Podcast Summary: The Why Files: Operation Podcast

Episode 620: The Lost Labyrinth of Hawara: Evidence of Atlantis in Egypt

Host: AJ (Hacklefish)
Date: December 17, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the enduring mystery of the lost Labyrinth of Hawara in Egypt, weaving together historical sources, modern archaeological discoveries, suppressed research, and the tantalizing possibility of an ancient advanced civilization—perhaps even Atlantis. AJ Hacklefish guides listeners through myths, evidence, controversies, and new technological insights, questioning official narratives and connecting dots across thousands of years.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. The Ancient Labyrinth Described

• Historical References: Ancient historians like Herodotus (450 BC), Strabo, Diodorus Siculus, and Pliny the Elder described a vast labyrinth at Hawara, surpassing the pyramids in size and wonder.
  • “For if one should put together all the buildings and great works produced by the Greeks, they would prove to be inferior to this labyrinth. The labyrinth surpasses even the pyramids.”
    — Herodotus, read by Historical Quote Reader (02:16)
• Physical Features: Claims of 3,000 rooms, multiple floors, upper administrative complexes, forbidden lower chambers with “sacred crocodile burials,” and a roof of massive stone slabs with no wood.

Comic Relief

• [01:57] Sidekick jokes, "Ah, so it was an Ikea."
• [02:03] “Thousands of rooms, no way out. People wandering around crying. Throw in some Swedish meatballs and that's Ikea.”

2. Early Archaeological Investigations

• William Matthew Flinders Petrie (1888):
  • Sought the tomb of Amenemhat III, encountered deadly traps and collapsing tunnels but found a vast foundation.
  • Realized he was on top of the Labyrinth’s roof, not its foundation, but flooding prevented deeper exploration (07:05–09:23).
  • “Petrie realized what he discovered...He was standing on the foundation of the lost labyrinth of Hawara.” (09:21)

3. Modern Rediscovery and Suppression

• Louis de Cordier (2008):
  • Used ground-penetrating radar, revealing a grid of granite walls 40 ft down—10 football fields large, confirming ancient records (09:56–11:06).
  • Findings suppressed by Egypt's antiquities chief, Zahi Hawass, who imposed a communications ban, citing “national security.”
  • De Cordier was blacklisted after going public with the data (11:30–13:08).
  • Pattern of suppression repeated with discoveries by Rudolf Gatenbrink (Great Pyramid shaft robot, 1993) and Andrew Collins (Tomb of the Birds caves, 2008).
• Zahi Hawass:
  • Presented as gatekeeper of Egyptology, accused of burying discoveries that don't fit mainstream narratives.
    • “You cannot just go indirectly like this...the matter is closed. It is closed. It’s closed.”
      — Hawass (14:22)

Comic Relief

• [13:23] “Are they online?”
• [13:24] “No, in my book Giza and the Pyramids. In my book Giza and the Pyramid.” — Hawass

4. Advances in Underground Imaging

• Tim Akers' 2015 Radar Scan (satellite-based):
  • Found not just one or two, but four levels beneath Hawara, separated by up to 100 ft of rock.
  • Central shaft connects all four, with an “omega” shaped moat, matching Egyptian eternity symbol “shenring.”
  • Bottom level contains a 130 ft metallic object, possibly a portal or generator, with anomalous radar signature—not stone, wood, or brick (15:21–17:25).
  • The data was kept secret for 10 years; still, no permission to excavate.
  • “A solid metal object the size of the Statue of Liberty, buried 100ft underground. Shaped like an upright disc or a ring…” (16:47)
• The Labyrinth as a Library:
  • Priests claimed it was for storing ancient knowledge from a long-lost civilization destroyed by a great flood; echoes of Atlantis (17:54).

5. The Atlantis & “First Time” Connection

• Plato’s Account (360 BC):
  • Says Egyptian priests told Solon the Atlantis story, giving specific dates that oddly align with geological data on the end of the Ice Age (~9,700 BC).
• Egypt’s Own Flood Myth (Zep Tepi):
  • The Turin King List and Edfu texts describe a pre-pharaonic, divine era and advanced beings (“Shebtu” and “seven sages”) from a sunken homeland (19:46–22:00).
    • “This doesn't read like mythology. This reads like history.” (21:40)
    • The theory: survivors of this lost civilization seeded Egypt and built the labyrinth to preserve knowledge.

6. Physical Evidence Supporting the Theory

• Water Erosion on the Sphinx and Osirion:
  • Geologist Robert Schoch dates Sphinx erosion to heavy rain periods, pushing its construction back to 7,000–9,700 BC (23:27).
  • Abydos Osirion shares similar water-based weathering, with advanced megalithic construction.
  • “Modern engineers struggle to replicate” the precision (23:38).
• Hieroglyphic Emergence:
  • Language, science, and architecture appeared fully formed, supporting the idea of a knowledge “operating manual” handoff (24:53).

7. The Hall of Records & Edgar Cayce Prophecies

• Edgar Cayce’s “Hall of Records”:
  • Medium claimed (1930s-40s) knowledge from Atlantis is stored in chambers beneath the Sphinx, with power-generating crystals and advanced tech.
  • 1990s seismic surveys and archaeologist Dorothy Eady’s testimony supported existence of chambers under Sphinx (26:41–28:38).
  • But digging is still forbidden.
  • “Someone claiming to be a reincarnated...priestess sounds fringe, but archaeologists listened...her memories helped them find actual ruins at Abydos.” (28:34)

8. Mainstream Skepticism vs. Evidence

• Most Egyptologists reject the advanced pre-Egypt civilization theory, call Zep Tepi myths and Cayce’s readings unverified.
  • AJ counters with physical/geological evidence and points to primordial suppression of new discoveries.
• “They refuse to accept the geological and physical evidence because it breaks their model of history.” (32:41)

Comic Relief

• [32:36] “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt, pal.”

9. State of the Labyrinth & Urgency

• Modern Threats:
  • Rising water table (as of 2024 warnings) threatens to destroy remaining evidence at Hawara; bureaucratic inaction persists.
  • “Salt water is eroding everything...Thousands of years of history gone, and so far, their advice has been ignored.” (33:12)

10. Final Reflections

• The evidence for the labyrinth’s existence is compelling, but access and excavation continue to be blocked.
• It remains possible that the secret at Hawara is not just about Egypt, but the roots of global civilization.
  • “Herodotus stood at the entrance to the underground. The priest told him no. 2,500 years later, we’re still standing at the same door.” (34:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Herodotus (via Historical Quote Reader, 02:16):
  “I saw it myself, and I found it greater than words can say. For if one should put together all the buildings and great works produced by the Greeks, they would prove to be inferior to this labyrinth. The labyrinth surpasses even the pyramids.”

• Comic Sidekick on exploring the pyramid (07:51):
  “Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. I'm having a panic attack just listening to this.”

• AJ, on the evidence for an earlier civilization and the Hall of Records (21:40 & 24:53):
  “This doesn't read like mythology. This reads like history.” “It was as someone handed the Egyptians a complete operating manual. And that operating manual is still here. Every bit of ancient knowledge is in the labyrinth.”

• On Suppression, Hawass (14:22):
  “You cannot just go indirectly like this. You have to make a study. You have to research it... The matter is closed. It is closed. It’s closed.”

• AJ on scientific resistance (32:41):
  “They refuse to accept the geological and physical evidence because it breaks their model of history.”

• Closing Reflection (34:21): “Herodotus stood at the entrance to the underground. The priest told him no. 2,500 years later, we’re still standing at the same door. And now Zahi Hawass is telling us no. But walls do more than keep people out. They keep secrets in. And if the scans are right, the secret waiting in the labyrinth isn't just about Egypt's past. It's about all of ours.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:29] — Introduction: The legend of Hawara and Herodotus’ account
• [02:16] — Herodotus quote on the labyrinth's magnitude
• [07:05] — Flinders Petrie's harrowing pyramid explorations
• [09:56] — Cordier’s 2008 radar find, suppression begins
• [11:30] — Discussion of official suppression, Zahi Hawass’s role
• [13:23–13:29] — Example: Hawass retaining discoveries for his own book
• [15:21] — Tim Akers' satellite discovery of the four-level labyrinth and buried metallic object
• [17:54] — Discussion shifts to Atlantean/Hall of Records lore
• [19:46] — Egypt's “Zep Tepi” flood myth and evidence in temple walls
• [23:27] — Schoch's Sphinx weathering evidence, Abydos Osirion’s age
• [24:53] — Hieroglyphics and sudden Egyptian civilization “operating manual”
• [26:41] — Edgar Cayce’s Hall of Records prophecies and seismic tantalizing finds
• [32:36–32:41] — Sidekick and AJ summarizing mainstream denial and open questions
• [33:12] — Water damage threat and call for urgent excavation
• [34:21] — Closing reflection on standing at the “forbidden door,” then and now

Tone and Style

• Lighthearted, curious, and irreverent, with regular comic interludes and pop-culture jokes to break up the heavy research.
• Balanced skepticism—AJ presents extraordinary claims enthusiastically but critiques their weaknesses and highlights the need for actual excavation.
• Undercurrent of frustration at bureaucratic suppression and the sluggish pace of official archaeology.
• Calls for open-minded investigation and protection of world heritage before it’s lost.

Summary Takeaways

• The ancient labyrinth at Hawara, described by multiple ancient sources, matches physical discoveries far more closely than most realize.
• Modern technological investigations suggest there may still be a massive, multi-level, artifact-rich structure hidden—potentially containing a mysterious metallic object—beneath the sand and water table.
• Official skepticism, administrative obstruction (notably by Zahi Hawass), and national security claims have repeatedly blocked excavation and publication.
• Connections to the Atlantis myth, Egypt’s own Zep Tepi, and far earlier civilizations are plausible but unproven—yet the convergence of myths, physical evidence, and unexplained construction techniques pose challenging questions for mainstream history.
• The window to explore and preserve this potential trove is closing fast, as water damage threatens the underground complex.

For those who haven’t listened:
This episode offers a whirlwind tour of one of history's biggest unresolved archaeological mysteries. It blends ancient texts, hard science, explorer adventure, conspiracy, and just enough humor to keep things entertaining—while urging a more open, less dogmatic approach to uncovering our shared past.