Egyptologist questions claims of hidden tunnels and chambers under Giza pyramids

Media reports of vast structures discovered beneath Khufu’s tomb dismissed as ‘completely wrong’

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

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

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.