Scientists may have just solved a major ancient mystery with a landmark discovery in Egypt, shedding light on how the pyramids, including the famous Giza complex, were built over 4,000 years ago.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina Wilmington uncovered a long-lost branch of the River Nile, hidden under desert and farmland for millennia, which was likely used to transport massive stone blocks and materials for pyramid construction.
Professor Eman Ghoneim and her team utilized radar satellite imagery, historical maps, geophysical surveys, and sediment analysis to map this ancient waterway, believed to have been buried by drought and sandstorms thousands of years ago.
The discovery, published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment, shows that the Ahramat branch of the Nile was approximately 64 kilometers long and 200 to 700 meters wide, running near 31 pyramids built between 4,700 and 3,700 years ago.
This river branch, named after the Arabic word for pyramids, was active and operational during the pyramid construction phase, explaining why many pyramids were built between Giza and Lisht, now a part of the Saharan desert.
Dr. Suzanne Onstine, a co-author of the study, emphasized that the waterway allowed ancient Egyptians to transport heavy blocks and equipment using the river's energy, significantly reducing the need for human labor.
The discovery underscores the Nile's historical importance as a lifeline for ancient Egyptians and highlights how environmental changes have impacted human societies over millennia.
The discovery underscores the Nile's historical importance as a lifeline for ancient Egyptians and highlights how environmental changes have impacted human societies over millennia.