They’re renowned for their remarkable works of art and architecture, but experts are also intrigued by the significant gaps they left unaddressed.
There’s a huge, sealed void that, although it’s completely empty, still captivates archaeologists.
The reason for this room’s existence has remained a mystery since its discovery in 2017, dating back to when the famous pyramid was finished around 4,500 years ago.
Fair dinkum, a team called ScanPyramids used a technique called muon tomography to scan the Great Pyramid, which involves using cosmic rays to penetrate hundreds of metres of stone and figure out what’s inside.
By using this technology, the researchers discovered a peculiar room that had never been seen before.
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This is the first major internal structure discovered in the Great Pyramid since the 19th century.
They’ve dubbed the space the “big void” and it’s now a significant gap in our knowledge of the famous Egyptian monument.
There are a few theories about the purpose of the space, with some people thinking it was a hidden tomb for the pharaoh Khufu, who commissioned the pyramid’s construction.
When the pyramids were first opened and explored back in the 19th century, archaeologists dug up a number of chambers, including one containing a coffin that was believed to be the final resting place of Khufu himself.
However, when the coffin was opened, it was vacant.
It was, therefore, largely assumed that the remains of the king had been nicked. And yet, some experts had been putting forward the idea for years – long before the “big void” discovery – that somewhere in the pyramid existed a secret, fourth chamber containing Khufu’s body.
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The pair argued that instead of being meticulously planned beforehand, the pyramid took shape as construction progressed.
One of the team, architect Gilles Dormion, reckons the pyramid’s builders had to change their plans after realising certain chambers wouldn’t be able to handle the weight of the burial casket.
Dormion pointed to the big cracks in the giant granite beams that line the king’s chamber, which have been blamed on earthquakes that happened after the pyramid was built. He, on the other hand, suggested that these cracks might have appeared during the building process itself.
However, despite experts not being able to officially confirm whether the “big void” is actually a secret Khufu burial chamber, they might be able to do so soon.
To imagine the pyramid using more advanced muon scanning technology.
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They said it will take images of muons from nearly all angles and, for the first time, produce a real tomographic image of such a big structure.
Two years on, their work hasn’t been done yet. So the location of Khufu’s remains and the reason for that hidden room are still a “big gap” in what we know about the Great Pyramid.
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