Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-06-30

second Pyramid. or Pyramid of
Chrephren, was built. Material EVIL
dence has led DIR. Hassan to believe
that 1t was constructed before the
building of the SPHINX. Chrephren,
Khephren. or Kha-f-ra, the third King
of the fourth dynasty, lived about
1866 B. c., or about $500 years ago.
Hence. while the age of the lonely
Sphinx, enigma of the ages, is still
unknown, 1t is now believed to have
been part of a great architectural plan
and to have been constructed some
time after the erection of the second
Pyramid Of Giza.
The excavations on the Itinerary
temple of the Pyramid of Chrephren
were begun in 1909 This temple was
found to be connected with the Temple
Of the Sphinx by means of a path,
the use of which was hitherto un-
known. DR.. Hassan's recent excava-
tons have disclosed that this path is,
as a matter Of fact, gigantic stone
causeway, ~ meters wide and about
$50 meters long. 1t leads from the
second Pyramid into the Temple Of
the Sphinx by an imposing stone
portico.
r ACCOMPANIED DR.. Hassan to the
new subway from which he has
excavated the debris during the last
three weeks Large numbers of men
are at work In the sandy slope be-
tween the second Pyramid and the
ancient Sphinx. tn terrain is filled
with excavations. and from distance
suggests a battle front of earth torn
up by high explosives. Near at hand
you find the desert has been opened
up to disclose passageways. pits and
deep chambers.
The causeway between the Second
Pyramid is constructed of enormous
blocks of localized stone and has three
divisions or separate pathways. The
middle pathway lies between two walls
constructed of fine Turah limestone.
These walls were rooted over. as is
proved by the remains Of stones found
here and there on the causeway. The
reason that the subway was construct
ed was that the two walls above men
toned prevented passage from the
cemetery Of Kheops to that Of Chre-
phren. The subway was built about
halfway between the Sphinx and the
Second Pyramid. This shows that the
cemetery of Kheops, who constructed
the First or Great Pyramid. and which
lies to the north of the causeway. was
separated from that of Chrephren,
which lies to the south, but connec-
ton between both cemeteries was pro-
vided by cutting out the rock under
meath the causeway.
The newly excavated subway was
cut through hard sand rock and is
about 8 feet in height. Two or three
people can easily walk abreast In it,
In the center of the subway was the
deep shaft of which DR.. Hassan had
spoken.
This newly excavated shaft is an
enormous four-sided hole about 8 feet
each way, leading straight down
through the limestone like mine
shaft. The shaft ends In q spacious
room in the center Of which Is an
other shaft which descends t. and
ends in a roomy court thanked with
seven-side chambers, some Of which
DR.. Hassan,s assistant, Mahmud Der
wish, said contain huge sarcophagi Of
basalt and granite. In one of these
seven rooms there Is also cut down
third shaft, ending in q side chamber
which Is now flooded with water but
apparently contains q sarcophagus.
I'VE are hoping to find some monu-
ments Of importance after clearing out
this water said Mahmud Derwish,
assistant to DR.. Hassan, who escorted
this writer throughout the excavations |
and dictated the copy of this article |
as we visited the various tombs and |
|
1.-THE total depth Of this series Of
= shafts" Mr.. Derwish continued,
"is more than 10 meters or more than |
125 feet. The fact that We ind water
in the lowest shaft shows that the
level Of the water has been raised |
since that early period. IS 1t would |
have been impossible for the ancient !
Egyptians to have buried their dead
in the water. . .
ain the course of clearing the
southern part Of the subway there
vas found . very ans hsad d statue