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  Recognized as ‘alaxulux’en in the Chumash language, the Chumash Painted Cave once operated as a ceremonial site. Due to colonization and the establishment of Spanish missions in Chumash territory, traditional use of the cave ceased over 300 years ago. Vibrant hues of red, white, and black adorn the cave walls, depicting figures, animals, and shapes believed to have been painted by shamans. Today, members of the Chumash community are working to revitalize their languages and traditions, with the cave remaining an important heritage landmark that connects them to their ancestors.   Discovering the History of the Chumash Painted Cave Petroglyphs at Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park, Santa Barbara, California. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division   The Chumash Painted Cave, part of the Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park, is known to the Chumash as ‘alaxulux’en. Located at the edge of the traditional Barbareño Chumash territory, or present-day Santa Barbara, California, the small cave can be viewed by visitors from a distance. Once serving as a ceremonial site, ‘alaxulux’en represents some of the last preserved wall art of the Chumash people, offering modern descendants a connection to their ancestors.   The Chumash have lived in central and southern coastal regions of California for over 10,000 years. Before European contact, the Chumash lived in a network of up to 100 villages encompassing modern-day Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo Counties, and nearby islands, with a population of over 15,000. Spanish missions were established in Chumash territory in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, leading to the forced conversion of many Chumash people to Catholicism. This period resulted in significant changes for the Chumash community, including the loss of land, the erasure of languages and cultural practices, and a devastating decline in population due to introduced diseases and violence.   Photograph of Ernestine Ygnacio-De Soto, 2020. Source: United States National Park Service   As the Chumash Painted Cave has been subject to harm from graffiti and flash photography, CyArk collaborated with California State Parks and Barbareño Chumash Elder Ernestine Ygnacio-De Soto to virtually preserve ‘alaxulux’en using 3D documentation. Ygnacio-De Soto is the great-great-granddaughter of Maria Ygnacia, the daughter of the last wot, or chief, of Syuxtun, a large Chumash settlement. Her mother, Mary Yee, was the last surviving first-language speaker of Barbareño, one of the Chumash languages once widely spoken in the region, which Ygnacio-De Soto is active in documenting.   Life Between the Mountains and the Sea Photograph of Chumash community members paddling a tomol from the California mainland to the Channel Islands, by Robert Schwemmer, 2016. Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration   The rich culture of the Chumash tribe has strong ties to the land and sea, with their ancestors having resided between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Coastal towns thrived from the abundance of resources. As a maritime culture, the Chumash had extensive trade partners, with trade facilitated by shell bead money and trail systems. Skilled craftsmen constructed planked oceangoing canoes, called tomols, for fishing and trading, as well as delicate beadwork, bows, bowls, and baskets.   Photograph of a Chumash basket, 2008. Source: United States National Park Service   Hunting, gathering, and fishing were fundamental to the Chumash of the mainland coast, using extensive knowledge of various plants and animals. Their spiritual belief system is central to their everyday life and is deeply intertwined with nature, with the belief that the Sun and Earth are in balance. Oral storytelling, an elaborate tradition of the Chumash people, is central to cultural transmission, allowing future generations to retain cultural knowledge.   Members of the ‘antap society, who held high-ranking status in a tribe, directed the spiritual life of a group. Shamans within the ‘antap were responsible for ceremonies, including solstice observances and cave paintings. The ‘alchuklash, astronomers and priests of the ‘antap, possessed knowledge of the celestial cycles and calendars. In particular, the summer and winter solstices held significance, with accounts of rituals, leaving behind rock art with symbolic remnants of ceremonies.   The Vibrant Pictographs of the Chumash Painted Cave Photograph of Chumash paint, dye, and tools, 2008. Source: United States National Park Service   The paintings, tracing the contours of the sandstone walls, remain vivid in bold hues of red, black, and white. Archaeologists have determined that the artists concocted the pigments used to paint the cave with a variety of minerals. They mixed the bold red pigments using red ochre, or hematite, while the white used either gypsum or diatomaceous earth. To produce the bold black pigment, the artists would have used charcoal or manganese oxide. After grinding the pigments, the Chumash painter would mix them with a binder containing animal fat, sap, water, blood, or saliva, then use their fingers or a brush made from an animal tail to stain the cave walls.   On the walls are pictographs—illustrations made on rock—that depict human-like figures, animals, and abstract geometric shapes. Despite their age, the circles, spirals, figures, and celestial symbols remain vibrant in color. Anthropologists estimate the rock art to date back to the 1600s at the latest, with layers of the painting dating earlier than others.   The Distinct Styles of ‘Alaxulux’en Photograph of Chumash Painted Cave by Eve Harms, 2022. Source: Flickr   Researchers studied pigments from the paintings to identify four distinct styles in the cave. The first and oldest layer was painted using only charcoal, consisting of narrow lines and cross-hatching. These lines are faint, particularly due to the overlapping red lines of the second identified style, which were created with ground ochre.   The most complex and widespread of the four, style three represents anthropomorphic figures, animals, and geometric shapes. The third layer of the rock art consists of black and white centipede-like striped shapes and red figures with arms extending outwards. Rather than standing alone, the last style appears to add to the previous styles, supporting that people sought to maintain and improve upon the earlier rock art.   The Ceremonial Art of Shamans Photograph of red Chumash pictographs on rock, 2009. Source: United States National Park Service   As a result of the effects of colonization, the Chumash tradition of storytelling has been largely erased, including passing down the meanings behind pictographs. While many attempts have been made to interpret cave paintings, it is important to note that our modern interpretations are largely biased, and we should approach such artwork with the understanding that we will never fully perceive the intended meaning.   An earlier, now outdated theory from the late 1800s saw the circular designs of Chumash rock art as bundles of tied blanket bundles. During the same period, elder Ernestine’s great uncle Pedro Ygnacio described what he had learned from his elders. Pedro saw the paintings as representations of tomols that took the souls of the dead to the afterworld shimilaqsha and the centipede-like figures as illustrations of the cause of death.   Another belief is that the rock art was often created in response to crises, painted by shamans to appease the universe during difficult or unexplainable events. This approach is supported by the apparent increase in ceremonies in the inland following the arrival of the Spanish. Further ethnographic evidence suggests that the images were created as part of rituals to request fruitful harvests, rainfall, and fertility, as well as to ward away storms.   Photograph of a Chumash ‘ap, or house, 2008. Source: United States National Park Service   Many interpretations, reflecting on Chumash culture and traditional practices, indicate that members of the ‘antap society were the creators of the paintings. Taught by her grandparents, Chumash healer Cecilia Garcia expressed that the pictographs were primarily used as healing images. Patients would travel to caves close to streams, where the ‘antap painted pictographs to relax patients as part of the healing process or to show patients parts of the human body.   Mind-Altering Properties of the Datura Plant and the Red Harvester Ant Datura wrightii, the Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona, USA, 2010. Source: National Parks Service   Momoy, a hallucinogenic plant called datura, was named after an older woman who personifies the plant in the Chumash culture. The ‘antap prepared momoy for ceremonial and medicinal purposes, including the initiation of young boys into adulthood. Chumash shamans took momoy to create a state of altered consciousness, leading the user to see the present or future more clearly through vision quests.   Red harvester ants, used by many indigenous groups in southern and south-central California for their hallucinogenic properties, were similarly ingested in the Chumash culture. Considered safer than momoy, the ants, known as shutulhul, were administered to induce sacred dreams or hallucinations for initiation ceremonies and traditional remedies.   Red ant hill, Devil’s Bridge Trail in Sedona, Arizona, 2012. Source: Flickr   While many have advocated for the theory linking the influence of hallucinogens like datura to the creation of rock art, there has been a lack of concrete evidence to support this. That was until archaeologists discovered wads of chewed datura in the ceiling crevices of a rock site called Pinwheel Cave in the Chumash borderlands of interior south-central California. Researchers believe the pinwheel-shaped painting represents a datura flower and suggest that an insect-like figure nearby could be a hawk moth, known to pollinate datura plants. Rather than a singular shaman, researchers theorized that the cave was used communally, as evidenced by the tools and artifacts discovered below the painting.   The Solar Eclipse of the Chumash Painted Cave Photograph of a total solar eclipse in Makanda, Illinois, by Tharindu Nallaperuma, 2017. Source: Wikimedia Commons   The Chumash identified many of the constellations in the night sky, using their knowledge of astronomy to track both time and seasons. Oral traditions and myths frequently featured celestial bodies, such as the legend of the Milky Way, Alchupo’osh, which saw the galaxy as a pathway to the afterworld. It is thought that the paintings in Chumash Painted Cave may have represented celestial beings, including the Sun, Moon, and Stars. Members of the ‘antap society would have painted such beings to maintain balance in the supernatural forces.   Using Oppolzer’s Canon of Eclipses, astronomer Katherine Bracher determined that a total eclipse would have occurred at the site on November 24th of 1677. Bracher identified a particular scene in the cave, featuring a black circular shape, as representing the solar eclipse. Below the black disk are two red circles, believed to symbolize Mars and the star Antares, which would have formed a visible triangular grouping with the eclipsed Sun. Black pigment carefully scraped from the disk was dated to the time of the eclipse, supporting the theory.   Preserving a Cultural and Historical Landmark Photograph of the cave entrance at Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park in Santa Barbara, by Eve Harms, 2022. Source: Flickr   In 1908, officials constructed a protective iron gate to protect the priceless artwork from external threats. Beside the iron gate, the sandstone exhibits hundreds of dates and names thoughtlessly carved by visitors. A similar story can be told for the interior, as the cave walls exhibit acts of vandalism from as early as the missionization period. At present, the painted cave is threatened by wind erosion, steadily causing the ceiling to collapse. A gap within the paintings can be observed upon entering the cave site, which, in time, will expand.   In reference to the efforts made to revitalize many of the traditions and languages that were impacted by past travesties, elder Ernestine Ygnacio-De Soto described the Chumash culture as “sleeping,” rather than being lost. Today, ‘alaxulux’en remains a site of cultural and historical significance, inspiring the protection of the site for future generations. The paintings are deeply respected and symbolize the journey in which the Chumash have come, representing the resilience of a culture that has survived centuries of turmoil.

  Whether spoken or written, languages serve an essential purpose. Language enabled the formation of laws, religion, science, and even identity. The jump from spoken to written form only cemented civilization in many spots. From several civilizations came languages like Greek or Sanskrit, whose influence is still felt today.   Sanskrit: Perfection From India Sanskrit and Other Ancient Languages. Source: Wikimedia   Sanskrit, when translated, means “perfection” in ancient Indic languages. Sanskrit, one of the globe’s oldest languages, emerged in northern India probably around 1500 BCE. Classical Sanskrit was standardized in the 4th century BCE, leading to daily use. Sanskrit’s path to the rest of South Asia came via trade, scholars, or military campaigns.    Sanskrit’s influence became enormous, changing the languages of Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tibet, and more. It would become the sacred language for Hindu and Buddhist scripts.    Besides Sanskrit’s intellectual and philosophical depth, its Devanagari script served as the basis for 120 additional languages.   Egyptian: The Language of the Pharaohs Table of Hieroglyphics Found in 1837. Source: Yale Center for British Art   Among the languages listed in this article, Egyptian ranks among the world’s oldest. Though Egypt is best known for its hieroglyphics. Used for 3,000 years, hieroglyphics recorded aspects of ancient life in decrees, daily activities, religious texts, government forms, and even political records. Unfortunately, only elite scribes learned the complex writing. This select class helped preserve Egypt’s cultural heritage.    Egyptian came from the Afro-Asiatic language family, a cousin to languages like Berber. Its rich consonants and vowels influenced later languages such as Hebrew and Arabic. Hieroglyphics played a part too, its ideograms and phonetic icons inspiring other pre-alphabet scripts. Hieroglyphic placement in tombs or temples influenced architecture. Their placement led people, like arrows or signs in a modern building, guiding visitors.   Sumerian: The First of Them All Cuneiform Religious Tablet. Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art   Besides being considered the oldest recorded language, Sumerian is also a “language isolate.” Or simply, not related to any language family. Created around 3100 BCE in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), the written form is cuneiform. A series of wedge-shaped marks carved into clay, the Sumerians used this writing system for tracking, farming, or commerce. Like the Egyptians, the Sumerians expanded their language to include everything, like religious texts or taxes. Sumerians also wrote the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the world’s oldest stories.   Like Latin or Greek, Sumerian greatly influenced future languages. Besides representing the earliest use of writing, languages such as Akkadian and Babylonian drew from it. These civilizations tweaked Sumerian for their own ends. Now, writing meant that a culture’s history could be accurately recorded (and later studied!). Sumerian, like Latin, had a similar fate.    By 2000 BCE, the Sumerians’ use of the language as an everyday language ended. Yet like Latin, Sumerian remained important for religious, legal, and scholarly texts for centuries. Later, many of the tablets found were written in Hittite and Sumerian, making translation easier.   Greek: Shaping Western Thought A 3rd Century Letter in Greek. Source: The Met   Homer, the Iliad, and Sparta. All words that evoke ancient Greece in the reader’s mind’s eye. Yet not so many know that Ancient Greek shaped language history, especially in the West. Greek touched on many subjects, including philosophy, science, politics, and writing systems. Plus, trade and conquest spread Greek across the Mediterranean region, especially in Egypt, Syria, and Anatolia, during the Hellenistic Era (circa 323 BCE).   Famous thinkers like Plato or Aristotle debated math and science. Later, scientific or medical terms used included biology, psychology, and chronology. Greek became the language of the New Testament and Christian theology. Literature like Greek tragedies became the Western standard for storytelling, drama, and history.   The Greek alphabet served as the basis for the Latin alphabet and Cyrillic script. Greek served as a strong inspiration due to its nuanced vocabulary and inflected verb endings.   Latin: The Language That Built the West First page of William Harvey’s De Motu Cordis, an 18th-century Latin anatomical treatise. Source: University of Liverpool   Latin, a significant remnant of Imperial Rome, created a legacy that helped shape the West. As Rome grew, Latin followed the legions and settlers across Europe. Besides a military role, Latin’s use included administration, engineering, governance, law, and more.   With Rome’s fall, Latin became the base for Europe’s Romance languages (French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian). All inherited Roman grammar and vocabulary. Latin texts saved classical knowledge during the Middle Ages, copied or preserved in monasteries or universities. Europe’s great Renaissance would be powered by preserved Latin texts, sparking intense creativity.    Today, Latin still shines, being the standard for law, medicine, and science. Being a dead language means there’s no change. Plus, Latin’s use of prefixes, suffixes, and roots yields precise definitions, making it perfect for these subjects.

  For centuries, merchants, generals, and statesmen contemplated how to connect the eastern and western parts of the Eurasian landmass. This dream led to the creation of the first Silk Road system in the late second century BCE to mid-third century CE. This system proved to be quite stable and lucrative, buoyed by Han China, Parthian Persia, and Rome. But long before this land-based bridge was built, the ancient Egyptians developed a much more efficient bridge that connected Eurasia, primarily by the sea. In the late second millennium BCE, the Egyptians built the first of several versions of a canal that connected the Red Sea to the Nile River. An examination of the classical historians and archaeological sources shows that the Egyptians primarily built the canal for trade purposes and that numerous versions of the canal were built, sometimes by non-Egyptians.   The Modern Suez Canal Map of the route of the modern Suez Canal. Source: Wikimedia Commons   To understand the magnitude and importance of the ancient Red Sea Canal, it is important to briefly look at the modern Suez Canal. Completed in 1869, the Suez Canal is a modern marvel, cutting a 120-mile-long path through the 78-mile Isthmus of Suez. Unlike the ancient versions of the canal, the Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea directly. The Suez Canal was originally built and controlled by the French, but the British took control of it in 1882. A brief war was fought over it in 1956, with the British, French, and Israelis on one side and the Egyptians on the other. Today, the Suez Canal is a vital connection in global shipping, bypassing thousands of miles of the sea journey between Asia and Europe.   The purpose of the ancient Red Sea canals was essentially the same as the modern Suez Canal: to facilitate trade. There were also the added incentives of legitimatizing the rule of foreign-born kings and moving troops and diplomats from the Near East to the Mediterranean.   The Primary Sources Marble Bust of Herodotus, Roman (copy of Greek original), c. 2nd century CE. Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art   Nothing remains today of the ancient Red Sea Canal, also known as the “Canal of the Pharaohs.” However, there are a number of primary sources that attest to its existence. Among the most detailed are the accounts of classical historians and geographers, such as the 5th-century BCE Greek historian Herodotus. The 1st-century BCE Greek-Roman historian Diodorus and the 1st-century BCE-CE Greek-Roman geographer Strabo also wrote accounts of the canal. Overall, the authors corroborate each others’ accounts, but each also adds unique details that, although sometimes chronologically dubious, are quite helpful.   Classical sources are augmented by ancient Egyptian texts. Most of the Egyptian texts do not mention the Red Sea Canal specifically, although they do help to place the concept of pharaonic era canals into perspective. Finally, some archaeological artifacts can be compared with the written sources.   An Early Canal Project in the Middle Kingdom (c. 2055-1650 BCE) Statue of Senusret III, Middle Kingdom Egyptian, c. 1874-1855 BCE. Source: British Museum   In Strabo’s passage about the Red Sea Canal, he states that “the canal was first cut by Sesostris before the Trojan War.” Sesostris was the name Greek and Roman historians generally applied to any of the three Middle Kingdom kings named Senusret. Many scholars place the historical Trojan War at around 1200 BCE, so the chronology is correct there, but can the claim be further corroborated? The Sesostris in this account, and most classical accounts for that matter, was probably Senusret III (ruled c. 1870-1831 BCE).   Because the classical historians could not read the ancient Egyptian language, they relied on Egyptian priests as their primary sources for Egyptian history. Senusret III was widely viewed by Egyptians of the Ptolemaic and Roman eras as one of the greatest pharaohs of their early history. His military campaigns into Nubia became legendary, as were his pyramid and a canal he built around the First Cataract.   The First Cataract at modern Aswan, Egypt. Source: Copyright Jared Krebsbach   The First Cataract of the Nile River was an important geographic location in ancient Egypt. First, it marked the cultural and political boundary between Egypt and Nubia. Second, although it marked the divide between Egypt and Nubia, the Egyptians wanted it navigable when they were the stronger of the two peoples. The Egyptians exploited Nubia for its gold, electrum, and other exotic goods from the African interior. Most of those commodities were hauled north by boats. So, as much as the First Cataract served as a vital barrier, it also needed to be free for trade. To accomplish this, the Egyptians built a modest canal around the cataract. The canal is mentioned in one of the historical annals of Senusret III. It was listed as about 221 feet long, 29 feet wide, and 22 feet deep.   “Year 8 under the majesty of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt: Khekure, living forever. His majesty commanded to make the canal anew, the name of this canal being: ‘Beautiful-Are-the-Ways-of-Khekure-[Living]-Forever,’ when his majesty proceeded up-river to overthrow Kush, the wretched. Length of this canal, 150 cubits; width, 20; depth, 15.”   Canals in the New Kingdom (c. 1550-1069 BCE) Map detailing the route of the ancient Red Sea Canal. Source: Wikimedia Commons   The First Cataract Canal was later re-dug by the New Kingdom pharaohs, Thutmose I (ruled c. 1504-1492 BCE) and Thutmose III (ruled c. 1479-1425 BCE). But even more important was the mention of a series of canals during the reign of Merenptah (ruled c. 1213-1203 BC). An inscription on the walls of the Karnak Temple dated to the reign of Merenptah relates how two interconnected canals played a role in the defense of the land from the Libyans. A damaged part of the inscription mentions the “Sheken canal” and the “Eti canal.” The Papyrus Harris, which was written during the rule of Ramesses III (reigned 1184-1153 BCE), mentions a “canal administration,” suggesting that by the late New Kingdom, the Egyptian canal system had become quite intricate. With that said, a canal that connected the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea was never explicitly noted before the Late Period.   The True Red Sea Canal in the Late Period (664-332 BCE) Statue of Psamtek I, father of Nekau II, Saite Egyptian, c. 664-610 BCE (reign of Psamtek I). Source: Louvre Museum   It is possible, and arguably probable, that the Egyptians built a series of canals that linked the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. While it is, for the most part, conjectural, there is evidence that several canals were built during the Late Period. According to Herodotus, the 26th dynasty king, Nekau II (ruled 610-595 BCE), commissioned the construction of a canal that connected the two seas. Part of the account reads:   “It was Necos who began the construction of the canal to the Arabian gulf, a work afterwards completed by Darius the Persian. The length of the canal is four days’ journey by boat, and its breadth sufficient to allow two triremes to be rowed abreast. The water is supplied from the Nile, and the canal leaves the river at a point a little south of Bubastis and runs past the Arabian town of Patumus, and then on to the Arabian gulf. The first part of its course is along the Arabian side of the Egyptian plain, a little to the northward of the chain of hills by Memphis, where the stone-quarries are; it skirts the base of these hills from west to east, and then enters a narrow gorge, after which it trends in a southerly direction until it enters the Arabian gulf. The shortest distance from the Mediterranean, or Northern Sea, to the Southern Sea—or Indian Ocean—namely, from Mt. Casius between Egypt and Syria to the Arabian gulf, is just a thousand stades. This is the most direct route—by the canal, which does not keep at all a straight course, the journey is much longer.”   Fragment of a limestone corner block depicting a Persian King (most likely Darius I), Persepolis, c. 6th-5th century BCE. Source: British Museum   This was later corroborated by Diodorus to some extent, but he added that the Persian king Darius I (reigned 522-486 BCE) took over the project. Interestingly, Diodorus wrote that “Darius the Persian made progress with the work for a time but finally left it unfinished.” The reason given was that he was informed such a project would cause massive flooding of the Delta. Despite this account, other sources suggest the Persian king did complete the canal.   A collection of stelae dated to the reign of Darius I, known collectively as the “Red Sea Stelae,” appear to corroborate Herodotus’s account. The best preserved are three badly damaged ones that were discovered near Tell l-Maskhoutah, Egypt, in 1889 by Wladimir Golénscheff. The stelae were then transported to the Egyptian Museum, Cairo, in 1907, where they were translated and examined by Egyptologists and other Near Eastern scholars. The stelae are clearly dated to the reign of Darius, but there is some debate about exactly when they were completed and if Darius was in Egypt when the canal was opened. The syntax of the actual text and the spelling of Darius’s name closely match that of a colossal statue of the king that was discovered in Susa in 1972. Although relatively short, the texts on the stelae offer more insight into details about the canal.   Fragment of a Red Sea Canal Stela (Chalouf Stela), Egyptian, c. 521-486 BCE. Source: Louvre Museum   The best preserved of the three stelae is a granite stela discovered near Shaluf, known as the Shaluf stela. One side is written in Egyptian but is so damaged that a translation is nearly impossible. The most important aspect of this stela is the trilingual cuneiform text on the opposite side of the Egyptian text. The non-Egyptian texts are written in six lines in Old Persian, four lines in Elamite, and three lines in Akkadian. The non-Egyptian texts read the following:   “Saith Darius the King: I am a Persian; from Persia I seized Egypt; I ordered this canal to be dug, from the river by name Nile, which flows in Egypt, to the sea which goes from Persia.  Afterwards this canal was dug thus as I commanded, and ships went from Egypt through this canal to Persia thus as was my desire.”   The Red Sea Canal stelae appear to corroborate the classical accounts, and vice versa, with Darius claiming he completed the canal. Based on where the stelae were discovered, it would appear that the canal followed the route Herodotus noted. It went from the Red Sea to the Bitter Lakes before turning west to meet the Pelusiac Branch of the Nile River. The purpose was clearly to move troops and trade from the east to the west.   Ptolemy II and the Final Version of the Ancient Red Sea Canal The modern harbor of Alexandria, Egypt. Source: Copyright Jared Krebsach   The classical sources corroborate the archaeological evidence to a certain degree. Although both Diodorus and Strabo wrote that the canal was completed, they credited the Ptolemaic-Egyptian king, Ptolemy II (ruled 284-246 BCE), with the feat. Strabo, perhaps based on Herodotus, wrote that Psamtek I (reigned 664-610 BCE) began construction of the canal, which was followed up by Darius I. Ultimately, one or more of the Ptolemaic kings then finished the project.   “The Ptolemaïc kings, however, cut through it and made the strait a closed passage, so that when they wished they could sail out without hindrance into the outer sea and sail in again.”   Statue of Ptolemy II, Hellenistic-Ptolemaic-Egyptian, c. 260-246 BCE. Source: Louvre Museum   Diodorus offered a slightly more detailed account of the completion of the canal, crediting Ptolemy II. He also assigned the canal’s terminal or starting point, depending on the direction of the journey, as the Red Sea city of Arsinoe.   “At a later time the second Ptolemy completed it and in the most suitable spot constructed an ingenious kind of lock. This he opened, whenever he wished to pass through, and quickly closed again, a contrivance which usage proved to be highly successful. The river which flows through this canal is named Ptolemy, after the builder of it, and has at its mouth the city called Arsinoë.”   Statue of a Ptolemaic queen, possibly Arsinoe I, Ptolemy II’s wife, Hellenistic-Ptolemaic-Egyptian, c. 270-250 BCE. Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art   When all the classical accounts, Egyptian and Persian texts, and archaeological evidence are considered together, it appears that the Red Sea Canal was the culmination of centuries of experiments. The Egyptians began building canals in the Old and Middle Kingdoms, and by the New Kingdom, they had become experts in the technology. They possibly built the first version of the Red Sea Canal in the New Kingdom.   There is better evidence that the Egyptians completed the canal in the Late Period, and then foreign rulers probably re-cut the earlier version. Ptolemy II was known for making Alexandria the center of the world, completing projects started by his father, and drawing scholars to the city. Therefore, it is likely that Ptolemy II thought it was vital to connect Egypt to the west and east via the Red Sea Canal.

  Hiram Ulysses Grant, better known to the world as Ulysses S. Grant, served many roles throughout his 63 years of life. Grant was a decorated military man, a dedicated father and husband, and president of the United States. His actions in life led to him earning a permanent place in foundational US history. However, Grant was a multifaceted man of many reputations and, occasionally, paradoxes. Who was the true man behind the legend of the history books, and what shaped him into that person?   1. Grant Was a Gifted Writer Grant working on his memoirs. Source: National Park Service   When Ulysses S. Grant put pen to paper, he tended to make an impact. After a bank scam left him broke in the early 1880s, Grant wrote a series of essays about his life adventures and time in the Civil War that were published in magazines. He then worked with friend Mark Twain to publish his memoirs. Some alleged that Grant didn’t write the autobiography himself but that Twain did it. However, the original handwritten copy in Grant’s script proved this false, though Twain supported his friend with proofreading services. Twain also assisted Grant with securing a contract to maximize his royalties with a publishing company.   Grant’s writing desk that he used at his St. Louis home before the Civil War. Source: Missouri Historical Society / Wikimedia Commons   Grant finished his two-volume memoir just days before he passed away. The book was an instant bestseller, and Charles Webster Publishing cut Grant’s wife Julia the biggest royalty check that had ever been written at that time: $200,000. Grant’s book, Personal Memoirs, is still in print today and is considered a classic piece of American literature.   2. Ulysses S. Grant Wasn’t His Real Name Grant depicted in scenes of his military career from West Point to Appomattox. Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons   Grant was born Hiram Ulysses Grant in 1822. Since childhood, he hated his initials, which spelled H-U-G. When he joined West Point Military Academy in 1839, he enrolled as Ulysses Hiram Grant to avoid his given initials. His benefactor, who sponsored his appointment, then made a paperwork error, listing the young man’s middle name as Simpson, confusing his mother’s maiden name for his middle name. Grant didn’t mind and retained his new name, conveniently giving the patriotic young man the initials U.S. Grant. His fellow West Pointers called him “Uncle Sam,” a nickname that was later shortened to “Sam.” Grant’s initials would spawn other new nicknames throughout his career, including “Unconditional Surrender Grant” during the Civil War. One of his less flattering nicknames during that time was “The Butcher.”   3. He Never Held Elected Office Before the Presidency Portrait of Grant taken by Matthew Benjamin Brady around 1870. Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons   Unlike most presidents in United States history, Grant never held an elected office before ascending to the presidency in 1868. Despite this, he was a shoo-in for the job. Grant hadn’t expressed interest in running but was courted by the radical Republican movement, people who were frustrated with current president Andrew Johnson’s progress in Southern Reconstruction. Grant was incredibly popular with the public, especially in the North, and won the Electoral College vote with a 3 to 1 margin over his opponent, New York Governor Horatio Seymour.   4. In His Day, He Was the Youngest President Ever Elected A postwar photo of Grant. Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons   While John F. Kennedy currently holds the record as the youngest-ever elected US president (43 years old), Grant held the title for a time until Kennedy was elected and took office in 1961. Grant was 46 years old when he took office in 1869. However, Theodore Roosevelt, who was not elected but succeeded the assassinated William McKinley, holds the title of youngest-ever serving president, ascending to the role at age 42. Roosevelt resumed his duties as president when he was elected in 1904 at the age of 46.   5. Grant’s Reputation as a Drunk Haunted His Career A chromolithograph of the general from 1866. Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons   After serving in the Mexican-American War, Grant remained an officer in the US Army. His work took him across the country to posts on the western frontier and in the Northwest. Grant was very close with his wife and was missing out on watching his young children grow up. The loneliness he felt led to increasing consumption of alcohol to quell his depression. As a result, he sometimes shirked his duties and ended up resigning from the army in 1854.   These experiences resulted in Grant being labeled a drunk or alcoholic by some contemporaries and historians. In fact, Grant biographer Ron Chernow is frequently blamed for over-emphasizing this idea. However, in recent years, his reputation as an alcoholic has been challenged, and his name has been cleared by researchers. While there is no denying that Grant drank alcohol and was an occasional binge drinker, he was by no means an alcoholic.   6. A Love of Cigars Did Him In The Ulysses S Grant Memorial in Washington D.C. Source: DBKing / Wikimedia Commons   Grant earned a reputation as a prolific cigar smoker, with some sources quoting a twenty-stogie-a-day habit. However, while Grant did smoke heavily during the Civil War, consuming twenty cigars on at least one day, historians believe that his daily consumption was not regularly at this level. The young man first tried smoking at West Point, found that it irritated his lungs, and quit. However, during the Mexican-American War, he returned to the habit, and it stuck. He is reputed to have been an appreciator of fine tobacco and was fond of the Mexican cigars he encountered during wartime. Civil War staffer Ely Parker recalled that “smoking seemed to be a necessity…” for Grant and that he smoked “the hardest when deep in thought.” Unfortunately, Grant’s tobacco habit contributed to his demise when he developed throat cancer as a result of his smoking habit. His cancer killed him on July 23, 1885, when he was 63 years old.   7. He Had a Complicated Relationship With Slavery Grant’s father, Jesse, spent time living with John Brown, a zealous abolitionist. Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons   Grant grew up in a home where his father was a staunch abolitionist, a man who had spent time living with John Brown as a youth. However, his in-laws owned an expansive plantation with 30 slaves. His wife owned four slaves when they married, and there is evidence that Gant himself briefly owned a man named William Jones, whom he freed before the start of the Civil War. It is unknown whether or not Grant purchased Jones or was given his service as a “gift” from his in-laws. This led to Grant’s designation as the last president to own slaves at any point in his life.   Grant on horseback in an 1890 illustration. Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons   Grant was said to suffer some embarrassment at his extended family’s relationship with slavery. While living with his father-in-law on his plantation after his first stint in the military, Grant worked on the farm alongside enslaved people and was said to be “too gentle” to “manage [slaves],” according to neighbors. Unlike his commander-in-chief, Abraham Lincoln, whose main goal at the start of the Civil War was simply to preserve the Union, regardless of the state of slavery (“If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it…”), Grant wrote, “…the North and South could never live at peace with each other except as one nation, and that without slavery.”   8. He Suffered From Malaria A red blood cell infected with malaria, giving it a knobby appearance. Source: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease / Wikimedia Commons   Malaria, a mosquito-borne protozoal disease, wreaked havoc during the Civil War era, with more than one million cases in the Union Army. The relationship between mosquitoes and malaria was not discovered until 1897, but 19th-century doctors did know that quinine had an effect on the disease, improving symptoms. However, while Grant suffered from malaria episodes during the Civil War, he likely contracted it earlier, possibly during his time as a soldier in the Mexican-American War or even as a child. He suffered frequent attacks of the disease while he was living with his wife in late-1850s St. Louis after his resignation from the army. In fact, his suffering is believed to have been to blame for some of his actions in which he was accused of drunkenness. His erratic behavior and physical sickness from the disease, including during the siege of Vicksburg, was inaccurately attributed to drinking.   While Malaria is no longer the scourge it was during Grant’s time, it remains one of the world’s most common diseases in modernity, with nearly 290 million people infected worldwide annually.

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Wait Until You See This Beast ??

The FBI has just arrested a Virginia man named Brian Cole, Jr. who they suspect is the J6 pipe-bomber. Strange that it took almost five years? Was there new evidence or did we just need a new FBI? Or….is this a patsy to distract from the suspect The Blaze reported a few weeks ago? We’ll dig into all of it. First, the arrest today: NOW: The FBI has a MASSIVE presence outside the home of alleged DC J6 pipe bomber Brian Cole, Jr. in Woodbridge, VA Can’t wait to hear what the FBI has on him and how they zeroed-in on him after all these years. pic.twitter.com/0GKpzVC5FL — Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 4, 2025 The police presence outside the house is massive. Local police, FBI, DHS and ATF all on site: #BREAKING | NEWS LIVE the FBI has raided the home of the J6 pipe bomber who is 30 year old Brian Cole of Woodbridge, Virginia they believe this is his father‘s home. Massive amount of Police FBI,DHS and ATF our staged outside of the home and searching inside and outside… pic.twitter.com/Fd6hWYrKDU — Todd Paron (@tparon) December 4, 2025 The home has been raided and is being searched: BREAKING: The FBI has raided the home of the reported J6 pipe-bomb suspect, Brian Cole.pic.twitter.com/ezeINsFNOm — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 4, 2025 While we are still waiting on confirmation, initial reports are that Brian Cole and his family could certainly be labeled anti-Trump: So… The J6 Pipe Bomber Brian Cole and his family are anti-Trump Leftists. Once again that blows up the whole January 6th was a “Trump Insurrection” scam. No wonder Chris Wray’s FBI never “found” him. pic.twitter.com/TQo1jShxEZ — C3 (@C_3C_3) December 4, 2025 Brian Cole, the J6 pipe bomber, is from a family that runs a bail bond service for illegal immigrants. They were represented by Ben Crump. I’m gonna go on a limb and say he is not MAGA. pic.twitter.com/kvbojCeiwl — Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) December 4, 2025 Fox News reports the arrest is not tied to any new evidence, just a new FBI: Authorities have not released further details about the man, but one federal law enforcement source told Fox that the FBI is carrying out “court-enforced activity” at Cole’s residence. Cole’s step-grandfather, Earl Donnette, told NBC News in a phone call that he spoke with the FBI about his step-grandson, but declined to comment further. Bondi said the investigation into the attempted bombing “languished” for four years under former President Joe Biden’s administration. “The FBI, along with U.S. Attorney Piro and all of our prosecutors, have worked tirelessly for months, sifting through evidence that had been sitting at the FBI with the Biden administration for four long years. Let me be clear there was no new tip. There was no new witness. Just good, diligent police work and prosecutorial work,” Bondi said. FBI Director Kash Patel credited the U.S. Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro for their work on the investigation. We will continue to monitor this story and bring you updates as we have them, but right now I can’t help but think about that report from The Blaze a few weeks ago, and how they said their computer analytics had determined a DIFFERENT suspect — a woman — based largely on the gait of the walk. The FBI came out and debunked that report shortly after it was made, no doubt because they were already gearing up for this arrest: FBI CLEARS Former Capitol Police Officer That The Blaze Claimed Was A 94% Match To The DNC Pipe Bomber Still, I can't help thinking about the report from The Blaze.... And I can't help thinking about how the person in that video feels to me like a woman the way they walk. But hey, I could certainly be wrong and probably am -- the FBI under Kash Patel and Dan Bongino certainly know more than me. Here were those prior reports which completely conflict with todays arrest (so we must consider them debunked at this point in time): BOMBSHELL: J6 Pipe Bomb Suspect Identified — “She’s one of us!” BOMBSHELL UPDATE: J6 Pipe-Bomber Identified? Name Finally REVEALED With 94-98% Certainty A couple days ago, we brought you this viral report which claimed the J6 Pipe Bomber had finally been identified. That work was done by Steve Baker, who works with Glenn Beck's The Blaze. Incredible work. Here was our original report: BOMBSHELL: J6 Pipe Bomb Suspect Identified — “She’s one of us!” But until today, the actual name and identity had not been revealed. Now it has. Before I give that to you I want to give you a very important disclaimer.... NOTE: All individuals are innocent until proven guilty or until admitting guilt.  What I am going to report to you in this article are the results of the Steve Baker / Blaze investigation and forensic matching that they claim is 94-98% accurate.  I am not claiming this is the J6 Pipe Bomber, I'm simply showing you the reports that have been released today and the forensic analysis they claim to have followed. Ok? Ok. Drumroll please..... According to reports, the J6 Pipe Bomber is Shauni Kerkoff, a former Capitol Police Officer, now reportedly with the CIA: https://x.com/RealHickory/status/1986968781437194681 https://x.com/RealAlexJones/status/1987162479219118284 Here is a portion of the BOMBSHELL report out today from BlazeMedia: A forensic analysis of a female former U.S. Capitol Police officer’s gait is a 94%-98% match to the unique stride of the long-sought Jan. 6 pipe-bomb suspect, according to a Blaze News investigation confirmed by several intelligence sources. A source close to a congressional investigation of Jan. 6 additionally told Blaze News evidence has emerged recently that pointed toward law enforcement possibly being involved in the planting of the pipe bombs. ‘They were f**king in on it.’ A software algorithm that analyzes walking parameters including flexion (knee bend), hip extension, speed, step length, cadence, and variance rated Shauni Rae Kerkhoff, 31, of Alexandria, Va., as a 94% match to the bomb suspect shown on video from Jan. 5, 2021. The veteran analyst who ran the analysis for Blaze News said that based on visual observations the program can struggle with, he personally pegged the match at closer to 98%. Kerkhoff, who was a Capitol Police officer for four and a half years, left the department in mid-2021 for a security detail at the Central Intelligence Agency, sources told Blaze News. In that job, she reportedly serves on dignitary protection teams for officials including CIA Director John Ratcliffe and others, sources told Blaze News. Kerkhoff’s residence in Alexandria, Va., appeared to be under the watch of law enforcement officers on Friday night. Blaze News editor in chief Christopher Bedford was pulled over by local police after stopping to observe the home. He was then allowed to leave. Close to bomb suspect The FBI, which failed to solve the case in nearly five years of investigation but indicated that it was closing in after Blaze News brought its investigation to intelligence sources, was feet from the Falls Church address of the pipe bomb suspect days after Jan. 6, according to the Blaze News investigation. Former FBI Special Agent Kyle Seraphin realized Friday that he was doing surveillance next door to the woman now suspected of being the Jan. 6 pipe bomber. “The FBI put us one door away from the pipe bomber within days of January 6, and we were deliberately pulled away for no logical or logically investigative reason,” Seraphin told Blaze News Friday. “And everything about that tells me that they were involved in a cover-up and have been since day one. Former Capitol Police Officer Shauni Kerkhoff (above) playing soccer in Columbus, Ohio. The pipe bomb suspect approaches the Democratic National Committee building on Jan. 5, 2025. Columbus Eagles FC, U.S. Capitol Police “They were f**king in on it,” Seraphin said. Seraphin proposed doing a “knock and talk” at the door of an Air Force civilian employee whose address was tied to a vehicle that picked up the bomb suspect in Falls Church, Va., on Jan. 5, 2021. Seraphin’s team spent two days watching the man, but Seraphin’s request to go face-to-face with the person of interest was denied. The team was pulled off the case the same night, he said. Seraphin said he has given the same details publicly since 2021. “There’s a personal reaction to it, which is the complete vindication that the things I’ve been saying and my recollection of being briefed on this stuff has been accurate for years and I’ve never changed my tune,” he said. The FBI tied a DC Metrorail SmarTrip card allegedly used by the pipe-bomb suspect to an Air Force civilian employee but determined that while the man purchased the card, he did not use it. The suspect allegedly used the card to travel from D.C. to a stop in Falls Church after planting the pipe bombs. The Air Force civilian employee had purchased the SmarTrip card a year earlier. Gait analysis The forensic study, arranged by Blaze News, revealed that Kerkhoff is up to a 98% match to the gait of the pipe-bomb suspect. The findings were confirmed by several current intelligence sources who viewed the study results. The source who did the comparison said the software rated the match at 94%. He put the figure at closer to a 96%-98% match, including a combination of human intelligence and the software analysis. Samples of Kerkhoff’s gait were taken from Jan. 6 Capitol Police CCTV security video and compared to unedited video of the hoodie-wearing suspect walking through an alley near C Street to place an alleged pipe bomb behind the Capitol Hill Club about 8:16 p.m. on Jan. 5. Two other sources familiar with gait analysis who viewed the video comparison and the software analysis told Blaze News they concurred that the video samples matched the gait of the gray-hoodie-wearing suspect. An expert in gait analysis used a computer algorithm to compare the gait of the pipe-bomb suspect (left) to that of Officer Shauni Rae Kerkhoff and obtained a 94% match. FBI/U.S. Capitol Police The mystery of the pipe bombs has hung over Jan. 6 for nearly five years. The FBI said an unknown subject placed pipe bombs under a park bench at the DNC and the Capitol Hill Club near the Republican National Committee building between 7:54 and 8:16 p.m. the night before the riot. Discovery of the devices between 12:40 and 1:05 p.m. respectively on Jan. 6 drew already depleted police resources away from the Capitol just as a huge crowd breached the grounds at 12:53 p.m. A joint session of Congress convened at 1 p.m. to take up challenges to the certification of the Electoral College vote from the 2020 presidential election. Kerkhoff was a Capitol Police officer from 2018 until mid-2021. She was a member of the department’s Civil Disturbance Unit and a training officer on the use of “less-lethal” crowd-control weapons that were extensively used on the Jan. 6 crowds. Here is Alex Jones with more: Global Exclusive: The January 6th Pipe Bomber’s Identity Has Been Discovered, and She is a Female Federal Capitol Police Officer Caught Red-Handed as Part of a Larger Deep State False Flag Operation to Frame President Trump and His Constituents Top FBI whistleblower Kyle… pic.twitter.com/VP3rBysPer — Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) November 8, 2025 Here was our original report in case you missed it: BOMBSHELL: J6 Pipe Bomb Suspect Identified -- "She's one of us!" One of the biggest mysteries surrounding January 6th, 2021 may have just been solved....and I'm speaking of the very strange pipe-bomb incident that almost no one ever talks about. In case you haven't been following this story, allow me to bring you up to speed so you can fully appreciate the news that is breaking today: BASIC TIMELINE On January 5, 2021, the night before the Capitol breach, two explosive devices were placed: One near the RNC headquarters One near the DNC headquarters The bombs were said to be fully functional, equipped with: Kitchen timer triggering mechanisms Metal pipe casings Powder fillings (originally claimed to be “non-lethal,” later quietly re-classified as capable of detonation) The FBI said the suspect placed both bombs between 7:30 PM and 8:40 PM. The unknown individual was seen in video wearing: A blue hoodie Grey backpack Face mask Using a casual, relaxed walking gait The suspect has never been identified despite: Washington D.C. being one of the most heavily surveilled cities on Earth Multiple cameras watching those exact routes Clear shoe tread, gait pattern, and unique behavior cues The tech to identify individuals through gait alone (known to be used by other federal agencies) THE CRITICAL DETAIL PEOPLE FOCUS ON The DNC bomb sat just feet from the Secret Service—because Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris was inside the DNC at the time. This was not revealed publicly for over a year. Right-leaning analysts argue: If this were an actual assassination attempt against a future VP, the government would have treated it as Act of War level seriousness. But there was no lockdown, no elevation of national terror alert, and no compelling push to identify or capture the bomber. This has led to the widely-discussed conclusion: The government didn’t react like this was an enemy threat because they already knew who placed the bombs. THE MOST EXPLOSIVE ALLEGATION Glenn Beck, independent researchers, and whistleblowers have argued: The pipe bombs may have been staged. They were positioned as a narrative trigger — ready to be used if public messaging needed to shift. The bombs were timed to be discovered at the exact moment Congress was debating certification. However — and this is where the allegation sharpens: They were discovered too early.A civilian noticed one near the RNC and called police before the media moment was supposed to happen. This destroyed the intended timing. So instead of being used to frame the narrative, the bombs were quietly sidelined in favor of focusing exclusively on the Capitol breach. Ok, now that you understand all of that, here's the big Bombshell breaking right now.... Glenn Beck and Steve Baker just announced live on the air that they believe the mysterious J6 pipe-bomb suspect has been identified with 94% certainty, and an FBI official reportedly blurted out "Holy F-- she's one of us!" 'She's one of us!' Steve Baker stuns Glenn Beck with bombshell revelation about J6 pipe-bomb suspect https://t.co/Wrbv2cE5uz pic.twitter.com/IjQq4oNlgF — TheBlaze (@theblaze) November 5, 2025 The Blaze had this summary -- and then scroll down to watch the video: Beck indicated that the suspect will be named as soon as the relevant agencies have 'battened down the hatches.' Blaze News investigative reporters Steve Baker and Joseph Hanneman have spent years working to identify the masked individual who placed pipe bombs near the headquarters of the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2021. Baker, whom the Biden FBI arrested over his January 6 reporting, revealed to Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck on Wednesday that they have finally locked in on a suspect. What's more, Baker hinted that the suspect's imminent identification will implicate and shame at least one federal agency. 'It is monstrous.' Baker told Beck, "When I pulled this thread, I was so shocked by what I saw, I immediately took it to a source in one of the most important, highest-level investigative federal agencies in the country. I immediately took it to our sources there, and I said, 'You have to see this.'" "After they looked at it for about two hours, the response that I got back was, 'Holy F,'" continued Baker. "And then the follow-up response was, 'She's one of us!'" When pressed by Beck about his confidence level in the suspect ID, Baker said, "I will tell you that from gait analysis — that's the analysis of the hoodied bomber ... compared to the gait analysis of this individual in private life and at work — that the actual software hit at a 94% accuracy." "Human analysis from the experts in intelligence is much higher," continued Baker. "They looked at it and went, 'My God, that's it. We got it.'" Forensic gait analysis — the scientific study of patterns in an individual's style of movement in walking or running — is regarded as one of the most sophisticated approaches to identifying an individual from CCTV footage or video recordings and as especially valuable in the absence of other biometric identifiers. The American Bar Association's Criminal Justice Magazine noted in 2023 that gait analysis, which has been used to help secure criminal convictions throughout the Anglosphere for decades, "can be compelling, corroborating evidence," especially since "criminals cannot hide their gait." Baker indicated that he left some "breadcrumbs" in recent reports. Hanneman and Baker reported last week, for instance, that the 8.5-minute video about the Jan. 6 pipe bombs released by the FBI in October contained footage edited to exclude showing a U.S. Capitol Police SUV pull up directly across the street from where the suspect stood at 8:15 p.m. on January 5, 2021. In addition to raising suspicion about the selective edit, the investigative duo claimed that the FBI also deliberately chose not to publicly acknowledge the theory that the pipe bombs were part of a poorly timed training exercise. Baker told Beck on Wednesday that while the FBI and the Metropolitan Police Department are offering a $500,000 reward for evidence that leads to an arrest in the case, he didn't take the new evidence implicating the yet-to-be named suspect to the agencies "because we believe that they were actively engaged in the cover-up." Watch the full report here: FULL TRANSCRIPT: Glenn:There is a breaking news story that hopefully is coming out tomorrow. You'll understand once you hear the story. This is one of the biggest stories.I think it is the biggest scandal of my lifetime, maybe in the last 100 years. It is monstrous, what Steve Baker is going to report on. And we're gonna give you a little bit of background. I can tell you this: there is a major development in the January 6th pipe bomber investigation. Blaze News has the exclusive, because it is Steve's reporting that has brought this to attention. And unfortunately, the lead suspect is at the highest levels of government. It is a massive, massive scandal. And Steve joins me now. Steve:Hello, Glenn. Glenn:Hey, Steve. Good morning. So, the reason why we're not breaking it today is because—well, first, how long have you been working on this story? Steve:I've been pulling the threads on this for exactly 4 years. But I finally pulled the correct thread exactly 2 weeks ago today. Glenn:I have to tell you, if anybody ever wondered why they made such a big deal out of arresting you, this is why. Because you were pulling at these threads the whole time and you were relentless. And you were working on another story, right? And just dots started to appear and you were like—how did this come to you? Steve:Well, the genesis of this goes back to much of my work examining the various players at Capitol Police. Capitol Police seem to have a much, much oversized participation in how January 6th developed. And when I say that, I'm not talking about the frontline officers. Many of those frontline officers have become some of our most trusted sources. And by the way—they love The Blaze. They love our coverage. Just this past January 6th, I was there covering the certification of the election. Think about the irony of that. I was in the Capitol. I had three different officers, two plainclothes and one uniformed, stop me in the hallways to whisper, "We love your work." Glenn:Because you're rooting out the bad guys. Not all the officers are bad. There's a few. And your story that came out yesterday about the tear gas and the devices that were shot into the faces and heads of protesters—those guys knew exactly what they were doing. They're on tape. That helps the average officer because you can now say, "It was them." Steve:That's right. Look, we've examined this particular story for years. We've done updates. But finally, Joe Hanneman and myself started drilling down into identifying who these officers were once we knew they were taking deliberately, criminally negligent shots. These are training officers. Training officers in use of less-than-lethal munitions. And what we discovered by going straight to the manufacturers and the people who certify the training officers is that they are told—it's printed on the sides of these weapons—you cannot aim them at people's heads, faces, necks, groins, kidneys. These can be deadly. And at the range these officers were firing in the first 10 minutes of the riot, these were deliberate shots. One of our closest sources, a retired special operations Army guy familiar with these devices, said that if they are training officers, they have uttered these words to their classes: "Oh, by the way, if you want to start a riot, shoot them in the head." Glenn:Okay. So you're working on that story. And it's in that story that people will see why this connects to the next one. When you started to find the individual—you were buttoned up. You had video and everything else. And then you brought it to the government? Steve:For the follow-up story, yes. I left breadcrumbs in the story on purpose. What we discovered was a character with a high degree of probability involved in the biggest scandal—not just of January 6th, but possibly our government system. Glenn:Like bomb. Steve:Yeah. And it's at the highest levels. And yes, we are going to name names. When I stumbled on what I stumbled on—because, as I said, I've been pulling these threads for years—when I pulled this one, I was so shocked that I immediately took it to a source in one of the most important investigative federal agencies in the country. I said, "You have to see this." After reviewing it for about two hours, the response I got back was, "Holy F."And then the follow-up response was, "She's one of us." And when you find out the position... This is going to lead to a lot of people at the highest levels who had to have known because of what happened after January 6th. How big does this net get? I don't know. But I will tell you this: there is a $500,000 reward on that bomber. There is a reason I did not take it to the agency offering the reward. Because we believe they were actively engaged in the cover-up. Glenn, I have no subpoena power. I do not have the resources of an $11 billion-a-year bureau. And yet, I discovered this. And they didn’t. Glenn:No. I don't believe that. Steve:Neither do I. Glenn:I know who you brought it to, and—right move. Exactly the right move. So today there's another briefing because this has to be done right, because of national security. Correct? Steve:That's correct. They have to take care of certain things. And once that's handled, the story will be released. Glenn:What's your confidence level in this story? Steve:From gait analysis alone—comparing the hooded bomber to this individual—the software hit at 94%. Human analysis by top intelligence experts is even higher. They looked at it and said, "That's it. You've got it." And moves have already been made. There's also a political aspect, because of inter-agency issues. And yes, this is being taken to the President’s Chief of Staff. Glenn:There’s going to be a lot of activity in Washington today. Hopefully, we’ll release the story tomorrow. This is All The President's Men. In a sane world, this would be a best-selling book and a blockbuster movie. This is really bad. Really, really bad. Steve:Yeah. Glenn:Good job. Thank you. Steve:Thank you. Glenn:Steve Baker—investigative journalist. When I first started The Blaze, I hoped we would be able to do investigative journalism like this. And now we are. This is Pulitzer-level work. Support The Blaze. Become a member. This kind of work needs to be supported. I had a hard time sleeping last night because everything suddenly made sense. Every piece. Every motive. Every move. It all comes together. And hopefully, we will have the exclusive for you tomorrow—once the agencies have battened down the hatches. Glenn is calling it the biggest scandal in his lifetime, and that seems to be a moving target as each day something new and bigger comes out. But if it is confirmed that the FBI or some other 3-letter agency staged this whole pipe-bomb thing, that truly will dwarf Watergate and anything else by comparison. "I think it is the biggest scandal of my lifetime. It is monstrous." - @glennbeck and @SteveBakerUSA discuss MAJOR new developments in the J6 Pipe Bomber investigation pic.twitter.com/pdVGL71qXN — TheBlaze (@theblaze) November 5, 2025 Grok provided a nice summary here about the woman's identity: I am NOT saying this is who it is, but this account on X has been suggesting this for a while and the body profile does fit: Steve, if I correctly called this, I'm gonna lose my mind. Just sayin... pic.twitter.com/6SNZ8B2v2X — Moe's Place (@MeetYouAtMoes) November 5, 2025 Again, I am not saying that but can you imagine if that was true? OH MY GOODNESS! To wrap this up, allow me to add one additional layer so you can understand how deep this runs.... Joe Biden's DOJ sent Steve Baker to PRISON just for daring to COVER this story! He was later Pardoned by President Trump, but you can see how badly they don't want this to come out. Folks, I've been telling you we're in the calm before the storm, but when this comes out it's going to blow things WIDE OPEN and it could get very ugly. Likely tomorrow. Conservative Writer Pleads Guilty To J6 Charges, Expects Pardon From Trump Share!

With 535 total members of Congress, and new ones being elected all the time, it’s nearly impossible to keep up with all of them. Still, there are many who have been around a long time and achieved senior status and respect from their peers while not becoming a household name. Such was the case for top Democrat Henry Cuellar. Here’s a short bio: Henry Cuellar has spent nearly forty years in public service, rising from local beginnings in South Texas to one of the most senior Democratic voices in Congress. Born in 1955 in Laredo as the eldest of eight children in a migrant farm-worker family, he worked his way through community college, earned multiple degrees including a law degree and a Ph.D. in government, and built a career grounded in public-sector service. Cuellar first served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1987 to 2001, becoming known for his focus on education, border issues, and pragmatic bipartisan work. In 2001 he was appointed Texas Secretary of State, the last Democrat to hold that statewide office. In 2005 he entered the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Texas’s 28th District. He has been reelected many times, giving him nearly two decades of continuous congressional service. Over that time he has held influential roles, particularly on the House Appropriations Committee, shaping federal spending in areas such as homeland security, defense, and veterans’ affairs. But that’s not why I’m telling you about him. I’m reporting on him because once again the Joe Biden Administration weaponized the DOJ and “took him out”. Why? Because he dared to speak out against Open Borders. I’ll give it to the Dems, while they don’t have morals or standards or ethics or love of this country, they do tend to stick together very well and when anyone dares to even remotely speak out against the Democrat Machine from within, they destroy you. President Trump confirmed as much in his new post explaining the FULL and UNCONDITIONAL Pardon he is issuing for Congressman Henry Cuellar: FULL TEXT: For years, the Biden Administration weaponized the Justice System against their Political Opponents, and anyone who disagreed with them. One of the clearest examples of this was when Crooked Joe used the FBI and DOJ to “take out” a member of his own Party after Highly Respected Congressman Henry Cuellar bravely spoke out against Open Borders, and the Biden Border “Catastrophe.” Sleepy Joe went after the Congressman, and even the Congressman’s wonderful wife, Imelda, simply for speaking the TRUTH. It is unAmerican and, as I previously stated, the Radical Left Democrats are a complete and total threat to Democracy! They will attack, rob, lie, cheat, destroy, and decimate anyone who dares to oppose their Far Left Agenda, an Agenda that, if left unchecked, will obliterate our magnificent Country. Because of these facts, and others, I am hereby announcing my full and unconditional PARDON of beloved Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar, and Imelda. Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight – Your nightmare is finally over! President Trump is systematically rooting out all weaponization of the criminal justice system, one by one! He knows what it’s like to have that machine pointed (wrongly) at him, and he’s fixing every other similar instance. Rep. Cuellar issued this heartfelt thank you to our President: I want to thank President Trump for his tremendous leadership and for taking the time to look at the facts. I thank God for standing with my family and I during this difficult time. This decision clears the air and lets us move forward for South Texas. This pardon gives us a… pic.twitter.com/ajNvHq6rG0 — Rep. Henry Cuellar (@RepCuellar) December 3, 2025 I want to thank President Trump for his tremendous leadership and for taking the time to look at the facts. I thank God for standing with my family and I during this difficult time. This decision clears the air and lets us move forward for South Texas. This pardon gives us a clean slate. The noise is gone. The work remains. And I intend to meet it head on. Thank you Mr. President, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. He also told Fox News that he plans to seek re-election and plans to work cooperatively across the aisle with President Trump: HENRY CUELLAR tells Fox’s @BretBaier on seeking re-election after Trump pardon: “I’m a conservative Democrat, I work across the lines, and I want to see President Trump succeed. It’s good for the country. We might have differences, but if I can work with him I will.” pic.twitter.com/MISOUUKeZA — TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) December 3, 2025 Another Biden injustice corrected. Many more to go.