Kryptos

Kryptos is a ciphertext sculpture made from copper panels at the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, Virginia. The installation includes four curved plates arranged in an S-shape, accompanied by granite, quartz and petrified wood elements that together form a courtyard installation.

Jim Sanborn created this cryptographic work in 1990 for the George Bush Center for Intelligence. The artist collaborated with CIA cryptographer Edward Scheidt on designing the encoded messages embedded in the copper surfaces.

Three of the four encrypted sections have been decoded, revealing poetic phrases and references to King Tutankhamun's tomb discovery, while the fourth remains unsolved.

The work stands in a courtyard at the intelligence center and is accessible only to authorized visitors. The water element at the base adds a moving component to an otherwise static installation.

Three of the four encrypted sections were solved between 1992 and 2010, revealing poetic references to archaeological discoveries. The final segment of 97 characters remains unsolved despite decades of attempts by experts worldwide.

Location: Langley

Inception: 1990

Creator: Jim Sanborn

Official opening: November 3, 1990

Made from material: copper, granite, petrified wood, quartz

GPS coordinates: 38.95226,-77.14575

Latest update: December 4, 2025 14:21