The iconic Egyptian pyramids have been a source of wonder for thousands of years as experts have tried to uncover exactly how they were built with such limitations in building technology and the geographical limitations facing them back in 3200 B.C.
However, this year, archaeologists released a study which contained a vital piece of information that may actually help to determine exactly how the pyramids were built.
They discovered a long-lost branch of the River Nile, which was buried beneath desert sands for millenia, which could be the secret behind how Egyptians transported the stones, which weighed upwards of 10 tonnes, to the pyramid site.
What we now know about the building of Egyptian pyramids
This discovery has shed light on how and why 31 pyramids, including the famous Giza complex were built.
BBC Science Focus explained: “These pyramids sit on the edge of the harsh Sahara Desert, far from the modern Nile – a seemingly odd location to our modern eyes.
“The newly identified 64-kilometre-long branch, dubbed the ‘Ahramat’ (meaning ‘pyramids’ in Arabic), would have provided a vital water route for transporting building materials directly to the pyramid sites.”
Speaking to BBC Science Focus, the lead author of the study, Professor Eman Ghoneim said: “Many of us who are interested in ancient Egypt are aware that the Egyptians must have used a waterway to build their enormous monuments, but nobody was certain of the location, the shape, the size, or proximity of this mega waterway to the pyramids site.”
The expert went on to explain that unlike aerials or optical satellite sensors that image the land surface, radar sensors are able to identify hidden features such as buried rivers and ancient structures.
The team behind this study are hoping to uncover more lost branches of the Nile. Very exciting times ahead.