Archaeologists have discovered two concealed empty spaces, or ‘voids’, within the Pyramid of Menkaure in Giza, Egypt. Experts believe these enigmatic areas could hold the key to a ‘lost entrance’ that
researchers have been seeking for decades. Constructed around 4,500 years ago, circa 2510 BC during Egypt’s Fourth Dynasty, the pyramid is believed to be the tomb of King Menkaure.
Though it is the smallest of the three principal pyramids at Giza, it remains the most perplexing.
Advanced Scanning Reveals The Hidden Spaces
Researchers from Cairo University and Germany’s Technical University of Munich made this discovery using advanced scanning techniques. As part of the ScanPyramids Project, they employed georadar, ultrasound, and electrical resistance tomography, technologies capable of examining the pyramid’s interior without causing any harm.
The scans revealed two air-filled cavities: the first measuring roughly 4.6 feet deep, 3.2 feet high, and 4.9 feet wide; the second slightly smaller at 3.7 feet deep, 3 feet high, and 2.3 feet wide.
A Clue Near The Eastern Granite Blocks
Both voids were detected on the pyramid’s eastern side, where a peculiar section of polished granite blocks stands, approximately 13 feet high and 20 feet wide. Until now, such finely finished granite had only been observed on the northern side near the main entrance.
In 2019, researcher Stijn Van Den Hoven proposed that this eastern area could indicate the presence of another concealed entrance, and the newly detected voids lend weight to his theory.
Could These Voids Hide A Secret Passage?
Archaeologists speculate that these empty spaces may conceal a hidden passageway, a sealed tunnel, or even ancient artefacts unseen for millennia. Professor Christian Grosse of TUM remarked, “Following last year’s discovery of an unknown chamber in the Khufu Pyramid, this is another significant achievement. It demonstrates that Egypt’s pyramids still guard many secrets.”
He further emphasised that acquiring such detailed information without drilling or damage represents a milestone in Egypt’s archaeological research.
Search For A Lost Entrance Continues
For many years, experts have suspected that the Pyramid of Menkaure may possess not just one but two entrances: one visible, the other sealed or concealed for thousands of years. These newly found voids could mark the beginning of that hidden route.
Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities announced that, in the coming months, robotic drones and fibre-optic cameras will be deployed to investigate these voids in greater detail.
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