Giza has been a place that archaeologists have been studying for centuries, gaining traction in the late 18th century. Since then, they’ve made some monumental discoveries about Ancient Egypt and its surroundings. Now, with modern technology, a new discovery has been made, and this one might change everything.
Radar scans have been used to find out more about what’s underneath Giza, and they came back showing startling results. Honeycomb-shaped structures are present for kilometers underground. These could be many things, including chambers, passageways, and perhaps even enormous wells. Future scientific data should teach us even more.
Something Under The Sand
The radar scans have allowed scientists to map out underground structures that were never thought to be there before. There are thought to be more than a kilometer of chambers, large square rooms, and shafts going down hundreds of meters. Researchers can barely comprehend what they are looking at, while conspiracy theories are cropping up everywhere.
While further exploration would be the only way to see what’s hiding under the surface for sure, this has been banned by the Egyptian government, saying that it is in the interest of preserving the heritage of the area.
Osiris Shaft
The Osiris Shaft may be one of the most intriguing discoveries archaeologists have found so far. The shaft is deep underground, being more than 100 feet deep and hiding secrets within. The shaft has a granite sarcophagus that’s surrounded by a water channel that was built by humans. This has implications on ancient engineers, how did they manage to create these channels without the aid of pumps?
Other evidence has suggested that ancient architects had a better understanding of hydroengineering than previously thought. The sarcophagus itself weighs 40 tons and is made out of a material that would have had to be imported from far away.
A Theory Of Copying The Cosmos
Most archaeological evidence points towards the pyramids being built for Pharaoh Khufu in 2,500 BCE. However, the underground structures that have been found seem to point towards cosmic cycles, inferring a different date.
Some researchers have suggested that the structures could project what Orion’s Belt looked like nearly 7,500 years earlier. These theories are only fueled more by erosion on the Sphinx that suggest global flood myths from the time. These theories are captivating, but many are not peer reviewed.
Aligning With Orion’s Belt
If a picture is taken of the pyramids from above, they are far from aligned with Orion’s Belt, but turn back time to 10,400 BCE, which was thousands of years before they are believed to have been built, and then they line up perfectly. This theory, with the subterranean structures and erosion evidence, could suggest that the region was wetter than believed.
Furthermore, by studying the sediment in the Osiris Shaft, mineral deposits were found that could have been from ancient flooding events that predate later Egyptian reign and civilization. It could indicate that in order to protect the complex, it was intentionally filled up and buried. This could have been to protect it from a grand flood.
Technological Innovation
As innovations in technology are made, they reach many different fields, including archaeology. The hidden structures were found by leveraging SAR – Synthetic Aperture Radar. This cutting-edge technology can penetrate thick structures and show what’s hidden beneath.
Discoveries were also made in the King’s chamber by combining a frequency with hydrogen gas, creating electromagnetic power. These enterprising finds could teach us more about ancient Egypt and the enigma of the pyramids. Giza could be so much more than just an ancient engineering marvel from the past – it could have been used for so much more.
Backlash
As with any modern theory that deviates from the norm, these theories are being received with a healthy amount of skepticism. Project leader Dr. Corrado Malanga is under scrutiny from various people, both peers and the public. Because further exploration into the physical subterranean structure has been halted, there is no way to verify these findings yet.
There is much speculation about what’s hidden underneath Giza, and while skepticism is good to ensure misinformation isn’t spread, experts must be open-minded instead of stonewalling possible alternative avenues of explanation.
Implications Of Known History
Despite further study being halted, the evidence already found could have implications on known history. If it was found that the underground structures do predate Khufu’s reign, more could be known about unexplained factors such as the 70 ton granite coffers found in Seapeum and ancient knowledge of how to cut diorite that’s been long forgotten.
If a civilization that predates Egypt was responsible for other structures, then they may have inspired more modern architects in Egypt as well as myths and legends. While we wait to learn more about these ancient structures, there is one thing that cannot be denied, human ingenuity from ancient times was far underestimated.
The Future Of Discovery
Right now, the excavation team wants to get the proper permits so that more exploration can continue. However, when it comes to ancient and fragile architecture, this can be hard to come by.
Even if digs in the past have shown startling evidence, breakthroughs sometimes come at the cost of more intrusive methods that can damage historically relevant architecture. A balance needs to be found between exploration and preservation.
A Potential Change In Narrative
While it’s under much scrutiny, the discovery of an underground structure underneath Giza could rewrite history’s narrative. What else is there to be found if further exploration can be properly permitted?
SAR technology is groundbreaking in its own right and should be leveraged in other historically relevant places, such as Peru and Indonesia. Only the future will tell us what incredible insights into ancient civilizations might be found next – all the while, we’ll wait with bated breath.