A Clue From Space Helps Scientists Solve the Mystery of the Egyptian Pyramids

The recent discovery of an ancient waterway offers promising clues to solving the long-debated mystery surrounding the construction of the Egyptian Pyramids.

The construction methods of the ancient pyramids has been a mystery to modern researchers. Some theories suggest that the Egyptians used ramps, levers, pulleys, or even water channels to move the massive stones. However, up to now there has been no conclusive evidence to support any of these hypotheses, and we could only rely on the writings of ancient historians, such as Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus, who visited Egypt centuries after the pyramids were built. Their accounts may not be accurate or reliable, as they relied on hearsay and legends.

Now, a new study suggests that an ancient branch of the Nile River may have been the key to building the pyramids of Giza.

The researchers used satellite radar data to reveal the hidden course of a dried-up waterway that once flowed near the pyramid sites, providing a possible means of transporting the massive stones and workers needed for the monumental constructions.

The study, led by Dr Eman Ghoneim, was presented at the 13th Congress of Egyptologists. Ghoneim and her team analyzed images from space that showed the subsurface features of the Nile Valley, uncovering a buried riverbed that stretched for about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Faiyum to Giza. The waterway, dubbed the Ahramat Branch (meaning Pyramid Branch in Arabic), passed through 38 different pyramid sites, suggesting a strong link between the river and the monuments.

Ghoneim told IFLScience that the Ahramat Branch was not a small tributary, but a major branch of the Nile that was comparable in width to the current river course. She estimated that it was hundreds of meters wide in some areas, and that it may have been active during the Old and Middle Kingdoms (3,700 to 4,700 years ago), when most of the pyramids were built.

The presence of a large waterway near the pyramid sites could explain how the ancient Egyptians were able to transport the huge blocks of stone and limestone that were used to build the pyramids. Ghoneim said that most of the pyramids had a causeway that ended with a valley temple, which was like a harbor or ancient port. She added that most of these valley temples were located exactly at the bank of the branch that they found.

The researchers plan to conduct further investigations to confirm the age and function of the Ahramat Branch, as well as its impact on the ancient Egyptian civilization. Ghoneim said that the discovery could also help locate other lost cities and towns that were abandoned when the Nile shifted its course over time.