New Pyramids Found in Egypt

Even if your clients have been to Egypt before, they now have a new reason to go back: The BBC is reporting that 17 lost pyramids are among the buildings identified in a new satellite survey of the country. More than 1,000 tombs and 3,000 ancient settlements were also revealed by looking at infra-red images.

Initial excavations have already confirmed some of the findings, including two suspected pyramids.

The work has been pioneered at the University of Alabama at Birmingham by U.S. Egyptologist Dr. Sarah Parcak. "To excavate a pyramid is the dream of every archaeologist," she told the news service.

The team analyzed images from satellites equipped with cameras so powerful they can pin-point objects less than 1 meter in diameter on the earth's surface. Infra-red imaging was used to highlight different materials under the surface.

Parcak believes there are more antiquities to be discovered: "These are just the sites [close to] the surface. There are many thousands of additional sites that the Nile has covered over with silt. This is just the beginning of this kind of work."

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