Egypt has discovered a 9-meter chamber inside the Great Pyramid

Medelin PinMarch 2, 2023

Some 4,500 years after it was built, new discoveries are still being made inside the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Cairo, Egypt. On Thursday, Egypt announced the discovery of a long corridor inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, which was first discovered on the northern side of the structure.

The corridor measuring 9 meters (nearly 30 feet) by 2 meters (more than 6 feet) is located above the main entrance to the famous building and was discovered by scanning, authorities said. The function of the chamber is currently unknown, although such corridors often lead to further archaeological discoveries.

Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and Tourism Minister Ahmed Eissa announced the discovery at the base of the pyramid.

The camera was discovered as part of the Scan Pyramids project, an international program that uses scanning to study unexplored sections of the ancient structure.

The pyramid about 11 miles from downtown Cairo is also known as the Pyramid of Khufu after its builder, a 4th dynasty pharaoh who ruled from 2509 to 2483 BC.

The ancient structure is the last surviving wonder of the ancient world. It has fascinated visitors since it was built as a royal tomb some 4,500 years ago. Experts disagree on how this and other pyramids were built, so even relatively small discoveries are of great interest.

Egypt frequently advertises ancient discoveries publicly to attract more tourists, a major source of foreign exchange for the cash-strapped North African nation. The sector has experienced a long decline since the political unrest and violence that followed the 2011 uprising.

MORE TOP STORIES: FBI arrests man who found explosives in checked luggage