The mystery of the Great pyramid : traditions concerning it and its connection with the Egyptian Book of the dead : with numerous illustrations

ASTRONOMICAL CONCEPTIONS

There is also a tradition that the Sphinx was built in connection with the ancient mysteries, and that it communicated with the first three pyramids of Gizeh by a series of underground chambers and passages, radiating from a central circular-shaped subterranean temple. The well-shaft in the Great Pyramid, the existence of which was apparently known in quite early times (it is mentioned by Pliny—first century of our era) traditionally, was thought by the Arabs to give access to these subterranean chambers. Another Arab tradition said that the Sphinx, as soon as the sun had risen, gave replies to anything it was consulted about, the answers coming from priests concealed therein, who had made their way into it from the well-shaft in the Great Pyramid (see Note X).

89