Western Cemetery in Giza ‘Anomaly’
Thanks to ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) a recent discovery in a well-explored region has left archaeologists puzzled. The very same technology that revealed Roman cities and lost civilisations in the Amazon jungle has worked its magic again. These technologies that visualise what lies beneath the surface without excavation have led to numerous discoveries in recent years, not only on Earth but also on Mars and the Moon. These new methods allow us to explore history without damaging delicate evidence. Ground-penetrating radar works by emitting radio waves into the ground and measuring their reflections. Different subsurface materials reflect the waves in distinct ways, allowing the technology to map underground structures and formations. Electrical resistivity tomography operates similarly, detecting changes in the electrical resistivity of subsurface materials.
Near the iconic Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, archaeologists have just uncovered a large, two-part structure concealed beneath a burial ground that has remained largely undisturbed for over 4,000 years. Beneath the Western Cemetery, west of the Great Pyramid, the scans revealed a shallow L-shaped structure spanning 10 meters (33 feet) by 15 meters, located 0.5 to 2 meters below the surface. Below this lies a much larger structure, measuring 10 meters by 10 meters, situated 3.5 to 10 meters deep. The exact nature of these structures is unknown, but their presence could provide new insights into the Giza pyramid complex and the ancient people who built it. The survey area is illustrated with a colour-coded ground-penetrating radar survey (Sato et al., Archaeol. Prospect., 2024).
One part of the Western Cemetery has always been intriguing. While most of the area is filled with graves and tombs, one rectangular section was left bare and flat. Led by archaeologist Motoyuki Sato of Tohoku University in Japan, a Japanese and Egyptian team investigated this relatively unexplored area. Using GPR and ERT techniques, the researchers identified regions of varying density beneath the flat section of the cemetery. The shapes they found are highly unlikely to be natural, suggesting they are human-made.
The shallow structure appeared to be filled with homogeneous sand, indicating it was deliberately filled in after construction. “It may have been an entrance to the deeper structure” suggests the geophysical exploration research paper.
The deeper structure, revealed by ERT, was more challenging to interpret. It seemed to contain a highly resistive material, which could be sand or a void, possibly indicating a hollow chamber. Because its nature remains uncertain, the researchers describe it as an “anomaly.”
The alignment of both structures is significant, leading the researchers to propose that the shallow structure may have been an entrance to the larger one. Given the structure’s location, one plausible explanation emerges.
“We conclude from these results that the structure causing the anomalies could be vertical walls of limestone or shafts leading to a tomb structure,” the researchers write in their paper. “However, a more detailed survey would be required to confirm this possibility.”
X-Heritage (X Heritage)
Geolocation: 30.865800, 31.087440
Photo Credits: Cbwv
Western Cemetery in Giza ‘Anomaly’
Thanks to ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) a recent discovery in a well-explored region has left archaeologists puzzled. The very same technology that revealed Roman cities and lost civilisations in the Amazon jungle has worked its magic again. These technologies that visualise what lies beneath the surface without excavation have led to numerous discoveries in recent years, not only on Earth but also on Mars and the Moon. These new methods allow us to explore history without damaging delicate evidence. Ground-penetrating radar works by emitting radio waves into the ground and measuring their reflections. Different subsurface materials reflect the waves in distinct ways, allowing the technology to map underground structures and formations. Electrical resistivity tomography operates similarly, detecting changes in the electrical resistivity of subsurface materials.
Near the iconic Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, archaeologists have just uncovered a large, two-part structure concealed beneath a burial ground that has remained largely undisturbed for over 4,000 years. Beneath the Western Cemetery, west of the Great Pyramid, the scans revealed a shallow L-shaped structure spanning 10 meters (33 feet) by 15 meters, located 0.5 to 2 meters below the surface. Below this lies a much larger structure, measuring 10 meters by 10 meters, situated 3.5 to 10 meters deep. The exact nature of these structures is unknown, but their presence could provide new insights into the Giza pyramid complex and the ancient people who built it. The survey area is illustrated with a colour-coded ground-penetrating radar survey (Sato et al., Archaeol. Prospect., 2024).
One part of the Western Cemetery has always been intriguing. While most of the area is filled with graves and tombs, one rectangular section was left bare and flat. Led by archaeologist Motoyuki Sato of Tohoku University in Japan, a Japanese and Egyptian team investigated this relatively unexplored area. Using GPR and ERT techniques, the researchers identified regions of varying density beneath the flat section of the cemetery. The shapes they found are highly unlikely to be natural, suggesting they are human-made.
The shallow structure appeared to be filled with homogeneous sand, indicating it was deliberately filled in after construction. “It may have been an entrance to the deeper structure” suggests the geophysical exploration research paper.
The deeper structure, revealed by ERT, was more challenging to interpret. It seemed to contain a highly resistive material, which could be sand or a void, possibly indicating a hollow chamber. Because its nature remains uncertain, the researchers describe it as an “anomaly.”
The alignment of both structures is significant, leading the researchers to propose that the shallow structure may have been an entrance to the larger one. Given the structure’s location, one plausible explanation emerges.
“We conclude from these results that the structure causing the anomalies could be vertical walls of limestone or shafts leading to a tomb structure,” the researchers write in their paper. “However, a more detailed survey would be required to confirm this possibility.”
X-Heritage (X Heritage)
Geolocation: 30.865800, 31.087440
Photo Credits: Cbwv