What? The Great Pyramid doesn't just have four sides, there's more to it
The timeless grandeur and detailed geometric design of the marvel have made many researchers call it a masterpiece of symmetry and engineering. Traditionally, the pyramid has been understood to have four sides, and each a perfect triangle converging to a point at the summit, reflecting the architectural brilliance of ancient Egyptian builders.
But what if that perception was incomplete?
Recent discoveries have begun to change the basis of how we view the Great Pyramid, telling that it may hold secrets that went unnoticed for centuries.
Far from being a simple four-sided structure, new evidence suggests the pyramid actually has a more complex design, one that subtly strays far from first impressions. This discovery doesn't just challenge how we see it. It also leaves some mind-boggling questions on the viewer about the level of scientific and architectural excellence achieved by the ancient Egyptians.
The Great Pyramid of Giza, also known as the Pyramid of Khufu, is the only wonder that still stands today among the 'Seven Wonders of the Ancient World'.
The Great Pyramid of Giza has eight sides!
For centuries, scholars believed the Great Pyramid of Giza had four perfectly flat faces.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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This understanding held until 1940, when British Egyptologist Flinders Petrie made a surprising observation. Under specific lighting conditions, Petrie noticed a subtle indentation running vertically down the center of each face. These depressions, though nearly invisible from ground level, indicated that the faces were not flat, but slightly concave.
This suggests that the pyramid doesn't have just four sides, but eight.
Each face is divided into two shallow planes by these concave curves, which are only visible under particular light conditions or from above. The Great Pyramid is even more complex in design, which is not seen in other pyramids of its kind.
What are these
concave faces
?
The idea of concave faces was explored further in 1975 by Egyptologist IES Edwards in his book The Pyramids of Egypt. He wrote that the blocks were set in such a way that they sloped inward, creating the impression of a central depression.
These findings were reinforced by a 2023 study published in Archaeological Discovery. Researcher Akio Kato wrote, 'The Great Pyramid at Giza is known to have an amazing character of concavity that each of its four faces is slightly indented along its central line, from base to peak.
'
Kato's analysis highlights how this feature, invisible from typical vantage points, was likely intentional, suggesting an advanced understanding of geometry, optics, and perhaps even symbolic design. The ancient Egyptians' ability to execute such precision reinforces their reputation as master builders and visionaries. The Great Pyramid, it turns out, is not just an ancient wonder, but a puzzle still revealing its secrets.
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