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The Shaft, The Subway
& The Causeway
Part 8
"Symbolic Prophecy" Secret Chambers
Revealed
The appendix to the book "The Symbolic Prophecy of the Great
Pyramid" by H. Spencer Lewis, first published in 1936, contains a
puzzle. Lewis refers to excavations conducted by Dr. Selim Hassan in
his sixth season at Giza in 1934/35 to back up his assertion that
the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx are connected by a network of
"subterranean passageways, long-forgotten reception halls, small
temples and other enclosures".[1]
In particular, he quotes a description of a series of shafts that
descend deep under the causeway of the second pyramid.[2]
When I first came across Lewis’s book in early
1997, very little
information was available about this location so the descriptions of
fabulously decorated underground temples and rooms, all seemingly
corroborated by an eminent Egyptian archaeologist, were most
intriguing. In 1998, Dr. Zahi Hawass conducted excavations at the
same location and announced that it was a symbolic "Tomb of Osiris".
The location has since been shown on television[3]
and documented on Hawass’s website.[4]
It is clear that there is no sign of the "chambers and rooms beneath
the sands, connected by these secret passageways"[5]
mentioned by Lewis, yet it seemed inconceivable that Hassan could be
mistaken. How to explain the discrepancy?
(New readers may find it useful to read
page 6
for a synopsis of the appendix and of the search to-date for an
answer to the puzzle. See also
page 4
to examine the striking similarities between the diagrams in Lewis’s
book and those of a mystic named H. C. Randall-Stevens, who claimed
to have channeled the information from an "initiate of Ancient
Egypt".)
Contents
Return to Main Index
page 1│ page 2│ page 3│ page 4│ page 5│
page 6│
page 7│ page 8│ page 9
The Search Goes On...
In April 1999, I visited Cairo, this being the fourth visit since
January 1998, to continue the hunt for an explanation of the
differences between the account as given in the appendix and the
facts on the ground. The approach taken was to undertake a trawl
through the archaeological periodicals from 1934 to the present day,
or as far as they went. Some of the titles identified to be covered
were: Chronique D’Egypte, Egypte Service Des Antiquities Annales,
I.F.A.O. Bulletin De L’Institute Francais D’Archeologue Orientale,
Journal of Egyptian Archaeology and Revue D’Egyptologie. The
intention was to look for anything written by Selim Hassan, or for
items on Sais and the 26th dynasty to see if there were
any references to the shaft under the causeway, or anything that
might explain Lewis’s descriptions.
This extensive search located an item, "Selim Hassan - His Writings
and Excavations" compiled by Dia’ Abou-Ghazi[6]
that listed all of his published writings and all excavations
undertaken by him during his career. One item of particular note was
a paper "In The Vicinity Of The Sphinx. The Excavations of The
Egyptian University In The Zone Of The Pyramid, 1934-1935".[7]
The odds on locating this paper seemed remote but
fortunately the American University in Cairo (AUC) Library had a
copy of the Actes proceedings on its shelves. It is this paper which
provides a key to Lewis’s descriptions.
Hassan tells us:
"Along the southern side of the
above mentioned causeway [Khephren’s causeway], some very
important rock cut tombs and others constructed with local or
Turah limestones, were brought to light. The tombs belong to two
classes of people: members of the family of Khephren: priests
and high officials of the Court. The discovery of FOUR rock-cut
chapels of the family of Khephren was a very great contribution
to the history of the family."
He goes on to list and briefly
describe the four royal tombs:
-
RH.T R C, Rekhit-Ra, the
daughter of Khephren.
[8]
-
LION-RC, Iwn-Ra, the director of
public works of his father Khephren.[9]
-
ANKH MA-RA, unfinished, son of
Khephren.[10]
-
HEMET-RA, princess, most
probably a far relation.[11]
These royal tombs are all documented
in Hassan’s "Excavations At Giza VI part III" (see
site plan for
locations in relation to the causeway). The descriptions of the
tombs of
Rekhit-Ra and Hemet-Ra in particular bear striking
similarities to Lewis’s descriptions of "chambers and rooms
beneath the sands, connected by these secret passageways".
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An Analysis of the Evidence...
Lewis makes reference to a "magazine edited in Egypt, and more or
less privately published in London"[12]
as being the source of his descriptions. Although currently
unidentified, it is my belief that this publication must exist
because it was clearly impossible for Lewis to refer to
"Excavations…" published in 1951, yet the Actes paper of 1935 does
not contain all the detail that we find in Lewis’s references. For
the purposes of this argument, we shall compare the descriptions
from this unknown publication against the descriptions given in the
Actes paper and in "Excavations At Giza VI Part III". Where
comparisons are made using material from "Excavations At Giza VI
Part III", the references are as for the royal tomb end-notes given
above and the text shall refer to "Excavations…".
To make a meaningful comparison, it is necessary to quote a short
extract from the appendix to Lewis’s book:
"A description of the chambers and
rooms beneath the sands, connected by these secret passageways,
reveals that there were inner courts and outer courts and a
Chapel of Offering cut into one of the huge rocks with three
pillars in its center. The three pillars representing a triangle
are highly significant points in the study and analysis of the
purpose of these underground chambers.
Another chamber, much like a burial chamber but undoubtedly a
room of initiation and reception, was found at the end of a
sloping passage, cut deep into the rock in the west side of the
Chapel of Offering. In the center of this chamber was another
large sarcophagus of white Turah limestone, and there were
excellent examples of alabaster vessels found in the chamber.
The walls are beautifully painted and sculptured with scenes and
inscriptions and the Lotus flower is an important emblem in the
pictures. Other chambers were discovered with pillars in the
center and in some of these were carved figures of a young woman
in a beautiful gown, plainly indicating a ceremonial robe."
There are many magnificently carved
figures in these various underground rooms and chapels, temples
and hallways, also many beautifully colored friezes. In
examining the photographs of some of these we are deeply
impressed with the improved form of the art, showing the
distinctive characteristics of the period that followed
Amenhotep’s mystical reawakening of Egypt."[13]
The "Chapel of Offering cut into one of
the huge rocks" and the "chamber, much like a burial chamber" are
almost certainly references to the mastaba tomb of Queen Rekhit-Ra
(see
plan of the tomb for a description). In "Excavations…",
Hassan describes the mastaba as having a large rock-cut chapel with
a roof supported by three square pillars and tells us, "Cut in the
northern part of the floor of the chapel is a sloping passage which
leads down to the burial-chamber". An examination of the plan shows
that the sloping passage is cut in the northern part of the west
side of the chapel. Hassan describes the burial chamber as being
entirely cut in the rock with finely dressed walls, and containing a
large uninscribed sarcophagus of white limestone. He also records
details of five alabaster objects (a model dish, a model jar, two
model vases and another alabaster fragment), that were found while
clearing the burial chamber.
The condition in which the sloping passage was found seems to
preclude the use of the burial chamber as anything other than a
tomb. Hassan tells us in "Excavations…",
"The passage was originally
made wide enough to allow for the introduction of the sarcophagus,
after which it was filled in with masonry, leaving enough space open
along the eastern side to permit the body to be brought into the
burial-chamber on the day of interment. After the funeral ceremonies
were completed, the passage was finally closed by means of five
large blocks of limestone, placed one behind the other. These
plug-stones were found in position, but the plunderers had obtained
access to the burial-chamber by removing the upper course of the
filling masonry."
From this, it is difficult to see how the burial
chamber could originally have been a "room of initiation and
reception" when the only means of access was blocked by plug-stones.
Lewis’s reference to pillars with "carved figures of a young woman
in a beautiful gown plainly indicating a ceremonial robe" almost
certainly stem from the mastaba tomb of Princess Hemet-Ra. Hassan
describes the tomb in his paper "In the vicinity of the Sphinx":
"The tomb of this princess is
magnificently cut in the rock and contains some of the best
coloured figures of the princess and her entourage, carved on
the four pillars supporting the central hall. The colours and
designs introduced in the different robes of the princess
surpass in beauty and fineness of work the robe of the Goddess
Hathor in front of Seti I (in the Louvre)."
The description of the tomb in
"Excavations…" includes
two colour
illustrations of the carved figure of the Princess.
Hassan makes mention of the lotus flower in his description of the
southern pillar: "On the eastern face, Princess Hemet-Ra is depicted
standing, and smelling a lotus blossom which she holds in her left
hand." Hassan reports that there are three registers of
illustrations in front of the figure of the Princess and that "In
the second register is the figure of a man holding a long-stemmed
lotus blossom with both hands." Further references to the lotus
flower are found in Hassan’s description of the northern face of the
southern pillar.
Lastly, we will consider Lewis’s reference to photographs of
beautifully coloured friezes and of being,
"deeply impressed with the
improved form of the art, showing the distinctive characteristics of
the period that followed Amenhotep’s mystical reawakening of Egypt".
In the explanations given so far, we have relied on Hassan’s report
to the 19th International Congress of Orientalists held in Rome in
1935 as a link to the more detailed descriptions to be found in
"Excavations At Giza VI". In this final case, there is no such link,
but the evidence seems clear. It might seem unlikely that the more
natural form of art of the Amarna period is to be found in an Old
Kingdom necropolis, but once again, Hassan has the answer. In his
description of the mastaba of Tesen[14]
he included a section "Some Notes on the Decoration of the Mastaba
of Tesen" in which he comments on the unusual form of art found in
the tomb:
"Although the scenes represented
upon the walls of the chapel of this tomb conform to the normal
conventions of Old Kingdom art in the subject matter displayed,
yet there is a subtle difference in the way the figures are
arranged, an originality of detail and a surprising naturalism
of drawing that is quite unusual in Egyptian Art, with the
exception of the El-Amarna Age, and the period immediately
following it."
Towards the end of the section, Hassan
states:
"In short, it may be said that the
art displayed in this mastaba possesses all the grace and
naturalism of the Amarna Age, combined with the virile strength
so typical of the Old Kingdom school."
(The section is reproduced on a
separate
page for those wishing to read more of the artistic detail employed
in this tomb.)
More examples could be given but the
above should be sufficient to show that Lewis’s "chambers and rooms
beneath the sands, connected by these secret passageways" are not
associated with the shaft under the causeway. Rather than being
rooms of initiation and reception for the ancient mystery schools of
Egypt, the locations are the tombs of the family and officials of
Khephren. It seems likely that Lewis’s unknown magazine article
contained descriptions and illustrations similar to those that
eventually appeared in "Excavations At Giza" and Hassan’s other
reports.
The evidence presented here seems sufficient to bring the puzzle of
"The Symbolic Prophecy of the Great Pyramid" to a close. That said,
it is still the intention of this site to find and reproduce the
missing article and/or photographs referred to by Lewis. The
location of the material needed to continue the search is now known
but unfortunately it will not be accessible until later in the year.
Watch this space.
In closing, many thanks are due to Annie Haward at St Peter’s
College, Oxford for providing plans and illustrations from
"Excavations At Giza" V and VI, without which this article could not
have been completed. I am also indebted to AUC for providing access
to the Main and Rare Books libraries, and also to the ARCE library
in Cairo for assistance received.
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List of References...
[1]
See "The Symbolic Prophecy of the Great
Pyramid" by H. Spencer Lewis, sixteenth edition 1982, second
printing 1988, p181. The diagrams to which he refers in this
connection may be found on
page 4 of The Shaft, The Subway & The
Causeway.
[2] Ibid
p185, 187-188
[3] FOX TV
Special "Opening the Lost Tombs" - 2nd March 1999, full details
on page 5 of The Shaft, The Subway & The Causeway.
[4] The
Osiris Shaft -
http://guardians.net/hawass/osiris1.htm
[5]
Symbolic Prophecy p189
[6]
Annales Du Service Des Antiquities De L’Egypte Vol. 58 (1964).
p61-79
[7] Actes
of the 19th International Congress of Orientalists in Rome
(1935) p151-154
[8] See
Excavations At Giza VI Part III, (1934-1935) - Cairo 1951
(Excavations of the Faculty of Arts, Fouad I University.
Published by Service des Antiquities de L’Egypte) p1 for a full
description.
[9] Ibid
p32
[10] Ibid
p35
[11] Ibid
p43
[12]
Symbolic Prophecy p184, Lewis states that the magazine was
published in January 1935.
[13] Ibid
p189-191
[14] See
Excavations At Giza V (1933-1934) - Cairo 1944 (Excavations of
the Faculty of Arts, Fouad I University. Published by Service
des Antiquities de L’Egypte) p277
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