Human

Giza Pyramid Thermal Anomaly May Reveal Secret Passage and Ancient Chamber

Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Nov 10, 2015 10:58 AM EST

Egypt's Great Pyramids of Giza may hold a secret tomb yet to be discovered by archaeologists. Thermal cameras have recently detected higher than expected temperatures in three adjacent stones at the bottom of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, which may indicate a hidden chamber.

The new thermal scanning was carried out at all times of the day, including during sunrise. During this time period, the sun heats the structures from the outside. Then, during sunset, the pyramids once more cool down. The speed of the heating and cooling phases, though, depends on the structure itself. In theory, internal air currents in empty areas inside the pyramids may indicate other chambers.

"The teams have concluded the existence of several thermal anomalies that were observed in all monuments during the heating up or cooling down phase," said a statement, according to RT. "To explain such anomalies, a lot of hypothesis and possibilities could be drawn up: presence of voids behind the surface, internal air currents."

The find wouldn't be surprising. The Khufu pyramid contains the most complex series of passages of any of the pyramids. This means that there could certainly be hidden chambers still lurking within the pyramid.

On closer inspection, the researchers found that there's something similar to a small passage in the ground, leading up to the area with the different temperature. It's likely that this region will be further investigated to see whether there is actually some sort of hidden chamber or tomb in the area that may reveal a bit more about the pyramid and the ancient inhabitants of the area.

Related Stories

New 'Superhenge': Ancient Remains Discovered Near Stonehenge

Aztec Human Skull Rack Reveals History of Sacrificing Rival Warriors (VIDEO)

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).

See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone

More on SCIENCEwr