The Egyptian pyramid chain was built along the now abandoned Ahramat Nile Branch

The largest pyramid field in Egypt is clustered along a narrow desert strip, yet no convincing explanation has been provided for this spatial concentration. Using radar satellite imagery integrated with geophysical data and deep soil coring, the study investigates subsurface structure and sedimentology in the Nile Valley adjacent to these pyramids. The authors identify segments of a major extinct Nile branch, termed the Ahramat Branch, running along the foothills of the Western Desert Plateau where most pyramids lie. Many Old and Middle Kingdom pyramids have causeways that lead to the branch and end at valley temples that likely functioned as river harbors. The findings suggest the Ahramat Branch was active during pyramid construction and served as a transportation waterway for workers and building materials.

Eman Ghoneim, Timothy J. Ralph, Suzanne Onstine, Raghda El-Behaedi, Gad El-Qady, Amr S. Fahil, Mahfooz Hafez, Magdy Atya, Mohamed Ebrahim, Ashraf Khozym, Mohamed S. Fathy