Controversy Rages Over Second Sphinx Claim at Giza

The Great Sphinx of Giza with the Pyramid of Khafre in the background. Insert scan of the proposed location of second sphinx.

March

/ 2026

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Could a second Sphinx be buried beneath the sands of Egypt's most famous ancient site? A team of Italian researchers using cutting-edge radar technology claims to have detected a massive underground anomaly at the Giza Plateau that mirrors the profile of the iconic Great Sphinx. The announcement has ignited fierce debate, with some researchers hailing it as a potential breakthrough and mainstream Egyptologists dismissing it as unsupported speculation. The controversy cuts to the heart of an enduring question: how much of ancient Giza still lies hidden beneath the sand?

Uncovering the Subterranean Anomaly

The bold assertions stem from the Khafre Research Project, spearheaded by radar engineer Filippo Biondi and his colleagues. By employing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Doppler tomography, the team analyzed subsurface variations across the ancient site. According to reports from the New York Post, Biondi claims the radar scans revealed organized geometric formations and deep chambers. The data suggests the presence of a sprawling underground megastructure featuring vertical shafts and interconnected pathways.

Preliminary scans from the Giza Plateau presented by Filippo Biondi

Preliminary scans from the Giza Plateau presented by Filippo Biondi, who claims to have captured a structure that mirrors the Great Sphinx. (Filippo Biondi/The Khafre Project)

At the heart of their hypothesis is the detection of a 108-foot-tall dune made of hardened sand, which researchers believe conceals the monument. Biondi notes that the first Sphinx sits in a shallow depression, making it plausible that a twin could be hidden beneath this elevated mound. The team reported a precise geometric correlation between the visible pyramids and the suspected second monument, suggesting a deliberate ancient design. Biondi expressed high confidence in the data, stating that the structural network mirrors the passages found beneath the known Sphinx reports the Daily Mail.

Scan from the Giza Plateau which Khafre Project researchers claim shows that a second sphinx lies beneath a sand dune where A is shown, adjacent to the Great Sphinx shown as B

Researchers from The Khafre Project claim that a second sphinx lies beneath a sand dune where A is shown, adjacent to the Great Sphinx shown as B (Filippo Biondi/The Khafre Project)

The Dream Stele and Ancient Clues

To support their technological findings, the research team points to historical artifacts and ancient Egyptian mythology. A key piece of evidence cited is the Dream Stele, a granite slab erected by Pharaoh Thutmose IV between the paws of the Great Sphinx of Giza. The stele is famously carved with a pair of the mythical feline creatures, which some interpret as an indication that two such statues were originally built. This dual iconography has long fueled theories among alternative historians about a lost companion to the iconic guardian.

The Dream Stele of Thutmose IV located between the paws of the Great Sphinx. (Chanel Wheeler/CC BY-SA 2.0)

The idea of undiscovered structures at Giza is not entirely new, as ancient texts and accounts have often hinted at hidden realms. The Greek historian Herodotus wrote of a vast Egyptian labyrinth, while esoteric traditions speak of a legendary Hall of Records preserving ancient knowledge. Furthermore, Egyptologist Bassam El Shammaa previously proposed the existence of a second Sphinx, theorizing it was destroyed by a lightning strike based on mythological texts. These enduring narratives provide a compelling backdrop to the recent radar anomalies detected by the Italian team.

Expert Skepticism and the Need for Excavation

Despite the excitement generated by the satellite imaging, the archaeological community has responded with significant caution and criticism. Prominent Egyptologist Zahi Hawass has firmly dismissed the claims of a second Sphinx and an underground city as baseless fabrications. He emphasized that extensive excavations of the Giza Plateau over many decades have yielded no evidence of such monumental structures. Experts argue that radar data alone is insufficient to confirm the presence of human-made monuments, as natural geological formations can produce similar subsurface anomalies.

Radar specialists have also highlighted the inherent challenges of interpreting deep subsurface signals without physical corroboration. Experts warn that remote sensing requires controlled excavation to validate any findings, and anomalies must be treated with care.

Hawass was particularly pointed in his criticism, stating that the rumors about columns beneath the Pyramid of Khafre are:

"nothing but fabrications propagated by individuals with no expertise in ancient Egyptian civilization or the history of the pyramids."

The Italian research team is reportedly awaiting permission from Egyptian authorities to conduct further physical investigations of the mound.

What Comes Next?

The debate over the second Sphinx raises broader questions about how new technologies should be applied in archaeology and how claims should be communicated to the public. Remote sensing tools like SAR Doppler tomography have genuinely advanced the field, helping to identify targets for excavation at sites around the world. However, as this case illustrates, the leap from a subsurface anomaly to the announcement of a second Sphinx is a significant one, and the lack of peer-reviewed publication has drawn criticism from the scientific community. Until an underground chamber or monument is physically uncovered, the existence of a second Sphinx remains a tantalizing but unproven hypothesis.

The Giza Plateau has already surprised archaeologists in recent years, with discoveries of hidden air voids and new passages within the pyramid complex. Whether or not a second Sphinx ultimately emerges from the sand, the renewed focus on what may lie beneath Giza is a reminder that the ancient world still has secrets to reveal. Biondi and his team continue to analyze their data and have expressed hope that Egyptian authorities will grant permission for a physical investigation of the site. For now, the world watches and waits.

Top image: The Great Sphinx of Giza with the Pyramid of Khafre in the background. Source: Emőke Dénes / CC BY-SA 4.0, insert; Filippo Biondi/The Khafre Project

By Gary Manners