The Missing River

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Archaeologists have long wondered how the ancient Egyptians moved the massive materials they used to build the pyramids.

“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 actual pyramids site,” said Eman Ghoneim, lead author of a new study, in a statement.

Now, a groundbreaking discovery of a long-buried branch of the Nile River has potentially solved that age-old mystery.

Using radar satellite imagery, Ghoneim and her team discovered a 40-mile river branch that lay hidden under desert and farmland.

They named it Ahramat – “pyramids” in Arabic – and said the once mighty waterway ran by more than 30 pyramids, including the Great Pyramid of Giza

Field surveys and sediment cores also confirmed the presence of the river, which became increasingly covered by sand around 4,200 years ago due to a major drought.

This long-lost river likely played a crucial role in transporting heavy building materials and workmen to the pyramid sites, significantly simplifying what would otherwise have been a formidable logistical challenge.

The discovery aligns with recent efforts to understand and restore Egypt’s ancient wonders.

Earlier this year, a project was launched to restore the smallest of Giza’s three iconic pyramids to its original form more than 4,000 years ago.

Last year, an archeological team used a new novel technique that relies on rays of radiation from space to reveal a hidden 30-foot corridor inside the Giza pyramid.