Archaeologists have unearthed two unusual structures concealed beneath the ground adjacent to the renowned pyramids of Giza, Egypt.
Utilizing radar and electrical technologies, a collaborative team of Japanese and Egyptian scientists identified a perplexing 10m (33ft) L-shaped formation, positioned approximately 2m (6.5ft) underground, alongside a larger, deeper structure located about 5-10m (16-33ft) below the surface.
The purpose of these structures remains undetermined, but researchers propose that the L-shaped formation may signify an entrance to a larger object beneath, potentially a tomb entrance.
These findings were made in a vast empty area within the Western Cemetery, believed to date back four to five hundred years in Giza.
Previously overlooked during excavations due to the absence of visible structures above ground, this sandy region contrasts with surrounding cemeteries filled with numerous flat-roofed rectangular graves made from stone and mud, known as Mastabas.
This research, as published in Archaeological Research in early 2025, employed ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and a subsurface scanning method known as electrical resistance tomography (ERT).
GPR operates by sending radar waves into the ground. When these waves encounter a buried object, they are reflected back to the surface detector. By measuring the time taken for these waves to return, scientists can construct 3D representations of subterranean structures.
In a similar fashion, ERT involves sending electrical currents through the ground and assessing how easily electricity traverses different materials hidden below the surface.
Through these advanced techniques, archaeologists can detect variations in soil composition and pinpoint the shape and location of anomalies.
However, Dr. Roland Enmarch, an Egyptian scholar from the University of Liverpool who was not involved in this study, told BBC Science Focus that the nature of these structures remains unclear.
“It’s difficult to say more until there’s an actual excavation at the site. [the L-shaped structure] but I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out to be some form of grave,” he noted.
Regarding the deeper anomaly, Enmarch remarked:
Researchers suggest that this deeper structure might merely be a mix of sand and gravel or an air-filled void.
Enmarch expressed, “I’m genuinely eager to hear about the results of their excavations and verify my GPR findings.”
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About our experts
Dr. Roland Enmarch is an Egyptologist at the University of Liverpool in the UK, specializing in inscriptions of Egyptian literary laments and quarrying expeditions, particularly related to the Alabaster quarry in Hatnub.
Source: www.sciencefocus.com
