Hall of Records theories erupt over CIA’s ‘temple under Sphinx’ file,
The location of an ancient library believed to lie beneath Egypt’s Great Sphinx has long been one of archaeology’s greatest mysteries.
Now, a resurfaced CIA document from 1952 is reigniting speculation surrounding the legendary Hall of Records after a cryptic reference to a ‘temple under Sphinx’ was found inside a Cold War-era photographic inventory.
The Hall of Records legend has fascinated the public for nearly a century, with some claiming the mythical archive contains ancient texts, maps and evidence of a lost civilization that predated recorded history.
The 10-page CIA file, dated November 20, 1952, is titled ‘Presentation Form for Graphic Material’ and appears to catalog 11 rolls of black-and-white photographic negatives taken between July and December 1950.
Rather than an intelligence briefing, the document appears to be a simple archival inventory.
But believers say the phrase ‘Temple under Sphinx’ stands out because it is not a standard archaeological description commonly used today.
One X user posted: ‘So the CIA knows about the temple UNDER THE SPHINX. Still want to call BS on the Hall of Records?’
While no hidden temple has ever been confirmed beneath the Great Sphinx, archaeologists have long known about the ancient Sphinx Temple, a structure located directly in front of the monument on the Giza Plateau.
A resurfaced CIA document from 1952 is reigniting speculation surrounding the legendary Hall of Records after a cryptic reference to a ‘temple under Sphinx’ was found inside a Cold War-era photographic inventory
Much of the modern myth traces back to American clairvoyant Edgar Cayce, who predicted in the 1930s that a hidden chamber containing records from Atlantis would one day be discovered beneath the Sphinx’s paw.
According to Cayce, the hidden archive supposedly contained texts detailing humanity’s forgotten history, advanced science and catastrophic events that destroyed earlier civilizations. He predicted the chamber would one day be discovered, fueling decades of speculation and expeditions around the monument.
Interest intensified in the 1990s after seismic studies and ground-penetrating radar detected underground cavities and anomalies near the Sphinx.
Japanese researchers from Waseda University and later American teams identified unusual voids beneath the Giza Plateau, though mainstream archaeologists disputed claims that they were artificial chambers.
Famed Egyptologist Zahi Hawass has consistently denied the existence of a Hall of Records, saying: ‘The Sphinx has been thoroughly excavated. My friend and colleague, Mark Lehner, and I investigated it ourselves in 1979. Nothing like a Hall of Records has been found in or near the Sphinx.’
He also admitted that researchers have asked him for permission to excavate under the Sphinx, to which he refused, saying, ‘it did not make sense,’ adding that he found evidence that underneath the left paw is nothing but solid rock.
However, the circulating CIA reference has sent conspiracy forums and ancient history communities into overdrive, with many asking the same question: Did the agency stumble across something beneath the Sphinx more than 70 years ago?
‘Of course, there’s more to those sights than they let on. The Book of Thoth is rumored to be underneath the Sphinx,’ another person shared on Reddit.
The the hidden archive, speculated to be hidden below the Great Sphinx, supposedly contained texts detailing humanity’s forgotten history, advanced science and catastrophic events that destroyed earlier civilizations.
The Book of Thoth is a significant element of Egyptian mythology, centering around the quest of Nefer-ka-ptah, a prince of Egypt, who seeks a sacred text attributed to Thoth, the god of wisdom.
Legend has it that the Book of Thoth is supposedly hidden inside the legendary Hall of Records beneath the Great Sphinx of Giza.
The material in the document was being forwarded to CIA headquarters for archival purposes, with the first page warning that the nitrate film was explosive and required special handling during shipment.
The document largely focuses on Afghanistan, cataloging hundreds of images tied to archaeological digs, cave excavations, local villages, bazaars, infrastructure projects and geological surveys.
But buried among ordinary entries such as ‘Tourist at Pyramids,’ ‘Sphinx’ and ‘Ruins near Sphinx’ is the phrase that has now captured the internet’s imagination: ‘Temple under Sphinx; July ’50.’
However, one brief line buried within the file has captured the imagination of conspiracy theorists online.
