When you think of Egypt, the first images that tend to come to mind are of the ancient pyramids. The most famous of these is the Great Pyramid of Giza, the largest of a family of three pyramids on the Giza plateau, on the outskirts of Cairo. Built for the pharaoh Cheops, also known as Khufu, The Great Pyramid is the last remaining wonder of the ancient world. It has long been rumoured to hold many secrets, some of which could be hidden passageways leading to secret chambers.
A team of researchers has confirmed the 4,500-year-old mausoleum contains two unknown cavities, possibly hiding a corridor-like structure and more mysterious features. The pyramids have captivated the world’s imagination for centuries, so it’s no surprise that Operation ScanPyramids was launched a year ago last month, in an effort to unlock the secrets of ancient Egypt, using non-invasive technology.
The announcement by the ScanPyramids project comes at the end of a year-long effort to use various scanning technologies on Old Kingdom pyramids, including the Great Pyramid, Khafre or Chephren at Giza, the Bent pyramid and the Red pyramid at Dahshur.
In late 2015, Egypt started radar scans of Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings in southern Egypt, after a British archaeologist Nicholas Reeves suggested that Tutankhamun’s tomb was in fact Nefertiti’s, and when the boy king died unexpectedly at a young age, he was rushed into her tomb’s outer chamber. This, and the fact that thermal scanning had identified an abnormality in the Great Pyramid that sparked the debate over a possible network of tunnels through it, pushed the team to make a further analysis.
The scientists from the project have said in a statement: “We are now able to confirm the existence of a ‘void’ hidden behind the north face, that could have the form of at least one corridor going inside the Great Pyramid.”
The researchers also said another cavity was discovered on the pyramid’s northeast flank, using radiography and 3D reconstruction for their study.
Additional tests are being conducted to learn more about the size, nature, and function of the mysterious Khufu cavities, and the researchers expect to have a more complete analysis of the data within the first three months of 2017. They are also looking to conduct further tests on the 146m-high monument to determine their function, nature and size.