Tourists visit Great Pyramid of Giza, which served as the tomb of pharaoh Khufu in Giza, Egypt. Reuters
Tourists visit Great Pyramid of Giza, which served as the tomb of pharaoh Khufu in Giza, Egypt. Reuters
Tourists visit Great Pyramid of Giza, which served as the tomb of pharaoh Khufu in Giza, Egypt. Reuters
Tourists visit Great Pyramid of Giza, which served as the tomb of pharaoh Khufu in Giza, Egypt. Reuters

Egyptologist questions claims of hidden tunnels and chambers under Giza pyramids


Kamal Tabikha
  • English
  • Arabic

Recent reports circulating on social media about the supposed discovery of a vast hidden network of chambers and tunnels beneath the Great Pyramid of Giza have been categorically denied by Dr Zahi Hawass, Egypt's former minister of antiquities.

The archaeologist said the claims were “completely wrong” and lacking any scientific basis.

The viral reports were based on a paper published in October 2022 in the MDPI journal Remote Sensing, in which researchers Filippo Biondi and Corrado Malanga said they used an innovative radar technique to map the interior of the pyramids in unprecedented detail.

The authors reported finding an extensive underground complex, including unexplored chambers, passageways, and even a large void connected to the pyramid's known Grand Gallery. However, Dr Hawass dismissed their findings as “fake news.”

“The claim of using radar inside the pyramid is false, and the techniques employed are neither scientifically approved nor validated,” he said.

Dr Zahi Hawass has dismissed viral claims of a vast hidden chamber network beneath the Great Pyramid of Giza as unscientific. Reuters
Dr Zahi Hawass has dismissed viral claims of a vast hidden chamber network beneath the Great Pyramid of Giza as unscientific. Reuters

Mr Biondi and Mr Malanga's methodology relied on analysing ambient vibrations and seismic waves to estimate “micro-movements” of the pyramid, which they claim enabled high-resolution 3D tomography of the interior, according to their research paper.

However, experts including Dr Hawass have called into question whether this approach could realistically penetrate the pyramid's dense stone to the claimed depths of more than 100 metres.

The authors propose an unconventional interpretation of the pyramid as a kind of "giant resonance chamber" designed to be filled with water and generate low-frequency vibrations, rather than solely serving as a pharaonic tomb.

They suggest that the pyramid's eight-sided shape and interior chambers were designed to channel water and create a vibrational effect for "curative and religious purposes". However, this theory is regarded by sceptics as highly speculative and not supported by archaeological evidence.

While the idea of hidden chambers in the Great Pyramid has long fascinated the public imagination, Dr Hawass's team said that decades of rigorous scientific investigations by Egyptian and international experts have yielded no credible evidence for the claimed structures.

Previous studies using muon tomography, gravimetry and conventional radar have detected a few small voids but nothing resembling the massive network described by Mr Biondi and Mr Malanga.

Despite the lack of scientific substantiation, the researchers' claims rapidly went viral on social media, racking up millions of views and shares.

This underscores the need for caution and scepticism when evaluating sensational archaeological “discoveries” that have not undergone proper scientific vetting and peer review.

As Dr Hawass and other Egyptologists have long stressed, unlocking the enduring mysteries of the pyramids requires a patient, evidence-based approach grounded in rigorously tested and validated methods.

Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

Company name: Farmin

Date started: March 2019

Founder: Dr Ali Al Hammadi 

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: AgriTech

Initial investment: None to date

Partners/Incubators: UAE Space Agency/Krypto Labs 

EPL's youngest
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    15 years, 181 days old
  • Max Dowman (Arsenal)
    15 years, 235 days old
  • Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
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Name: Peter Dicce

Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics

Favourite sport: soccer

Favourite team: Bayern Munich

Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer

Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates 

 

TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

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5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

Score

Third Test, Day 2

New Zealand 274
Pakistan 139-3 (61 ov)

Pakistan trail by 135 runs with 7 wickets remaining in the innings

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Premier League results

Saturday

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Arsenal 1

Bournemouth 0 Manchester City 1

Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Huddersfield Town 0

Burnley 1 Crystal Palace 3

Manchester United 3 Southampton 2

Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Cardiff City 0

West Ham United 2 Newcastle United 0

Sunday

Watford 2 Leicester City 1

Fulham 1 Chelsea 2

Everton 0 Liverpool 0

Updated: March 23, 2025, 5:16 PM