Grand Canyon Lost Civilization

What is the Grand Canyon Lost Civilization?

The Grand Canyon Lost Civilization is a pseudoarchaeological idea of an Egyptian civilization that lived within caves in the Grand Canyon. The original article covering the "civilization" says that "Nearly a mile underground, about 1480 feet below the surface, the long main passage has been delved into, to find another mammoth chamber from which radiates scores of passageways, like the spokes of a wheel."

What is the context in which it was found?

According to "How Stuff Works" G.E. Kincaid discovered large caves in 1909 that were "full of artifacts, including statues, copper weapons, even granaries full of seeds". The article also claims that "50,000 people could live inside comfortably". Kincaid said that he "was journeying down the Colorado river in a boat, alone, looking for mineral." when he found the caves. The caves were also reportedly inaccessible due to the "sheer walls and a series of rough rapids", so there wasn't much of an investigation into the contents and existence of the caves in 1909. Kincaid states in the newspaper that "Over a hundred feet from the entrance is the cross-hall, several hundred feet long, in which are found the idol, or image, of the people’s god, sitting cross-legged, with a lotus flower or lily in each hand." This is what led him to believe the cave could possibly be Tibetan.

The caves were said to be found by "Smithsonian Institution explorer G.E. Kincaid" and investigated by "Smithsonian anthropologist S.A. Jordan", but according to "Smithsonian Magazine", "No records can confirm the existence of either Kincaid or Jordan."

What is the Real Story Behind the Caves?

The Hopi Tribe

Map of the Hopi Nation and the three Mesas

If the caves exist, they were likely made by the Hopi people, an indigenous tribe that traveled down the Grand Canyon on annual pilgrimages. The Hopi people have lived in Arizona for over 2000 years, but they can trace their history back even farther in South America, Central America, and Mexico. While not much is known about the Hopi people and their culture, it is known that they "made annual pilgrimages to the sipapuni for yellow clay, then on to a Grand Canyon cave along the Colorado River to gather salt." The Hopi people live on top and at the base of three mesas just south of Black Mesa.

Caves or No Caves?

It is likely that the caves don't actually exist though. There haven't been any reports of archeological investigations since the initial investigation done by a "Smithsonian" archeologist. And even that investigation is unlikely to have genuinely happened because there are no records of "S.A. Jordan" have actually existed.