JAKARTA - Efforts to uncover the mystery of the ancient Egyptian civilization have again shown significant progress. The ScanPyramids research project confirms the existence of two anomalies in the form of air-filled spaces behind the walls of the Menkaure Pyramid in Giza.
This research is a collaboration between Cairo University and the Technical University of Munich (TUM), which utilizes cutting-edge technology without damaging the structure of the world heritage site.
This finding began with suspicions of an unusual architectural feature on the east side of the 60-meter-high pyramid. In this section there is a granite block measuring about 4 meters x 6 meters that looks smoother and more neat than other parts.
Researcher Stijn van den Hoven since 2019 has suspected that the area has a special function, even possibly as an alternative entry route. The latest research results strengthen this suspicion.
To test the hypothesis, the team used a combination of ground-penetrating radar (*ground-penetrating radar*), ultrasound, and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). The results, two cavities were detected at different depths, each about 1.4 meters and 1.13 meters from the surface.
The first room is estimated to be about 1 meter x 1.5 meters, while the second room is about 0.9 meters x 0.7 meters. Detailed visualization is obtained through the *image fusion* technique which combines various scanning data.
TUM's Non-destructive Testing Professor Christian Grosse called this finding an important step in the study of the pyramids in Giza, after the same team previously discovered a hidden corridor in the Cheops Pyramid in 2023.
"This method allows us to understand the internal structure without damaging the building. The hypothesis of another entrance is very reasonable," he said.
This discovery opens up new opportunities for archaeologists to further explore the hidden structures inside the Pyramid of Menkaure, as well as demonstrating the role of modern technology in uncovering the secrets of the past.
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