On Sunday, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities issued a clarifying statement regarding a video circulating on social media that sparked widespread controversy after its publishers claimed it documents "the breaking of stones" in the Great Pyramid (Khufu) in the Giza Pyramids area. The Ministry denied the demolition of any archaeological or original piece from the Great Pyramid of Giza, confirming that what appears in the video is not related to any demolition or alteration of the original stones of the pyramid.
The announcement was reported by Sky News, Al-Masry Al-Youm, Asharq Al-Awsat, and Alhurra.
The Ministry explained that the work shown in the video relates to "removing non-archaeological modern building materials (mortar) that were placed decades ago to cover the electricity network used to illuminate the pyramid," which sparked widespread controversy. Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities is currently removing these materials as part of a project aimed at updating the lighting network of the Great Pyramid, ensuring that the work does not affect the body of the pyramid or any of its original stones, according to the announcements. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities emphasized that this work is being done without affecting the body of the pyramid or any of its original stones.
The Ministry urged the public "to verify the accuracy of information before circulating or publishing it on social media, to avoid causing confusion or spreading incorrect news that may harm the efforts made to preserve archaeological sites."
Standing at 455 feet, The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest of the three pyramids in Giza. Built around 2580-2565 BC during the reign of Pharaoh Khufu, it held the title of the tallest man-made structure in the world for nearly 4,000 years. The Great Pyramid of Giza is considered one of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World." Today, the Great Pyramid of Giza is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
In 2022, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities began trial operation of the clean energy system, electric vehicles, and visitor services in the Giza Pyramids area. This project includes operating environmentally friendly electric buses and cars within the pyramids area. Seven visitor stations have been designated within the pyramids area, starting from the Visitor Center station. The stations include Panorama 1 station, Menkaure Pyramid station, Khafre Pyramid station, Khufu Pyramid station, Sphinx station, and ending at Panorama 4 station.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq