MYSTERY : THE GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the ultimate "how did they do that?" of the ancient world. Even with our 2026 technology, the sheer scale and precision of the structure—built roughly 4,500 years ago—remain mind-bending.

Here is a breakdown of the core mysteries that keep archaeologists and engineers up at night.

1. The Engineering Enigma

The pyramid was built for the Pharaoh Khufu using approximately 2.3 million stone blocks.

• Weight: Average blocks weigh 2.5 tons, but some granite slabs in the King’s Chamber weigh up to 80 tons.
• Precision: The base is level to within 15 millimeters, and the sides are aligned almost exactly to true north (with an error of only 3/60ths of a degree).
• The Math: Some theorists point out that the pyramid’s dimensions encode mathematical constants though whether this was intentional or a byproduct of measurement units remains a heated debate.

2. The "ScanPyramids" Discovery

In recent years, muon tomography (using cosmic rays to "X-ray" the stone) revealed two massive surprises:

• The Big Void: A huge, 30-meter-long empty space located above the Grand Gallery.
• The North Face Corridor: A smaller hidden passage behind the main entrance.
• The mystery: No one knows what’s inside. Are they structural "relief" spaces to prevent collapse, or hidden chambers containing untouched artifacts?
• The Great Sphinx: a massive linestone statue with the body of a lion and the head of a pharaoh (likely Khafre), it guards the complex facing east. 

3. Method of Construction

Despite various theories, there is no "smoking gun" for how the stones were raised.

• Construction: The Great Pyramid is composed of roughly 2.3 million stone blocks. Recent archaelogical evidence suggest the workforce was made up of skilled, well-fed laborers rather than slaves. 
• External Ramps: Would have had to be over a mile long to reach the top.
• Internal Ramps: A theory suggesting a spiral tunnel inside the pyramid.
• Water Shafts: A more fringe idea that stones were floated into place using bladders.

4. Purpose: Tomb or Tech?

While mainstream Egyptology maintains it was a tomb, several oddities fuel alternative theories:

• The tomb of Pharaoh Khufu
• The Missing Mummy: No mummy or original funerary gear was ever found inside.
• The Sarcophagus: The granite box in the King’s Chamber is too large to have been carried through the passages—it must have been placed there during construction.
• Acoustics: The King’s Chamber has unique resonant properties, leading some to suggest it was a "power plant" or a site for sound-based rituals.

The Three Main Pyramids

• The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops): The largest and oldest of the three, it originally stood at 146.7 meters (481 feet). It was the world’s tallest human-made structure for over 3,800 years.
• The Pyramid of Khafre (Chephren): Built for Khufu's son, it often appears taller because it is situated on higher bedrock. It is unique for retaining a portion of its original white limestone casing at the apex.
• The Pyramid of Menkaure (Mykerinus): Built for Khufu’s grandson, this is the smallest of the three major pyramids, standing at approximately 66 meters (218 feet).

Fun Fact: The Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years, until the Lincoln Cathedral was finished in England in 1311.

Further Readings: 

1. The Collector: 12 Surprising Facts About the Great Pyramid of Egypt.
2. Wikipedia: Great Pyramid of Giza

Google Gemini AI

26 January 2026: 8.04 p.m