Egyptologists have long believed that the Great Pyramid of Giza was built around 2580 BC, about 4,600 years ago, but a controversial new study suggests that the monument may be much older, possibly dating back between 20,000 and 40,000 years.
According to the Daily Mail, Italian engineer Alberto Donini, from the University of Bologna , said that the erosion patterns at the base of the pyramid indicate that it was likely built much earlier than the commonly accepted chronological order.
Donini used what he called the "Relative Erosion Method (REM)," comparing the amount of erosion in exposed stones from the time of construction with that of adjacent stones exposed to the elements at later times. Based on measuring the differences in erosion, he arrived at dates that far exceeded traditional estimates.
The study, which has not yet undergone rigorous scientific review, included an examination of 12 points around the base of the pyramid. Some measurements showed that the stones had been exposed to erosion for tens of thousands of years, while the average indicated an age of approximately 25,000 years.
Donini suggested that Pharaoh Khufu may have restored the pyramid, rather than built it from scratch, which could change the hypotheses about who originally built it.
If the dates proposed by Donini are proven correct, the Great Pyramid would be older than the reign of Khufu and the emergence of any known advanced civilizations, which raises fundamental questions about the history of humanity and its architectural knowledge in ancient times.
The Great Pyramid is located on the Giza Plateau , along with the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure and the Great Sphinx, all of which are shrouded in mystery due to their precise alignment, unusual construction methods, and the disputed purpose of their construction.
The study measured erosion at 12 points around the base of the Great Pyramid of Giza , comparing stone surfaces exposed since construction with surfaces that were only revealed after the pyramid's casing was removed approximately 675 years ago. According to the results, the stones ranged in age from about 5,700 years to over 54,000 years old, while the averages indicated a 68 percent probability that the pyramid is between approximately 11,000 and 39,000 years old, with an average of nearly 24,900 years.
Donini emphasized that the relative erosion method does not provide a precise date for a building, but rather an estimate of its age range with an associated statistical probability. The study confirmed that multiple factors, such as climate change, acid rain, visitor traffic, and partial burial under sand, add a degree of uncertainty to the calculations.
However, the consistency of the results across different measurement points reinforces the hypothesis that the base of the pyramid was exposed to the elements for tens of thousands of years, which has reopened one of the most persistent and controversial mysteries in archaeology.
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