Conspiracies: The Pyramid and the Sphinx
Egypt has long been the source of countless conspiracies,
ranging from ancient lost civilizations to extraterrestrial
markers. The reason for this focus is likely because Egypt is
the most romanticized ancient civilization, and also because it
is home to the mystical Great Pyramid of Giza, the only
surviving Wonder of the Ancient World. This article will
describe some of the conspiracies surrounding the Sphinx and the
Pyramid.
The Riddle of the Sphinx
Most of the conspiracy theories revolving around the Sphinx
usually involve its age. The Sphinx is generally accepted to
have been built along with the Pyramids of Giza around 2500 BC.
It is even accepted that the face of the Sphinx bears the
likeness of Khafre (Chephren), the Pharaoh during that time.
However, there was no written record from that era regarding the
Sphinx or its construction. In addition, the human head of the
Sphinx is small in relation to the rest of the body, indicating
that the head bearing Pharaoh Khafre's likeness could have been
carved out of a larger lion's head. These points led some
researchers to believe that the Sphinx could have been built
much earlier by a more ancient civilization, thus starting a
whole host of conspiracy theories.
Geologist Dr. Robert Schoch and author John Anthony West made a
case that the erosion marks on the Sphinx appears not to be made
by wind or sand, but by water, such as falling rain. They used
evidence of other structures in the Giza area to prove their
point. If this were true, the construction of the Sphinx could
then be dated back to at least 5000 BC, when the area still
received substantial rainfall, in contrast to desert conditions
later on.
In his official website, Director of the Giza Monuments Dr. Zahi
Hawass provides various points suggesting that the evidence used
in proving Dr. Schoch's theory is flawed.
Adding to the conspiracies surrounding the age of the Sphinx,
writers Graham Hancock and Robert Buvaul provide evidence in
their book Message of the Sphinx that the creation of the Sphinx
and Pyramids can be pushed back as far as 10,500 BC using
astronomical data.
Secret of the Pyramids
The Pyramids of Giza have been the objects of many conspiracies
over the years. Many people believe that the Pyramids are a link
to an ancient lost civilization, and may still contain evidence
to prove it. Many conspiracy theories regarding secret chambers
and passageways within the pyramids exist to this day.
These conspiracy theories became even more widespread in 1993,
when Dr. Zahi Hawass announced that the Great Pyramid of Khufu
was to be closed to the public for a year. The reason given for
the closure was to facilitate cleaning, conservation and
restoration of the interior chambers in the Great Pyramid.
However, conspiracy theorists believe that the Egyptian
authorities had uncovered evidence of a lost civilization in the
Pyramid, and were secretly excavating it to reveal more
information.
During the conservation process in 1993, robots were used to
explore the small ventilation shafts leading from the "King's
Chamber" and the lower "Queen's Chamber" in the Great Pyramid.
An intriguing discovery was made: partway through the shafts of
the "Queen's Chamber" were "doors" with handles.
In order to prove the transparency of their work and debunk any
conspiracies, Dr. Zahi Hawass decided to partner with National
Geographic to explore beyond the "doors", and provide a live
telecast of the exploration to the rest of the world.
After much publicity, the expedition commenced, with footage
telecast live around the world. During the last minute of the
show, a camera was sent in a hole made in the "door" of the
shaft, revealing another "door" behind it. And that was when the
show finished. Conspiracy theories started sprouting, asking the
following questions: "What's behind the 2nd door? Why did the
show end so abruptly? What are they hiding from us?"
More information about Egyptian conspiracies can be found at:
http://www.nekhebet.com/m_conspiracies.html