Cosmic rays and photos from an endoscope have revealed a “hidden” corridor inside the Great Pyramid of Giza’s north face, above the pyramid’s ancient entrance, new research finds.
The Great Pyramid was built on orders of the pharaoh Khufu (ruled circa 2551 B.C. to 2528 B.C.) on the Giza plateau and today is about 456 feet (139 meters) high. It is the only surviving wonder of the ancient world and was the tallest building on Earth until 1311, when England’s Lincoln Cathedral’s 525-foot-tall (160 m) central tower was completed.
A new study reveals that, just above the ancient entrance to the pyramid, there is likely a horizontal chamber that runs for 30 feet (9 m) in length and is 6.6 feet by 6.6 feet (2 by 2 m) in width and height. It is located behind a chevron-shaped structure that is visible outside the pyramid, according to the study, published Thursday (March 2) in the journal Nature Communications.
Zahi Hawass Egypt‘s former antiquities minister, said during a news conference Thursday (March 2) that the 30-foot-long corridor was likely created to help relieve stress from the weight of the building material on the Great Pyramid
He noted that it is located behind a chevron-shaped structure that distributes weight, the Egyptian newspaper Ahram Online reported
