The treasures of the Egyptian pharaohs are still hidden within the Great Pyramid of Giza, says leading archaeologist and former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass.
The 4,500-year-old pyramid is the oldest and largest of the three monuments on the Giza Plateau, believed to have been built for Pharaoh Khufu over a span of 20 years.
Leading Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass.
Egyptian archaeologists have launched the ScanPyramids project, employing several non-invasive and non-destructive techniques to gain a better understanding of the structure of the Great Pyramid and its construction process.
The project made a breakthrough in 2016 when a small cavity, previously unknown, was discovered on the northern face of the pyramid. A year later, experts announced the discovery of a large void, a 30-meter long tunnel that had never been known before, located above the Grand Gallery adjacent to the Pharaoh’s burial chamber.
In an interview with the British newspaper Express, Hawass mentioned that he had “anticipated” the existence of these large voids. “If you study how the Great Pyramid was built, everyone knows that it has many voids.”
“We hope to find the mummy of Pharaoh Khufu, which would be one of the most important discoveries that could be made in these voids.”
There are three known chambers inside the Great Pyramid—the lowest chamber has been hollowed out into the foundation of the pyramid during its construction due to being unfinished.
Hawass believes that there are some amazing discoveries awaiting archaeologists. “I believe that the chamber containing the mummy of Pharaoh Khufu has yet to be found. All three chambers above are merely to deceive thieves. The treasures of the pharaoh are still hidden within the Great Pyramid,” he stated.
The Great Pyramid of Giza still holds many unexplored mysteries.
“None of the pyramids in Egypt have doors with bronze handles. In fact, I believe there are still mysteries behind that,” Hawass added.
As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted in Egypt, archaeologists may achieve significant breakthroughs, according to Express.
According to BBC Science Focus, before operations were halted due to the pandemic, Egyptian archaeologists had discovered a large void larger than initially estimated, measuring up to 40 meters.
“Many secrets contained within some of the oldest artificial and natural structures in the world may begin to be revealed following the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Egypt,” BBC reported.
