The Lost Labyrinth of Egypt
There was a massive labyrinth in Egypt that, in the words of one who saw it, “surpassed even the pyramids.”
Herodotus, who is rightly spoken of as the Father of History, spent a considerable number of years in travelling about over most of the then known world. The Labyrinth of Egypt he himself visited, as he tells us in his second book.
After describing how the Egyptians divided the land into twelve parts, or nomes, and set a king over each, he says that they agreed to combine together to leave a memorial of themselves. They then constructed the Labyrinth, just above Lake Moeris, and nearly opposite the city of crocodiles (Crocodilopolis). He says that he was allowed to pass through the upper rooms only, the lower range being strictly guarded from visitors, as they contained the tombs of the kings who had built the Labyrinth, also the tombs of the sacred crocodiles.
Ancient writers described having seen it firsthand, but 2,500 years later, we still aren’t sure where it is. The closest thing we’ve found to it, is a massive 300-meter-wide (1,000 ft) stone plateau that some believe was once the foundation of the labyrinth.
It is not clear whether the Egyptian temple was described as a labyrinth simply because it was so huge and so complex that one could easily become lost, or whether it was intentionally designed as a maze where one had to find their own way through it.
Ancient Greek historian, Strabo, who also claimed to have visited the temple, wrote in his geography book: "Before the entrances there lie what might be called hidden chambers which are long and many in number and have paths running through one another which twist and turn, so that no one can enter or leave any court without a guide."
Another writer of about the same period as Strabo, known as Diodorus the Sicilian, wrote a long, rambling compilation which he called a "Historical Library" and in which he describes the Egyptian Labyrinth and Lake Moeris. He says the latter was constructed by King Moeris, who left a place in the middle where he built himself a sepulchre and two pyramids - one for himself and one for his queen - surmounted by colossal seated statues.
Roman geographer Pomponius Mela, in his ‘Chorographia’ Book, describes the temples as having “innumerable paths” which “cause great perplexity both because of their continual winding and because of their porticoes which often reverse their direction.”
The Roman army commander and philosopher, Pliny the Elder) in his Natural History book, also describes the labyrinth as a “bewildering maze of paths”, adding that, not only did individuals who entered the temple have to navigate through a confusing array of ramps, porticoes, rooms, and stairs, but they were also confronted with “a fearful noise of thunder” and had to pass through the chambers in darkness.
On the detailed descriptions provided by Herodotus, and other ancient historians, Athanasius Kircher, a 17th-century German Jesuit scholar and polymath, produced the first pictorial reconstructions. At the centre of the drawing is a maze, which is surrounded by twelve courts described by Herodotus.
The sand of Hawara was scanned in 2008 by the belgian - egyptian Mataha Expedition team. The geo-radar specialists scanned the plateau and found that underneath there appears to be a underground labyrinth just like the one ancient writers described. As of yet, though, nobody has ever excavated it or stepped inside. Until somebody makes it into the labyrinth, we won’t know for sure whether we’ve really found Egypt’s greatest archaeological wonder.
You can watch the latest video HERE ==> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAqPZ3NqVFk