Space Technology Uncovers How the Ancient Egyptians May Have Built the Pyramids

For centuries, historians and archaeologists have debated one of the greatest mysteries of the ancient world: how were the Egyptian pyramids built? A recent discovery, powered by satellite technology, may finally provide a compelling answer.

Researchers have uncovered evidence of an ancient branch of the Nile River that once flowed through the Giza Plateau. The massive waterway, now long dried out, may have played a critical role in transporting the enormous stone blocks that were used to construct the pyramids.

A Hidden River Beneath the Desert

The discovery was made by Dr. Eman Ghoneim, a geomorphologist who used radar satellite data to study the Nile Valley. These images, captured from space, revealed an “invisible world of information beneath the surface.”

The ancient river, which has been named the Ahramat Branch (meaning “pyramid branch”), stretched from Giza all the way to Faiyum, passing by at least 38 pyramid sites along the way.

“The length probably was really, really long, but also the width of this branch in some areas was huge,” Ghoneim told IFLScience. “We’re talking about half a kilometer or more in terms of width, which is something that is equivalent to today’s Nile course width. So it wasn’t a small branch. It was a major branch.”

The ancient river, which has been named the Ahramat Branch (meaning “pyramid branch”), stretched from Giza all the way to Faiyum, passing by at least 38 pyramid sites along the way.

This discovery could also explain why so many pyramids are clustered in one region of Cairo. The proximity to such a large water source would have made it possible to move heavy building materials on boats rather than hauling them over land.

Some Egyptologists believe that the riverbanks may have hosted “valley temples,” which acted as docking points for supplies. These temples could have functioned as ancient ports where construction materials were unloaded before being carried to pyramid building sites.

This discovery could also explain why so many pyramids are clustered in one region of Cairo

Amaze Lab

The big question now is whether the Ahramat Branch was still flowing during the Old and Middle Kingdoms, the period when Egypt’s most famous pyramids were built, roughly 4,700 years ago.

If confirmed, it would add strong evidence to the theory that water transport was central to pyramid construction. Without it, the logistics of moving enormous limestone and granite blocks—some weighing more than 70 tons—would be even harder to explain.

This discovery may do more than solve the pyramid puzzle. It could also shed light on the rise and fall of entire ancient settlements.

“As branches disappeared, Ancient Egyptian cities and towns also silted up and disappeared, and we have no clue actually where to find them,” Ghoneim explained.

By tracing the course of the vanished Ahramat Branch, archaeologists may be able to locate lost towns and temples that were once vital to Egyptian civilization but were buried under layers of sediment as the Nile shifted its course.

Some Egyptologists believe that the riverbanks may have hosted “valley temples,” which acted as docking points for supplies.

Amaze Lab

What makes this breakthrough especially remarkable is how it bridges the past and the present. Ancient Egyptians may have harnessed the natural power of the Nile to build some of humanity’s most iconic monuments, and today, scientists are using space technology to uncover the traces they left behind.

If future research confirms that this river was active during pyramid construction, it could rewrite textbooks and reshape our understanding of how the ancient Egyptians achieved what seemed impossible more than four millennia ago.