An international team of archaeologists from Egypt, Australia, and the United States has uncovered a long-buried tributary of the Nile that runs beside more than 30 pyramids in Giza. Researchers believe the channel was used to transport multi-ton stone blocks during the construction of the pharaohs’ tombs. The discovery was documented in a recent scientific report.
Experts estimate the canal stretches about 64 kilometers and had remained hidden under desert sands and agricultural land for thousands of years. Its existence helps explain why a row of 31 pyramids was erected at this site between roughly 4,700 and 3,700 years ago.
Scholars have long suspected that the ancient Nile carried heavy blocks toward pyramid sites, but the precise location of such channels was unknown. The new evidence narrows the search to this canal and its historical role in architectural logistics.
The team traced the ancient riverbed with radar satellite imagery. The visible branch of the Nile was named Ahramat, a term linked to pyramids in the local language.
According to scientists, many pyramids appeared to have direct roads leading to river ports. Boats were used to move royal remains to tombs, illustrating a sophisticated water-based supply network in the era.
Researchers propose that during severe drought periods, Akhramat gradually shallowed and became buried under sand. Over time, this shift prompted later dynasties to choose new sites for their monumental structures.
Earlier work in this field addressed the origins of the first mummies in ancient Egypt, offering complementary insights that help place the new canal in a broader historical context.