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The Great Pyramid of Giza, built 4,500 years ago, contains a previously unknown space discovered by scientists using muon radiography. The space extends at least 100 meters and is the first discovery of its kind since the 19th century. Egyptologists have mixed reactions, with some suggesting it could be another chamber or tunnel, while others believe it may mean nothing.
The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt was built about 4,500 years ago, by order of Pharaoh Khufu, whose tomb it was to become. One of the most spectacular wonders of the world, the monument consists of approximately 2.3 million limestone blocks, which were quarried, transported, cut to size and stacked 479 feet (146 m) high on a 13-acre (52,609 m2). In a 2017 article in the journal Nature, a group of scientists detailed how they used muon radiography to discover a previously unknown space within the pyramid’s walls, extending at least 100 meters. It is the first discovery of an unknown space in the structure since the 19th century.
Mysteries of an ancient pyramid:
Muon radiography uses cosmic rays to detect cavities in massive structures. Measuring the number of muons flowing through an object can reveal that object’s density.
The reactions of Egyptologists were mixed. “The void can be another chamber or tunnel, an overhead duct or an architectural flaw that has been sealed,” said archaeologist Monica Hanna.
Egyptologist Zahi Hawass was less intimidated. “We always have to be very careful with the word void, because the Great Pyramid is full of voids,” he said, adding that void may mean nothing.
