Are Massive Columns Hidden 2,000 Feet Under the Giza Pyramids? Researchers Say Yes, Others Aren’t So Sure
The Viral Claim of 648-Meter-Deep Structures Beneath the Khafre Pyramid Has the Internet Buzzing—But Is It Groundbreaking Archaeology or Just Another Giza Myth?
Have you seen the wild story that recently came out of Egypt regarding the Giza Pyramids? Recently, researchers allegedly found massive vertical "columns" stretching 648 meters (over 2,000 feet) beneath the Khafre Pyramid, part of a sprawling 2-kilometer underground network! Wild, wild stuff! Social media exploded with speculation on X and YouTube—could there be proof of an advanced civilization, an energy system, or just another pyramid myth? Let’s look into the facts, science, and skepticism to separate hype from reality. Yep, this article is somewhat of a departure from what I normally write about, but I find the suggestion of 2,000-foot columns under the Giza Plateau wild, don’t you? But is it real?
The story is rooted in the above video press release about a study using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), a technology that peers beneath surfaces. Researchers, including Corrado Malanga and Filippo Biondi, claim they detected eight cylindrical structures—called "columns"—beneath Giza, complete with spiral pathways and deeper cubic chambers. Posts on X buzzed with images of radar scans; some tied it to fringe theories, like Christopher Dunn’s idea of the pyramids as power plants, while others suggested images of a lost "Hall of Records."
The scale is huge: 600+ meters deep, far beyond the Great Pyramid’s known subterranean chamber, which sits just 30 meters below its base. If true, this could rewrite history. But is it?
Archaeologists have mapped Giza for decades. The Great Pyramid’s underground chamber, carved into limestone bedrock, is a rough, unfinished space—likely an abandoned burial site. The plateau itself hides workers’ tombs, quarries, and boat pits, like those found near Menkaure’s Pyramid in 2013. Advanced tools like muon detectors revealed the "Big Void" in 2017 above the Grand Gallery, and a 2024 L-shaped anomaly surfaced in the Western Cemetery. These finds excite Egyptologists, but they’re shallow—meters, not kilometers.
SAR and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) can spot voids or tunnels, as seen in 1990s Sphinx surveys that found small cavities. Yet experts like Egyptologist Hussein Abdel-Basir argue these tools falter at extreme depths. Limestone scatters signals, making 600-meter scans unreliable. Abdel-Basir called the "columns" claim "science fiction," a view echoed by former Antiquities Minister Mamdouh al-Damaty, who insists physical excavation, not radar alone, is needed for proof.
The original research, a 2022 arXiv paper by Malanga and Biondi, used SAR to explore Giza but stopped short of confirming vast structures. Critics say the "columns" might be natural fissures or minor anomalies blown out of proportion by eager press.
X posts with hashtags like #GizaMystery and #PyramidSecrets racked up shares, blending legit curiosity with wild leaps. Some link it to Elon Musk’s futuristic musings or Tesla’s energy innovations, but there is zero evidence connecting them.
Skeptics, including Snopes, flag the lack of peer-reviewed data. Egypt’s tight control over Giza digs means no shovel has tested these claims. Without that, it’s a tantalizing "what if" built on shaky scans.
Known facts anchor us: Giza’s bedrock likely holds small construction-related spaces—shafts, storage, or tombs. The Sphinx enclosure hints at older origins, with erosion debates dating back millennia, but no sprawling complexes are confirmed. The "columns" story stretches beyond this, promising a game-changer without the goods to back it.
Could there be more? Absolutely. Giza’s vastness leaves room for surprises, and tech keeps evolving. Muon scans and AI-driven imaging might one day crack new secrets. The "large columns under the pyramids" remain unproven for now—a viral spark awaiting a dig.
Are these columns a hidden marvel or a mirage of modern myth? History shows Giza loves a mystery—look at the enduring allure of the Sphinx or the "Big Void." Share this on X with #GizaUncovered, drop your take below, and subscribe for updates as Egypt’s sands reveal (or bury) the truth. What do you think lies beneath, if anything?