Djedi Project
Encyclopedia
The Djedi Project is intended to explore the interior of the Great Pyramid of Giza
. The project team is made up of international and Egypt
ian experts. The name derived from Djedi, the ancient Egyptian magician consulted by Pharaoh Khufu when planning his famous pyramid. As Dr. Zahi Hawass
announced on his blog: "The purpose of this project is to send a robotic tunnel explorer into the two “air shafts” that lead from the Queen’s Chamber of the Great Pyramid of Khufu to gather evidence to determine the purpose of the shafts."
The team is managed by Leeds University and supported by Dassault Systemes
in France
.
The team has made preliminary studies of the airshafts in July and December of 2009, and continued its work in 2011. Press releases of their findings are expected for early 2012.
:
Great Pyramid of Giza
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact...
. The project team is made up of international and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian experts. The name derived from Djedi, the ancient Egyptian magician consulted by Pharaoh Khufu when planning his famous pyramid. As Dr. Zahi Hawass
Zahi Hawass
Zahi Hawass is an Egyptian archaeologist, an Egyptologist, and former Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs. He has also worked at archaeological sites in the Nile Delta, the Western Desert, and the Upper Nile Valley....
announced on his blog: "The purpose of this project is to send a robotic tunnel explorer into the two “air shafts” that lead from the Queen’s Chamber of the Great Pyramid of Khufu to gather evidence to determine the purpose of the shafts."
The team is managed by Leeds University and supported by Dassault Systemes
Dassault Systemes
Dassault Systèmes S.A. is a leading company specializing in 3D and PLM software.Dassault Systèmes develops and markets PLM application software and services that support industrial processes and provide a 3D vision of the entire lifecycle of products from conception to maintenance to recycling...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Team members
The team includes:- Ng Tze Chuen (Hong Kong), independent researcher
- Shaun Whitehead (UK), independent researcher, Scoutek
- Robert RichardsonRobert RichardsonRobert Bridge Richardson, ASC is an American cinematographer. He has won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography twice, for his work on JFK and The Aviator...
(UK), lecturer in engineering systems and design, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, UK - Ron Grieve (Canada), from Tekron Services, Canada
- Other key team members are Andrew PickeringAndrew PickeringAndrew Pickering is a sociologist, philosopher and historian of science at the University of Exeter. He was a professor of sociology and a director of science and technology studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign until 2007. He holds a doctorate in physics from the University of...
, Stephen Rhodes and Adrian Hildred.
The team has made preliminary studies of the airshafts in July and December of 2009, and continued its work in 2011. Press releases of their findings are expected for early 2012.
Equipment
Details of the Djedi Team RobotRobot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
:
- "Pinhole cameraPinhole cameraA pinhole camera is a simple camera without a lens and with a single small aperture – effectively a light-proof box with a small hole in one side. Light from a scene passes through this single point and projects an inverted image on the opposite side of the box...
" that can fit through small spaces and see around corners like an endoscope - A miniaturised ultrasonic deviceUltrasonicsUltrasonics is a term meaning the application of ultrasound. It is often used in industry as a shorthand term for any equipment employing ultrasonic principles....
that can tap on walls and listen to the response to help determine the thickness and condition of the stone - A miniature "beetle" robot that can fit through a hole of 20mm diameter for further exploration in confined spaces
- Precision compassCompassA compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions in a frame of reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the earth. The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. Intermediate directions are also defined...
and inclinometerInclinometerAn inclinometer or clinometer is an instrument for measuring angles of slope , elevation or depression of an object with respect to gravity...
to measure the orientation of the shafts - A core drillCore drillA core drill is a drill specifically designed to remove a cylinder of material, much like a hole saw. The material left inside the drill bit is referred to as the core....
that can penetrate the second blocking stone (if necessary and feasible) while removing the minimum amount of material necessary
Result
Small red markings were found inside the room. Also, the back of the door was filmed, which showed 2 metal handles.Sources and references
- Blog of Dr Zahi HawassZahi HawassZahi Hawass is an Egyptian archaeologist, an Egyptologist, and former Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs. He has also worked at archaeological sites in the Nile Delta, the Western Desert, and the Upper Nile Valley....
, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of AntiquitiesSupreme Council of AntiquitiesThe Supreme Council of Antiquities is the branch of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture responsible for the conservation, protection and regulation of all antiquities and archaeological excavations in Egypt...
in EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.