The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-16

For centuries scientists and explorers
have been endeavoring to solve the prob
lem of the great Sphinx, that colossal
form, 172 feet 6 inches long by so feet
high. hewn out of rock and placed as
sentinel, so to say, near the Pyramids of
Egypt. Why and how was it built by
the ancient Egyptians, and what was the
origin of the Pyramids? These questions
have been partly, but never satisfac-
torily answered. An amazing discovery.
however, is reported to have been made
by Prof. Reisner, Of Harvard Univer-
sty The was born and raised in Indiana,
of German parentage) which seems to
throw a great deal of light on the great
est of Egyptian and the worlds mys-
teries
Attracted by the fact that in the head
of the Sphinx was a depression, which
seemed to point out the conclusion that
the stone and sand were sinking into SUBJ
terranean chambers, the professor. after
a thorough examination, petitioned the
government Of the Khedive to allow him
to make further research. After con-
siderable trouble-for the Egyptians
guard zealously any secrets which the
sphinx might contain-the American pro-
fessor obtained the necessary permits
sion, ard, with the assistance of a band
of workmen, he bored into the head of
the sphinx and ultimately found himself
in chamber sixty feet long and four
teen feet wide. which constituted a little
temple in itself, but connected, by means
Of tunnel running down to the neck of
the sphinx to a marvellous temple which
occupies the entire body of the greatest
oe Egyptian statues.
From further Investigations, which the
professor made he derived some remark
able conclusions. The ancient Egyptians
worshiped the SUN to a great extent.
The mass of the people probably did So
simply because they regarded the sun
as source of heat and life, but thu
priests of old Egypt recognized the sun
as the center Of the universe, and it was
in this higher sense that they reverenced
that luminary.
The Sphinx is so placed as TO face
the rising sun, and it is contended, iii
view of Prof. Reisner's discoveries, that
the temple discovered by him in the head
of the Sphinx must have been so con-
structed that the priests might worship
there in seclusion. The head, to quote
the official inscription, must have been
the "holy of holes" of the greater tenn
pie below. The professors discoveries
also led to the finding of various tun-
nels to subterranean temples and tombs,
and it is believed that the Sphinx in re-
atty must be the tomb of Menes, the
first historic Pharaoh.
1t is also contended from the position
in which the Pyramids stand, that they
were utilized as great sun diaIs, their
shadows marking the time of the day,
the variations pointing to- the different
seasons. This helps to explain. to a GER
tain extent, some of the great scientific
attachments of the ancient Egyptians. II
they could tell the time so precisely
5000 years ago, they must have under
stood all about the movements of the
heavenly bodies. and been able to calcu-
late the changes of the moon and the
variations in the motion OF the earth
around the sun.
More remarkable is thd fact that Prof. !
Reisner has discovered dne of the great
mechanical devices of the, ancient priests. |
He found an enormous lever, by which (
A. - u ~~u