Curious L-Shaped Structure Found near Giza Pyramids is 4,500-Years-Old

An international team of archaeologists has stumbled upon a mysterious L-shaped structure buried within a cemetery adjacent to the Great Pyramid of Khufu in Giza. The structure is 4,500 years and would have been built around the same time as the pyramid.

The discovery of this ‘blank area’ and ‘anomaly’ came about through the scanning of the surface of Giza's prestigious Western Cemetery using ground-penetrating technology. This burial site was designated for members of King Khufu’s royal family and esteemed officials, interred in mastabas, funerary tombs typical of the era.

The newfound structure is encompassed by these mastabas, all meticulously arranged in uniform alignment. Yet, curiously, no notable excavations have previously taken place within this peculiar vacant space.

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The site of the Giza structure from the ground with the Khafre pyramids behind: not much to look at now, but the action is all beneath the surface (Motoyuki Sato et al / Archaeological Prospection)

Mastabas, serving as burial structures for the royal family and esteemed officers, are distinguished by their flat roofs and rectangular designs typically crafted from limestone or mudbricks. Central to their architecture is a vertical shaft connecting to an underground chamber, essential for the burial rituals and eternal resting place of the deceased.

The Power of Modern Science

Researchers from Higashi Nippon International University, Tohoku University, and Egypt’s National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics have published their research in the latest edition of Archaeological Prospection.

“… the structure causing the anomalies could be vertical walls of limestone or shafts leading to a tomb structure. However, a more detailed survey would be required in order to confirm this possibility… There are no significant remains above ground in this area, but is there really nothing below the ground? No underground investigations have previously been carried out,” write the archaeologists in the study.

The journey of discovery commenced in 2021 with a comprehensive geophysical survey employing ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). After two years of thorough investigation, these revelations have surfaced, all achieved without the need for traditional excavation methods.

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The survey area at Giza. The Western Cemetery lies right beside the Great Pyramids and was reserved for the burials of high-status individuals: it would be hard to believe that the large structure in the unknown portion was not something of importance (Motoyuki Sato et al / Archaeological Prospection)

“It could be a part of artificial objects, because the L-shape cannot be created in natural geological structures,” says Motoyuki Sato of Tohoku University in Japan, a member of the joint Japanese-Egyptian research team that made the discovery, told The Art Newspaper. “We hoped to find something, but we did not expect to find it there.”

The Western Cemetery has historically served as a significant hub for archaeological revelations, boasting mastabas dating back to the 4th to the 6th dynasties (between c.2613-2181 BC). Among these discoveries are beautiful artifacts like the basalt seated statue of the dwarf Perniankh and the limestone statue of Kapunisut Kai.

What Has Been Found?

Scientists can confirm the dimensions of the structure, measuring approximately 10 meters by 15 meters (33 x 49 feet), situated at a depth ranging from 0.5 to 2 meters (1.6 to 6.6 feet). Its interior is laden with "homogenous sand," suggesting deliberate filling post-construction. Another anomaly, discovered at a greater depth, hints at a potential tomb entrance leading to an additional chamber. The electrically resistive material within the structure could potentially consist of a combination of sand, gravel, and air voids.

Despite the ongoing research efforts, the purpose of the structure remains elusive, until further excavations are carried out. Speculations suggest it could have functioned as a tomb entrance or perhaps served as a construction site, subsequently filled with sand. Intriguingly, it appears to be linked to another structure measuring 10 x10 meters (33x33 feet), situated up to 10 meters (33 feet) below the ground.

“The results of our GPR and ERT survey point to the possibility of the presence of archaeological remains,” the team write. “It is important that they must be promptly excavated to establish their purpose,” they conclude.

The Giza pyramid complex as a whole stands as one of the world's most renowned and captivating archaeological marvels. Situated on the cusp of the Western Desert within the city of Giza, it lies in close proximity to the banks of the Nile River and the bustling heart of Cairo, the capital of Egypt.

This historic enclave comprises iconic structures such as the Great Pyramid, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure, alongside the majestic Great Sphinx. Constructed during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, between 2,600 and 2,500 BC, these ancient monuments epitomize human ingenuity and architectural prowess, reports The Collector.

Formal excavations of the Great Pyramid of Giza and its environs commenced in the 19th century. As the 20th century dawned, subsequent to comprehensive exploration of the three largest pyramids, archaeologists redirected their focus towards the densely populated private tombs nestled within Giza's West Field. Over time, the West Field has been subdivided into smaller sectors, each bearing the name of an excavator or designated mastaba numbers for reference and study.

Top image: The curious structure has been found in Giza’s prestigious Western Cemetery, in the shadow of the Great Pyramids. Source: Motoyuki Sato et al / Archaeological Prospection.

By Sahir Pandey