Mind-blowing archaeology at the Osiris Shaft in Egypt! Of seven original sarcophagi on level 2, only two survive today. Each massive monolithic granite box, weighing up to 40 tons, was lowered through narrow shafts into bedrock chambers. Zahi Hawass called it one of the toughest excavations he's ever done. How did they manage that? 🪨⛏️
Two surviving granite sarcophagi on Osiris Shaft's second level weigh up to 40 tons
EgyptArchitecture
Key facts
- Five of seven sarcophagi reported on level 2 have disappeared; two remain
- Each surviving sarcophagus may weigh as much as 40 tons
- The sarcophagi are monolithic granite boxes installed in chambers excavated from bedrock
- Zahi Hawass described the excavation as one of the most difficult he had ever undertaken
- The shafts are narrow, making it extremely difficult to lower massive monolithic boxes underground
Site mentioned
Sources
The Osiris Shaft and the Khafre Causeway (Giza Plateau)academia.edu
Archaeological literature consistently reports two distinct chambers at the second level containing sarcophagi, establishing a fixed reference point
The Osiris Shaftguardians.net
The Osiris Shaft is located under the causeway of Khafre, and it is about 25 feet deep. · This "water shaft" is already the stuff of legend and Internet rumor.
What Is The "Osiris Shaft" In Giza Egypt, Who Made It, And ...hiddenincatours.com
basalt “sarcophagi” were found in Chambers C, D, and G; badly decomposed skeletal remains were found in the sarcophagi in Chambers C and G.
Uncover the Golden Osiris Tomb in Gizaegypttoursportal.com
At 18 meters below the surface, the second chamber is divided into eight niches, two of which contain massive granite sarcophagi.
The Archaeology and Art of Ancient Egypt, Vol. I, pp. 379-397 ...giza.fas.harvard.edu
"The Discovery of the Osiris Shaft at Giza." In Zahi Hawass and Janet Richards, eds. The Archaeology and Art of Ancient Egypt. Essays in Honor of David B. O' ...
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