Thanks to this discovery, we may finally know how the pyramids were built

Ratnakorn Piyasirisorost via Getty Images

The iconic Egyptian pyramids have been a source of wonder for thousands of years as experts have tried to figure out exactly how they were built despite the limitations of construction technology and the geographical constraints they faced in 3200 BC.

This year, however, archaeologists published a study that contained important information that could potentially help determine the exact construction of the pyramids.

They discovered a long-lost branch of the Nile that had been buried under desert sand for thousands of years. This could be the secret behind how the Egyptians transported the stones, weighing over ten tons, to the pyramid site.

What we know today about the construction of the Egyptian pyramids

This discovery has shed light on the construction of 31 pyramids, including the famous Giza complex.

BBC Science Focus explained: “These pyramids lie on the edge of the harsh Sahara, far from the modern Nile – a seemingly strange place to our modern eyes.

“The newly identified 64-kilometer-long branch, called the ‘Ahramat’ (which means ‘pyramids’ in Arabic), would have been an important water route for transporting building materials directly to the pyramid sites.”

Speaking to BBC Science Focus, the study’s lead author, Professor Eman Ghoneim, explained: “Many of us who are interested in ancient Egypt know that the Egyptians must have used a waterway to build their huge monuments. Yet no one was clear about the location, shape, size or proximity of this huge waterway to the site of the pyramids.”

The expert further explained that unlike antennas or optical satellite sensors that capture images of the Earth’s surface, radar sensors are able to identify hidden features such as buried rivers and ancient structures.

The team behind this study hopes to uncover more lost branches of the Nile. Very exciting times lie ahead.

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