Archaeologists have discovered a huge underground city beneath the Egyptian Pyramids.
Using radar technology, a team of researchers from Italy and Scotland claim they’ve found a massive network of structures 10 times bigger than the Great Pyramids of Giza.
These pyramids were built around 4,500 years ago and are among the most famous landmarks in the world. The radar pulses create detailed underground images, similar to sonar radars used in the ocean.
Led by Corrado Malanga from the University of Pisa and Filippo Biondi from the University of Strathclyde, the team claim the hidden city covers 6,500 feet. The radar scans revealed eight tall, cylinder-like structures buried over 2,000 feet below the pyramid, along with five more shaped like houses with sloped roofs.
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"This groundbreaking study has redefined the boundaries of satellite data analysis and archaeological exploration," said the project's spokesperson, Nicole Ciccolo. "[The discovery] could redefine our understanding of the sacred topography of ancient Egypt, providing spatial coordinates for previously unknown and unexplored subterranean structures".
She added: "When we magnify the images [in the future], we will reveal that beneath it lies what can only be described as a true underground city."
However, several experts say the claims of finding something as large as a city are too bold and the team should uncover more proof before accepting it.
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One professor named Lawrence Conyers called the findings a 'huge exaggeration.' He said: "I could not tell if the technology used actually picked up hidden structures below the pyramid."
The professor pointed out that while some ancient cultures, like the Mayans, built pyramids over caves or ceremonial spaces, that doesn’t automatically mean there’s a hidden city under Egypt’s pyramids, nor do they hold ceremonial meaning.
Egyptian archaeologist Dr Zahi Hawass dismissed the findings, calling them 'completely wrong' and having 'no basis in truth.' He explained: "There are no missions working in King Khafre's pyramid now. No radar devices or modern technologies have been used to detect alleged structures beneath the Khafre Pyramid."
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Dr. Hussein Abdel-Basir, director of the Antiquities Museum at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, agreed in that 'any real scientific discovery in the field of archaeology must be published first in a reliable scientific journal after careful review by independent experts.' He added that 'geophysical techniques, such as Ground Penetrating Radar or seismic analysis, can scan limited depths, not exceeding tens of meters at best,' making it unlikely to detect something as profound as a buried city.
So, while the headlines of a hidden city do sound remarkable, experts say there’s a long way to go and more research to follow before anyone can confirm this.