Hidden Corridor Found in Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza

On Thursday (March 2, 2023), Egyptian antiquities officials confirmed the presence of a hidden corridor in Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza.

The corridor is 30 feet long and 6 feet wide near the main entrance of the Pyramid of Khufu, an ancient monument estimated to be 4,500 years old.

The Pyramid of Khufu is also known as the Great Pyramid of Giza and was constructed by Pharaoh Khufu in the 4th Dynasty.

The Giza complex is 11 miles from Cairo and comprises 3 pyramids, with the Great Pyramid being the largest among them. According to National Geographic, it was constructed roughly between 2550 to 2490 B.C.

Discovery made by project ‘ScanPyramids’

The unfinished corridor was likely created to redistribute the pyramid's weight around either the main entrance, almost 7 meters away, or on another as yet undiscovered chamber or space, said Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities 3/4 pic.twitter.com/Wkoe0dShUg

— Reuters (@Reuters) March 2, 2023

The discovery was made possible using cosmic-ray muon radiography equipment and marks an important milestone in Egyptian archaeology as part of the ScanPyramids project.

The findings of the research were published in Nature Communications on Thursday and follow the team’s initial announcement of a mysterious open space and ‘big void’ within the pyramid in 2017.

Using advanced technology which measures cosmic radiation passing through the pyramid, researchers were able to determine that the gabled corridor is 30 feet long and almost seven feet wide. These findings enabled them to get clear images of the ancient passageway.

The mystery of the ‘corridor’ not yet solved

#ScanPyramids announce in an international press conference the discovery of a previously unknown corridor and 9-meter tunnel inside the Great Pyramid.#Egypt #egyptology #pyramidsofgiza #instagram #pyramids #Explore #new #discovery #staytuned #historic #site @Dr_Hawass pic.twitter.com/kG1kCCdJD8

— Dr Mostafa waziry (@mostafa_waziri) March 2, 2023

The 480-foot-tall Pyramid of Khufu continues to tantalize researchers with its unsolved mysteries. Recently revealed information has reignited speculation surrounding the ancient structure, particularly around a newly discovered corridor.

Renowned Egyptian archaeologist Dr. Zahi Hawass believes that this is an important discovery due to an empty area found on the northern side of the corridor, which could indicate the presence of a burial chamber belonging to King Khufu.

However, Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, cautioned that it remains unclear what purpose this empty corridor served or what awaits at its far end deep within the pyramid.

“We’re going to continue our scanning so we will see what we can do … to figure out what we can find out beneath it, or just by the end of this corridor,” Mostafa Waziri told reporters after a press conference in front of the pyramid.

More than one burial chamber

Apart from the recently discovered empty corridor in the Great Pyramid of Giza, scientists also believe that five rooms atop the King’s burial chamber – located elsewhere in the pyramid – were designed to redistribute weight.

Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, even suggested that it is possible that there may be more than one burial chamber in the pyramid.

According to the research, a unique stone slab with a gabled structure, called the Chevron, was also discovered at the top of the entrance connected to the pyramid’s burial chamber.

This Chevron structure is slightly excavated from the surface of the pyramid and is believed to have been initially hidden inside its walls.