‘Could Egypt’s Subterranean Labyrinth at Hawara be the lost Hall of Records?’

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Ancient writers like Herodotus and Strabo described the Egyptian Labyrinth as a wonder of the world, even claiming it surpassed the pyramids in grandeur.

While the structure has mostly been lost, and its exact nature is debated, evidence from modern scanning technology suggests a large, complex structure exists beneath the sands at Hawara, near the pyramid of Amenemhat III.

‘As above, so below’ – Do not be fooled by appearances. Although what you see on the surface at Hawara is a Pyramid made out of mud, the foundations are in fact made out of stone. While you may never have heard of this site, archaeologists regard it as being the 2nd most important site in Egypt.

So, I asked AI  whether the Labrinth found to exist below the Pyramid at Hawara, could be Egypt’s lost Hall of Records.

AI – ‘The subterranean labyrinth at Hawara is a candidate for the lost Hall of Records, but this is a theory based on its ancient description and the lack of a complete excavation. Historically, the site was described by ancient historians as a vast complex with many chambers, and some modern research using ground-penetrating radar has detected large underground structures, though the site remains unexcavated and the findings are not fully public. 

The Labyrinth of Hawara and the Hall of Records

  • Ancient descriptions: 

Ancient Greek historians like Herodotus described a massive, labyrinthine complex connected to the pyramid of Hawara, with thousands of chambers that he said contained vast amounts of information. 

  • Modern evidence: 

Ground-penetrating radar scans in 2008 provided evidence of a large underground complex beneath the pyramid, corroborating the existence of the labyrinth. 

  • Speculation: 

Based on the ancient descriptions and the modern findings, some speculate that the labyrinth could be the legendary Hall of Records, a rumoured repository of lost ancient knowledge, including information on pre-dynastic civilizations.

  • Current status: 

The labyrinth is still largely unexcavated, and what the site contains is not publicly known, which leaves its potential as a “Hall of Records” a topic of ongoing debate and speculation.’ 

I will return to this blog in December to explore and expand as NASA have taken satellite images of the site, which has also been explored on the surface around the Pyramid using Ground Penetrating Radar (‘GPR’).

What this revealed is a massive complex of subterranean chambers with interconnecting corridors i.e. tunnels. See the programmes in the links below: