Evidence of ancient Egypt civilization in the Grand Canyon?
On April 5, 1909, a front-page story in the Arizona Gazette spoke of an archaeological expedition into the heart of the Grand Canyon financed by the Smithsonian Institution, which had led to the discovery of Egyptian artifacts. April 5th is close to April 1st - but not close enough... maybe the story could be true? Since then, nothing more has been heard about this discovery.
Each year, over five million tourists visit the Grand Canyon. If there was something hidden in the canyon, it would have been probably discovered long ago. However, most tourists only stay about 3 hours, usually to visit the legendary South Rim over a route of about 89 miles, where most of the best and oldest tourist attractions are located. Furthermore, some have said that the entire discovery has become the center of a major cover-up operation, apparently in an attempt to maintain the old status quo, that the ancient Egyptians never ventured outside Egypt.
According to the original story the group had found a network of underground tunnels, high above the Colorado River, containing various ancient artifacts, statues and even mummies. However, the Smithsonian Institution says it has no documentation on this matter. What happened? To find out, there is only one source of information: the article itself. Although the article was anonymous, it identified some of the archaeologists involved: "under the direction of Prof. SA Jordan", with Smithsonian-backed adventurer GE Kinkaid reporting his findings.
But the story gets muddled when the Smithsonian says it can't find Kinkaid or Jordan in its archives. In 2000, the institution responded:
"The Smithsonian Institution has received many questions about an April 5, 1909, article in the Phoenix Gazette about G. E. Kincaid and his discovery of a 'great subterranean citadel' in the Grand Canyon, dug from an ancient race of oriental origin, perhaps coming from Egypt.' [...]The Smithsonian's Department of Anthropology searched its archives, finding no mention of a Professor Jordan, Kincaid, or a lost Egyptian civilization in Arizona. However, the story continues to be repeated in books and articles"
There is the possibility of a wall of silence, of course, as some have argued. The records need not be in that archive, or the reference to the Phoenix Gazette instead of the Arizona Gazette could be a simple mistake, or an escape valve that is often present in official diplomatic responses to extricate oneself from difficult questions.
Thus, there is no Professor Jordan, and Kinkaid himself is very difficult to find. However, on March 12 of that year, the Gazette reported on an earlier phase of Kincaid's adventure: "GE Kincaid Reaches Yuma." Here, Kinkaid is identified as being from “Lewiston, Idaho,” he “arrived at Yuma, after a journey from Green River, Wyoming, along the entire course of the Colorado River. He is the second man to make this journey and came alone in a small vessel, stopping at his leisure to investigate the surrounding countryside. He left Green River in October in a small rowboat, taking with him a camera, with which he took over 700 photos of the river and canyon.
Mr. Kincaid says one of the most interesting aspects of the trip was passing through the rapids at Laguna Dam. He made this dangerous passage only with the loss of an oar.
The article concludes:
"Some interesting archaeological discoveries were brought to light and the whole trip was of such interest that he will repeat it next winter in the company of friends."
Less than a month later, the same newspaper seemed to continue the story where it left off: now it is Kinkaid who talks about his "interesting archaeological discoveries", which consisted of a series of tunnels and passages with a cross-shaped chamber near the entrance, containing a statue:
"The idol resembles Buddha, although scientists are not certain which religious cult it may refer to. Taking into consideration everything I have found so far, it is possible that this cult resembles close to that of the ancient people of Tibet."
He also claimed to have found an unknown gray metal, similar to platinum, as well as small carved heads, scattered on the floor. The Urns is perplexed by the "mysterious hieroglyphics, to which the Smithsonian Institute still hopes to discover the key." In another room he found mummies: "Some of the mummies are covered in mud, and all are wrapped in bark."
Idols that "resemble" the Buddha, or rather that "are" the Buddha. The cult "resembles" that of Tibet, not "is"... Kinkaid is trying to use analogies to explain his discovery. He is the anonymous author of this article that makes the connection to Egypt and his mind leans towards one of the greatest discoveries of all time. However, the newspaper apparently never followed up on the story.
Although the Smithsonian's involvement suggests the possibility of a blackout (as some have argued) or that it is telling the truth, this does not mean that the entire story is a fake, or that the newspaper fabricated the story. "Kinkaid" may have been present, and may have inflated his credentials. Alternatively, it may even have all happened as it is said, or it may be a fake, but made by whom?
The newspaper was quite explicit about it. It may have been a scam on their part, in an attempt to sell more newspapers, but if so, one would expect to hear more about the find, including announcements such as "the sequel in the next edition", to whet the public's appetite.
The anonymous author may have fabricated the story himself, perhaps because he didn't have enough material to fill the entire newspaper. Maybe… which leaves Kinkaid. In his first account, we read that he claimed to have made archaeological discoveries, but these appear to have all occurred on his own. Furthermore, it is clear that he took numerous photographs. We must emphasize that the discovery of the underground tunnel network occurred before the first story was written. In fact, it appears that the discovery had been made about four to six months before the article. But in the second part, we learn that Kinkaid was apparently not traveling alone, but was aided by a Smithsonian professor. Furthermore, he appears not to have taken photos of his discovery of him. Although he claims that access was very difficult, one would expect Kinkaid to have contributed some photographs of the area.
The article in the Phoenix (Ariz.) Gazette of April 5, 1909 states that Kinkaid "reported the story" of the "underground citadel" "to the city" (Phoenix and the Gazette) "yesterday" (April 4, 1909), after having " discovered" the site "a few months ago". It is clear that as far as the newspaper is concerned he was involved, he is reporting on recent information. But why Kinkaid didn't include his discovery in his original story in March is more puzzling. Even if the newspaper wanted to wait to reveal it in May, it's clear that the delay originated entirely from Kinkaid.
In the absence of traces of Kinkaid, though, could he actually exist? Jack Andrews pointed out that Kinkaid may have been a real person. In the newspaper account, Kinkaid is said to have been "looking for minerals":
"I was traveling down the lower Colorado River, in a boat, alone, looking for minerals."
The Canyon is a known source of minerals, including copper. But in 1908, the year of Kinkaid's expedition, President Theodore Roosevelt had included the Canyon in a National Forest, closing it to mining or any prospecting. Andrews also demonstrated that the area where he allegedly found the cave was a well-known prospecting camp. So it could be true... although perhaps the newspaper got his name wrong... A spelling mistake could send any researcher off the right path, resulting in the conclusion that a person did not exist.
So, what about the cave? It is a fact that the Canyon has many potholes and caves, most of which were discovered by hikers. Clearly favored for an Egyptian connection is the area around Ninety-four Mile Creek and Trinity Creek, which has sites with names such as the Temple of Isis, the Tower of Set, the Tower of Ra, the Temple of Horus, the Temple of Osiris, etc. In the area of Haunted Canyon there are names like the Pyramid of Cheops, the Cloister of Buddha, the Temple of Buddha, Shiva and the Unholy Manu and the Temple of Shiva.
One book, "The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life" (vol. II, page 302), states that two hikers, along the way to the Temple of Isis, found a pyramid, composed of native rock. Once at the Temple of Isis, they claimed to have seen a series of cave entrances. They claimed that the entrances to the caves were at a height of 800 feet, and the two climbed up, hoping to enter what seemed to be the most promising cave. But instead they found it blocked by rocks. In their opinion, the entrance was man-made and there was a 6-foot circular opening cut into the ceiling.
It is not known whether this was a real discovery, or a story not relevant to the record. The Temple of Isis is more than 40 miles from the location mentioned in our newspaper article. Furthermore, it is only one of the numerous cavities in the Grand Canyon called with terms such as Egyptian, Greek, Hindu, Chinese and with names of deities of the Nordic countries. The origin of the rather esoteric names is almost as mysterious as the canyon itself, and has given rise to more than a little speculation about what early explorers may have found there. But it can also be a perfect memory of the time when there was great fascination there, with all things Egyptian and Indian.
Jack Andrews claims to have known "the location of this cave [Kinkaid's] since 1972. I have kept it a secret ever since." In June 2001, he felt it was "a good time to reveal the location." But then he adds that he never discovered the "physical location" of this discovery. From his description, it seems as if he had "seen" the site in a dream or vision, but had never set foot inside. However, using Kinkaid's limited information on the site, "forty-two miles up river from El Tovar Crystal Canyon..." This is not very accurate. Andrews believes the cave is located in a deep river gorge, known as Marble Canyon, which is accessible "by arriving by boat or raft, or by foot from the edge of the Little Colorado River Gorge on the Navajo Reservation." Andrews lays out a few other options, all of which seem manageable enough, to get somewhere... but not necessarily inside the cave. Kinkaid wrote that "the entrance is 1486 feet below the wall of the grand canyon." It's definitely not entry for the faint of heart, and the question is how Kinkaid himself managed the feat.
Andrews concludes:
"I think the "cave" described in the Arizona Gazette lead story of April 5, 1909, with its fantastic subterranean location, was, and may still be found, above a six-mile stretch of the Colorado River in Marble Canyon, on the border of Marble Canyon and the Navajo Nation above an area near the Kwagunt Rapids. "Is it possible that it is yet to be discovered? One ranger said that "the area of the park is very remote and to date [2000] our knowledge of the area is quite limited, and frankly, it is not an area that is regularly patrolled [...], the area it is rarely visited".
Skeptics expressed a lot of criticism of Andrews, while others believed the story without hesitation. It's one thing to interpret the Smithsonian's denial as evidence of a cover-up, but what David Icke did with it is another thing. In "The Biggest Secret", he writes verbatim: "In 1909 an underground city, built with the precision of the Great Pyramid, was found by GE Kincaid near the Grand Canyon in Arizona. It was large enough to accommodate 50,000 people and there found mummified bodies of oriental or Egyptian origin, according to the expedition leader, Professor SA Jordan. My research suggests that it is from another dimension, the lower fourth dimension, that the control and manipulation of reptiles is primarily orchestrated."
The story continues to grow and grow, now the caves are home to a sizable population.
So where does this lead us? Perhaps the answer lies somewhere in the middle of this controversy. Among so many caves, some must contain something. Kinkaid never said it was something Egyptian – he just made the comparison. You could simply say that it was something native...
The first culture to occupy the valley was that of the Anasazi, who arrived in the region around 500 AD, hunters of small game and farmers of corn and pumpkins for their subsistence. By 1000 AD, their culture had advanced to such a point that they had begun to develop their own distinctive style of pottery, advanced agricultural production methods, and a unique form of dwelling known as the "pueblo."
Of the men of the most ancient past, we have found burials in caves. Furthermore, many cultures have elaborated caves in cliffs and cliffs, particularly if they face the sunrise, in many sacred places, often cemeteries. Examples of this exist in France in the Pyrenees, but the Cretan canyon known as the Valley of the Dead or the African cliff of the Dogon constitute a common denominator, indicating that caves and cliffs were favored, since remote antiquity. Why should the Grand Canyon be any different? And if so, then it is quite possible that human remains have been found... and perhaps will continue to be found.
But rather than Egyptian or Tibetan origins, it seems to me that they are more likely Anasazi remnants. Groups of Anasazi, widely scattered throughout the southern Colorado Plateau, and the upper Rio Grande Basin, defined their similarities - and their differences - largely as multi-story "Big Houses" or "cliff dwellings" , in pueblos composed of several rooms. This connects them to each other, even if the individual groups themselves have more often supported each other's differences than similarities.
The site is in fact close to a center of the Navajo, who are one of the descendants of the Anasazi, which means "ancient" in Navajo. In Canyon de Chelly there is the so-called Mummy Cave, the last known site occupied by the Anasazi in the area. Located in a large, protected alcove, about 300 feet above the canyon floor, the two adjacent caves bear the remains of a multi-story dwelling consisting of about 55 chambers and four circular ceremonial structures, or kivas, possibly dating to 1050.
It was for the two ancient bodies found buried at this site that an early Smithsonian expedition named the canyon "del Muerto." Here, then, we have something that is virtually identical to what Kinkaid claims: a cave, in a cliff, with a complex series of rooms, which also contain mummies... and the Smithsonian is involved. The only big difference is that this site is known, while Kinkaid's is not. But what Mummy Cave equally demonstrates, is that there is no need for Tibetans or Egyptians, but that its occupants are more likely the local Anasazi... if it existed... and why not? Mummy Cave may seem very different from what we imagine the one Kinkaid describes... But we know so little about Kinkaid...
While this story may or may not be true, examples like the Mummy Cave have shown that Kinkaid's story may not be as important as many believe it to be. Even though Kinkaid and Jordan are real people, the sensationalist aura of the relationship all comes from what the anonymous author wrote. And even if it were a truthful report, in the current climate, one can imagine why people could have easily mistaken a local Indian culture for an ancient culture. It is only because the Indians were not believed to possess an advanced level of development, so, almost de facto, the site must have been "Old World"... In the 21st century, we certainly know more.
Mysteries of the immense Rich Cavern brought to light. Jordan is thrilled. Remarkable ancient finds indicate people who migrated from the East
The latest news on the progress of exploration of what is now considered by scientists to be not only the oldest archaeological discovery in the United States, but one of the most valuable in the world, as was said some time ago in the "Journal," were presented to the city yesterday by G. E. Kinkaid, the explorer who found the great subterranean citadel of the Grand Canyon, while traveling from Green River, Wyoming, to Colorado, in a wooden boat, for Yuma, several months ago.
According to the story told to the Gazette by Mr. Kinkaid, archaeologists from the Smithsonian Institute, which financed the expedition, made discoveries which almost definitively proved that the race inhabiting this mysterious cave, carved out of the rock by human hands, was of eastern, perhaps from Egypt, at the time of Rameses. If their theories are supported by the translation of the tablets inscribed with hieroglyphics, the mystery of the prehistory of the people of North America, their ancient arts, who they were and where they came from, will be solved. Egypt and the Nile, and Arizona and Colorado will be linked together by a historical chain stretching back to a time that would make science fiction writers stagger.
An In-Depth Examination
Under the direction of Prof. SA Jordan, the Smithsonian Institute is pursuing a more in-depth investigation, which will be continued until the last link in the chain is clarified. Nearly a mile underground, about 1,480 feet below the surface, you walked down the main tunnel, to find another gigantic chamber from which a network of passages radiates, like the spokes of a wheel.
Several hundred chambers have been discovered, reached by passages branching off from the main one. One of them was explored to 854 feet, and the other to 634. The recent discoveries include objects which have never been known to be native to this country, and undoubtedly have their origin in the East. War weapons, copper tools, cut as strong and hard as steel, indicate the high state of civilization reached by these strange people. Scientists have shown so much interest that preparations have been made to broaden the field of study, and the staff will be increased to thirty or forty people.
Mr. Kinkaid was the first white child born in Idaho and was an explorer and hunter all his life, for thirty years he was in the service of the Smithsonian Institute. Even told briefly, his story sounds fabulous, almost grotesque.
"First, I would like to point out that the cave is nearly inaccessible. The entrance is located 1,486 feet down the wall of the Grand Canyon. It is on government land and no visits will be permitted under penalty of trespass. The scientists wish work undisturbed, without fear that the archaeological discoveries will be ruined by vandals or treasure hunters. A journey would be useless, and the visitor would be sent on his way. The story of how I found the cave has been told, but in one place: I was traveling down the Colorado River by boat, alone, looking for minerals. About forty-two miles up the river from El Tovar Crystal Canyon I saw, on the eastern wall, patches in the sedimentary formation about 2,000 feet above the river bed. there was no path at that point, but I finally reached it with great difficulty.
Above a platform that obscures the view from the river, was the entrance to the cave. There are steps leading from this entrance about thirty meters away, up to what was, at the time the cave was inhabited, the level of the river. When I saw the chisel marks on the wall near the entrance, my interest was aroused, I grabbed the gun and entered. I penetrated several tens of meters along the main passage, until I reached the crypt in which I discovered the mummies. I put one in position to photograph it with the flash. I collected a number of objects, which I brought down Colorado to Yuma, whence I shipped them to Washington with the details of the discovery. After that, explorations were undertaken.
The Passages
The main passage is approximately 12 feet wide, narrowing to nine towards the end. 57 feet from the entrance are the first side passages to the right and left, on both sides, leading to a number of chambers approximately 10 or 13 meters in size. They are entered through oval doors and are ventilated by round openings, created in the thickness of the walls of the passages. The passages are just over a meter wide and are worked with a chisel, well defined, as if an engineer had traced them. The ceilings of many rooms converge towards the top. The side passages near the entrance form a sharp angle from the main hall, but then gradually bend to a right angle.
The Sanctuary
About thirty yards from the entrance is the crossing hall, several hundred feet long, in which is the idol, or image, of the god of these people, seated cross-legged, holding a lotus flower or lily in each hand. The appearance of his face is oriental, like the decorations engraved in this cave. The idol resembles Buddha, although scientists are not certain as to the religious cult it represents. Taking into consideration everything that has been found so far, it is possible that this cult resembles that of the ancient people of Tibet.
Around the idol there are several small images, some very beautiful in shape, others with crooked necks and distorted shapes, symbolic, probably, of good and evil. There are two large cacti with protruding arms, one on each side of the stage on which the god stands. All this is carved into the living rock, similar to marble. In the opposite corner of the hall were found instruments of all descriptions, made of copper. These people surely knew a lost art of hardening this metal, which was then sought chemically for centuries, to no avail. On a bench running all around there was a state of approximately charcoal with other materials, probably used in the process. There is also slag and matte-like stuff, which shows that these ancient men smelted minerals, but so far no trace of where and how this was done has been discovered, nor the origin of the mineral.
"Among other finds are urns or vases and cups of copper and gold, of artistic model. The work includes pottery and enamelled glass. Another passage leads to granaries, such as are found in oriental temples. They contain seeds of various kinds A large warehouse has not yet been explored, as it stands twelve feet in the air and can only be reached from above. Two copper hooks hang over the edge, indicating that some sort of ladder was attached. These barns are rounded, and the materials of which they are constructed, in my opinion, are made of very hard concrete. A gray metal is also found in this cave, which puzzles scientists, because its identity has not been established. It resembles platinum. Scattered everywhere on the floor everywhere are what people call "cat's eyes," a yellow stone of no great value. Each is engraved with a head of the Malay type.
The hieroglyphics
"On all urns, on walls or doors, and stone tablets , images of mysterious hieroglyphs have been found, the key to which the Smithsonian Institute still hopes to discover. The engravings on the plates probably have something to do with the religion of the people. Similar hieroglyphics have been found in southern Arizona. Among the pictorial writings, only two animals are found. One is prehistoric."
"The tomb or crypt in which the mummies were found is one of the largest chambers, with the walls bent back at an angle of about 35 degrees. There are several levels of mummies, each occupying a dug platform. At the head of each is a small bench, in which are found copper cups and pieces of broken swords. Some of the mummies are covered with mud, and all are wrapped in bark shields.
The urns or cups on the lower levels are crude, while on the higher shelves urns excellent in design are achieved, showing a remarkable stage of civilisation. It is noteworthy that all mummies examined so far have been shown to be male, with no children or women buried here. This leads to the belief that it was the outer section of a warrior barracks.
"Among the discoveries were found no animal bones, no skins, no clothing, no bedding. Many of the rooms are bare, but with water containers. One room, about 40 by 700 feet, was probably the main dining room, and cooking utensils are found there. It is not known who lived here, although it is assumed that they came south in the winter to the ranches in the valleys, and back north in the summer.
Up to 50,000 people may have lived in these caves comfortably. One theory is that the present-day Arizona Indian tribes are descendants of the farmers or slaves of the people who inhabited the cave. Undoubtedly, many thousands of years before the Christian era, a people lived here and reached a high stage of civilization. The chronology of human history is full of gaps. Professor Jordan is very excited by the discoveries and believes the research will prove of incalculable archaeological value.
"One thing I didn't mention, but it may be of interest. There is an unventilated passage room, and when we approached it we were struck by a deadly, terrible odor, like the stench of snakes. The light we had at our disposal could not penetrate the darkness, and we do not know what the chamber may contain. Some say snakes, but others reject this idea and think it may contain a deadly gas or chemicals used by the ancients. No sounds were heard, only the smell of snakes. The entire underground installation shakes the nerves. The sadness weighs on your shoulders, and beyond our torches and candles there was only the blackest darkness. The imagination can indulge in conjectures and dreams through the centuries that have passed."
