Giant structures near the Red Pyramid open a new mystery: Did the ancient Egyptians harness water for construction?

A recent scientific study proposes a new perspective on the engineering involved in the construction of the Red Pyramid at Dahshur, after researchers identified indicators of massive structures that may have been part of an advanced water management system approximately 4,500 years ago.

According to the study, researchers reinterpreted two structures, each extending roughly 600 to 700 meters across the Dahshur valley, which were previously considered facilities related to stone transport. Recent analyses suggest they may have been ancient dams—one for retaining water and the other for regulating water flow and sediment—alongside a channel for diverting water.

The researchers relied on satellite imagery, maps, terrain models, and hydrological analysis, and proposed that water may have been utilized in activities associated with the construction of the Red Pyramid during the reign of King Sneferu.

However, the study does not present this hypothesis as a settled archaeological fact, even though it aligns with theories regarding the construction of the Giza pyramids through the use of Nile waters. The researchers emphasize that proving the age, function, and direct relationship of these structures to the pyramid’s construction requires additional excavations and field studies.