Exploring the Great Pyramid Mission & the future of Egyptology

The history of scientific experiments conducted on the pyramids of Egypt is fraught with controversy. Fortunately, advancements in non-invasive technologies such as muography are allowing us to get a better understanding of the pyramids than ever before.

In 2017, the ScanPyramids mission shocked the world with the announcement of the ‘Big Void’ within the Great Pyramid of Giza. This empty space is enormous, nearly equal in size to the Grand Gallery and sits above it in relatively vertical alignment.

After this unprecedented discovery, the Exploring the Great Pyramid mission was launched to follow up on this discovery. Still in the planning stages, the EGP mission may allow a 3D visualization up to 100x greater detail than previous scans.

However, entrenched interests within Egyptology do not have a great track record of sharing fame and recognition with outsiders. Can the EGP mission overcome the doubt and adversity that previous missions have faced?

Was the Sarcophagus in the Pyramid of Khafre Sabotaged?

The pyramid of Khafre contains many mysteries, despite being in the shadow of the Great Pyramid of Giza. When examining the sarcophagus in this pyramid, an enormous question is brought to light.

How on earth was this sarcophagus opened without destroying it?

The discrepancy between the security defenses of the pyramids of Khufu and Khafre are highly conspicuous, and further add to the intrigue of why certain decisions were made.

Did looters expertly attack Khafre’s coffer with unparalleled precision… or was something else afoot when the pharaoh was laid to rest?

12 Most Mysterious Archaeological Finds Scientists Still Can't Explain

There are a lot of gaps and guesses in our history books. Our historians have done the best they can with the information they have, and archaeologists help them with that by supplying them with as much information as they can about the things that they find. The problem with that arrangement is that archaeologists are sometimes mystified by the things that they discover, as we’re about to see with the amazing and enigmatic finds in this video!

Archaeologists have found the home of 40 skeletons buried in giant jars 1,700 years ago in Corsica

Archaeologists in France have uncovered a massive cemetery containing 40 tombs dating from the first half of the first millennium.

Bodies were discovered inside of amphorae, or large jars, from Northern Africa.

The site, on the island of Corsica, is being called a necropolis, taken from the ancient Greek for 'city of the dead.'

Corsica passed under the control of many different civilizations in the first half of the first millennium.

While artifacts found in the excavation appear to be of Roman origin, experts caution they could have been repurposed by Visigoths or later inhabitants.

Archaeologists with the French National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) made the discovery in Ile-Rousse, a town on Corsica's western coast.

A sleepy fishing village that's becoming something of a tourist attraction, Ile-Rouse dates to the mid-18th century, but the excavation provides more details on the area's ancient inhabitants.

It's been occupied for at least 6,000 years, but 'the archaeological indications of previous occupations were rare and fragmentary,' INRAP said in a statement.

A dozen tombs were first discovered in spring 2019, but excavation in February and March uncovered dozens more, with 'great diversity in their architectural style,' the institute said.

Researchers began excavating two 6,500-square-foot sites in the center of town.

They uncovered amphorae, which were often used to import olive oil, wine and other goods, across the Mediterranean from Carthage, now known as Tunisia, between the 4th and 7th centuries.

The large vessels served a second purpose here, the institute said, as 'receptacles for the deceased.'

Typically amphora were only used to bury children but the researchers found adults had been entombed, as well.

The remains of 40 individuals were uncovered in all, buried some time between the 3rd and 6th centuries.

The necropolis was discovered right behind Ile-Rousse's parish church, the Church of the Immaculate Conception, during archaeological surveys conducted in anticipation of an upcoming construction project.

Some of the tombs were covered with terracotta materials typically used as roof tiling in ancient Roman architecture, but additional analysis needs to be conducted to learn more about the identities of the deceased.

According to INRAP, the Romans did occupy Île-Rousse—then known as Agilla—during the time period to which the jars have been dated, but later settlers could have reused them after the Romans departed.

The first half of the first millennium was a period of great instability for Corsica, which represented a small but strategic outpost for anyone trying to control Mediterranean sea lanes.

The island was under Carthaginian rule until 240 BC, when they were supplanted by the Romans. In 410 AD, it passed to the Visigoths, who renamed Agilla as Rubico Rocega.

It then was controlled by the Vandals and Ostrogoths, before becoming part of the Byzantine Empire in 536 AD.

How that turmoil affected the area, 'has always been a mystery,' according to the site Ancient Origins.

'While it was believed the area was largely deserted, the discovery of the impressively populated Corsica necropolis raises the possibility that population density in the area during the mid-first millennium was greater than had been imagined,' the institute said.

Given that such necropolises were usually associated with houses of worship, there may be a great deal more to uncover.

Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/ar...

The Lost City Of Knowledge: What Life Was Like In Ancient Alexandria | Metropolis

Alexandria, a royal Greek city in the land of the Pharaohs. Along the sandy banks of the Nile delta on the African Mediterranean coast, the most powerful metropolis of its time rose from virtually nothing. The Hellenistic culture mingled with the legacy of the Pharaohs and bore the fruits of a glorious new heritage.

Africa: Zulu Empire - The Wrath of Shaka Zulu

Shaka sought vengeance for Dingiswayo on Zwide and the Ndwandwe. He expanded his control over the Mtethwa and other tribes, then launched his assault on the Ndwandwe. Shaka scored two crushing victories over the course of an eighteen month war, although Zwide escaped both times. Shaka invaded the main Ndwandwe village, capturing Zwide's mother and burning her to death in place of her son. Shaka had won the war, but the people he pushed out created a ripple of instability across Africa: the Mfecane or the Crushing. Shaka himself became dangerously disturbed when his mother died and he began to take his grief out on his people.

His brothers assassinated him to take the throne, leading to a new king: Dingane. Dingane began to treat with the Dutch colonists in South Africa, but what began as a friendly relationship became a betrayal when he turned on them. Dingane attacked their wagon train at the Battle of Bloody River, but the Dutch with their guns held him off. The Dutch then threw their support behind Dingane's last surviving brother, Mpande, who successfully overthrew him and became the new Zulu king.

When Experts Researched Fossilized Dinosaur Eggs, They Discovered Amazing Secret Inside Their Shells

Before the asteroid that wiped off the dinosaurs, millions of years ago, a protoceratops laid a dozen eggs in what is now known as the Cretaceous Period. But no one knew what would become the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. The eggs never hatched and instead became frozen in the mists of time eventually against all odds they were found by scientists and made their way to the American Museum of Natural History in New York. In 2017 experts used a new method to look closely at the eggs their discoveries tell us more about the past mass extinction event that killed off these creatures in the past.

Dinosaur fossils have always been quite interesting, and they're a good source of fresh information for us. However, it's not simply fully developed dinosaurs that have taught us incredible things. In the middle of the 19th century, researchers in Britain discovered the first dinosaur bones. Soon after, these experts speculated that dinosaurs had reproduced in a manner comparable to how reptiles do now. This discovery marked the beginning of paleontology.

However, in 1859, the first fossilized eggs were found. When these fossils were found in France, they were mistakenly thought to be from a type of bird; as a result of this, they were forgotten for a very long time. It would be another 64 years before scientists discovered that the fossils were eggs from dinosaurs Researchers from the American Museum of Natural History were working in Mongolia when they made that discovery. Since then, fossils of dinosaur eggs have been discovered all over the world. Some of the fossils were made after the dinosaurs had successfully hatched, while others told a very different story. In some cases, the tiny remains of developing dinosaurs had even been preserved.

Cave Divers Swam Through A Subterranean “Portal” And Found A Long Forgotten American Land

This discovery has provided historians with a unique perspective on the ancient human populations of the Americas.

Deep in the waters of the Yucatan Peninsula, Sam Meacham and Fred Devos are maneuvering their way through a network of caves. The pair have been under the surface for some time now, having traveled a half-mile or so submerged. But the ordeal turns out to be worth it, as finally they’re faced with a tiny opening in the rock before them. And what lies behind completely astonishes the intrepid divers.

This ancient book found by archaeologists from Egypt revealed a terrifying message

The ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife, and the "Book of Two Ways" is a guide to the underworld used to help the deceased navigate the dangers and obstacles they would encounter. It is the oldest illustrated book, dating back to around 1600 BCE. The book includes illustrations of the gods and demons that the deceased would encounter, as well as descriptions of the different regions of the underworld and the rituals that needed to be performed to pass through them safely. The "Book of Two Ways" was often buried with the deceased to help guide them in the afterlife.

Today, most people see death as an end to human suffering. But in old Egypt, things were different; death wasn't seen as an end to suffering; people believed that there was a life beyond death where the real agony starts, and you have to overcome all the obstacles in your way to finally meet the God of Death, Osiris, who resides in his realm. There were two ways to reach Osiris' realm: Sea or Land.

But navigating the path wasn't easy, so the dead had to use a book known as the Book of Two Ways that helped them with the challenges on the way. And guess what has happened? A copy of the guidebook, which is almost 4,000 years old, was found by Archaeologists recently, and this is undoubtedly the oldest archive of the book found to date. So what is written in the book?

12 Most Amazing Ancient Treasures And Artifacts Finds

Where will the next great ancient treasure discovery take place? In a country thousands of miles away or somewhere in your home town? We can never be sure because we don't know where our ancestors buried their treasures! They left some fabulous things behind for us to find, though, so let's take a look at some of the best of them.

A Temple in Flames The Final Battle for Jerusalem and the Destruction of the Second Temple

A battle that will never be forgotten! Experience the historic moments of the Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE that led to the destruction of the Second Temple. A breathtaking drama, Temple in Flames shows the brutal tactics used by Titus and his legions to subdue the besieged city of Jerusalem. In a painfully realistic manner, the film shows the desperate, heroic battle waged by the Jewish fighters to defend their beloved city … to their last drop of blood.

England Under Cnut The Great | The World 1000 Years Ago

The world 1000 years ago was a very different place from what it is today, and yet just as fascinating and complex. In this video, we will explore the Anglo-Saxon England during the 1020s, when it was ruled not by an Englishman, but a Dane, Cnut the Great.