To discuss the latest findings of the “Scan Pyramids” project, the Canada Egypt Business Council (CEBC) and the Egyptian Council for Sustainable Development (ECSD) hosted a panel discussion featuring H.E. Dr. Mamdouh El Damaty Minister of Antiquities. Minister Ibrahim Fawzy, the ambassadors of Albania, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus, Croatia, Serbia, and Tajikistan were also in attendance. They were joined by CEBC and ECSD’s esteemed members, guests, businessmen and reporters.

In his opening remarks Eng. Motaz Raslan highlighted that much of Egypt’s tourism revenue relies on its antiquities. He cited that Egypt’s position as a leader in the tourism industry has dropped from a ranking of 18 in the year 2010 to the current ranking of 31, which poses a challenge to the entire tourism sector including the antiquities ministry.

Minister El Damaty assumed the floor following the Chairman and delved into the Scan Pyramids project. He initiated his talk with a brief introduction about the progression of pyramid structures throughout ancient Egypt. He pointed to the fact that despite the numerous studies and theories that have been posed to unveil the secrets of the pyramids, none have managed to do so completely.

The onset of new technologies lately has proven useful in many fields and it is also being utilized for Egyptology. This advancement in technology sparked an initiative from the faculty of Engineering at Cairo University to perform a modern scan of the pyramids of Giza. The project coordinated by the faculty of engineering,then materialized in cooperation with the French Heritage Innovation and Preservation (HIP) Institute, Université Laval in Quebec, and Nagoya University in Japan.

The scientific initiatives to unlock secrets of the pyramids are to take place with four major pyramids: King Snefru’s pyramids (1 south, 1 north in Dahshur), Khufu, and Khafre in Giza. The ministerexplained that King Snefru’sDahshur pyramids are often marginalized in comparison to the pyramids of Giza. However, he noted that the former posses their own beauty and are considered a marvel of architectural engineering like Khufu.

El Damaty summarized the three modes of the Scan Pyramids project:
Infrared thermography, muon radiography (cosmic rays), and 3D technologies and simulations.He noted that the cosmic particle detectors using muon radiography imaging is a revolutionary technique used in japan to see through gigantic objects such as active volcanoes.

The results of the scanning by the Egyptian and foreign teams have shown anomalies at the eastern side of the Khufu pyramid in Giza. El Damaty showcased the results saying that the infrared thermography scan that took place of the first row of the pyramid’s limestone blocks shows that all the blocks have the same temperature, with the exception of three that are hotter with six degrees. The scanning was also conducted at different times of the day.He stressed that these blocks were different in formation that the rest. This could indicate that they were placed at a different time than the rest of the pyramid or that something lies behind it.

Wondering what could be behind it, the minister expressed that it’s still early to know and that it could be a small passage, a hallway, or it could be nothing. He called on scientists and Egyptologists to join the research in order to explain the anomaly. El Damaty also announced that the year 2016 will be named by the ministry of Antiquities as the Year of the pyramids. The aim is not to only uncover secrets of the pyramids, but also to host cultural and other events in the Giza plateau.

Following the minister, Dr. Hany Helal assumed the floor and explained in further details the technological aspects of the project, assuring audiences that all the methods of scanning were non-destructive ones that wouldn’t damage the pyramids in any way.

The floor was then opened for Q&A sessions where a wide range of vital topics were raised such as how to protect Egypt’s antiquities, and progress on the new Egyptian Museum’s project, Tut Ankh Amen mask’s story etc…