Khaberni - Approximately 4500 years after its construction, a team of Egyptian and German researchers believe they have discovered traces of a hidden entrance in the Pyramid of Menkaure at the Giza complex, which was built around 2510 BC and is the smallest of the three major pyramids in the complex.
The researchers used advanced scanning methods, including radar, ultrasound, and electrical resistivity tomography, to look behind the granite blocks without the need to dismantle them.
The survey revealed two air-filled voids behind the eastern facade of the pyramid, supporting the hypothesis of a second entrance that has not been discovered in modern times, according to the “Daily Mail”.
Christian Gross, professor of non-destructive testing at the Technical University of Munich, described the discovery as "an important step towards understanding the internal structure of the pyramid," adding that the main entrance is located on the north side, while the potential new entrance faces the Nile River on the east side, and the rectangular area is about 4 meters high and 6 meters wide.
The researchers note that the granite blocks in this area are "unusually smooth", which is similar to the main entrance, which reinforces the hypothesis of a second historical entrance. Independent researcher Steigen van den Hoven first proposed this possibility in 2019, but accurate data confirming its existence was not available until now.
Visitors today can enter the Pyramid of Menkaure and explore the burial chambers and small passageways, but the presence of the potential second entrance suggests the possibility of undiscovered rooms or passageways that may contain archaeological treasures.
Despite this progress, researchers caution that interpreting the air-filled voids requires further discussion among Egyptologists, due to the difficulty in determining the extent of these anomalies within the massive structure of the pyramid.
The Pyramid of Menkaure remains shrouded in mystery, especially after the loss of its stone sarcophagus about 200 years ago during its transportation to the British Museum, following the disappearance of the merchant ship "Beatrice" which was carrying the sarcophagus from Malta in October 1838.
The Giza complex, west of Cairo, includes the Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, along with the Sphinx, all of which are still surrounded by mystery, due to the unexplained precision of their construction and their accurate astronomical alignment.
