What Were Ancient Egyptians Doing in the Grand Canyon?

In 1909, the news about the discovery of ancient Egyptian artifacts found in a remote cave in the Grand Canyon made a big splash. The answer everyone wanted to know was how the ancient Egyptians got to the Grand Canyon and established a thriving underground city only to mysteriously abandon it.

It all began when two Smithsonian-funded scientists, Prof. S. A. Jordan and G.E. Kinkaid discovered hard-to-access caves around 42 miles from the El Tovar Crystal Canyon. This is an excerpt from the article published in the Arizona Gazette which created a big sensation in 1909: "Discoveries which almost conclusively prove that the race which inhabited this mysterious cavern, hewn in solid rock by human hands, was of oriental origin, possibly from Egypt, tracing back to Ramses."

The article relates how Kincaid discovered the mummified remains and a statue that bore resemblance to Buddha. However there were no photographs or actual evidence to back up these claims leading to sketipcism among the public about these claims.

According to another article published in history.howstuffworks.com, the cave was supposedly filled with artifacts like statues, copper weapons, even granaries full of seeds. There was the main cavern from which caves radiated like spokes in a wheel and could house up to 50,000 people.

However, the Smithsonian denies ever employing the two scientists or having any records of their discoveries which led to conspiracy theorists having a field day. Although there is no information regarding the scientist named Jordan, a March 12 news article published in the Arizona Gazette described Kincaid as a person from Yuma who was in possession of high quality photographic equipment and who might very well have been a gold prospector for gold.

According to history.howstuffworks.com, some conspiracy theorists believe the location of this secret cave to be similar to the mysterious Area 51 while others believe it to be a portal to the fourth dimension and who claim it to be the entry point for reptilians who have secretly ruled this world for thousands of years. Yet others claim that the Smithsonian destroyed the records on purpose because it doesn't align with human history as we know it.

Up to this day, archaelogists have not been able to pinpoint the exact location of these caves or unravel the mystery of how the Egyptians may have crossed the Pacific Ocean and made the Grand Canyon their home.

Whatever the rumors may be, the possibility also exists that the whole story was cooked up by someone in order to boost sales of a newspaper and until otherwise proven, it is will remain an unsolved mystery and a popular destination for treasure hunters.

These are some interesting facts about the Grand Canyon published by history.howstuffworks.com:

Where is the Grand Canyon?

Grand Canyon is located in Arizona’s northwest corner, near the borders of Nevada and Utah. The Colorado River, flowing through the campus, drains water from seven states but the area we know as the Grand Canyon is located completely in Arizona.

How did the Grand Canyon form?

Scientists say that it was formed around 5 million years ago when the Colorado River cut a channel against layers of rock. Evidence shows that humans inhabited the region during the Ice Age.

What is the Grand Canyon known for?

The Grand Canyon is known as one of the most brilliant examples of arid-land erosion throughout the world. The canyon is massive, with an average depth of 4,000 feet for around 277 miles.

What two rivers meet in the Grand Canyon?

The Little Colorado and Colorado Rivers meet at a remote corner around the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona. The Navajos have deep ties to that land and view it as sacred.