A branch of the Nile river that was previously buried and flowed alongside over 30 pyramids in Egypt has been discovered by scientists. This discovery has the potential to resolve the enigma of how ancient Egyptians transported the massive stone blocks used to construct the renowned monuments.
The 40-mile-long river branch, which ran by the iconic Giza pyramid complex among other wonders, was hidden under desert and farmland for millennia, according to a study revealing the find on Thursday.
The 31 pyramids were constructed in a chain along a desert tract in the Nile Valley between 4,700 and 3,700 years ago, which is now inhospitable, if the river existed.
The Great Pyramid of Giza, the sole surviving structure of the seven marvels of the ancient world, the Khafre, Cheops, and Mykerinos pyramids, and the strip in close proximity to the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis are all included.
Archaeologists had long believed that the ancient Egyptians must have utilized a nearby waterway to transport the massive materials used to construct the pyramids.
“However, the location, shape, size, or proximity of this mega waterway to the actual pyramids site were unknown,” stated Eman Ghoneim, the primary author of the study, in an interview with AFP.
The international team of researchers employed radar satellite imagery to map the river branch, which they referred to as Ahramat, or “pyramids” in Arabic.
Ghoneim stated that radar provided them with the “unique capacity to penetrate the sand surface and generate images of concealed features, such as submerged rivers and ancient structures.”
Surveys in the field and cores of sediment from the site confirmed the presence of the river, according to the study in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.
The scientists hypothesized that the river, which was once mighty, was gradually being covered in sediment, a phenomenon that may have begun during a significant drought approximately 4,200 years ago.
There is greater ease in floating down the river.
The Giza pyramids were situated on a plateau that was approximately one kilometer from the river’s borders.
According to Ghoneim, numerous pyramids were built with a “ceremonial raised promenade” that extended along the river before terminating at the Valley Temples, which functioned as harbors.
This suggests that the river was “critical in the conveyance of the substantial building materials and laborers required for the pyramid’s construction,” she said.
One of the greatest mysteries of history is the precise method by which the ancient Egyptians constructed such massive and enduring structures.
According to Suzanne Onstine, a co-author of the study from the University of Memphis, the majority of these heavy materials were sourced from the southern region. “It would have been significantly more convenient to float down the river” than to convey them over land.
The funeral entourages of pharaohs may have been received on the banks of the rivers before their bodies were transferred to their “final burial site within the pyramid,” she proposed.
The river may also serve as an indicator of the reasons for the pyramids’ placement.
“The course and volume of the water fluctuated over time, necessitating that the fourth-dynasty monarchs make distinct decisions from those of the 12th dynasty,” she stated.
“The discovery served as a reminder of the profound interconnection between human behavior, climate, geography, and the environment.”
The research follows on the heels of recent research initiatives that have concentrated on the iconic pyramids.
Earlier this year, archaeologists launched a massive project to restore the smallest of Giza’s three famous pyramids to what they believe it looked like when it was built more than 4,000 years ago. An Egyptian-Japanese archaeological mission announced the plan to reinstall hundreds of granite blocks that were once the outer casing of the pyramid of King Menkaure.
However, certain archeologists, such as the former head of Egypt’s antiquities ministry, are not in favor of the initiative and have expressed apprehension as the excavations began. Dr. Mohamed Abd El-Maqsoud, a former senior official in Egypt’s antiquities ministry and former Director of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, advised CBS News that the granite blocks should be thoroughly examined prior to their relocation to confirm that they were indeed part of the original structure.
Last year, a team of archaeologists and other scientists in Egypt used cutting-edge technology that relies on rays of radiation from space to get a clear picture of a 30-foot-long corridor inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, which remains hidden behind a main entrance to the ancient structure.
