게시일: 2026 년 4 월 24 일 (목요일)
Researchers from Cairo University and the Technical University of Munich (TUM), working within the ScanPyramids research project, have uncovered two concealed air-filled anomalies inside the third-largest pyramid at Giza. For years, scientists have suspected there might be an undiscovered entrance along the eastern side of the Menkaure pyramid. New investigations using radar, ultrasound, and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) now confirm the presence of two hidden voids beneath the eastern facade, offering the first solid evidence supporting that idea.
The eastern face of the more than 60-meter-tall Menkaure pyramid has long puzzled researchers. A section of granite blocks, measuring roughly four meters high and six meters wide, appears unusually smooth and polished. Similar finishes are otherwise only seen at the pyramid’s known entrance on the north side. This unusual feature led researcher Stijn van den Hoven to propose in 2019 that a second entrance might exist at this location.
Advanced Scanning Reveals Hidden Cavities
As part of the ScanPyramids project, the research team closely examined the eastern facade and detected two anomalies behind the polished surface. By combining non-invasive techniques such as ground-penetrating radar, ultrasound, and electrical resistivity tomography, they were able to clearly identify two air-filled cavities. This marks the first time that structural irregularities have been confirmed behind this distinctive section of the pyramid.
The two voids were located at depths of 1.4 meters and 1.13 meters behind the outer wall. One measures approximately 1 meter high and 1.5 meters wide, while the other is about 0.9 meters by 0.7 meters. Achieving this level of accuracy required integrating data from multiple scanning methods. The use of Image Fusion, which combines all collected measurements, played a key role in confirming the existence and dimensions of these hidden spaces.
Findings Strengthen Entrance Hypothesis
“Following the significant validation of a hidden corridor in the Pyramid of Cheops in 2023, ScanPyramids has once again succeeded in making an important finding in Giza. The testing methodology we developed allows very precise conclusions to be drawn about the nature of the pyramid’s interior without damaging the valuable structure. The hypothesis of another entrance is very plausible, and our results take us a big step closer to confirming it,” says Christian Grosse, Professor of Non-destructive Testing at TUM.
📌 한국어 요약
이집트 기자 피라미드 중 세 번째로 큰 멘카우레 피라미드의 동쪽 면 뒤에 숨겨진 두 개의 빈 공간이 발견되었습니다. 연구진은 레이더, 초음파, 전기 저항 단층촬영 등 비파괴 검사 기술을 활용해 이 공간들을 확인했으며, 이는 피라미드에 두 번째 입구가 있을 것이라는 가설을 뒷받침하는 첫 번째 확실한 증거입니다.
📚 핵심 단어
- Non-destructive testing: 비파괴 검사 – 물체를 손상시키지 않고 내부 결함이나 구조를 확인하는 기술
- Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT): 전기 저항 단층촬영 – 지하나 구조물 내부의 전기 저항 분포를 측정하여 이미지를 만드는 기술
- Facade: 외관, 정면 – 건물의 바깥쪽 면, 특히 정면
- Anomaly: 이상 현상, 불규칙한 것 – 정상에서 벗어난 것