ONE of Egypt’s most famous pyramids may be hiding a secret second entrance, according to experts who have spotted mysterious “anomalies”.
The Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the three main pyramids located on the famed Giza pyramid site.
It’s thought to have been built around 4,550 years ago for Pharaoh Menkaure, who ruled during Egypt’s Fourth Dynasty and houses his tomb.
Scientists have believed that there may be another way into the structure for several years.
But now a team have uncovered the most solid evidence yet that could finally prove their hunch.
Using hi-tech radars and ultrasound, they found some surprising signs on the eastern side of the Menkaure pyramid.
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World’s biggest pyramids
- 1. Transamerica Pyramid – 260 metres (853 feet)
- 2. Great Pyramid of Giza – 138.5 metres (454 feet)
- 3. Pyramid of Khafre – 136.4 metres (448 feet)
- 4. Borobudur – 118 metres (387 ft)
- 5. Luxor Pyramid – 107 metres (350 ft)
- 6. Red Pyramid – 105 metres (344 ft)
- 7. Bent Pyramid – 104.7 metres (344 ft)
- 8. Memphis Pyramid – 98 metres (321 ft)
- 9. Toniná Pyramid – 74 metres (243 ft)
- 10. La Danta – 72 metres (236 ft)
Image credit: Getty
And it’s two hidden air-filled anomalies that have caught their attention.
The pair of voids were detected underneath the eastern facade.
What’s particularly curious is the stones found here are remarkably polished, spanning an area around four meters high and six meters wide.
The only other place stones have been found in this sort of condition on the pyramid is on the main – and only – entrance, over on the north side.
ScanPyramids, the team of scientists behind the project, say more tests are needed to confirm everything.
“Following the significant validation of a hidden corridor in the Pyramid of Cheops in 2023, ScanPyramids has once again succeeded in making an important finding in Giza,” said Christian Grosse, Professor of Non-destructive Testing at TUM (the Technical University of Munich).
“The testing methodology we developed allows very precise conclusions to be drawn about the nature of the pyramid’s interior without damaging the valuable structure.
“The hypothesis of another entrance is very plausible, and our results take us a big step closer to confirming it.”
Their findings have been published in the NDT&E International journal.
A brief history of Ancient Egypt
Here’s everything you need to know…
- The Ancient Egyptians were an advanced civilization who at one point owned a huge portion of the globe
- The civilization began about 5,000 years ago when ancient humans began building villages along the River Nile
- It lasted for about 3,000 years and saw the building of complex cities centuries ahead of their time – as well as the famous Great Pyramids
- The Ancient Egyptians were experts at farming and construction
- They invented a solar calendar, and one of the world’s earliest writing systems: The hieroglyph
- The Egyptians were ruled by kings and queens called pharaohs
- Religion and the afterlife were a huge part of Ancient Egyptian culture. They had over 2,000 gods
- Pharaohs built huge elaborate tombs to be buried in, some of which were pyramids – at the time among the largest buildings in the world
- The Egyptians believed in life after death, and important people’s corpses were mummified to preserve their bodies for the afterlife
- The Ancient Egyptian empire fell due to a mix of factors, including wars with other empires and a 100-year period of drought and starvation
