Great Pyramid of Giza thought to be missing its top which could 'turn a key'
The Great Pyramid of Giza stands as one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World.
But a lot of people theorise the structure is actually missing a piece that is arguably considered the most crucial part.
Still standing in Egypt today, the Great Pyramid of Giza was built in roughly 2560 BC within what Egyptologists believe to be just 20 years with over two million stones.
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It is the last of the wonders of the Ancient World to still be standing, and one of the most majestic structures built by man, with its exact age and origins still largely a mystery to experts.
But one aspect of the pyramid that is particularly fascinating is to do with the top of it.
It may look like it is perfectly pointed at the top, but there is actually 30 feet of flat ground at the summit.
So, what's missing?
According to ancient tradition, a capstone should be added to the structure shortly before it is completed.
They were originally made of diorite, granite or a very fine limestone, and then covered in gold or electrum, and in the Middle Kingdom they were usually made from granite, and often inscribed with text and symbols.
When it was newly built, the capstone would have shone like a bright star. It is meant to be the most important part of the pyramid.
That said, it isn't known for definite that there ever was a capstone on the Great Pyramid of Giza.
According to some records, ever since the time of Christ, people expressed their wonder at why it had no capstone.
And yet here we are, over 2000 years later, with little to no idea about the absence of the golden cherry on the cake.
Researchers believe the gold colour was to signify the riches and glory of the pharaohs, while some theorise that the metal absorbed the sun's energies and was the main part of the structure, making it function as if it was turning the key to a machine.
Seems a bit sci-fi, we know, but it's not as crazy as it sounds. A 2018 study actually found that the Great Pyramid of Giza would likely have been able to collect and concentrate electromagnetic energy at its base.
Scientists from m ITMO University used a model of the pyramid for their experiment, but admitted they made some assumptions about the building materials and the presence of unknown cavities in the pyramid.
Anyway, what happened to the Great Pyramid of Giza's capstone?
Well, Egyptian authorities think thieves looted the pyramid 2500 years ago, stealing the capstone and other treasures situated inside the structure.
So we'll likely never know if the capstone served some mysterious purpose, or was merely for decoration.
Joshua Nair