Hidden beneath the sands of Egypt's Giza Plateau, three precisely engineered shafts have been rediscovered that may unlock access to a vast underground network whispered about by ancient Greek historians. Located in the triangle formed by the Great Sphinx, Khufu's Pyramid, and Khafre's Pyramid, these mysterious vertical passages descend over 130 feet (40 meters) into the bedrock with walls so smooth and geometry so precise that they challenge conventional explanations about their origins and purpose, according to researcher Armando Mei of the Khafre Research Project.
The discovery carries extraordinary implications for understanding ancient Egyptian civilization. These are not simple water wells or casual excavations – their construction demonstrates sophisticated engineering with squared walls lined with limestone and sandstone blocks that resemble precision machinery. At depths of 40 feet (12 meters), each shaft features an 80-foot-wide (24 meter) cavity encircling the passage, far too deliberate to be natural erosion. Satellite imaging suggests these chambers extend even deeper beneath accumulated rubble, hinting at a subterranean architecture that has remained largely unexplored for millennia.
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40 ft (12 meters) down in these huge shafts are wide cavities around the shaft. (Courtesy of Armando Mei)
Echoes of Herodotus's Labyrinth
The shafts may finally provide physical evidence for claims made by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who described a massive labyrinth in Egypt containing 3,000 chambers – many hidden underground – including a large subterranean pyramid. For centuries, scholars have debated whether Herodotus's account represented fact or exaggeration. These newly documented vertical passages, combined with advanced scanning technologies revealing anomalies beneath the plateau, suggest the ancient writer may have been describing a real architectural marvel that has eluded modern archaeologists.
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Historical illustration showing potential underground chambers beneath the Sphinx. (Madain Project)
Historical records support the existence of underground structures at Giza. Explorers in the 1800s, including Giovanni Caviglia and Henry Salt, documented strange wells near the Sphinx and Khafre's causeway. French archaeologist Pierre-Jean Mariette mapped additional anomalies in 1864 and 1885. Between 1929 and 1939, prominent scholars George Reisner, Hermann Junker, and Selim Hassan traced a line of cavities between the Sphinx and Khafre's Pyramid. After their investigations, the area was largely forgotten – until now.
Advanced Technology Reveals Hidden Architecture
Mei and his team, including Professor Corrado Malanga and engineer Filippo Biondi, employed Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite technology to investigate subsurface structures. Guided by spectral traces detected from space, they relocated the shafts that earlier explorers had documented. The first shaft, northeast of the Sphinx, plunges approximately 130 feet – equivalent to a 12-story building. Its square limestone mouth and astonishingly precise walls suggest construction methods that remain poorly understood.
The second shaft mirrors the first in construction quality and dimensions. Located beside Khafre's processional causeway – a covered ramp linking the Valley Temple to the pyramid – it features the same smooth precision and perimeter channel discovered in the first shaft. When two structures of identical specifications are found in close proximity, they suggest systematic planning rather than random excavation. The third shaft, positioned on the eastern side of Khufu's Pyramid, proves even more intriguing. Its entrance was reinforced with retaining blocks, indicating frequent access in antiquity. A recess carved into the west wall appears deliberately designed for lifting or guiding objects from below.
The shaft on the eastern side of Khufu Pyramid. (Courtesy of Armando Mei)
A Cosmic Pattern Underground
Less than 165 feet (50 meters) separates these three major shafts, which form a pattern that mirrors the arrangement of the three great pyramids themselves. This alignment bears an uncanny resemblance to Orion's Belt, the constellation that many scholars believe inspired the pyramid layout. The discovery suggests that ancient Egyptian architects may have created a mirror world beneath the plateau, reflecting the cosmic order they observed in the heavens. Two smaller, rougher shafts found nearby appear to be later additions, lacking the depth and polish of the originals, possibly representing attempts by subsequent generations to access or imitate the original network.
Diagram showing potential tunnel and chamber locations. (Madain Project)
Modern imaging technologies including Ground-Penetrating Radar and Electrical Resistivity Tomography have revealed additional anomalies near the Sphinx, hinting at interconnected cavities beneath the plateau. The precision and alignment of these shafts, coupled with their mirrored pattern of the pyramids above, point to a deliberate cosmic and terrestrial plan woven throughout the Giza complex argues Mei. Beneath the visible monuments, trenches and sockets carved into limestone, along with deep rock-cut shafts and wells, demonstrate that ancient builders engineered the underground realm with the same meticulous care as the structures towering above.
The purpose of these vertical passages remains uncertain. Were they designed for ritual offerings, hydraulic systems, or as transport chambers connecting different levels of a subterranean complex? Some researchers speculate they may have linked to the Nile River, possibly serving as part of an elaborate water management system. The shafts could also have facilitated access to underground ceremonial spaces or storage areas for sacred objects. What seems increasingly clear is that the Giza Plateau contains an extensive underground dimension that has been overlooked by conventional archaeology for too long.
As Mei concluded:
"Every measurement, every radar image, points to a singular conclusion: the Giza Plateau still holds secrets that could reshape our understanding of ancient Egypt. The shafts are more than anomalies; they are doorways into a subterranean world waiting to be explored."
For decades, the true extent of Giza's underground architecture has been dismissed or ignored, but if these results hold up to scrutiny, these rediscovered shafts may finally provide the key to unlocking mysteries that have captivated enthusiasts for millennia.
Whether they lead to the labyrinth described by Herodotus or reveal entirely unexpected aspects of ancient Egyptian civilization, these passages represent one of the most tantalizing Egyptology puzzles of our time.
Top image: Left; The Great Sphinx with the Great Pyramid at Giza. Right; one of the shafts. Source: Left; Scottish National Gallery/Public domain, Right: Courtesy of Armando Mei.
By Gary Manners
References
Mei, Armando. 2025. Discovery of secret tunnels below Egypt's Giza pyramids linked to forgotten underworld. Daily Mail. Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-15182131/I-discovered-secret-tunnels-Egypts-Giza-pyramids-lead-forgotten-underworld.html
