Filip Coppens has some interesting news on his website, citing the investigations of Egyptian scientists who claim to have identified underground locations on the Giza Plateau that may conceal “undisclosed relics, of high value“. In February 2006, Abbas Mohamed Abbas surveyed parts of the Giza plateau with GPR technology, explicitly to “investigate deep-wide parts of the plateau to reveal any hidden shafts or tunnels throughout the studied sectors.”
The report of this work appears in the NRIAG Journal of Geophysics:
Abbas and colleagues state that the cavities are at a fairly deep level, ranging from 12 to 25 metres below the surface, which is, of course, conform to e.g. the Osiris Shaft. Abbas also states that “The cave-like features could be ascribed to a tunnel section of at least 3 to 5 m width […] it is like a void in the limestone rock.” They conclude: “we can presume the existence of a momentous diversity of archaeological structures at the Pyramids plateau which remain, as yet, unexposed. These structures could be a linked net of tunnels and shafts that may well lead to precious tombs.”
It is an enigmatic statement to make, and is either Abbas’ wording to guarantee that future funding is received, or that he has additional data, not included in the report, that warrants his optimism. Since the completion of the survey, and the report, the Polish team has asked for permission to excavate at the Gizeh plateau in those areas where the ground scans have revealed cavities. So far, these proposals have been rejected.
Head over to Filip’s website for full details.
