeareincarnatedpriestcalledRa-Ta,asurvivorofAtlantiswhohadsettledinEgyptin10,500BC.Throughoutthe1930s,untilhisdeathin1945,heusedthecontactsmadethroughhis‘readings’to‘pickupplayers’—artists,bankers,businessmen,universityprofessorsandevenpoliticians—whowereallconvincedthatintheir‘pastlives’theytoohadplayedaroleintheunfoldingdramaofAtlantis.[725]

Oneoftheseplayers,perhapsthemostactivetheAREwouldknow,wasCayce’seldestson,HughLynn(1907-1983),agraduateofHarvardUniversitywhotookoverthemanagementofthenewlyfoundedAREin1931whenhewasjusttwenty-fouryearsold.Withyouthfulenthusiasm,hevowedthatonedayan‘AREsponsoredexpedition’toGizawouldvindicatehisfather’spropheciesconcerningtheHallofRecords.[726]

PerhapsHughLynnhadbeeninspiredbytheso-called‘BaraizeExpedition’totheSphinxwhichwasalreadywellunderwayin1930whentheAREwasfounded.LedbythethenDirectoroftheEgyptianAntiquitiesDepartment,aFrencharchaeologistnamedEmileBaraize,thisexpeditionstrippedofftheancientskinof‘repairblocks’fromthelowerpartsofthebodyoftheSphinx.Whileremovingsomeoftheblocksfromtherumpofthestatue,Baraizecameacrosstheentrancetoatunnel.Then,forsomeextraordinaryreason,heresealedthemouthofthetunnelwithrockandcementandneverreportedthematter.WithBaraizeatthetimewasayoungArabboycalledMohamadAbdelMawgud—whosedescendantsstillliveatGiza.[727]

TheBaraizeexpeditionranfrom1926to1936.Butitwasnotuntil1972thatHughLynnCayce,bytheninhissixties,finallysetinmotiontheplanthathehadlongagoconceivedforgettingtheAREintomainstreamarchaeologyatGiza.Hisfirstmovewastorecruita‘collegedropoutnamedMarkLehner’(theAREPresidentthoughtherecognizedtheyoungmanfromapastlife),andthenarrangeforhimtotakeapost-graduatedegreeattheAmericanUniversityinCairo.TodaytheVisitingProfessorofEgyptologyattheUniversityofChicago’sprestigiousOrientalInstitute,wesawinChapter5howLehnerbecametheARE’s‘man’atGiza,participatingduringthe1970sand1980sinalmosteveryimportantprojectundertakenaroundthePyramidsandtheSphinx.

DespiteanumberofsetbacksexperiencedbytheAREasaresultoftheseprojects,anofficialbiographyreportsthatHughLynnCayce‘hadnosenseofdefeat...Hewouldstaywiththesearchaslongasittook,buildingallianceswithothergroupsandindividuals.OneofthelatterwastheEgyptianChiefInspectoratGiza,Hawass,whohehadmetthroughLehnerin1975.In1980,HawassaccommodatedtheAREbyconductinganexcavationinfrontoftheSphinxtemple...’[728]

InOctober1980MarkLehnermadecontactwithMohamadAbdelMawgud,the‘youngArabboy’(bynowinhissixties)whohadseenEmileBaraizesealupthetunnelundertheSphinxin1926.TogetherwithAhmedAlFayed,AbdelMawgud’sson,LehnerwaspermittedbyZahiHawasstoremovethesealandenterthetunnel.Butagain,apparently,nothingwasfound.Thetunnelreacheda‘deadend’inthebedrockunderneaththeSphinx.[729]

SoonafterwardsAhmedAlFayedwenttosettleinVirginiaBeachandinduecoursejoinedthestaffoftheARE.HawassalsotraveledtotheUnitedStatesataboutthistimetoexpandhisformaleducationinEgyptology.AsHughLynnCayce’sbiographerreports:‘IfZahiHawasswastoadvancewithinthe[Egyptian]governmenttofurtherhisowncareerandopendoorsforHughLynn’sproject,hecoulddoitbestonthewingsofhighereducationatanAmericanIvyLeaguecollege.’JustbeforehediedHughLynnCaycewastoexplainhow:‘Igothim[ZahiHawass]ascholarshipattheUniversityofPennsylvaniainEgyptology,togethisPh.D.IgotthescholarshipthroughanAREpersonwhohappenstobeontheFulbrightscholarshipboard.He[Hawass]hadaidedMark[Lehner]toworkontheSphinxandIamveryappreciative.’[730]

InterviewedonSouthAfricanradioinJuly1996HawassrespondedtoanearlierinterviewgivenbyourselvesinwhichwehadmentionedhisapparentconnectionswiththeEdgarCayceFoundation.Heaccusedusoflying,statedthatweweremerelyclaimingthesethingstomakeourselvesfamous,andinsistedthathediscreditedEdgarCayce,addingemphatically:‘TheEdgarCaycetheoryiswrong.’Theinterviewer(JohnRobbieofRadio702,Johannesburg)thenreadoutontheairthepassagequotedabovefromHughLynnCayce’sbiographyinwhichtheformerAREPresidentclaimstohavebeeninstrumentalinobtainingaFulbrightscholarshipforHawass.Hawassreplied:‘That’snottrue.Imethim,IlecturedtotheEdgarCayceFoundationmanytimes.Hewassuchaniceman.Ineverbelievedhistheories.Heneversupportedafellowshipformetostudyoutsideatall.HejustonceattendedadinnerthatIinvitedhimtoinCairowithoneoftheFulbrights...buthedidnotsupportanystudy.TheEgyptiangovernmentsupportedmystudiesforfiveyearsandtheFulbrightsupportedmystudiesattheUniversityofPennsylvaniafortwoyears.Ithadnosupportfromsuchanorganizationlikethat.’

HawasswasthenaskedaboutSecretChamber,theshortvideoreferredtoabovemadebyBorisSaidinNovemberandDecember1995andfinancedbyJosephSchor.TheinterviewerpointedoutthatthisvideomakespositivereferencetoEdgarCayceandhispropheciesandincludesanappearancebyZahiHawassinwhichtheEgyptianofficialstatedthatatunnelundertheSphinxisabouttobeopened.‘Howcomeyou’reinvolvedwiththat?’askedtheinterviewer.

Hawass:Thisisnottrue!I’mapublicfigureandIgetinterviewseveryday!EverydayifyoucometomyofficeyouwillseealmostthreeTVsfromallovertheworld.I...myinterviewsalwaysexplainmydiscoveries.ThisvideoistalkingaboutthetunnelthatIfoundinsidetheSphinxbasedonmywork.Itisnotbytheworkthatisdonehere,it’sbyFloridaUniversity.ItisnotbyCayceoranything!AndwefoundeventhatFloridaUniversityarenotfollowingthescientist’sstepsthereforeIwrotealettertwomonthsagothatthosetype...eventheuniversities,theuniversitiesarenotfollowingtheexactstepsthattheysupposedtodo.

Interviewer:Itseemsacoincidence...itseemsacoincidence,Dr.Zahi,thattheCayceprophecytalksabouttunnelsundertheSphinx.You’vediscreditedit.You’vebannedvariousresearchersaccordingtoTheMessageoftheSphinx—peoplelikeJohnWestwhoaretryingtodoworkonthistheory—andnowyouseemtobetakingitoveryourself.Isthattrue?

Hawass:No!I’mnottakingovermyself...Ifthereisevidence,actualevidencefromaninstitution,totellusthereissomethingundertheSphinxwe’llexcavateit.Butallofitisjusthallucination!Wecannotrunafterhallucinationsatall.

Interviewer:Butinthatvideo,whereyouareactuallyfilmedinatunnelundertheSphinx,youindicatedthatthismightleadtosomethingvery,veryexciting...Isawthatmyself,Zahi!

Hawass:IfIdidfound...Itoldyou!Iexcavatedthistunnel.AndIdidexcavateitandI’mexcavatingit.Ifitleadstosomethingimportant,we’llannounceit.YouknowwhatI’msaying?I’mnotdenyingthat...Maybeitwillleadtosomethingexciting.

TheintervieweraskedDr.Hawasswhyhehadnottakenlegalactionagainstus,theauthorsofTheMessageoftheSphinx,‘becausetheymakesomeseriousaccusationsagainstyou.’Hawassreplied:‘Youknow,ifImakelegalactionagainstthemIwillmakethemfamous.ButIwillnever,err,makethemfamous.’[731]

On15August1996,inaninterviewwiththeEgyptianGazetteinCairo,Dr.HawassmadeanoddlysimilarremarkconcerningtheJapaneseteamfromWasedaUniversity,ledbyProfessorSakujiYoshimura,whoin1988hadusedadvancedtechnologytoidentifyahiddenchamberinsidetheGreatPyramidandanotherbeneaththeleftforepawoftheGreatSphinx.‘Ibelievetheseteamswerenotseriousenough,’statedDr.Hawass,‘andtheirequipmentwasnotwelltooled.Themembersoftheseteamsweremerelyinterestedinacquiringfame.’[732]

MarsandGiza:

Strangeconnectionsandsynchronicity

Inourresearchwehavestumbledacrossatangledwebofclues,connectionsandoverlappinginterestsappearingtosuggestthatAmericanscientistswithlinkstoNASAmayhavequietlyinvolvedthemselves,sinceatleastthe1970s,incovert‘expeditions’tounveilthesecretsofthegreatpyramidsandtheGreatSphinxofGiza.Thestory,oddlyenough,appearstoberunninginparallelwithresearchstemmingfromtheexistenceofcuriouspyramidialstructures(andagiganticSphinx-like‘Face’)thatwerephotographedonMarsbyNASAspacecraftduringthe1970s.

In1971NASA’sMariner9probetookthefirsteverphotographsofstrange‘pyramid’structuresonMarsonaregionoftheplanetknowntoastronomersasElysium.Dr.JamesHurtak,a

graduateinremotesensingtechnology(andanacquaintanceofMarkLehner’s)wasoneoftheearliestresearcherstoshowinterestintheElysium‘pyramids’—whichwereofficiallydismissedbyNASAas‘tricksoflight’.In1975,despiteNASA’sapparentindifference,Hurtakpredictedthatfurtherfindsofsimilarstructures,includingaSphinx-likemonument,wouldbemadeonMarsandthattheywouldallprovetobeconnectedinagreatcosmicblueprinttotheGizamonumentsinEgypt.[733]

HurtakisanactivecampaigneragainstthesecrecyoftheUnitedStatesmilitaryandrelatedagencieswithregardtoUFO‘cover-ups’andothersimilarissues.HealsoclaimstohavehadcloselinkswithresearchersatCalifornia’sprestigiousStanfordResearchInstitute,America’ssecondlargestscientificthink-tank(whichhasanannualbudgetfromtheUnitedStatesgovernmentofoverthreehundredmilliondollars).TheSRI’sprojectshaveincludedthe‘RemoteViewingProgram’(startedin1972),fundedbytheCIAasanintelligence-gatheringexercise,whichrecruitedtoppsychicsto‘remoteview’enemymilitaryinstallationsandothersites.

In1973,aswesawinChapter5,theEgyptianAntiquitiesOrganization(EAO)grantedanofficiallicensetotheSRI,permittingittoconductsurveysaroundtheGreatSphinxatGizausingground-penetratingradarandseismographs.ThelocalsponsorofthisprojectwasCairo’sAinShamsUniversity.WerecallthatinthesameyearHughLynnCaycesentMarkLehnertotheAmericanUniversityinCairowithfundsraisedbyAREmembers.

In1976asecondNASAprobe,VikingI,wentintoMarsorbit.IntheregionknownasCydoniaitphotographedseveralmorepyramidialstructures(includingthefive-sided‘D&MPyramid’)andthefamous‘Face’.CompletewithitsdistinctiveSphinx-likeheaddress,thislatterfeaturehasbeencalculatedfromtheNASAimagestobe1.6milesinlengthfromcrowntochin,1.2mileswide,andjustunder2,600feethigh.NASAhasarguedofficiallythatitisnothingmorethanasmallmountain,naturallyweathered.Buthowmanymountainshavetheirleftandrightsidessointricatelysimilar?Imageanalystssaythatthe‘bilateralsymmetry’oftheFace,mimickinganatural,almosthumanappearance,ismostunlikelytohavecomeaboutbychance.Andthisimpressionisconfirmedbyothercharacteristicsthathavesubsequentlybeenidentifiedundercomputerenhancement.Theseinclude‘teeth’inthemouth,bilaterallycrossedlinesabovetheeyes,andregularlateralstripesintheheadpiece—suggestive,tosomeresearchersatleast,ofthenemesheaddressofancientEgyptianpharaohs.[734]

BackinEgyptin1977,ayearaftertheVikingimageshadfirstreachedtheEarth,MarkLehnermadecontactwithNASA’sDr.LambertT.Dolphin,leaderoftheStanfordResearchInstituteprojectattheSphinx.ThereaderwillrecallfromChapter5thatLehnerwasbythenalreadywellacquaintedwithZahiHawass.

Laterin1977LambertDolphintraveledtoVirginiaBeachtonegotiatefundingfromtheEdgarCayceorganizationforaproposednewSRIprojectatGiza.ThepurposeofthisprojectwastousethelatestremotesensingtechnologytosearchforhiddenchambersaroundandundertheSphinx—withLehneragain‘participatingastheEdgarCayceFoundation’s“maninCairo”.’Severalunderground‘cavities’weredetectedbythisSphinxExplorationProject.

In1978MarkLehnerproposedaprojectontheSphinxtotheAmericanResearchCentreinEgypt.Theproject,againpartiallyfinancedbytheEdgarCaycegroup,wasapprovedandwentaheadwithLehnerasitsFieldDirector.SoonafterwardsaUnitedStatesregisteredcompanycalledRecoverySystemsInternational(RSI)appearedonthescene.AswesawinChapter5,itundertookcoredrillingsinfrontoftheSphinxtoinvestigatethepromisingundergroundcavitiespreviouslypinpointedbySRI.

In1983HughLynnCaycediedandthemanagementoftheEdgarCaycegroupwashandedtohisson,CharlesThomasCayce.Inthesameyear‘TheIndependentMarsProject’wassetupintheUnitedStatesbyRichardHoagland,aformerNASAconsultant,andLambertDolphin.Meanwhilein1987Dr.ZahiHawasscompletedhiseducationintheUnitedStatesandreturnedto

EgypttobeappointedastheEAO’sDirector-GeneraloftheGizaPlateau.

InMarch1996Dr.HawassannouncedthattheEgyptianscientistFaroukElBaz(whosename,meaningHawk,translatesintoancientEgyptianasHorus)hadbeenchosentoleadateamtoopenthesecretdoorinsidetheGreatPyramidattheendofthesouthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamber.ThereaderwillrecallthatAmtex,theCanadiancompanyparticipatingintheproject,claimtobe‘workingwithSparAerospace’todeviseatooltoopenor‘gostraightthrough’thedoor.SparAerospacearebetterknownformanufacturinghydraulicarmsusedinNASASpaceShuttles.Aswenotedatthebeginningofthisappendix,Dr.ElBaz,agraduateofCairo’sAinShamsuniversity,isaNASAconsultant.HehasbeeninvolvedformanyyearswithstudiesofgeologicalformationsontheMoonandonMarsandheisaone-timepersonalfriendofastronautsBuzzAldrinandNeilArmstrong.ItwasElBaz,nicknamedtheKingbyhisNASAcolleagues,whoin1969chosethespotfortheApollo11Moonlanding.ElBazisthefounderoftheCentreofRemoteSensingatBostonUniversityandpresentlyservesasitsDirector.[735]

AlsoinMarch1996theEAOgrantedaone-yearrenewablelicensefortheprojectatdieSphinx—seeabove—financedbyJosephSchor.ProjectmembersincludeBorisSaid,ThomasDobecki,andfourseniorgeologistsfromFloridaStateUniversity,whobeganworkwithamilliondollarsworthofground-penetratingradarandseismicequipmentattheirdisposal.ItwasreportedtousthatteammembershadconsultedwithDr.JamesHurtakandRichardHoaglandinAugust1996.

SelectedBibliographyAllen,RichardH.,StarNames:TheirLoreandMeaning,DoverPublicationsInc.,NewYork,1963.

AncientEgyptianBookoftheDead(trans.R.O.Faulkner),BritishMuseumPublications,1989.AncientEgyptianPyramidTexts(trans.R.O.Faulkner),OxfordUniversityPress,1969.

Antoniadi,E.M.,L’AstronomieEgyptienne,Paris,1934.

Aristotle,DeCaelo,seetranslationinSchwallerdeLubicz,R.A.,SacredScience,InnerTraditionsInternational,NewYork,1982.

Baines,JohnandMalek,Jaromir,AtlasofAncientEgypt,Time-LifeBooks,1990.

Bauval,RobertandGilbert,Adrian,TheOrionMystery,WilliamHeinemannLtd.,London,1994.

Black,JeremyandGreenAnthony,Gods,DemonsandSymbolsofAncientMesopotamia,BritishMuseumPress,London,1992.

Bonwick,James,Pyramids:FactsandFancies,KeganPaul,1877.

Breasted,JamesHenry,AncientRecordsofEgypt,HistoriesandMysteriesofManLtd.,London,1988.

Bro,HarmonHartzell,EdgarCayce:ASeerOutofSeason,SignetBooks,NewYork,1990.

Bunson,Margaret,TheEncyclopaediaofAncientEgypt,NewYork,Oxford,1991.

Cayce,EdgarEvans,CayceSchwartzer,Gail,andRichards,DouglasG.,MysteriesofAtlantisRevisited:EdgarCayce’sWisdomfortheNewAge,Harper&Row,SanFrancisco,1988.

Ceram,C.W.,Gods,GravesandScholars,BookClubAssociates,London,1971.

Cook,Robin,ThePyramidsofGiza,SevenIslands,Glastonbury,1992.

David,Rosalie,AncientEgyptianReligion,BeliefsandPractices,Routledge&KeganPaul,London,1982.

Davidovits,Dr.JosephandMorris,Maggie,ThePyramids:AnEnigmaSolved,DorsetPress,NewYork,1988.

DiodorusSiculus(trans.C.H.Oldfather),LoebClassicalLibrary,London,1989;HarvardUniversityPress,1989.

Edwards,I.E.S.,ThePyramidsofEgypt,PelicanBooks,London,1949.

Emery,W.B.,ArchaicEgypt,PenguinBooks,London,1987.

Fakhry,Ahmed,ThePyramids,UniversityofChicagoPress,1969.

Faulkner,R.O.,TheBookoftheDead,BritishMuseumPublications,London,1972.

Fix,WilliamR.,PyramidOdyssey,MercuryMediaInc.,Urbana,Va.,1978.

FlindersPetrie,W.M.,ThePyramidsandTemplesofGizeh,HistoriesandMysteriesofManLtd.,London,1990.

Fowden,Garth,TheEgyptianHermes,PrincetonUniversityPress,NewJersey,1993.

Frankfort,Henri,KingshipandtheGods,TheUniversityofChicagoPress,1978.

Goidin,J.P.andDormion,G.,Kheops:NouvelleEnquête,EditionsRecherchesurlesCivilisations,Paris,1986.

Goyon,George,LeSecretdesBatisseursdesGrandesPyramides:Kheops,Pygmalion,GerardWatelet,Paris,1990.

Grimal,Nicholas,AHistoryofAncientEgypt,Blackwell,Oxford,1992.

Habachi,Labib,TheObelisksofEgypt,TheAmericanUniversityPress,Cairo,1988.

Hancock,Graham,FingerprintsoftheGods,WilliamHeinemannLtd.,London1995,andCrownPublishers,NewYork,1995.

Hart,George,ADictionaryofEgyptianGodsandGoddesses,Routledge&KeganPaul,London,1988.

Hassan,Selim,ExcavationsatGiza,GovernmentPress,Cairo,1946.

——TheSphinx:ItsHistoryintheLightofRecentExcavations,GovernmentPress,Cairo,1949.

Heinberg,Richard,CelebratetheSolstice,QuestBooks,WheatonIll.,1993.

Herodotus,TheHistory(trans.DavidGrene),UniversityofChicagoPress,1988.

Heyerdahl,Thor,TheRaExpeditions,BookClubAssociates,London,1972.

Hoffman,MichaelA.,EgyptbeforethePharaohs,MichaelO’MaraBooksLtd.,London,1991.

Ions,Veronica,IndianMythology,Hamlyn,London,1983.

James,T.G.H.,AnIntroductionToAncientEgypt,BritishMuseumPublicationsLtd.,1987.

Keable,Julian(ed.),HornThePyramidsWereBuilt,ElementBooks,Dorset,1989.

Kees,Hermann,AncientEgypt:ACulturalTopography,UniversityofChicagoPress,1977.

Krupp,E.C.,InSearchofAncientAstronomies,Chatto&Windus,London,1980.

Lamy,Lucy,EgyptianMysteries,ThamesandHudson,London,1986.

Lehner,Mark,TheEgyptianHeritage:BasedontheEdgarCayceReadingsAREPress,VirginiaBeach,Norfolk,Va.,1974.

Lichtheim,Miriam,AncientEgyptianLiterature,UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1975.

Low,Sampson,SeventyYearsInArchaeology,Marston&Co.Ltd.,London,1931.

Lucas,AncientEgyptianMaterialsandIndustries,Histories&MysteriesofManLtd.,London,1989.

Mackenzie,DonaldA.,MythsandLegendsofIndia,TheMysticPress,London,1987.

Malek,Jaromir,IntheShadowofthePyramids,Orbis,London,1986.

Maspero,Gaston,ThePassingofEmpires,NewYork,1900.

——TheDawnofCivilization,SPCK,London,1894.

Noakes,Aubrey,Cleopatra’sNeedles,H.F.&G.WitherbyLtd.,London,1962.

PiazziSmyth,Charles,OurInheritanceinTheGreatPyramid,W.Isbister,London,1880edition.(ReprintedrecentlybyBellPublishingCo.,NewYork,1990,underthetitleTheGreatPyramid.)

Pick,FredL.andKnight,G.Norman,ThePocketHistoryofFreemasonry,FrederickMullerLtd.,London,1983.

Reymond,E.A.E.,TheMythicalOriginoftheEgyptianTemple,ManchesterUniversityPress,BarnesandNobleInc.,NewYork,1969.

Rundle-Clark,R.T.,MythandSymbolinAncientEgypt,ThamesandHudson,London,1991.

——TheLegendofthePhoenix,UniversityofBirminghamPress,1949.

Sagan,Carl,Cosmos,BookClubAssociates,London,1980.

Santillana,GiorgiodeandDechend,Herthavon,Hamlet’sMill,DavidR.Godine,Boston,1977.

Scheel,Bernd,EgyptianMetalworkingandTools,ShireEgyptology,Bucks,1989.

SchwallerdeLubicz,R.A.,SacredScience,InnerTraditionsInternational,Rochester,Vt.,1988.

Sellers,J.B.,TheDeathofGodsinAncientEgypt,PenguinBooks,London,1992.

Seton-Williams,VeronicaandStock,Peter,BlueGuide:Egypt,A&CBlack,London,1988.

Short,Martin,InsidetheBrotherhood,GraftonBooks,London,1989.Singh,SarvaDaman,AncientIndianWarfare,MotilalBanarsidass,Delhi,1989.

Sitchin,Zecharia,TheStairwayToHeaven,AvonBooks,NewYork,1980.

Spence,Lewis,Egypt,BrackenBooks,Myths&LegendsSeries,London,1986.

——AncientEgyptianMythsandLegends,DoverPublications,NewYork,1990.

Sugrue,Thomas,ThereisaRiver:TheStoryofEdgarCayce,AREPress,VirginiaBeach,Norfolk,Va.,1988.

Temple,RobertK.G.,TheSiriusMystery,DestinyBooks,Rochester,Vt.,1987.

Tomas,Andrew,FromAtlantistoDiscovery,RobertHale,London,1972.

Tompkins,Peter,SecretsoftheGreatPyramid,AllenLane,London,1972.

Vercoutter,Jean,TheSearchforAncientEgypt,ThamesandHudson,London,1992.

Vyse,ColonelHoward,OperationscarriedoutatthePyramidsofGizehin1837:WithanaccountofaVoyageintoUpperEgyptandAppendix,JamesFraserofRegentStreet,London1837.

WallisBudge,E.A.,AnEgyptianHieroglyphicDictionary,DoverPublicationsInc.,NewYork,1978.

——AHistoryofEgypt,London,1902.

——TheGodsoftheEgyptians,DoverPublicationsInc.,NewYork,1969.

——TheEgyptianBookoftheDead,DoverPublicationsInc.,NewYork,1967.

——TheLiteratureofFuneralOfferings,KeganPaulLtd.,London,1909.

——FromFetishtoGodinAncientEgypt,DoverPublications,NewYork,1988.

West,JohnAnthony,SerpentintheSky:TheHighWisdomofAncientEgypt,QuestBooks,Wheaton,111.,1993.

——TheTraveller’sKeytoAncientEgypt,HarrapColumbus,London,1989.

Yates,FrancesA.,GiordanoBrunoandtheHermeticTradition,UniversityofChicagoPress,1991.

[1]SelimHassan,ExcavationsatGiza,GovernmentPress,Cairo,1946,Vol.VI,PartI,pp.34-5

[2]Ibid.

[3]E.A.WallisBudge,AnEgyptianHieroglyphicDictionary,DoverPublicationsInc.,NewYork,1978,Vol.I,p.469.

[4]SelimHassan,TheSphinx:ItsHistoryintheLightofRecentExcavations,GovernmentPress,Cairo,1949,p.76.SeealsoVeronicaSeton-WilliamsandPeterStock,BlueGuideEgypt,A.&C.Black,London,1988,p.432.

[5]ZahiHawassandMarkLehner,‘TheSphinx:WhoBuiltItandWhy’,Archaeology,September-October1994,p.34.SeealsoE.A.WallisBudge,HieroglyphicDictionary,op.cit.,Vol.II,p.752.

[6]WehavemanysurprisingsurvivalsfromtheancientEgyptianlanguageintheEnglishlanguage.Forexamplethesmallspeciesofgreyhoundthatweknowasthe‘Whippet’derivesitsnamefromtheancientEgyptiancaninedeityUpuaut,the‘OpeneroftheWays’.NormandiEllisinherexcellentAwakeningOsiris,PhanesPress,GrandRapids,1988,citesotherexamples:‘armen/arm;heku(magicutterance)/hex;neb(spirallingforceoftheuniverse)/nebulous;Satis(goddessoftheflood,ormeaningenough)/satisfy;aor(magiclight)/aura’.

[7]I.E.S.Edwards,ThePyramidsofEgypt,PelicanBooks,London,1949,p.106.

[8]AhmedFakhry,ThePyramids,UniversityofChicagoPress,Chicago,1969,p.159.

[9]MarkLehner,‘ComputerRebuildstheAncientSphinx’,NationalGeographicVol.179,No.4,April1991;MarkLehner,‘ReconstructingtheSphinx’,CambridgeArchaeologicalJournal,Vol.1,No.1,April1992.

[10]NationalGeographic,April1991,op.cit.

[11]Ibid.

[12]Ibid.

[13]CambridgeArchaeologicalJournal,op.cit.,pp.10and11.

[14]Ibid.,p.9.

[15]Ibid.,p.20.

[16]JohnAnthonyWest,SerpentintheSky:TheHighWisdomofAncientEgypt,QuestBooks,Wheaton,111,1993,p.231.

[17]Ibid.,p.232.

[18]AmericanAssociationfortheAdvancementofScience,Chicago,7February1992,debate:‘HowOldistheSphinx?’

[19]CambridgeArchaeologicalJournal,op.cit.,p.6.

[20]ForafullerdiscussionofthedatingissueseeGrahamHancock,FingerprintsoftheGods,WilliamHeinemannLtd.,London,1995,andCrownPublishers,NewYork,1995,p.51.

[21]Hassan,TheSphinx,op.cit.,p.75.

[22]CambridgeArchaeologicalJournal,op.cit.,p.6

[23]E.A.WallisBudge,‘StelaoftheSphinx’inAHistoryofEgypt,London,1902,Vol.IV,p.80ff.

[24]Ibid.,pp.85-6.

[25]JamesHenryBreasted,AncientRecordsofEgypt,HistoriesandMysteriesofManLtd.,London,1988,VolumeII,p.324.

[26]Ibid.

[27]Ibid.

[28]NationalGeographic,April1991,op.cit.

[29]GastonMaspero,ThePassingofEmpires,NewYork,1900.

[30]JamesHenryBreasted,AncientRecords,op.cit.,Vol.I,pp.83-5.

[31]GastonMaspero,TheDawnofCivilization,SPCK,London,1894,p.247.

[32]GastonMaspero,AManualofEgyptianArchaeology,p.74.

[33]Hassan,TheSphinx,op.cit.,p.91.

[34]AmericanAssociationfortheAdvancementofScience,1992,debate‘HowOldistheSphinx?’,op.cit.

[35]Archaeology,September-October1994,op.cit.,pp.32-3.

[36]Ibid.,p.34.

[37]R.A.SchwallerdeLubicz,SacredScience,InnerTraditionsInternational,RochesterVt.,1988,p.96.

[38]JohnAnthonyWest,Serpent,op.cit.,pp.1-2.

[39]Ibid.,p.186.

[40]Ibid.,p.187.

[41]Ibid.,p.226.

[42]Ibid.,p.225.

[43]Ibid.,p.226.

[44]Ibid.,p.227.

[45]Ibid.

[46]Ibid.

[47]Ibid.,pp.226-7.

[48]Ibid.,p.228.

[49]InterviewedinNBCtelevisiondocumentaryMysteryoftheSphinx,1993.

[50]JohnAnthonyWest,Serpent,op.cit.,p.227.

[51]QuotedinAnAkhbarElYom,8January1994.

[52]JohnAnthonyWest,Serpent,op.cit.,p.229.

[53]BostonGlobe,23October1991.

[54]LosAngelesTimes,23October1991.

[55]JohnAnthonyWest,Serpent,op.cit.,p.229.

[56]Ibid.

[57]Ibid.

[58]Ibid.

[59]Ibid.,p.229.

[60]Ibid.,p.230.

[61]Ibid.,p.229.

[62]MysteryoftheSphinx,op.cit.

[63]Ibid.,andKMT,Vol.V,No.2,Summer1994,p.7.

[64]ForblockweightsseeI.E.S.Edwards,ThePyramidsofEgypt,op.cit.,p.215;JohnAnthonyWest,Serpent,op.cit.,p.242;JohnAnthonyWest,TheTraveller’sKeytoAncientEgypt,HarrapColumbus,London,1989,pp.143-5;MysteryoftheSphinx,op.cit.;Dr.JosephDavidovitsandMargieMorris,ThePyramids:AnEnigmaSolved,DorsetPress,NewYork,1988,p.51.

[65]MysteryoftheSphinx,op.cit.

[66]Interviewedinibid.

[67]SeeforexampleI.E.S.Edwards,PyramidsofEgyptop.cit.,p.220;JohnBainesandJaromirMalek,AtlasofAncientEgypt,Time-LifeBooks,1990,pp.138-9.

[68]ThemostthoroughstudyisprovidedinPeterHodges(JulianKeableed.),HowthePyramidsWereBuilt,ElementBooks,1989.

[69]Ibid.,p.11.

[70]Ibid.,pp.11-13.

[71]Ibid.,p.13.

[72]JeanKerisel,aprominentsoilsengineerinFranceandalsoPresidentoftheFranco-EgyptianSociety,didanextensivestudyonthehaulingoflargeblocksusinghumanlabourandwoodensledges.Keriselkindlymadethisstudy—LuGrandePyramideetsesDerniersSecrets—availabletouspriortoitspublication(due1996).Thebasisofhiscalculationisthatthepressureonthesoilcannotexceed1.5tons/sq.m.forrampsmadeofcompactedsoil(probablycoveredwithstoneslabs)withslopesnotexceeding8percent.Thefrictioncoefficienthasbeencalculatedat15percentusingsoakedlimeasthelubricant.Keriselnotedthatagreaterpressurethan1.5tonswouldcausethelubricanttoseepawayandthusthefrictioncoefficientwouldincrease,makinghaulingevenmoredifficult.Theaveragespeedhasbeenworkedouttobe0.3metres/secondwitha13-kilogramtractionforceproducedbyeachman.Thusthehaulingofa70-tonblockwouldrequire(70,000X0.15X1/13=)807menandwouldtakesome9.25hoursforarampofonekilometre.Keriselworkedoutthatifthetractionwasmuchhigherthan13kg/man—evenforashortperiod

oftime—theresultwouldbeseriousbackinjuries.Thus,assumingatleast1clearmetredistancebetweeneachstandingman,807menin6rowswouldneedarampspaceof134.5metreslongand6metreswide.Theproblem,ofcourse,isgreatlyincreasedforblocksof200tonswithintheconfinedworkingconditionsoftheSphinxandValleyTemples—ataskalmostimpossibletoimaginewithsuchprimitivetechniques.

[73]RobertSchoch’sevidencepresentedinMysteryoftheSphinx,op.cit.

[74]KMTVol.V,op.cit.,p.7.

[75]TheSacredSermon(Hermetica,LibellusIII),translatedbyG.R.S.MeadinThriceGreatHermes:StudiesinHellenisticTheosophyandGnosis,SamuelWeiserInc.,NorthBeach,Maine,1992,BookII,p.51.

[76]BritishMuseumManuscript25,619,pp.15-19.

[77]W.M.FlindersPetrie,ThePyramidsandTemplesofGizeh,HistoriesandMysteriesofManLtd.,London,1990,pp.50-1.

[78]Chassinat,MonumentsetMémoires,FondationPiot,VolumeXXV,p.57.

[79]ThorHeyerdahl,TheRaExpeditions,BookClubAssociates,London,1972,p.15.

[80]Ibid.,pp.15-17.

[81]GrahamHancock,FingerprintsoftheGods,op.cit.RobertBauvalandAdrianGilbert,TheOrionMystery,WilliamHeinemannLtd.,London,1994.

[82]GastonMaspero,TheDawnofCivilization,op.cit.,pp.366-7.SeealsoPeterTompkins,SecretsoftheGreatPyramid,Harper&Row,NewYorkandLondon,1978,p.17andW.M.FlindersPetrie,PyramidsandTemples,op.cit.,p.13.

[83]W.M.FlindersPetrie,PyramidsandTemples,op.cit.,p.13.

[84]ThesupposeddiscovererwasArchimedes.

[85]ForfurtherdiscussionseeFingerprintsoftheGods,op.cit.,Chapter48.

[86]Ibid.

[87]PiazziSmyth,TheGreatPyramid,BellPublishingCo.,NewYork,1990,pp.79-80.

[88]Ibid.,p.80.

[89]J.H.Cole,PaperNo.39,‘TheDeterminationoftheExactSizeandOrientationoftheGreatPyramidofGiza’,SurveyofEgypt,Cairo,1925.SeealsoI.E.S.Edwards,ThePyramidsofEgypt,op.cit.,p.87.

[90]Ibid.

[91]I.E.S.Edwards,ThePyramidsofEgypt,op.cit.,p.208.

[92]SeediscussioninFlindersPetrie,PyramidsandTemplesop.cit.,pp.83-4.

[93]SeeFingerprintsoftheGods,op.cit.,pp.330-8,TheOrionMystery,op.cit.,pp.41-5.

[94]I.E.S.Edwards,ThePyramidsofEgypt,op.cit.,p.93.

[95]WearegratefultoJamesMacaulayforthissuggestion.

[96]JosephR.Jochmans,TheHallofRecords,unpublishedmanuscript,1985,p.175.SeealsoHodges,HornthePyramidsWereBuilt,op.cit.,p.122.

[97]FlindersPetrie,PyramidsandTemples,op.cit.,p.19.

[98]Ibid.

[99]VyseandPerringsfiguresquotedinEdwards,ThePyramidsofEgypt,op.cit.,p.88.

[100]Ibid.,pp.88-96.

[101]Ibid.,p.88.

[102]Herodotus,TheHistory,DavidGrenetrans.,UniversityofChicagoPress,1988,2:124,pp.185-6.

[103]CitedinJochmans,TheHallofRecords,op.cit.,pp.176-7.

[104]R.Cook,ThePyramidsofGiza,SevenIslands,Glastonbury,1992,p.52.

[105]JeanKerisel,‘ThePyramidofCheops:FurtherResearch’(OctoberandDecember1992),extractfromhispaperintheRevueFrançaised’Egyptologie,1993,p.4.

[106]Ibid,p.6.

[107]Ibid.

[108]Ibid,p.7.

[109]Personalcommunication.

[110]A.Badawy,‘TheStellarDestinyofthePharaohandtheso-calledAirShaftsinCheops’Pyramid’,Mitt.Inst.Orient,zuBerlin,Band10,1964,pp.189-206.

[111]See,forexample,I.E.S.Edwards,ThePyramidsofEgyptop.cit.,pp.209-10.

[112]ForfurtherdiscussionseeTheOrionMystery,op.cit.

[113]Forexample,seeE.M.Antoniadi,L’AstronomieEgyptienne,Paris,1934,p.119.

[114]SeeTheOrionMystery,op.cit.,pp.97-104.

[115]Ibid.

[116]Ibid.,pages105-37.

[117]Ibid.

[118]Ibid.

[119]Ibid.,pp.179-96.

[120]SeeTheOrionMystery,op.cit.,p.192.

[121]Usingtherigorousformulaofprecessioncorrectedfornutation,aberrationofstarlight,propermotion(fromthemostrecentYaleBrightStarCatalog)andparallax,givescirca10,500BCastheepochthatOrion’sbeltreacheditslowestaltitude(9degrees25’measuredatthesouthmeridian,i.e.declination50degrees35’).

[122]Givingafullprecessionalcycleof25,920years.

[123]ForadetaileddiscussionseeGiorgiodeSantillanaandHerthavonDechend,Hamlet’sMill,Godine,Boston,1977.

[124]Ibid.,p.59.

[125]SeeFingerprintsoftheGods,op.cit.,pp.454-8.

[126]ForadiscussionseeJ.NormanLockyer,TheDawnofAstronomy,MITPress,1973,pp.60-1ff.

[127]FromHermetica,SirWalterScotttrans.,Shambhala,Boston,1993,AsclepiusIII:24b,p.341.

[128]FromtheeleventhdivisionoftheDuat,inthe‘BookofWhatisintheDuat’,SirE.A.WallisBudgetrans.,inTheEgyptianHeavenandHell,MartinHopkinson&Co,London,1925,p.240.

[129]Ibid.,thetwelfthdivisionoftheDuat,p.258.

[130]Ibid.,p.70.

[131]ForadiscussionseeTheOrionMystery,op.cit.,pp.179-84;FingerprintsoftheGods,op.cit.,p.380ff.

[132]Ibid.SeealsoE.A.WallisBudge,TheGodsoftheEgyptians,DoverPublicationsInc.,NewYork,1969.

[133]Thetraditionthatimportant‘records’werebroughttoEgypt‘aftertheflood’i.e.after10,000BC,goesbacktoatleastthethirdcenturyBC.Itisfound,forexample,inTheBookofSothis(commenteduponbytheByzantinehistorianGeorgiosSynecelluswholivedintheninthcenturyAD)andwhichsomescholarsattributetotheEgyptianscribe,Manetho(SeeGarthFowden,TheEgyptianHermes,PrincetonUniversityPress,NewJersey1993,pp.29-33).TheideaisalsoplantedintheKoreKosmou(ExcerptXXIIIoftheHermeticwritings)ofthefirstandsecondcenturyAD(SeeHermetica,op.cit.,p.461).IntheKoreKosmou(section8)thegoddessIsisclaimsthatThothdepositedinasecretplacethe‘sacredbooks’whichcontained‘thesecretthingsofOsiris...theseholysymbolsofthecosmicelements’andthencastaspellthatthesebooksshallremain‘unseenandundiscoveredbyallmenwhoshallgotoandfroontheplainsofthislanduntilthetimewhenHeaven,grownold,shallbegetorganisms[i.e.humans]worthyofyou...’

[134]2AndrewTomas,FromAtlantistoDiscovery,RobertHale,London1972,p.109.

[135]IbnAbdAlhokimandtheArabManuscriptsofIbnKhurradhbihandLohfat,citedbyJosephR.Jochmans,TheHallofRecords,unpublishedmanuscript,1985,p.174.SeealsoJohnGreaves,Pyramidographia,1646,translationfromtheArabicofIbnAlhokim.

[136]PeterTompkins,SecretsoftheGreatPyramid,AllenLane,1972,p.6.

[137]ThefamousWestcarPapyrusinthe(east)BerlinMuseumsuggeststhatasecretchamberorchamberswereconcealedinthe‘horizon’ofCheops—i.e.theallegedbuilderoftheGreatPyramid(SeeTheOrionMystery,op.cit.,Appendix3).Theterm‘Horizon’,however,couldmeaneithertheGreatPyramiditselforthewholenecropolisofGiza,thusincludingtheSphinx.Spell1080oftheCoffinTexts(c.2000BC)speaksofasecret‘sealedthing’belongingtoOsirisofRostau(Giza)andspell1087suggeststhatitwas‘writingmaterial’linkedtoHeliopolis(Djedu,the‘PillarCity’),andhiddensomewhereinthedesertsands.

[138]TheseCoptictraditionswererecordedbytheArabchroniclersAlQodai,AlMasudiandAlMaqrizi,citedinJochmans,TheHallofRecords,op.cit.,p.210.

[139]Theso-called‘OldCharges’ofFreemasonryspeakofacertainHermenes(obviouslyHermes,i.e.Thoth)whopreservedthe‘crafts’bycarvingtheirknowledgeonsacredpillarsorobelisks(seeFredL.PickandG.NormanKnight,ThePocketHistoryofFreemasonry,FrederickMullerLtd.,London1983,p.32).Itisgenerallyacceptedthatmuchofthe‘Egyptian’esotericstraininFreemasonry,Rosicrucianismand,toacertainextent,theTheosophists,comesfromtheso-calledHermeticTraditionthatdevelopedinEuropeinthelateItalianRenaissancebutdrewitssourcefromtheGreekandCoptictextsknownastheHermeticwritings(seeFrancesA.Yates,GiordanoBrunoandtheHermeticTradition,UniversityofChicagoPress,Chicago1991;alsoTheRosicrucianEnlightenment,ArkPaperbacks,London1986,p.212).

[140]HarmonHartzellBro,EdgarCayce:ASeerOutOfSeason,SignetBooks,NewYork1990,pp.43-4.Cayce’slife-longsecretarywasGladysDavis,describedas‘anattractivehoney-blonde’,whomCaycebelievedtobehis‘reincarnated’daughter,Iso,fromAtlanteantimes(Ibid.,p.245).

[141]EdgarEvansCayce,GailCayceSchwartzerandDouglasG.Richards,MysteriesofAtlantisRevisited:EdgarCayce’sWisdomfortheNewAge,Harper&Row,.SanFrancisco1988,p.xxi.

[142]Ibid.p.119.Wehavehadthepleasureofmeetingwiththeauthor,DouglasG.Richards,inJuly1995attheEdgarCayceFoundationinVirginiaBeach.

[143]Ibid.p.120.

[144]EdgarCayce‘Reading’ontheGreatPyramidNo.5748-6.This‘reading’wasgivenathishomeonArcticCrescent,VirginiaBeach,Va.,on1July1932at4.10p.m.EST.

[145]‘Reading’378-16.SeeMarkLehner,TheEgyptianHeritage:BasedontheEdgarCayceReadings,A.R.E.Press,VirginiaBeach1974,p.99.

[146]‘Reading’No.5748-6.TheEgyptianHeritage,op.cit.,p.119.

[147]‘Reading’No.294-151.SeeThomasSugrue,ThereisaRiver:ThestoryofEdgarCayce,A.R.E.Press,VirginiaBeach,1988,p.393.SeealsoHarmonHartzellBro,ASeerOutOfSeason,op.cit.,p.247.

[148]MarkLehner,TheEgyptianHeritage,op.cit.,p.92.SeealsoHarmonHartzellBro,ASeerOutOfSeason,op.cit.,p.133.

[149]EdgarEvansCayce,etc.,MysteriesofAtlantis,op.cit.,p.121.

[150]Ibid,p.131.

[151]ConfirmedbyDouglasG.Richards,inadocumentedconversationbytelephoneinSeptember1995(Richardsisco-authorwithEdgarEvansCayceandGailCayceSchwartzerofMysteriesofAtlantisRevisited,op.cit.).WhenwequestionedMarkLehnerdirectlyonthismatterherepliedinwriting(pp.1-2ofletterdated15October1995):‘IbelieveIprobablyamthe“scholar”inquestion.ItwasneverexpectedthattheoutcomeoftheECF’ssupportofmyYearAbroadatTheAmericanUniversityinCairowouldbethatIwouldbecomea“respectedEgyptologist”.ARE-affiliatedpeoplesupportedmystintinEgyptbecauseHughLynnCayceaskedthemto.NeitherhenorIweresurewhereitwouldlead.IthinkHughLynnhelpedmetogotoEgyptbecausewebothhadsomesenseofdestinyaboutitinlinewiththecommonNewAgenotionthatitwas“meanttobe”.’

[152]EdgarEvansCayce,etc.,Mysteries,op.cit.,p.131.Inhisletterof15October1995MarkLehnercommentedonourdrafttext,whichwassuppliedtohimwithoutfootnotes:‘Idonotknowthereferenceforyournote[20]butIsuspectthatratherthanaprospectuswrittenbeforeIwenttoEgyptasastudentatAUC,thissummarywaswritteninhindsightseveralyearslaterthan1973.’

[153]EdgarEvansCayce,etc.,Mysteries,op.cit.,p.132.

[154]MarkLehner,TheEgyptianHeritage,op.cit.,backcovertext.

[155]Ibid.,p.v.

[156]Inhislettertousof15October1995MarkLehnercommentedasfollows:‘NeitherInortheEdgarCayceFoundationhadanythingtodowiththefirsttwoseasonsoftheSRIprogrammeatthepyramidsandelsewhereinEgypt.Thisisnotclearinyourtext.TheSRI“ScienceandArchaeology”ProjectpickeduptheworkofAlvarezwhousedcosmicrays(beforeIarrivedinEgypt)toanalyzetheSecondPyramidforundiscoveredchambers.ImettheSRIteamin1977

aboutthetimetheydidpreliminaryresistivitymeasurementsontheSphinx.SRIwasinthebusinessoflookingforhiddenchambersatGizawellbeforeIortheEdgarCayceFoundationmetupwiththem.’

[157]L.T.Dolphin,E.Moussaet.al.,‘ApplicationsofModernSensingTechniquestoEgyptology’,MenloPark,Calif,SRIInternational,September1977.

[158]Ibid.SeealsoZahiHawass‘Update’toSirW.M.FlindersPetrie’sThePyramidsandTemplesofGizeh,HistoriesandMysteriesofManLtd.,London1990,p.102.

[159]EdgarEvansCayce,etc.,Mysteries,op.cit.,p.132.

[160]MarkLehner’slettertousof15October1995,p.3.

[161]CitedinJochmans,TheHallofRecords,op.cit.,p.22ia.Confirmedindocumentedtelephoneconversationwithprojectfinancier,16February1995.ConfirmedalsobyMarkLehnerinhislettertousdated15October1995,p.3.

[162]MarkLehner’slettertous,15October1995,p.3.

[163]Ibid.

[164]Ibid.

[165]Ibid.

[166]SeealsoPartIofthepresentworkforfurtherdetailsofMarkLehner’sARCEprojectontheSphinx.

[167]EdgarEvansCayce,etc.,Mysteries,op.cit.,pp.142-3.ThediscoveryofthegranitewasalsoconfirmedtousbyMarkLehnerinhisletter,op.cit.,p.4.

[168]VentureInward,May-June1986,p.57.

[169]Ibid.

[170]SeeAmericanResearchCenterinEgypt(ARCE)NewsletterNo.112,Fall1980,p.20(‘TheAmericanResearchCenterGratefullyacknowledgesthesupportoftheEdgarCayceFoundationfortheworkoftheSphinxProject’).SeealsoARCENewsletterNo.131,1985,p.44(MarkLehneroftheARCEwrote:‘Wewouldliketoacknowledgethefinancialsponsorshipof...BruceLudwigofTRWRealtyinLosAngeles...theEdgarCayceFoundation...JosephandUrsulaJahodaofAstronCorporationinFallsChurch,Va.,...MatthewMcCauleyofMcCauleyMusicinLosAngeles...’).Mr.ZahiHawass,UniversityofPennsylvania,isspecificallyacknowledgedasadvisorandassistanttotheproject‘andwelookforwardtocontinuedcollaboration’.TheEdgarCayceFoundationalsofunded(withUS$17,000)aprojectatGizain1983-4,whichinvolvedanattempttoapplyCarbon-14datingtothemortar(whichcontainscertainorganiccompounds)usedintheGreatPyramid.ThisprojectwasarrangedbyMarkLehnerthroughtheARCE’sdirector,Dr.RobertJ.Wenke.WehavemetJosephJahodaseveraltimesattheEdgarCayceFoundationinVirginiaBeachin1994-5(seebelow),andalsoMatthewMcCauleyonceattheMovenpickHotelinGiza,Cairo,withDr.MarkLehnerinMarch1995whileresearchingthisbook.

[171]EdgarEvansCayce,etc.,Mysteries,op.cit.,p.138.

[172]Smithsonian,vol.XVII,No.I,April1986.Inhislettertous,op.cit.,pp.4-5,MarkLehnercommented:‘BythetimeIstartedtheMappingProject,Caycesupportofmyworkwasphasingout.IstoppedacceptingtheirsupportafterthePyramidsRadiocarbonProject[seefootnote38aboveand44belowforfullerdetails]becausemyinterestsandtheirswerebecomingtoodivergent.Iwouldhavetocheckthedateoftheirlastcontribution,butiftheydidcontributetothemappingprojectitwasaveryminimalpercentageoftotalfinancialsupport.Theprimary

financialsponsorshavebeentheYaleEndowmentforEgyptology,BruceLudwigandDavidKoch.KochandLudwighavesupportedtheexcavationsthatwestartedin1988.’

[173]Archaeology,op.cit.,Sept-Oct1994,p.41.

[174]TheAREMagazine,VentureInward,‘TheSearchforRa-Ta’,byA.RobertSmith,January-February1985,p.7.

[175]Ibid.,p.6.

[176]TheEdgarCayceFoundationhadcommissionedandfundedaCarbon-14datingprojectoftheGizamonumentsdirectedbyMarkLehnerin1983-4.Apparentlysmallcharcoalsampleswereextractedfromtheancientmortarinthecore’sjoints.TheresultsgaveawiderangeofdatesfortheGreatPyramid—between3809BCto2853BC—whichisafewcenturiesearlierthanthec.2600BCdateassignedbyEgyptologists,butveryfarfromthe10,500BCdategivenintheCayceReadings.Althoughmanydoubtshavebeenraisedconcerningthevalidityoftheresults(seeVentureInwardissuesMay-June1986andNovember-December1986),this,andotherarchaeologicalevidenceMarkLehnercameacrossatGiza,appearstohaveunderminedhisbeliefsinCayce’sreadings.Forfurtherdetailsofthecarbon-datingseeAppendix5.

[177]VentureInward,May-June1986,p.56.

[178]Ibid.,p.57.

[179]Ibid.

[180]KMTMagazine,Springissue1995,p.4.

[181]Ibid.Inhislettertous,op.cit.,p.5,Lehnerelaborated:‘Iamhappythatmyprofessionalworkdevelopedoutofamorepersonalquest—callitwhatyouwill,philosophical,spiritual,ethical.RatherthanlookonlyforagreementwithnotionsIhadalreadyconceivedbeforecomingtoGiza—thatis,whatIwantedtobetrue—Ilookedforwaystotesttheseand,later,otherideasaboutancientEgyptianculturaldevelopment.IfoundfewresemblancesbetweenthephysicalevidenceandCayce-derivedideasofanearliercivilizationatGiza.ButIdidfindthepyramidstobeveryhumanmonuments.BecausethereissuchanabundanceofevidenceofrealpeopleandanEgyptiansocietybuildingtheSphinxandthePyramids,itseemsculturallychauvinistictoascribethesemonumentstoadifferent,convenientlylost,civilizationonthebasisof“revealed”informationandambiguouspatterns.Myworkisstillpartofalifelongquestformeaning.IwouldnotchangethepaththatledmetoGizaevenifIcould.’

[182]CharlesPiazziSmyth,OurInheritanceintheGreatPyramid,W.Isbister,London1880edition(reprintedrecentlybyBellPublishingCo.,NewYork1990underthetitleTheGreatPyramid).FortheconnectionofthePetrieswithPiazziSmyth,seeH.A.BruckandMaryBruck,ThePeripateticAstronomer:TheLifeofCharlesPiazziSmyth,AdamHilger,Bristol1988,pp.28,123-6,133-6.ItseemsWilliamMatthewFlindersPetrie’sfather,William,almostmarriedthedaughterofPiazziSmyth,Henrietta.Shewastomarryeventually,however,ProfessorBaden-Powell(thefatherofthefounderoftheBoyScouts).WilliamPetriewaslaterintroducedbyMrs.PiazziSmythtoAnneFlinders,whomhemarried—hencethenameFlindersPetrie.‘SoMrs.(Piazzi)Smyth,’wroteFlindersPetrie,‘wastheagentbywhomscoutingandEgyptianarchaeologytooktheirpresentform’(seeSeventyYearsinArchaeology,SampsonLow,Marston&Co.Ltd.,London,1931,p.4).

[183]AlAkhbarAlYomweeklyof8January1994,frontpagearticleentitled‘StealingofEgypt’sCivilization’.TranslationbyFouadNemahoftheofficialEgyptianTranslationBureau.

[184]MysteryoftheSphinxwasaMagicEyeNorthTowersProduction(ExecutiveProducer:BorisSaid;Producer:RobertWatts;DirectedbyBillCoteofBCVideoNY).

[185]Ibid.

[186]MarkLehner’sletter,op.cit.,p.5:‘Yes,thissoundslikethefinepeopleoftheCaycecommunity,someofthenicestandmostpositiveindividualsIhaveknown.’

[187]Asaresultofreceivingthisletter,whichclarifiedmanypoints,wewerepleasedtorevisethepresentchapterextensivelyintotheformthatappearsherewith.

[188]MarkLehner’sletter,op.cit.,p.1.

[189]CNNNewsreportsOctober1995;MiddleEastNewsAgency(MENA)25October1995.Attimeofwriting(November1995)ZahiHawassistheDirectoroftheGizanecropolisforEgypt’sSupremeCouncilofAntiquitiesandthushasoverallresponsibilityforallexcavationstakingplaceonthesite.

[190]RobertBauvalandAdrianGilbert,TheOrionMystery,op.cit.,Mandarinpaperbackedition,1995,epiloguepp.237-50.AlsodiscussedrecentlyinAmateurAstronomyandEarthSciences,‘OperationDixon’issue1,November1995(ChiefEditor:DaveGoode).

[191]InterviewedbyfilmmakerandproducerJochenBreitensteininLosAngelesinApril1993.FootageshownonSat.1,SpiegelReportage,15August1995(GantenbrinksReiseindasReichderPharaonen).

[192]TheTimes,London,28January1995,p.18.ArticlebySimonSeligman.

[193]Sat.1,SpiegelReportage,op.cit.,15August1995.

[194]PeterTompkins,SecretsoftheGreatPyramid,op.cit.,p.61.

[195]Where,aftersomedifficulty,wewereabletoarrangetoviewiton7November1995.

[196]BerndScheel,EgyptianMetalworkingandTools,ShireEgyptology,Bucks,1989,p.17.ForamoredetaileddiscussionseeA.Lucas,AncientEgyptianMaterialsandIndustries,Histories&MysteriesofManLtd.,London1989,pp.235-43.

[197]AveryinterestingdiscussionisfoundinZechariaSitchin,TheStairwaytoHeaven,AvonBooks,NewYork,1980,pp.253-79.

[198]JosephR.Jochmans,TheHallofRecords,op.cit.,pp.194-5.

[199]Ibid.,p.195.

[200]SeeZechariaSitchin,TheStairwaytoHeaven,op.cit.,p.266.

[201]Ibid.,pp.266,271-2,274.

[202]I.E.S.Edwards,ThePyramidsofEgypt,PelicanBooks,London,1949,pp.95-6.

[203]ColonelHowardVyse,OperationscarriedoutatthePyramidsofGizeh:WithanaccountofaVoyageintoUpperEgyptandAppendix,JamesFraserofRegentStreet,London1837,vol.1,p.275.

[204]Ibid.,p.276.

[205]Ibid.

[206]W.M.FlindersPetrie’sThePyramidsandTemplesofGizeh,LeadenhallPress,London,1883edition,pp.212-13.

[207]ElSayedElGayerandM.P.Jones,‘MetallurgicalInvestigationofanIronPlatefoundin1837intheGreatPyramidatGizeh,Egypt’inJournaloftheMetallurgySociety,Vol.XXIII(1989)pp.75-83.

[208]Ibid.SeealsoRobertG.Bauval,‘InvestigationontheoriginoftheBenbenStone:wasitan

ironmeteorite?’inDiscussionsinEgyptologyVol.XIV,1989,pp.5-17.

[209]ElSayedElGayerandM.P.Jones,op.cit.,p.82.

[210]Ibid.

[211]Ibid.

[212]Ibid.,p.123(lettertotheeditorofJHMStitled‘CommentontheIronPlatefromGizehpaper’).

[213]LettertoRobertBauvaldated2November1993,ref.EA/AJS/JAC.

[214]TheOrionMysteryop.cit.,Chapter3.

[215]Ibid.,Heinemannedition1994,pp.204-11.SeealsoaveryinterestingpublicationbySydneyAufrere,L’UniversMineraldanslapenseeEgyptienne,InstitutFrançaisD’ArchéologieOrientaleduCaire,pp.433-41.

[216]TheAncientEgyptianPyramidTexts,R.O.Faulknertrans.,OxfordUniversityPress,1969,lines1983-4.

[217]Ibid.,lines11-13.

[218]Ibid.,lines1713-17.

[219]Ibid.,lines820-2.

[220]Ibid.,line904.

[221]Ibid.,lines1014-16.

[222]Ibid.,line852.

[223]Ibid.,line907.

[224]Dr.ZahiHawasscallshim‘thefatherofmodernEgyptology’(seeZahiHawass‘Update’toSirW.M.FlindersPetrie’sThePyramidsandTemplesofGizeh,op.cit.,p.98;seealsoJeanVercoutter,TheSearchfurAncientEgypt,Thames&Hudson,London1992,pp.152-5).AgoodaccountofPetrie’sinvolvementwiththeGreatPyramidisgiveninPeterTompkins,SecretsoftheGreatPyramid,op.cit.,pp.96-107.

[225]CharlesPiazziSmyth,OurInheritanceintheGreatPyramid,op.cit.,pp.535-634.

[226]H.A.BruckandMaryBruck,ThePeripateticAstronomer,op.cit.,p.229.

[227]Ibid.,p.38.

[228]TheOrionMystery,op.cit.,Heinemannedition,1994,epilogue.AlsoseeCharlesPiazziSmyth,OurInheritance,op.cit.,pp.427-31.

[229]CharlesPiazziSmyth,OurInheritance,op.cit.,pp.427-31.

[230]Ibid.

[231]Ibid.

[232]NooneknewofthisattemptbytheDixonstoprobetheshaftswithanironroduntilRudolfGantenbrink,inearly1992,exploredthenorthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamberwitharobotmountedwithamini-videocamera.Therodstillliesthere,insidetheshaft,atabout8metresfromtheentranceandrunstothe‘corner’,some24metresuptheshaft.Gantenbrinkcouldnottakehisrobotroundthecornerbuthemanagedtosee,withthevideocamera,thatitrunsforafurthertwometresorsoandthenturnssharplybackontrack.Whatliesattheendisstill

unknown.

[233]TheDixons,whowereironstructuralcontractorsfromNewcastle,werebuildingabridgeacrosstheNilenearCairo.Theironrodtheyusedseemstohavebeenpurposemadetoprobetheshaft.Itwascutinlengthsofapproximately12feetthenassembledtogetherwithsleeve-jointsastherodwaspushedwithintheshaft.Itseemstohavebeenstuckattheupperend,forcingtheDixonstoabandonit.

[234]Nature,26December1872,p.147.

[235]LetterfromJohnDixontoPiazziSmythdated23November1872.

[236]TheGraphic,7December1872,p.530.AlsoNature,26December1872p.146.PiazziSmythmentionstheserelics,anddescribeshowtheywerefound,inhisbook,OurInheritance,op.cit.,andalsoreferstothearticlesinTheGraphicandinNatureinthe1874editionofhisbook,pp.155and364.

[237]Thelastmentionbeforetheyre-emergedin1993,asfarasweknow,wasinaletterwrittenbyacertainMr.E.H.Pringledated20June1873(seeNatureof31July1873,p.263).Itispossible,however,thatsomeotherpublicationmentionedtheminmorerecenttimes.

[238]AubreyNoakes,Cleopatra’sNeedles,H.F.&G.WitherbyLtd.,London,1962,p.16.

[239]Ibid.,pp.26-7.

[240]Ibid.,p.26.SeealsoMartinShort,InsidetheBrotherhood,GraftonBooks,London,1989,p.119.

[241]R.M.Hadley,‘TheLifeandWorksofSirErasmusWilson(1809-1884)’inMedicalHistoryjournal,Vol.III,1959,pp.215-47.

[242]Ibid.,p.238.

[243]FredL.PickandG.NormanKnight,ThePocketHistoryofFreemasonry,Muller,1977,pp.44-5.SeealsoFrancesA.Yates,TheRosicrucianEnlightenment,op.cit.,pp.193-205.

[244]IllustratedLondonNews,21September1878,p.286.

[245]Independent,London,6December1993.SeealsoMartinShort,InsidetheBrotherhood,op.cit.,p.120.

[246]LettertoRobertBauvaldated28October1993.

[247]Independent,6December1993,p.3.

[248]Independent,13December1993.

[249]BeaconsfieldAdvertiser(‘Roweruptsover“missing”relics’)12January1994,p.3.

[250]TelephoneconversationwithDr.I.E.S.Edwards.

[251]ThevideofilmswereshownattheBritishMuseumbyR.Gantenbrinkon22November1993.AlsoshownonSat.1,SpiegelReportage,op.cit.,on15August1995.

[252]J.P.GoidinandG.Dormion,Kheops:NouvelleEnquête,EditionsRecherchesurlesCivilisations,Paris,1986.SeealsoJeanVercoutter,TheSearchforAncientEgypt,op.cit.,p.195.

[253]JeanVercoutter,op.cit.

[254]ForamoredetaileddiscussionseeFingerprintsoftheGods,op.cit.,pp.320-3.Theshaftswereconcealedyet,inacuriousmanner,theirpositionwasobviousoncealogicalcorrelation

wasmadewiththoseintheKing’sChamberabove—asWaynmanDixonfinallydidin1872(seeI.E.S.Edwards,ThePyramidsofEgypt,op.cit.,1982edition,p.123).Oncetheopeningswerefound,thennaturalcuriositywouldurgeadeeperprobeintotheshafts.Dixon,infact,franticallyprobedinsidetheseshaftswithmetalrodsinthehopeoffindingrelicsora‘chamber’,buthistechnologywasnotyetsufficientlydevelopedto‘see’whathewasdoing.

[255]PresentedtotheGermanArchaeologicalInstituteinCairoanddatedMarch1991.

[256]ThiswastheoriginaltitlegiventothedocumentarymadebyRudolfGantenbrinkwhichwasbroadcastontheA&EchannelintheUSA(titlechangedtoTheGreatPyramid)on8January1995.AshortenedversionwasbroadcastinGermanyonSat.1on15August1995.

[257]Smithsonian,Vol.XVII,No.I,April1986.UliKappalsoassistedMarkLehnerintheGizaMappingProjectin1985(ARCENewsletter131,1985,p.44).

[258]Documentedinformationprovidedtoauthors.

[259]I.E.S.Edwards,ThePyramidsofEgypt,op.cit.,p.123.

[260]Documentedinformationprovidedtoauthors.

[261]AcuriousletterwasmailedbytheinspectorMuhammadShahytoRudolfGantenbrinkdated5August1993—i.e.fivemonthsafterthediscovery.Shahy(bettertransliteratedasSheeha)wrote:‘I’mintroublesnowbecauseofyourproject...Ishallfacequestioningsoon.’Theyounginspectorwasalsoworriedthathecouldnotwriteareportonthisprojectbecause‘thereisnoreferencehere’(thisletterwasshowntotheauthorsbyR.Gantenbrink).WehavebeenunabletomakecontactwithMr.MuhammadShahy.

[262]Thestatuewentmissingonthe19January1993,whenitwassupposedtobedisplayedtoPresidentMubarakandhisguest,Libya’sPresident,MuammarGaddafi,onatableneartheSphinx.ItmayhavebeenstolenbythesamesmugglinggangthatwasroundedupinMarch1995(seeTheTimesofLondon12and13March1995).

[263]DocumentedinformationfromR.GantenbrinkandJochenBreitenstein.

[264]Gantenbrinkhas,infact,enteredthehistorybooks.HisnameisfoundinI.E.S.Edwards,TheGreatPyramid,op.cit.,1993edition,p.151andalsoinvariouseducationmanualsontheGreatPyramid.Shouldamajorfindbemadewhenthe‘door’isopened—eventhough,asnowseemslikely,notbyhim—itwillbeentirelybecauseofhiseffortsandboldimagination.

[265]Allarticlesappearedbetween17and19April1993.

[266]Severalmajorinternationaljournals(Stern,DerSpiegel,etc.)alsopublishedarticlesandpictorials.

[267]NotpublishedinthepressbutmentionedinAncientSkiesmagazineNo.3/1993,17.Jahrgang,p.4.

[268]Reuterswire,Cairo16April1993.

[269]SundayTelegraph,1January1995.

[270]Ibid.

[271]Ibid.

[272]Ibid.

[273]Documentedconversationwiththeauthors.

[274]Ibid.

[275]ReportedtousbyR.GantenbrinkinSeptember1995.

[276]Sat.1,SpiegelReportage,15August1995.SeealsoLosAngelesTimes,30August1993.

[277]KoreKosmou(ExcerptXXIII-29)inHermetica,op.cit.p.473.

[278]Ibid,p.457.

[279]FromtheSecondDivisionoftheBookofWhatisintheDuat,E.A.WallisBudgetrans.,TheEgyptianHeavenandHell,MartinHopkinson&Co.Ltd.,London,1925,Vol.1,page41.SeealsoThirdDivision,ibid.,p.56.

[280]TheOrionMystery,op.cit.,1994edition,Chapter4.Therearethousandsofreferencesto‘stars’‘star-souls’,‘thesun-god’,‘thesky’,‘theMilkyWay’etc.,thatmakethePyramidTextsobviouscandidatesforaproperastronomicalinvestigationintotheircontentandhiddenmeaning.Theintenseconceptof‘time’—especiallythe‘time’ofthe‘skygods’andofacosmic‘Creation’—thatisfoundinthesetextsstronglysuggeststhatthescienceofprecessionisalsoanimportantfactortoapplyonsuchanesotericliterature.ThebesttranslationisgivenbyR.O.Faulkner,TheAncientEgyptianPyramidTexts,OUP,1969.

[281]GiorgiodeSantillanaandHerthavonDechend,Hamlet’sMill,op.cit.,p.132.

[282]Ibid,p.373.

[283]ForausefuldiscussionontheDuat,seeSelimHassan,ExcavationsatGiza,op.cit.,Cairo,1946,pp.276-319.

[284]AgreatdealofconfusionhasresultedfromafailuretounderstandthattheDuatisafixedlocationinthesky(obviouslyencompassingOrion,CanisMajor,TaurusandLeo)whichhasitscounterpartonthelandand,asthecasemaybe,underneaththeland.Accesstoitwasdeemedpossiblebyeitherascendingtotheskyorbygoingunderground.

[285]SelimHassan,ExcavationsatGiza,op.cit.,p.277.SeealsoTheOrionMystery,op.cit.,p.76.

[286]ExcavationsatGiza,op.cit.,p.277.

[287]Ibid.,pp.277-8.

[288]Ibid,p.279.

[289]Althoughtheiractualcompositionmaylongpre-datethethirdmillenniumBC.SeeTheOrionMystery,op.cit.,pp.69-70.

[290]Observationstationsmayhavebeenspreadinasortof‘triangle’extendingfromHeliopolis,MemphisandGiza.Itseemslikelythatthiswholeregionwassomehowconsideredtheoriginal‘landofthegods’,withitsepicentreatGiza.

[291]Theconjunctionofsummersolsticesunrise,therisingofSiriusandthestartofthefloodoccurredin3400BCandthroughouttheearlyPyramidAge,whenthePyramidTextsweremostcertainlycompiled.

[292]TheOrionMystery,op.cit.,pp.119-24.

[293]TheMilkyWayappearedrisingdueeastatthesummersolsticepre-dawnalongwithOrionandSiriusinthethirdmillenniumBC.

[294]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,lines343-57.

[295]Ibid.,line508andUtterance317.

[296]Ibid.,line1760.

[297]E.A.WallisBudge,TheEgyptianBookoftheDead,DoverPublicationsInc.,NewYork,1967,p.cxxiii.

[298]R.O.Faulkner,TheBookoftheDead,BritishMuseumPublications,London1972,p.90.AlsoseeR.O.Faulkner‘TheKing&theStar-ReligioninthePyramidTexts’inJournalofNearEasternStudies,1966,Vol.XXV,p.154footnote7.Dr.VirginiaLeeDavisalsomakesthelinkbetweentheMilkyWayandthe‘WindingWaterway’inArchaeoastronomy,Vol.IX,JHAxvi,1985,p.102.ThearcheoastronomerandEgyptologist,JaneB.Sellers,alsoarrivesatthesameconclusionasV.L.Davis(J.B.Sellers,TheDeathofGodsinAncientEgypt,PenguinBooks,London,1992,p.97).

[299]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,line2061.

[300]Ibid.,line1717.

[301]Ibid.,line882.

[302]R.T.RundleClark,MythandSymbolinAncientEgypt,Thames&Hudson,London,1978,pp.263-5.ClarkexplainshowthePharaoh’srolewastore-enactandcommemorateeventsthatwerebelievedtohavehappenedinablissfulgoldenagecalled‘TepZepi’[ZepTepi].

[303]Ibid.

[304]Ibidp.27.

[305]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,Utterance600.Herethe‘pyramids’arealsoplacedamidstthelandscapeof‘Creation’atthefirstsunriseoftheworld.

[306]R.T.RundleClark,MythandSymbol,op.cit.,page264.

[307]Ibid.

[308]HenriFrankfort,KingshipandtheGods,TheUniversityofChicagoPress,1978,pp.24-35.

[309]Hamlet’sMill,op.cit.,pp.86-7.

[310]BritishMuseumNo.498.TheShabakaStoneisfixedonthesouthwallofthegroundfloorofthe‘Egyptian’wing.Itmeasuressome135x92cm.(approx.4x3feet)andisbadlydamagedatthecentre—apparentlyduetoitbeingusedasagrindingmillstonebeforeitsdiscoverybyarchaeologists.Itcontains62columnsofhieroglyphicinscriptions.MiriamLichtheim,whogivesafulltranslation,wrotethat‘thelanguageisarchaicandresemblesthatofthePyramidTexts’(MiriamLichtheim,AncientEgyptianLiteratureVol.1:TheOldandMiddleKingdoms,UniversityofCaliforniaPress,LosAngeles,1975,pp.3-57).

[311]MiriamLichtheim,AncientEgyptianLiterature,op.cit.,Vol.1,p.52.AvariationtoOsiris’sdeathisthathewaskilledbyhisbrother,Seth,andhisbodycutintofourteenpieces.

[312]Ibid.AyanmusthavebeenasacredlocationimmediatelynorthofthecitywallsofMemphis.Itisthepresent-daylocationofthevillageofMitRahin.

[313]WhereAyanexistedthereremain,today,thevestigesofaruinedGraeco-RomanfortwhichmusthavebeenbuiltintheEgyptianstyle(asthebrokencolumnswhichstillcanbeseenthereattest)andwhich,curiouslyenough,isknownbythelocalsasthe‘prisonofJoseph’(theBiblicalpatriarchwhowaskeptinthe‘roundtower’byPharaoh—seeGenesis39:21).ItcanbereachedalongthenarrowcanalroadoppositeandnorthoftheMemphisMuseum.

[314]MiriamLichtheim,AncientEgyptianLiterature,op.cit.,Vol.1,p.53.

[315]About15kilometressouthoftheoutskirtsoftheMaadisuburbsofCairo.

[316]MiriamLichtheim,AncientEgyptianLiterature,op.cit.,Vol.1,p.53.

[317]E.A.WallisBudge,TheEgyptianHeavenandHell,op.cit.,Vol.III,p.131.

[318]I.E.S.Edwards,ThePyramidsofEgypt,op.cit.,1993edition,p.10.

[319]R.T.RundleClark,MythandSymbol,op.cit.,p.108.

[320]JamesH.Breasted,AncientRecordsofEgypt,PartII,Histories&MysteriesofManLtd.,London,1988,pp.320-4.

[321]Ibid.,p.323.Online7ofthestela.

[322]MiriamLichtheim,AncientEgyptianLiterature,op.cit.,Vol.1,p.53.

[323]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,line1717.

[324]OrionMystery,op.cit,1994edition,pp.116-19.

[325]SelimHassan,ExcavationsatGiza,op.cit.,pp.278,285.

[326]Ibid.,p.265.

[327]Ibid.

[328]Ibid.,pp.302,315.

[329]Ibid.,p.338.

[330]Ibid.,p.265.

[331]Ibid.

[332]Ibid.,p.263.

[333]Ibid.,p.265.

[334]Ibid.

[335]Ibid.

[336]Ibid.

[337]MarkLehner,TheEgyptianHeritage,op.cit.

[338]Ibid,p.119.

[339]J.B.Sellers,TheDeathofGodsinAncientEgypt,op.cit.,p.164.

[340]R.O.Faulkner,TheAncientEgyptianCoffinTexts,Aris&PhillipsLtd.,Wiltshire,Vol.III,p.132,Spell1035.

[341]Ibid.Vol.I,p.190,Spell241.

[342]Ibid.Vol.I,p.185,Spell236.

[343]J.B.Sellers,TheDeathofGods,op.cit.,pp.164-5.

[344]Ibid.

[345]TheOrionMystery,op.cit.,1994edition,pp.116-9.

[346]JamesH.Breasted,AncientRecords,op.cit.,PartII,pp.320-4.

[347]Innumeans‘pillar’thusHeliopoliswas,quiteliterally,the‘CityofthePillar’.AllthatcanbeseentheretodayisanobeliskofSesostrisI(12thDynastyc.1880BC)andafewremainsofatemple.

[348]I.E.S.Edwards,ThePyramidsofEgypt,op.cit.,1993edition,pp.284-6.

[349]Herodotus,TheHistories,BookII,2-8.SeePenguinClassicstranslation,1972,p.130.

[350]Aristotle,DeCaelo,II,12,2923.SeetranslationinR.A.SchwallerdeLubicz,SacredScience,InnerTraditionsInternational,NewYork1982,p.280.

[351]E.M.Antoniadi,L’AstronomieEgyptienne,Paris,1934,pp.3-4.

[352]DiodorusofSicily,TheLibraryofHistory,BookV,57andBookI,81.

[353]ProclusDiadochus,CommentariesontheTimaeus,IV.SeetranslationinR.A.SchwallerdeLubicz,SacredScience,op.cit.,p.286.

[354]TheOrionMystery,op.cit.,pp.182-4,287note7.

[355]R.T.RundleClark,MythandSymbolinAncientEgypt,op.cit.,pp.38-9.

[356]EdouardNaville,‘LenomduSphinxdanslelivredesmorts’inSphinx,Vol.V,188,p.193.

[357]EdouardNaville,‘LeSphinxIIPinSphinx,Vol.XXI,1924,p.13.

[358]Ibid.,p.12.

[359]Ibid.

[360]Ibid.

[361]EdouardNaville,‘LenomduSphinxdanslelivredesmorts’,op.cit.,p.195.

[362]SelimHassan,TheSphinx:ItsHistoryintheLightofRecentExcavations,GovernmentPress,Cairo,1949,p.129.

[363]Ibid.

[364]AspellfromtheancientEgyptianBookoftheDead,op.cit.

[365]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,lines2081-6.

[366]SelimHassan,TheSphinx,op.cit.,p.70,fig.13.SeeAlsoE.Navillein‘SphinxIII’,op.cit.,p.19.

[367]ZahiHawassandMarkLehner‘TheSphinx:Whobuiltit,andwhy?’inArchaeology,September-October1994,p.34.

[368]Ibid.

[369]GeorgeHart,ADictionaryofEgyptianGodsandGoddesses,Routledge&KeganPaul,London,1988,p.46.

[370]RosalieDavid,AncientEgyptianReligion,BeliefsandPractices,Routledge&KeganPaul,London,1982,p.46.

[371]Ibid.

[372]GeorgeHart,DictionaryofEgyptianGodsandGoddesses,op.cit.,p.94.Hartalsosaysthat‘theelement“Akhti”canbeadualformofthenoun“Akhet”,“Horizon”;theremaybeaplayonwordswhenthekingissaidtobegivenpoweroverthe“TwoHorizons”(i.e.eastandwest)asHorakhti’.

[373]QuotefromJaneB.Sellers,TheDeathofGods,op.cit.,p.89.Forfurtherdetails,seeHermannKees,AncientEgypt:ACulturalTopography,UniversityofChicagoPress,1977.

[374]Oftensittingdownonathrone,holdingtheroyalstaff.

[375]GeorgeHart,Dictionary,op.cit.,p.94.

[376]LewisSpence,Egypt,BrackenBooks,Myths&LegendsSeries,London1986,p.291.

[377]SelimHassan,TheSphinx,op.cit.,p.94.

[378]EgyptExplorationSocietyReport,FirstGeneralMeeting,1883,p.8.

[379]Ibid.

[380]AhmedFakhry,ThePyramids,UniversityofChicagoPress,1961,p.164.SeePyramidTexts,op.cit.,lines1085,926.SeealsoE.A.WallisBudge,AnEgyptianHieroglyphicDictionary,DoverPublicationsInc.,NewYork,1978,Vol.I,p.500b.

[381]SelimHassan,ExcavationsatGiza,op.cit.,figs.18,39,40,41,46,66.

[382]SelimHassan,TheSphinx,op.cit.,p.76.

[383]Ibid.

[384]JamesH.Breasted,AncientRecords,op.cit.,PartII,pp.320-4.

[385]Ibid.

[386]LewisSpence,Egypt,op.cit.,p.158.

[387]Ibid.

[388]SelimHassan,TheSphinx,op.cit.,p.104.

[389]LewisSpence,Egypt,op.cit.,p.157.

[390]E.A.WallisBudge,AnEgyptianHieroglyphicDictionary,op.cit.,Vol.I,pp.418b,500b,501b.

[391]LewisSpence,Egypt,op.cit.,p.84.

[392]AhmedFakhry,ThePyramids,op.cit.,p.164.

[393]Ibid.

[394]J.Malek,IntheShadowofthePyramids,Orbis,London1986,p.10.

[395]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,p.323.

[396]GeorgeHart,DictionaryofEgyptianGodsandGoddesses,op.cit.,p.88.

[397]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,lines525-7.

[398]Ibid.,lines928-9.

[399]Ibid.,lines352-3.

[400]Ibid.,lines928-9.

[401]Ibid.,line1961.

[402]Ibid.,line820.

[403]Ibid.,line151.

[404]Ibid.,lines927-30.

[405]Ibid.,line458.

[406]Ibid.,line965.

[407]E.C.Krupp,InSearchofAncientAstronomies,Chatto&Windus,1980,pp.186-90.Kruppwrote:‘TheNile,withitsannualflooding,madecivilisationpossibleinEgypt...evenmorecompellingwasthefactthattheheliacallyrisingSirius(thedawnrising)andtherisingoftheNilecoincided,approximately,withthesummersolstice.’Interestingly,PyramidTextslines1131and1172speakofthe‘GreatFlood’whichisintheskyasseenintheeastoftheskyatdawn.Thismatchestheactualcelestialpictureinc.2800-2500BC,whentheMilkyWaywouldrisedueeastonthepre-dawnofthesummersolstice.

[408]PyramidTexts,lines360-3.

[409]Ibid.,line2047.

[410]Ibid.,lines1131-2.

[411]Ibid.,line362.

[412]R.T.RundleClark,MythandSymbolinAncientEgypt,op.cit.

[413]Ibid.,p.121.

[414]Ibid.,pp.121-2.

[415]Ibid.,p.122.

[416]E.A.WallisBudge,TheLiteratureofFuneralOfferings,KeganPaulLtd.,London,1909,p.2.

[417]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,lines1703,1710-20.

[418]Ibid.,line1730.

[419]Ibid.,line1860.

[420]R.A.SchwallerdeLubicz,SacredScience,op.cit.,p.175.

[421]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,line632.SeealsoTheOrionMystery,op.cit.,pp.132,136.

[422]TheOrionMystery,op.cit.,pp.220-5.

[423]O.NeugebauerandR.Parker,EgyptianAstronomicalTexts,BrownUniversityPress,LundHumphries,London,1964,Vol.I,p.70.ForasummarizeddiscussionseeTheOrionMystery,op.cit.,Appendix4.

[424]Ibid.

[425]Ibid.Thefirstrisingofastarafteraprolongedperiodofinvisibilityisatdawn,aboutonehourbeforesunrise.SiriushasitsheliacalrisingtodayinearlyAugust.Inc.3000BCthisoccurredinlateJune.The‘shift’fromafixedpointsuchasthesummersolsticeisaboutsevendayseverymillennium.SeeR.A.SchwallerdeLubicz,SacredScience,op.cit.,p.175.

[426]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,Utterances606,609.

[427]TheeclipticpassesafewdegreesnorthoftheHyadesandthusjust‘west’oronthe‘right’bankoftheMilkyWayasviewedatthemeridian.Inc.2500BCthevernalpointwouldhavebeenlocatedthere.

[428]Dr.VirginiaLeeDavisseemstobeconvincedaboutthisinArchaeoastronomy,Vol.IX,JHAxvi,1985,p.102.SoisthearcheoastronomerandEgyptologist,JaneB.Sellers,inDeathofGods,op.cit.,p.97.

[429]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,line2172.

[430]Ibid.,line2045.

[431]Ibid.,lines1704-7.

[432]Ibid.,line1541.

[433]Ibid.,line1345.

[434]Ibid.,lines343-6.

[435]Ibid.,lines525-7.

[436]Ibid.,lines928-9.

[437]AmongallmodernEgyptologistsitisonlySchwallerdeLubicz,asfarasweknow,whorealizedtheimmenseimplicationsofthestellar-solarconjunctioninLeoduringthePyramidAge—aconjunctionthatcouldhardlyhavegoneunnoticedbytheancientssinceitoccurrednotonlyatthesummersolsticebutalsoattheheliacalrisingofSirius.Lubiczwrote:‘ItissignificantalsothattraditionhadalreadyrelatedtheheliacalrisingofSiriuswiththebeginningoftheNile’sfloodingandwiththeconstellationofLeo;indeedsincethefoundationofthecalendartothebeginningofourera,inEgyptthesunwasalwayssituatedintheconstellationofLeoatthedateoftheheliacalrisingofLeo’(SacredScience,op.cit.,p.176).ThetraditionwhichSchwallerisalludingtoisalsoconfirmedbyseveralGreekandRomanchroniclerswhopassedthroughEgyptinancienttimes.Harpollon,forexample,whovisitedEgyptinthefifthcentury,commentedthat:‘LionswereasymboloftheinundationinconsequenceoftheNilerisingmoreabundantlywhenthesunwasinLeo.Thosewhoancientlypresidedoversacredworksmadethewaterspoutsandpassagesoffountainsintheformoflions...’(HarpollonBookI,21).ThesameisstatedbyPlutarch,whocametoEgyptinthefirstcenturyAD.PlutarchisdistinguishedforbeingtheonlyscholarinantiquitytohavecompiledafullcoherentaccountoftheOsirisandIsismyth.HeheldahighpositionasamagistrateinBoeotiaandalsobelongedtothepriesthoodofDelphi.InaboutAD50hecompiledhiscelebratedDehideetOsiride(OnhisandOsiris)afterconsultingEgyptianpriestsinEgypt,whoalsotoldhimoftheastralritualsofthesummersolstice:‘Ofthestars,theEgyptiansthinkthatSirius,theDogStar,isthestarofIsis,becauseitisthebringerofwater[i.e.theNile’sflood].Theyalsoholdthelioninhonour,andtheyadornthedoorwaysoftheirshrineswithgapinglions’heads,becausetheNileoverflows“whenforthefirsttimetheSuncomesinconjunctionwith[theconstellation]ofLeo”...’(seequoteinR.A.SchwallerdeLubicz,SacredScience,op.cit.,p.91).

[438]RichardH.Allen,StarNames:TheirLoreandMeaning,DoverPublicationsInc.,NewYork,1963,pp.255-6.ItisthebrighteststarinLeo,aconstellationknownasthe‘DomiciliumSolis’(‘HouseoftheSun’).Allenmakesthiscuriouscommentbutgivesnoreference:‘Thegreatandrosphinx[ofGiza]issaidtohavebeensculpturedwithLeo’sbodyandtheheadoftheadjacentVirgo...’(ibid.,p.253).

[439]Memphis.

[440]Forafulldiscussiononthe‘solarboats’seeSelimHassan,ExcavationsatGiza,op.cit.,pp.1-156.Therearevariousboat‘pits’atGiza,twoofwhichcontainedactualboats(onefullyassembledinamuseumsouthoftheGreatPyramid).RudolfGantenbrinkhasremarkedthatthesize(andshape)oftheGrandGalleryintheGreatPyramidwouldbeanidealstoreforsuchaboat.

[441]ProbablysomewherewithintheSphinxTemple.Thisideawas,infact,suggestedbytheGermanEgyptologist,AdolfErman,whowrote:‘Ro-setau,thegateoftheways,leddirecttotheunderworld.Itispossiblethatpartofthisshrinehassurvivedintheso-calledtempleoftheSphinx...’(AHandbookofEgyptianReligion,ArchibaldConstable&Co.Ltd.,1907,p.15).

[442]R.O.Faulkner,TheAncientEgyptianCoffinTexts,op.cit.,Vol.III,p.132,Spell1035.

[443]Ibid.,p.109.

[444]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,lines1128-34.

[445]Ibid.,lines924-5.

[446]Ibid.,line1328.

[447]Ibid.,line1657.

[448]SeventhDivision,BookofWhatisintheDuat,E.A.WallisBudgetrans.,EgyptianHeavenandHell,op.cit.,Vol.I,p.143.

[449]RobinCook,ThePyramidsofGiza,op.cit.,p.42.

[450]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,lines1710-18.

[451]E.A.WallisBudge,AnEgyptianHieroglyphicDictionary,op.cit.,Vol.I,p.580a.

[452]SelimHassan,ExcavationsatGiza,op.cit.,p.184.

[453]E.A.WallisBudge,Dictionary,op.cit.,Vol.I,p.579b.

[454]SelimHassan,ExcavationsatGiza,op.cit.,p.184.

[455]AdolfErman,AHandbookofEgyptianReligion,op.cit.,1907,p.15.

[456]CoffinTexts,op.cit.,Vol.III,p.134.

[457]I.E.S.Edwards,ThePyramidsofEgypt,op.cit.,1993edition,p.286.

[458]ThecausewayofthePyramidofUnasatSaqqarahasasmallpartoftheoriginalroofontheceilingofwhicharecarvedfive-pointedstars.Theceilingwaspaintedblueandthestarsprobablygoldoryellow.

[459]JeanKerisel(LaGrandePyramideetsesDerniersSecrets,scheduledforpublication1996)discussesthismatteratlength.Thetableisabout10metresbelowthefloor-leveloftheSphinxenclosure.

[460]KeriselappearedontheBBCdocumentary,TheGreatPyramid:GatewaytotheStars,shownon6February1994.

[461]JeanKerisel,LaGrandePyramide,op.cit.,pp.196-8.

[462]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,lines1195-9.

[463]The‘HeraldoftheYear’mentionedinthePyramidTextsimpliesthestarSiriuswhichfollowsOrion.Thelatter,bynecessity,mustbenearthe‘FieldofOfferings’.

[464]Seefig.11inR.A.SchwallerdeLubicz,SacredScience,op.cit.,p.97.Seealsovariousdiagramsofso-called‘Sphinxstelae’showninSelimHassan,TheSphinx,op.cit.

[465]KeriselhasrecentlyobtainedascientificlicencefromtheEgyptianAntiquitiesDepartmenttoexplorethesubterraneanchamberoftheGreatPyramidandtestahunchhe’shadformanyyearsthatsomewhereunderthechamberisanaccesstoahiddenchamberitselfconnected,perhaps,bytunnelwiththevalleyoreventheSphinxarea.InJuly1995Keriselmanagedtouseahigh-precisiondrilltomaketinyboreholesintothewallofthehorizontalpassagewaythatleadstothechamberbutsofarnothinghasbeenfound.

[466]RobertBauval,‘TheSeedingofthestar-gods:AfertilityritualinsideCheops’sPyramid?’inDiscussionsInEgyptology,Vol.XVI,1990,pp.21-9.

[467]TheOrionMystery,op.cit.,p.221.The‘ritual’wasgraphicallyrecreatedintheBBC

documentaryTheGreatPyramid:GatewaytotheStars,showninFebruaryandSeptember1994.

[468]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,line632.

[469]E.A.WallisBudge,Dictionary,op.cit.,Vol.II,p.654b.

[470]SmithsonianContributionstoAstrophysics,Vol.X,No.2,5000and10,000YearStarCatalogs,byGeraldS.HawkinsandShoshanaK.Rosenthal,Washington,DC,1967,p.154.For2500BCthedeclinationforRegulusisgivenas+24.1degrees.Thusforlatitude30degreestherisingpointwouldbeverycloseto28degrees.Thesun’sdeclinationatthesummersolsticeinc.2500BCwasverynearthispoint,at23.98degrees.Sincetheapparentangularwidthofthesunisabout0.5degrees,bothRegulusandthesunwouldhaveoccupiedthesame‘place’intheeasternhorizonatthesummersolsticeinc.2500BC.

[471]JamesH.Breasted,AncientRecords,op.cit.,PartII,pp.321-2.

[472]‘EgyptiansoftheNewKingdomwere...inthedarkconcerningit[theSphinx]anditisextremelydoubtfulifthereeverwasasinglepersonlivinginEgyptatthisperiod,whoknewasmuchofthetruehistoryoftheSphinxaswedoto-day...’(SelimHassan,TheSphinx,op.cit.,p.75).

[473]JamesH.Breasted,AncientRecords,op.cit.,PartII,p.323.

[474]T.G.H.James,AnIntroductiontoAncientEgypt,BritishMuseumPublicationsLtd.,1987,p.37.

[475]Ibid.,p.38.

[476]BostonGlobe,op.cit.,23October1991.

[477]LabibHabachi,TheObelisksofEgypt,TheAmericanUniversityPress,Cairo,1988,p.40.

[478]Ibid.

[479]NicholasGrimal,AHistoryofAncientEgypt,Blackwell,Oxford,1992,p.12.

[480]Ibid.

[481]W.B.Emery,ArchaicEgypt,Penguin,London,1987,p.23.

[482]MichaelA.Hoffman,EgyptBeforethePharaohs,MichaelO’MaraBooksLtd.,London,1991,p.12.

[483]Ibid.

[484]W.B.Emery,ArchaicEgypt,op.cit.,p.32ff.

[485]CambridgeAncientHistory,VolumeI,p.250.

[486]HenriFrankfort,KingshipandtheGods,UniversityofChicagoPress,1978,p.90.

[487]I.E.S.Edwards,ThePyramidsofEgypt,op.cit.,1993edition,p.286:‘ThehighpriestofthecentreofthesuncultatHeliopolisborethetitle“ChiefoftheAstronomers”andwasrepresentedwearingamantleadornedwithstars.’

[488]GiorgiodeSantillanaandHerthavonDechend,Hamlet’sMill,op.cit.,p.58.

[489]SeeforexampleC.W.Ceram,Gods,GravesandScholars,BookClubAssociates,London,1971,p.26ff.

[490]SeeSarvaDamanSingh,AncientIndianWarfare,MotilalBanarsidass,Delhi,1989,p.7ff.

[491]LabibHabachi,TheObelisksofEgypt,op.cit.,p.39.

[492]Ibid.

[493]Citedinibid.,pp.39-40.

[494]ForadetaileddiscussionseeE.A.E.Reymond,TheMythicalOriginoftheEgyptianTemple,ManchesterUniversityPress,BarnesandNobleInc.,NewYork,1969.

[495]JohnAnthonyWest,Traveller’sKeytoAncientEgypt,op.cit.,p.412.

[496]E.A.E.Reymond,MythicalOriginoftheEgyptianTemple,op.cit.,p.4.

[497]Ibid.

[498]Ibid.,p.8ff.

[499]LettertoRobertBauvaldated27January1993:‘Ibelieveit[themound]representedtheprimaevalmoundonwhichlifefirstappeared.’

[500]E.A.E.Reymond,MythicalOriginoftheEgyptianTemple,op.cit.,pp.28,39,46,48,etc.,etc.

[501]Ibid.,p.42.

[502]Ibid.,p.41.

[503]Ibid.,p.44.

[504]Ibid.,pp.27and31.

[505]JeremyBlackandAnthonyGreen,Gods,DemonsandSymbolsofAncientMesopotamia,BritishMuseumPress,London,1992,pp.163-4.

[506]DonaldA.Mackenzie,MythsandLegendsofIndia,TheMysticPress,London,1987,p.141ff;VeronicaIons,IndianMythology,Hamlyn,London,1983,pp.120-1.

[507]E.A.E.Reymond,MythicalOriginoftheEgyptianTemple,op.cit.,pp.106-7.

[508]Ibid.,p.55.

[509]Ibid.,p.90.

[510]Ibid.,p.113.

[511]Ibid.,pp.109and127.

[512]Ibid.,p.77.

[513]Ibid.,p.112.

[514]Ibid.,p.273.

[515]CitedinR.A.SchwallerdeLubicz,SacredScience,op.cit.,pp.103-4.SeealsoHenriFrankfort,KingshipandtheGods,op.cit.,p.90.

[516]E.A.E.Reymond,MythicalOriginoftheEgyptianTemple,op.cit.,p.59.

[517]R.T.RundleClark,MythandSymbolinAncientEgypt,op.cit.,p.37.

[518]P.demBerlin,13603.FortheancienttraditionsassertingthatHeliopoliswasoriginallyfoundedinremotepre-DynastictimesseeJ.NormanLockyer,TheDawnofAstronomy,op.cit.,p.74.

[519]E.A.E.Reymond,MythicalOriginoftheEgyptianTemple,op.cit.,p.122.

[520]Ibid,pp.121-2.

[521]MargaretBunson,TheEncyclopaediaofAncientEgypt,NewYork,Oxford,1991,p.110.

[522]Ibid.,p.45.

[523]E.A.WallisBudge,AnEgyptianHieroglyphicDictionary,op.cit.,Vol.II,p.958.

[524]FlindersPetrie,RoyalTombsII,Pl.v,3,citedinE.A.EReymond,MythicalOriginoftheEgyptianTemple,p.136.

[525]E.A.E.Reymond,MythicalOriginoftheEgyptianTemple,op.cit.,p.257.Seealsop.262.

[526]Ibid.,p.262.

[527]Ibid.,p.114;seealsoR.T.RundleClark,MythandSymbol,op.cit.,p.37ff.

[528]EncyclopaediaBritannica,9:393.

[529]TheOrionMystery,op.cit.,p.188.

[530]Ibid.,p.17.

[531]Ibid.,pp.203-4.

[532]Ibid.,p.17.

[533]R.T.RundleClark,TheLegendofthePhoenix,UniversityofBirminghamPress,1949,p.17.

[534]TheOrionMystery,op.cit.,p.212ff.

[535]R.T.RundleClark,MythandSymbol,op.cit.,p.246.

[536]RobertK.G.Temple,TheSiriusMystery,DestinyBooks,Rochester,Vt.,1987,p.186.

[537]E.A.WallisBudge,HieroglyphicDictionary,op.cit.,Vol.II,pp.828-32.

[538]Ibid.,Vol.I,p.11b.

[539]MarkLehner,TheEgyptianHeritage,op.cit.,p.119.

[540]E.A.WallisBudge,HieroglyphicDictionary,op.cit.,p.11b.

[541]SeeforexampleW.B.Emery,ArchaicEgypt,op.cit.,p.22.

[542]Manetho,W.G.Waddelltrans.,Heinemann,London,1940,p.3,note1.

[543]R.A.SchwallerdeLubicz,SacredScience,op.cit.,p.86;LucyLamy,EgyptianMysteries,Thames&Hudson,London,1986,pp.68-9;JaneB.Sellers,TheDeathofGodsinAncientEgypt,op.cit.,p.94.

[544]SacredScience,op.cit.,p.86.

[545]Ibid.

[546]JaneB.Sellers,TheDeathofGods,op.cit.,p.94.

[547]E.A.WallisBudge,HieroglyphicDictionary,op.cit.,Vol.I,pp.22-3.

[548]Ibid.

[549]SacredScience,op.cit.

[550]HenriFrankfort,KingshipandtheGods,op.cit.,p.93.

[551]LaterknownasButoandHierakonpolisrespectively.

[552]Frankfort,Kingship,op.cit.,p.94.

[553]Ibid.

[554]TheAncientEgyptianPyramidTexts,R.O.Faulkner,trans.,op.cit.,lines478and1717,pp.94and253respectively;Frankfort,Kingship,op.cit.,pp.93-5;R.T.RundleClark,MythandSymbol,op.cit.,pp.122-3.

[555]E.A.E.Reymond,MythicalOriginoftheEgyptianTemple,op.cit.,p.122.

[556]JohnAnthonyWest,SerpentintheSky,op.cit.,p.1.

[557]Manetho,op.cit.,p.xi.

[558]Ibid,p.3.

[559]Ibid,p.5.

[560]Ibid,p.15.

[561]Ibid,p.227.

[562]DiodorusSiculus,C.H.Oldfathertrans.HarvardUniversityPress,1989,Vol.I,p.157.

[563]R.A.SchwallerdeLubicz,SacredScience,op.cit.,p.111.

[564]Skyglobe3.6.

[565]TheOrionMystery,op.cit,p.140ff.

[566]TheOrionMystery,op.cit,pp.29and281,note1.Detailsareasfollows:Sneferu,about9milliontons(twoPyramidsatDahshur)plusthreeGizaPyramids(about15milliontons)plusAbuRoashandZawayatAlAryan(about1milliontons)=25milliontons,i.e.about75percentofthetotalvolumeof‘PyramidAge’Pyramids(estimatedataround30milliontons).

[567]SeeforexampleAhmedFakhry,ThePyramids,op.cit.

[568]Hermetica,op.cit,AsclepiusIII,24b,p.341.

[569]Ibid,25,p.343.

[570]SeeinparticularChapter4.

[571]PyramidTexts,op.cit.Utterances471-3,pp.160-1.

[572]T.G.H.James,IntroductiontoAncientEgypt,op.cit,p.41.

[573]Ibid.

[574]SeediscussioninW.B.Emery,ArchaicEgypt,op.cit,p.42ff.

[575]TheAgeoftheGodKings,Time-Life,1987,p.56ff.

[576]SeediscussioninW.B.Emery,ArchaicEgypt,op.cit,p.42ff.

[577]Evenhisnameisputintodoubt.AccordingtoDr.JaromirMalek,forexample,thenameofMenes‘couldbecompletelyfictitiousandbasedonaword-playwhichwasmisunderstoodasaroyalnamebythelatercompilersofking-lists’(JaromirMalek,IntheShadowofthePyramids,Orbis,London,1986,p.29).Asforhisothername,Narmer,this,too,isplaguedwithconfusionanddoubt.Ontheso-calledvotivemace-headsandpalettesfoundatHierakonpolisthereisshowntheimageofachieftainor‘king’andonthefrontofhisfaceareshowncertainhieroglyphicsigns,insomecasesformingthesyllables‘Nar-Mer’andinothersshowingascorpion.ThishasledEgyptologiststoconcludethattheMenesoftheking-listsisthisNarmeror‘KingScorpion’(ibid.,pp.28-9).Toovercometheobviousconfusionofhavingthispresumed

‘lastkingofPredynasticEgypt’bearingthreenames,Egyptologistshavearrivedattheunsatisfactoryconclusionthatthename‘KingScorpion’onthevotivemace-head‘isalmostcertainlywrong’andthatitmustberegardedassomesortof‘largeceremonialimage’.Consequently‘ifKing“Scorpion”isthusrefuted,’proposedDr.Malek,then‘thelikeliestcandidateforidentificationwiththefigureonthemace-headisNarmer’(ibid.,p.29).

[578]W.A.FairservisJr.,‘ARevisedViewoftheNarmerPalette’,inJournaloftheAmericanResearchCenterinEgypt,XXVIII,1991,pp.1-20.

[579]JaneB.Sellers,TheDeathofGodsinAncientEgypt,op.cit.,pp.93-4.

[580]Ibid.,p.90.

[581]Ibid.,p.94.

[582]HenriFrankfort,KingshipandtheGods,op.cit.,pp.18-19.

[583]Ibid.,p.33.

[584]Ibid.,p.vi.

[585]Sellers,DeathofGods,op.cit.,p.93.

[586]Ibid.,pp.93ff,115ffand192ff.HavingdeterminedthattheancientEgyptiansmadeuseofthephenomenonofprecession,Sellersthenfocused,totheexclusionofallelse,ontheideathattheancientsweretrackingtheheliacalrisingofOrionatthespringequinox.Withthisinmindshebasedallherobservationsintheeasternhorizonatthetimeofthespringequinox.Thisledhertomakeprecessionalcalculationswhichbracketedthe‘GoldenAge’between7300BCand6700BC,thetwoepochsmarkingthebeginningandendofOrion’sheliacalrisingwiththespringequinox(e.g.pp.28and43).AlthoughthecoreofherthesisthatthekeytotheancientmysteryistobefoundinthetrackingofOrion’sprecessionaldriftisspoton,herconclusionthatthemeasurementsaretobemadeattherisingintheeastofOrionatthespringequinoxisacuriouserrorofjudgement.ForwhatismostsurprisingaboutSellers’sanalyticalapproachisthat,whileshecorrectlyputsalltheemphasisofherthesisonOrionanditsprecessionaldrift,shemakesabsolutelynoreferencetothemostobviousastronomical‘Orionmarker’inancientEgypt:the‘Orion’star-shaftintheGreatPyramid.Indeed,SellerscompletelyignoresthePyramidsoranyotherstructureinEgypt,andinsteadcentresherattentiononlyonthetextualmaterial.ThefactisthatthePyramidbuildersandthecompilersofthePyramidTextswerenottrackingOrionintheeasternhorizonbuthighinthesouthernskies,atthemeridian.

[587]Precessionalcalculationsshowthatweliveintheastronomical‘LastTime’ofOrion,withthebeltstarsinourepochapproachingthehighestaltitudeatthemeridianthattheywilleverattainintheirprecessionalcycle.

[588]GiorgiodeSantillanaandHerthavonDechend,Hamlet’sMill,op.cit.,p.11.

[589]MiriamLichtheim,AncientEgyptianLiterature,Vol.I:TheOldandMiddleKingdoms,p.52.

[590]Ibid.,pp.52-3.

[591]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,lines1256-7,p.200.

[592]Ibid.,1278,p.202.

[593]ForabriefreviewseeBunson,TheEncyclopaediaofAncientEgypt,op.cit.,p.130.

[594]Ibid.

[595]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,1657,p.247.

[596]Ibid.,Utterance610,p.253.

[597]Ibid.,lines2180-1,p.305.

[598]Ibid.,lines882-3,p.155.

[599]Sellers,DeathofGods,op.cit.,pp.90-3.

[600]SelimHassan,ExcavationsatGiza,op.cit.,pp.194ff.

[601]Pap.Louvre3292.

[602]Ibid.,andseeExcavationsatGiza,op.cit.,p.194.

[603]ExcavationsatGiza,op.cit.,p.195.

[604]ThefollowingpointmadebyE.A.E.ReymondinTheMythicalOriginoftheEgyptianTemple,op.cit.,p.57,isofobviousrelevance.ReferringtothecontentofPapyrusdem.Berlin13603henotes:‘Heliopoliswasregardedasthecentreofcreation.TheprimordialaspectofHeliopolisisnotdescribed;however,thereisaclearallusiontothetheoryaccordingtowhichHeliopolisexistedbeforetheEarthwascreated.FromtheprimaevalHeliopolis,soitisexplainedinourtext,theEarth-GodcreatedtheEarth,whichreceivedthenameMn-nfr,Memphis.’

[605]TheAncientEgyptianCoffinTexts,R.O.Faulknertrans.,Aris&Phillips,Warminster,Vol.III,Spell1065.

[606]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,Utterance477,p.164.

[607]Hassan,ExcavationsatGiza,op.cit.,p.198.

[608]Itisthis‘language’—agreat,archaic,world-widesystem—thatistheprincipalfocusofGiorgiodeSantillana’sandHerthavonDechend’sground-breakingstudyHamlet’sMill,op.cit.

[609]Lichtheim,AncientEgyptianLiterature,op.cit.,Vol.I,pp.55-6.

[610]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,lines1716-17,p.253.

[611]Ibid.,lines1256-61,p.200.

[612]Ibid.,798-803,p.144.

[613]See,forexample,LewisSpence,AncientEgyptianMythsandLegends,DoverPublications,NewYork,1990,p.106.

[614]CoffinTexts,op.cit.,Spell1035,Vol.III,p.132.Interestingly,theSpelldirectlylinkstheacquisitionofknowledgeconcerningpastandformerskiestothedesiredattainmentofimmortallifeandexistence:‘Asforhimwhodoesnotknowthisspell,heshallbetakenintotheinflictionofthedead...asonewhoisnon-existent...’

[615]Sellers,DeathofGods,op.cit.,p.192.

[616]Ibid.,p.193.

[617]Ibid.

[618]ForafullerdiscussionseeFingerprintsoftheGods,op.cit.,pp.256ff.

[619]Ibid.,andseeSellers,DeathofGods,op.cit.,p.193.

[620]Ibid.,andseeSellers,DeathofGods,op.cit.,pp.192-209.

[621]AspointedoutinChapter10,theEgyptianroyalcubitmeasures20.6inches.

[622]MaryBruck,‘CantheGreatPyramidbeAstronomicallyDated?’,mJournaloftheBritish

AstronomicalAssociation,105,4,1995,p.163.

[623]Ibid.,p.164.

[624]Ibid.,p.163.

[625]GarthFowden,TheEgyptianHermes,CambridgeUniversityPress,1987,p.33.ThereferenceistotheHermetica,op.cit.,theKoreKosmu,5and6,pp.459-61.

[626]InterviewedinTheSearchforExtraterrestrialLife,DiscoveryChannel,June

[627]CarlSagan,Cosmos,BookClubAssociates,London,1980,p.296.

[628]Ibid.

[629]Indeed,whatweappeartobelookingathereisaveritable‘Hermeticlanguage’makinguseofarchitectureandastronomy.

[630]OfwhichtheearliestsurvivingarethePyramidTextscirca2300BC.Egyptologistsaccept,howeverthatthesetextsarethemselvestranscripts(ortranslations?)ofevenearliertextsthatarenowlosttohistory,andthatthescribeswhoinitiallywrotethemdowninEgyptianhieroglyphsoftendidnotunderstandthewordstheywerecopying.AccordingtoE.A.WallisBudge,forexample:‘Severalpassagesbearevidencethatthescribes—whodraftedthecopiesfromwhichthecuttersoftheinscriptionsworkeddidnotunderstandwhattheywerewriting...Thegeneralimpressionisthatthepriestswhodraftedthecopiesmadeextractsfromseveralcompositionsofdifferentagesandhavingdifferentcontents...’Inconsequence,Budgeconcludes:‘ThePyramidTextsarefullofdifficultiesofeverykind.Theexactmeaningsofalargenumberofwordsfoundinthemareunknown...theconstructionofthesentenceoftenbafflesallattemptstotranslateit,andwhenitcontainswhollyunknownwordsitbecomesanunsolvedriddle.’SeeE.A.WallisBudge,FromFetishtoGodinAncientEgypt,DoverPublications,NewYork,1988,pp.321-2.

[631]Hamlet’sMill,op.cit.,p.312.

[632]ProcluswasaNeoplatonistwhostudiedatAlexandria.HiskeeninterestintheastronomyoftheGreatPyramid,describedinhisCommentariesontheTimaeus,showsthatscholarsofthetime,manyofwhomwereNeoplatonists,understoodthemonumenttoberelatedtothestars.Proclus’sideasformedthebasisofthenineteenth-centuryastronomerRichardProctor’sthesis,TheGreatPyramid:Observatory,TombandTemple(publishedbyChatto&Windus,London,1883),whoarguedthattheGrandGallerywasusedasasightingdeviceforthestars.

[633]JamesBonwick,Pyramids:FactsandFancies,KeganPaul,1877,p.169.

[634]WilliamR.Fix,PyramidOdyssey,MercuryMediaInc.,Urbana,Va.,1978,pp.52-3.TheCoptsapparentlytookthe‘traditional’datefortheBiblicalFloodas10,000BC.

[635]InthegeographicaldictionaryMo’gam-el-Buldan,citedinHassan,ExcavationsatGiza,op.cit.,p.45.

[636]Ibid.

[637]Ibid.,p.34.HassannotesthatanalternativenamefortheSphinx,apparentlybestoweduponitbytheseincomers,wasHwron.

[638]SeePeterTompkins,SecretsoftheGreatPyramid,op.cit.,pp.30-1.

[639]PiazziSmyth,TheGreatPyramid,op.cit.,page368ff.

[640]AlexanderBadawy,‘TheStellarDestinyofthePharaoh’,op.cit.;VirginiaTrimble,‘AstronomicalInvestigationsconcerningtheso-calledAirShaftsofCheopsPyramid’,inMitt.Inst.Orient,zuBerlinBand10,pp.183-7.

[641]AndseeTheOrionMystery,op.cit.

[642]InterviewedonArtsandEntertainmentChannel,8January1995.

[643]MaryBruck,‘CantheGreatPyramidbeAstronomicallyDated?’,op.cit.,pp.164and162.

[644]Skyglobe3.6.

[645]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,line932,p.161.

[646]R.T.RundleClark,MythandSymbolinAncientEgypt,op.cit.,p.264.

[647]RobinCook,ThePyramidsofGiza,op.cit.,p.60.

[648]Plusorminus1degree.

[649]Plusorminus1degree.

[650]DerivedgeometricallyfromscaledplanofGiza.

[651]Siriushasapropermotionof1.21arcsecondsperyear.For13,000yearsthiswouldgive4.36degreesofmotion.Butthemotionisobliquetothemeridian,givingsome3degreesdecreaseindeclination.

[652]Calculationsusingtherigorousformulaforprecessioncorrectedfornutation,aberrationofstarlight,propermotion(fromthemostrecentYaleBrightStarCatalogue)andparallaxwasdonebyastronomerAdrianAshfordinAugust1995.Incirca11,850BCSiriuswouldtheoreticallybeatthelowestpointinitscycle,withadeclinationof-60degrees,thusjustonthesouthhorizon.In10,500BCitwouldhavehadadeclinationofnearly-59degrees,thusshiningbrightlyapproximately1degreeoverthesouthhorizonasseenfromGiza.

[653]Ibid.

[654]SeePartIIofthepresentworkforadiscussion.

[655]Herodotus,TheHistory,op.cit.,II:124,p.185.SeealsoI.E.S.Edwards,ThePyramidsofEgypt,op.cit.,1982edition,p.147.

[656]Survivingexamplesofstar-spangledcausewayceilingscanbeseenatthePyramidofUnas(FifthDynasty)atSaqqara.

[657]ManypassagesinthePyramidTexts,op.cit.,speakof‘roads’tothestarsandtotheskywherethedeceasedwillbecomeagod.Forexample,Utterance6673,line1943:‘YouhaveyourtombOKing,whichbelongsto[Osiris]...Heopensforyouthedoorsofthesky,hethrowsopenforyouthedoorsofthefirmament,hemakesaroadforyouthatyoumayascendbymeansofitintothecompanyofthegods...’

[658]JohnLegon,‘TheGizaGroundPlanandSphinx’inDiscussionsinEgyptology14,1989,p.55.

[659]Ibid.AlthoughthebearingoftheKhafrecausewayat14degreessouthofeastisnotindispute,therehasbeensomedisagreementamongstscholarsoverthedirectionoftheKhufucauseway—mosttracesofwhichhavebeenlongagoobliterated.Someauthoritiesbelieveitproceededstraightonthe14-degreebearingittakesfromtheMortuaryTempleoftheGreatPyramid,othersbelievethatitstartedwiththisbearingandthenchangeddirection,beforereachingtheValleyTempleoftheGreatPyramid.TogivesomeindicationoftherangeofopiniononthismatterseeGeorgeGoyon,LeSecretdesBatisseursdesGrandesPyramides:Kheops,Pygmalion,GerardWatelet,Paris,1990,p.140:‘contrarytowhatsomehavelongbelieved,thedirection[oftheKhufucauseway]staysuniformanddoesnotchangedirectioninthevalleybelow.’ZahiHawassinThePyramidsofAncientEgypt,TheCarnegieSeriesonEgypt,Pennsylvania,1990,p.22,alsoshowsastraightcausewayonthe14-degreebearing,butpoints

outonpage18:‘scholarsdisagreeovertheexactcourseofthecauseway,butitledtoKhufu’sValleyTemple,theruinsofwhichlieunderthepresent-dayvillageofNazlet-el-Sammam.’

[660]JohnLegon,TheGizaGroundPlan,op.cit.,p.60.

[661]Forageneraldiscussion,seeRichardHeinberg,CelebratetheSolstice,QuestBooks,Wheaton,111,1993,pp.11-14.

[662]Wenotewithinterestthatthis‘cross-quarter’alignmentappearstohavebeenofmajorimportanceatHeliopolis.InTheDawnofAstronomy,op.cit.,p.77,theBritishastronomerJ.NormanLockyer,whowasabletosurveythesiteofancientHeliopolisbeforeitwasobscuredbythemodernsuburbthatnowcoversit,notedinpassingthattheprincipalmoundonthesitehadabearingof14degreessouthofeast—i.e.theidenticalbearingtotheKhafrecauseway.LockyeralsoremindsusofancientEgyptiantraditionsthatHeliopoliswasfoundedbytheShemsuHor,the‘FollowersofHorus’,longbeforethebeginningofDynastichistory(ibid.,p.74).

[663]PyramidTexts,op.cit.,Utterances471-3,pp.160-2.

[664]CoffinTexts,op.cit.,Spell1080,Vol.III,p.147.

[665]FromtheEleventhDivisionoftheDuat,‘TheBookofWhatisintheDuat’,E.A.WallisBudgetrans.,inTheEgyptianHeavenandHell,op.cit.,p.240.

[666]Translatedas‘TheVirginoftheWorld’byG.R.S.MeadinThriceGreatHermes:StudiesinHellenisticTheosophyandGnosis,op.cit.,BookIII,p.59ff.TranslatedbySirWalterScottastheKoreKosmuinHermetica,op.cit.,p.457ff.

[667]‘TheVirginoftheWorld’,G.R.S.Meadtrans.,pp.60-1.

[668]Ibid.,p.61.

[669]SeePartIofthepresentwork.

[670]ThequotationisfromtheNormandiEllis’stranslationoftheAncientEgyptianBookoftheDead,AwakeningOsiris,PhanesPress,GrandRapids,MI,1988,p.43,andisdrawnfromChapterXVoftheAncientEgyptianBookoftheDead,PapyrusofAni.

[671]J.B.Sellers,TheDeathofGodsinAncientEgypt,op.cit.,p.157-9.

[672]R.O.Faulkner,TheBookoftheDead,op.cit.,p.49.

[673]Ibid.

[674]J.B.Sellers,TheDeathofGods,op.cit.,p.97.

[675]Ibid.,p.159.

[676]Ibid.,p.97.

[677]TheM1CrabNebulaistheremnantofagreatsupernovaexplosionwhichoccurredinc.4500BC,roughlywhenthevernalpointoccupiedthisspecificplaceinthesky.However,thesupernovawasabout5500light-yearsawayanditslightonlystartedreachingourplanetinc.AD1000.ItwasrecordedbytheChineseand,apparently,bytheNorthAmericanIndians.NooneseemstohaverecordeditinEuropeortheMiddleEast,whichisveryodd,sinceChristians,atthattime,ferventlyawaiteda‘sign’fromheaventoannouncethe‘SecondComing’ofChrist.

[678]TheOrionMystery,op.cit.,p.200.SeealsoRobertG.Bauval‘InvestigationontheoriginoftheBenbenStone:wasitanironmeteorite?’inDiscussionsinEgyptology,Vol.XIV,1989,pp.5-17.

[679]R.T.RundleClark,MythandSymbolinAncientEgypt,op.cit.,p.235.

[680]R.O.Faulkner,TheBookoftheDead,op.cit.,Spell17.

[681]Ibid.

[682]SeealsoMiriamLichtheim,AncientEgyptianLiterature;op.cit.,Vol.I,p.53.

[683]Ibid.

[684]Ibid.The‘WhiteWall’probablyreferstotheTuralimestonewallsoftheroyalpalaceandtheboundarywallofMemphis.

[685]Ibid.,p.54.

[686]MostEgyptologistswouldcontestthispoint,butwefeelthattheevidenceisoverwhelminginfavourofadirectculticconnectionbetweenOsirisandtheGreatPyramid.AninterestingarticletouchinguponthisideacanbereadinSteuartCampbell,‘TheOriginandPurposeofthePyramids’intheNewHumanist,December1990issue,pp.3-4,whowrotethat‘theGreatPyramidmighthavebeenintendedasadwellingplaceforthespiritofOsiris’.TheFrenchAntiquarianandFreemason,AlexandreLenoir(see‘AdissertationonthePyramidsofEgypt’inFMRNo.39,1989)wasalsotoclaimthat‘allconsideredit[theGreatPyramid]maybethetombofOsiris’.

[687]E.A.WallisBudge,AnEgyptianHieroglyphicDictionary,op.cit.,Vol.I,p.285b.

[688]Ibid.

[689]Ibid.,Vol.II,pp.6i4b,6223,688a.

[690]Ibid.,p.6143.

[691]CharlesPiazziSmyth,OurInheritanceintheGreatPyramid,Belledition,1990,p.429.

[692]Nature,31July1873.

[693]Thereaderwillalsorecallthat43,200is20x2160,the‘special’numberdenotingaprecessionalorzodiacalage.SeeChapter3ofthepresentwork.

[694]Thispertinentpointwasraisedveryrecentlybytheeminentastronomer,Dr.MaryBruck:‘CantheGreatPyramidbeastronomicallydated?’inTheJournaloftheBritishAstronomicalSociety,105,4,1995,pp.161-4.

[695]25SeeJ.Legon,‘Theair-shaftsintheGreatPyramid’inDiscussionsinEgyptology27,1993,pp.33-44.SeeRobinCook,‘ThestellargeometryoftheGreatPyramid’inDiscussionsinEgyptology29,1994,pp.29-36.RudolfGantenbrink,whoremeasuredtheanglesoftheshaftsrecently,gaveahigher‘adjusted’valueof39.6degreesforthesouthernshaftoftheQueen’sChamber.Nonetheless,the‘designed’intentiontohavetheshaftscomeoutatthesamelevelverymuchseemstobethecasefortheGreatPyramid.

[696]TheOrionMystery,op.cit.,pp.222-3.

[697]Ibid.,p.34.

[698]Hencethe‘Fish’symbolamongsttheearlyChristians,denotingthe‘newage’ofChristianitymarkedbythevernalequinoxinPisces.ThevernalpointisnowpoisedtoenterthenewageofAquarius.

[699]WhenAlexandertheGreatliberatedEgyptfromPersianrule,hewashailedbytheEgyptianpriestsasadivineheroandthereturned‘sonofAmmon’—andbyhisMacedonianfollowersas‘sonofZeus’.Bothtitlesstand,ofcourse,for‘sonofgod’.Afterhisdeatha‘cultofAlexander’wasestablishedinAlexandriawhichspreadwithalmostmessianicfervouracrosstheFertileCrescent.ForthethreecenturiespreludingtheChristianera,Alexander(whohaddiedat

theageofthirty-threein323BC)wasthearchetypeoftheconqueringmartyred‘hero-king’and‘sonofgod’ofquasi-solarpedigreewhohadunifiedtheknownworldonthebasisofadivineblueprintormission.Itwasthusthat,intheclosingyearsofthelastcenturyBC,thewholeRomanworld,sickenedbytheendlesscivilandforeignwars,placedmuchhopeforthereturnofa‘saviour-king’modelledonAlexanderwhowouldunitetheempireandusherinanewgoldenage.ThishopewasverymuchpinnedonAugustusCaesar(Octavian)bytheRomanpoetVirgilinc.42BCinhisfamousEclogues(‘seehowOlympianCaesar’sstarhasclimbedthesky,thestartogladdenallourcornwithgrain...yourchildren’schildrenwillenjoythefruits...’).In12BCAugustusCaesarwasdeclaredheadoftheRoman(thus‘world’)religionandgiventhetitleofPontifexMaximus—atitlelatertodenotetheCatholicpontiffsor‘Popes’ofRome.Ironically,in4BC—theassumedyearthatChristwasborn—AugustusadoptedTiberius(secondEmperorofRomewhoruledfromAD14toAD37,thusintheministryofJesus)anddeclaredhimhisheir.YetbythemostunexpectedtwistoffateVirgil’sprophecywaseventuallytobefulfillednotby‘DivineAugustus’butbyaJewish‘saviour-king’,theChristosorChrist,fosteredfourcenturieslaterbyRomeitselfundertheruleofConstantinetheGreat(seeIanWilson,Jesus,theEvidence,PanBooks,London,1984,pp.134-44).ItmaywellbethatVirgil’s‘starofCaesar’influencedtheunknownauthorofthegospelofMatthew(‘Wehaveseenhisstarandcometopayhimhomage...’Matthew2:1-9)whousedtheastralprophesyforthebirthofJesus.Notunexpectedly,manyofthegreatItalianHermeticphilosophersofthelateRenaissance(Bruno,PicodellaMirandola,Campanella,etc.)oftenpresentedVirgilasa‘Gentileprophet’ofChristianityandthe‘Egyptian’HermesTrismegistos(i.e.theEgyptiangodThoth)inparwiththeOldTestamentprophetMoses(seeFrancesA.Yates,GiordanoBruno,op.cit.).ManyoftheseHermetic‘Cabala’philosophersadamantlybelievedthatthe‘Egyptian’astralmagicasfoundintheancienttextswastheagencyor‘device’forgreatworld-changingevents(ibid,etal.).Itcanbethusarguedthatinthefirstcenturyofourerathescenewassetinthecollectivesubconsciousbyastrologer-prophetsofoldtobringaboutamessianicevent.Inournextbook,wewillexplorehowsuchpowerful‘Hermeticdevices’wereactivatedthroughouttheagesandalso,asthecasemaybe,maybeabouttobegalvanizedinpresenttimes.

[700]RichardH.Allen,StarNames,op.cit.,p.316.

[701]SelimHassan,ExcavationsatGiza,op.cit.,p.45.

[702]WorkedonSkyglobe3.6.

[703]E.M.Antoniadi,L’AstronomieEgyptienne.Paris,1934,p.119.

[704]FrancesA.Yates,TheArtOfMemory,UniversityofChicagoPress,1966.

[705]E.g.JohnBainesandJaromirMalek,AtlasofAncientEgypt,Time-LifeBooks,1990,p.36,156ff.

[706]Ibid.SeealsoAhmedFakry,ThePyramids,UniversityofChicagoPress,1969,andKurtMendelssohn,TheRiddleofthePyramids,ThamesandHudson,London,1986.

[707]VentureInward,VirginiaBeach,May-June1906,p.13.

[708]Ibid.

[709]Ibid.,p.12-14.

[710]SeeChapter6forfullerdetailsconcerningtheDixonrelics.

[711]ThosepresentincludedDr.VivianDavies,KeeperofEgyptianAntiquitiesattheBritishMuseum,andDr.I.E.S.Edwards,authorofthestandardtextThePyramidsofEgypt.

[712]SundayTelegraph,1January1995.

[713]Sat1,SpiegelReportage,15August1995.

[714]EgyptianGazette,31March1996.

[715]DocumentedconversationswithPeterZuuring.

[716]Serpent,op.cit.,p.229.

[717]AlAkhbarElYom,8January1994.

[718]EdgarCayceReadingRef.No.3976-15,inEarthChangescirculatingfile,EdgarCayceFoundation,1993,p.38.

[719]Schor’sMay94letter.

[720]SeeDailyMail,London,2and3May1996.

[721]EgyptianGazette,14April1996.

[722]SecretChamber,MagicalEyeProductions,1996.

[723]Ibid.

[724]Hawassinterview,JohnRobbieShow.

[725]HarmonHartzellBro,ASeeroutofSeason:TheLifeofEdgarCayce,SignetBooks,1990,p.242.

[726]QuotefromaseniorAREresearcherinalettertoCharlesI.Caycedated12June1996.

[727]VentureInward,Jan/Feb1985,Vol.6,p.9.

[728]A.R.Smith,HughLynnCayce:AboutMyFather’sBusiness,DonningCo.,Norfolk,Virginia,1988,p.249.

[729]VentureInward,op.cit.

[730]A.R.Smith,op.cit.,p.250.

[731]JohnRobbieShow,Radio702Johannesburg,17July1996.

[732]EgyptianGazette,Cairo,15August1996.

[733]Dr.JamesHurtak,TheKeysofEnoch,California,1976.SeealsothevideoUFO:EvidenceoftheUseofExtraterrestrialTechnology,LabyrinthMedia,UK.

[734]RichardC.Hoagland,TheMonumentsofMars,NorthAtlanticBooks,Berkeley,California,1992,p.363.SeealsoPlates38and39.

[735]OmniMagazine,‘InterviewwithFaroukElBaz’,1990,p.75.