The Fascinating Secrets and Mysteries of the Pyramids of Giza

Did You Know This About Pyramids?

Everyone knows about the pyramids. But how much do you really know about them? You’ve seen photos, maybe you’ve passed by them on vacation. Perhaps you’ve even been inside a pyramid.

But what do you know about the secrets of the pyramids? What about the latest discoveries by researchers that haven’t been printed in any textbooks or travel guides?

Eternal Secrets

The pyramids in Egypt have guarded their secrets from us humans for over 4,500 years. They are one of the wonders of the world and one of the oldest and greatest mysteries of our time

There have been many theories, but no one was really sure of how they were built. But now, Egyptian and foreign experts have started to unveil these secrets using state-of-the-art technology.

New Discoveries

Last week, these archaeologists began publishing the first results of their work. The pyramid they examined is located in Dahshur, about 40 kilometers south of Cairo.

It is one of the oldest pyramids, built during the reign of Pharaoh Sneferu. What these structures hide and how they reveal to us how pyramids were likely built, you can read here.

New Technology, New Insights

Research on pyramids is not a new subject in Egypt. In fact, pyramids have been studied since the 19th century. New discoveries are continuously making headlines worldwide.

But even today, archaeologists are making crucial breakthroughs and discovering fascinating objects within the ancient walls. It shows that there is still much to learn about the pyramids.

Discoveries

The discoveries we will explore today were all found within pyramids. Time and again, after previous researchers believed they had already made all the discoveries.

The findings show that these structures will continue to engage us for a long time. What lies behind the pyramids and how were they really built? Find out today about the objects researchers have unearthed and what they could mean.

Revealing Secrets

Using infrared thermography and cosmic ray detectors, researchers have created maps showing internal structures that have long been hidden secrets.

3D images reveal the chambers of the 4,600-year-old structure. According to unanimous evaluations, the images clearly show that the bent pyramid conceals another secret chamber.

Mehdi Tayoubi

Mehdi Tayoubi, one of the project leaders, states that within the pyramid, there are plates that collect data on radiological particles known as muons.

Muons fall from the Earth’s atmosphere and can be absorbed by empty spaces. Scientists believe that they can learn more about the construction of the bent pyramid, which has two entrances and two corridors leading to two superimposed burial chambers.

The Great Pyramid of Cheops

“For the first time, the inner structure of the pyramid has been discovered using muon particles. The resulting images clearly show the second chamber of the pyramid, which is about 60 feet (approximately 18 meters) above the lower chamber where the emulsion plates are placed,” says Tayoubi.

Scientists have yet to find a definitive answer to the question of how the pyramids were built, or explanations for the structures. Similar attempts were made by researchers three decades ago.

No Breakthrough Yet

So far, a major breakthrough has eluded them. However, the researchers are very optimistic about this project. Tayoubi adds that they plan to make preparations for similar research in Khufu, the largest of the three pyramids in Giza.

The mummy of Nefertiti has yet to be discovered. But that could soon change. According to renowned British archaeologist Nicholas Reeves, the tomb of Nefertiti could be located in an undiscovered chamber within Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor.

Has the Mystery of Tutankhamun’s Tomb Been Solved?

Dr. Reeves speculates that the legendary pharaoh Tutankhamun, who died at the age of 19, was buried in the outer chamber of Queen Nefertiti’s original tomb.

The researcher believes that the tomb itself was designed to hide the mummy of a queen. Tombs for kings were constructed differently, according to Dr. Reeves. The walls could potentially conceal both mummies, but this has not been proven yet.

Did the workers live in the hollowed chambers?

It is widely accepted today that construction of the individual pyramids lasted for decades or even centuries. Naturally, building the pyramids required a lot of effort.

It is also assumed that the many ancient Egyptians who worked on this astonishing project—from architects to laborers—needed a place to live during the construction process.

First evidence

Researchers have apparently found such a place near the pyramid of Menkaure. Investigations suggest that the workers may have lived in the hollowed chambers of the pyramids while constructing the tombs.

Menkaure reigned around 2530 BC and claimed the last of the tombs constructed in Giza for himself. What the researchers will find here in the coming years remains to be seen.

Transporting the building material

Archaeologists are convinced that they have finally found the answer to how the pyramids were built. Fascinating evidence has been discovered that only allows for one conclusion.

Around 2600 BC, the Egyptians had to transport limestone and granite blocks weighing up to 2.5 tons over distances of up to 800 kilometers. This was the only way to build the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Thousands of skilled workers

Detailed archaeological evidence, according to Mehdi Tayoubi and his colleagues, shows that thousands of skilled workers transported 170,000 tons of limestone on wooden boats along the Nile.

This was made possible by a specially designed canal system leading to the harbor. This allowed the workers to easily move the heavy load. Just a few meters from the base of the pyramid, they then maneuvered the blocks upwards.

Answers on papyrus

The ancient papyrus was written by Merer, a supervisor who was responsible for a team of 40 elite workers. It is the only firsthand account of the construction of the Great Pyramid.

The records describe in detail how the limestone blocks were transported downstream from Tura to Giza. Archaeologists are in awe of these new pieces of information, admiring the planners of that time.

Filling in the gaps

It has long been known that the granite in the inner chamber of the pyramid came from Aswan, located 850 kilometers south of Giza, and the limestone from Tura, 13 kilometers away.

However, for decades, archaeologists could not agree on the details of how these materials were transported. Now, an answer to this major question may have been uncovered. Researchers believe that the solution lies in water.

How was the Great Pyramid constructed?

It is estimated that 100,000 people worked on the construction of the Great Pyramid of Khufu for 20 years. Each stone was at least two meters high, and some were up to five meters long. Unfathomable dimensions for manual labor.

The limestone and granite blocks used to build this pyramid were obtained from the quarry on the left bank of the Nile and transported downstream by boat.

Only in the spring

All of this could only be done in the spring when the Nile flooded. It took 20 years and approximately 500,000 trips to acquire the necessary amount of stone.

While the stone blocks were being transported, a group of people dragged the 2-ton blocks on a sled along the riverbank. They then arranged these blocks into place.

The End Result

When the pyramid was finally completed, it stood at a height of 145.75m. Over the course of millennia, it has shrunk by about ten meters. The surface of the pyramid was covered with very smooth, almost imperceptible limestone.

Each side of the pyramid is aligned to a side of the world, facing east, west, north, and south. The pyramid is made up of around 2.3 million stone blocks. There is an entrance on the north side.

The Interior of the Pyramid

The interior of the pyramid consists of three chambers connected by numerous corridors. At the heart of the pyramid is the King’s Chamber, which houses a sarcophagus made of red granite.

Only the strength of a mountain rock could withstand the weight of the pyramid. This was the case here because the pyramid itself sits on a granite outcrop located very close to the surface, directly beneath the pyramid.

The Significance of the Location

The pyramid was built facing north. It is located exactly at the center of the Earth’s landmass. Its east-west axis aligns with the longest parallel that runs through Africa, Asia, America, and Europe.

The pyramid was lined with stone, allowing even the moon to be visible. The apex was constructed in such a way that the pyramid could be seen literally from the mountains of Israel, thousands of miles away.

How Much Would a Pyramid Cost Today?

A team of Japanese builders has successfully fulfilled their task in Egypt and made an “estimate” for the price of building a pyramid today, using modern machinery.

They concluded that the Cheops Pyramid could be constructed in about five years using state-of-the-art construction techniques and would cost about 30 times less than during the Cheops era.

Progress

During the time of Cheops, ancient Egypt spent approximately 20 billion in today’s euros on the construction of the pyramids. This is nearly equivalent to the cost of the American program to reach the moon!

When we encounter this comparison, we should ask ourselves what is more valuable – the Cheops Pyramid or the conquest of the moon. The answer seems clear. This leaves only one question remaining.

Why are the Pyramids Even Built?

The pyramids of Giza were built during the so-called golden age, specifically the 4th Dynasty of the Old Kingdom, primarily serving as tombs for the pharaohs.

The tombs marked the beginning of the journey to the afterlife. For this reason, the tombs were equipped with various items in the form of funeral offerings, providing the pharaohs with everything they might need in the other world.