Hidden voids found in Menkaure pyramid hint at secret entrance

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.

Project Collaboration and Support

• Work at the pyramid was conducted in collaboration with and under the supervision of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
• These ScanPyramids project results were achieved through the collaboration of mainly researchers from Cairo University, the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Portland State University, Dassault Systèmes, and the Heritage Innovation Preservation Institute.
• Additional partners and financial supporters were: the Science, Technology & Innovation Funding Authority (STDF), la Fondation Dassault Systèmes, NHK, TNG Technology Consulting, Mondaic AG. TUM was directly supported by TUM IGSSE and the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service).
• Christan Große is Professor of Non-desctructive testing at the TUM School of Engineering and Design.