5 Mysteries of Ancient Egypt We Never Knew About

For some of us, the pyramids of Egypt are no more than a tourist attraction. However, with scientific advancement come exciting new discoveries that raise even more questions.

5 PHOTOS

1. Hidden rooms in the Great Pyramid of Giza.

In 1993, the crawler robot Upuaut 2 discovered a small door in the southern shaft of the pyramid, behind which an empty space and another door were later discovered. In 2010, an upgraded Jedy robot took photos from behind the first door, showing brass handles and red ocher paintings. Moreover, despite the fact that no one has entered the mine for 9 years, fresh scratches appeared on its walls and ceiling.

2. What is the real age of the Great Pyramid?

An inventory stele found at Giza in the 19th century states that Khufu ordered the Sphinx to be rebuilt, not built. This, along with the furrows on its body, which were the result of erosion that lasted about 8000 years, casts doubt on the age of the Great Pyramid: the Sphinx is considered a younger monument.

3. Thermal mystery of the Great Pyramid.

A 2016 infrared thermographic study revealed unexplained voids under the Great Pyramid, as well as near its summit. It is assumed that the lower depressions represent either a still undiscovered chamber or an underground passage. The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities did not comment.

4. Technology of building pyramids.

Chemist Joseph Davidowitz claims that the blocks were stacked on top of each other, and this explains their weight and lack of gaps between them. However, geologists and paleontologists argue that the blocks are reworked sedimentary rocks, thereby refuting Davidowitz's theory. So far, there is no single hypothesis.

5. Curse of the tomb of Tutankhamun.

While exploring the tomb in 1922, Howard Carter and his expedition found a plaque with a text about the terrible punishment that would follow the opening of the sealed tomb. Carter himself did not believe this, but by 1930 there were 22 reported deaths among those present at the opening of the tomb, as well as their families.