Archaeologists Discover Hidden Voids In Egypt's Pyramid Of Menkaure

Archaeologists have discovered two hidden voids inside the Pyramid of Menkaure in Giza, Egypt, potentially offering clues about a long-sought lost entrance to the ancient tomb. The Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the three main pyramids in the Giza necropolis. Standing nearly 200 feet tall, it is believed to have been completed around 2510 BC during Egypt's Fourth Dynasty to serve as the tomb of King Menkaure, reported Newsweek.

Researchers from Cairo University in Egypt and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany revealed the newly detected features using advanced scans. Archaeologists have long been intrigued by a strange section of polished granite blocks on the pyramid's eastern side, some 13 feet tall and nearly 20 feet wide. These polished stones are otherwise found only on the northern side, at the pyramid's entrance. In 2019, lead researcher Stijn van den Hoven suggested that the eastern feature could mark a second, hidden entrance.

As part of the ScanPyramids project, researchers used non-destructive imaging techniques, including georadar, ultrasound, and electrical resistance tomography, to inspect the pyramid's interior. Their scans revealed two air-filled voids behind the outer facade, measuring 4.6 feet and 3.7 feet deep, respectively. One of these voids is approximately 3.2 feet high and 4.9 feet wide, while the other, smaller void, is approximately 3 feet high and 2.3 feet wide.

Christian Grosse, professor of non-destructive testing at TUM, explained that following the discovery of an unknown chamber in the Khufu Pyramid in 2023, ScanPyramids has made another important discovery at Giza.

He also said that the testing techniques developed by the team help draw accurate conclusions about the pyramid's interior without causing any damage to this valuable structure.