The Great Pyramid of Giza has a long history of secrets, baffling generation after generation of archeologists and tourists. But every once in a while, that sly pyramid reveals a secret that raises more questions than answers.

In late 2017, archeologists detected a hidden void in the Great Pyramid of Giza. They found the void using sensors that detect muons. Muons are particles that rain down on Earth when cosmic rays slam into atoms in the upper atmosphere, behaving like x-rays.

Fortunately, you can visit the hidden chamber virtually…via Assassin’s Creed Origins! Ubisoft released Origins a week before the research team announced the finding, yet the chamber was already built into the game. Maxime Durand, the historian of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, said:

“We have long believed that Jean-Pierre Houdin’s theories about the inner ramps and royal circuit with two antechambers inside the Great Pyramid are probably the most credible, which is why we decided to use them in the game. We were betting on the fact that these secret locations inside of the Great Pyramid would probably be discovered in the near future, so we wanted to allow players the chance to visit them in advance.”

The Assassin’s Creed staff is a stickler for authenticity. The games are riddled with historical figures and settings, all of them based on meticulous research. Assassin’s Creed Origins takes place in the age of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar. The goal was to recreate an environment based on their time period, according to modern research. That research includes the work of French architect Jean-Pierre Houdin.

The void

Jean-Pierre Houdin is a bit of a rebel in the world of pyramid construction theory. Houdin believes that the Egyptians built the Great Pyramid from the inside, using ramps. If his theory were correct, they would have left sealed chambers above the great hall.

The pyramid has two main chambers – the king’s chamber and the queen’s chamber. The grand gallery connects the two chambers. The hidden void is located above the grand gallery, as in the image above. It’s believed to be a third chamber or gallery, roughly the size of the gallery below it.

Theories…theories everywhere

The finding may support Houdin’s internal ramp theory, which the staff at Ubisoft was clearly prepared for when releasing Assassin’s Creed Origins. Researchers have ruled out the possibility of lost treasures and artifacts, but that doesn’t stop Origins from flooding the chamber with treasures!

Some theorists speculate that the void contains the final resting place of Khufu. Others have tossed around the possibility of Queen Nefertiti’s long-lost tomb being located within.

At the end of the day, researchers don’t know if there’s anything inside the void, or what its purpose is. But if something does lie inside, it’s been sealed off for centuries…waiting to be found. The archeological team is now exploring non-invasive strategies to explore the space.

What’s next?

The research team is developing a robot blimp that can fit through a 3.5-centimeter hole. Once it enters the hole, it’ll inflate itself before exploring and taking pictures. The robot will then deflate itself and exit the chamber. The goal is to minimize damage to the pyramid’s inner walls as much as possible.

As for Assassin’s Creed, there is a Discover Tour mode that allows you to explore ancient Egypt without the stress of anyone trying to murder your avatar. If you’ve ever wanted to visit ancient Egypt, this is the closest you can get.

For those who are ready to move on from Origins, Ubisoft is dropping Assassin’s Creed Odyssey on October 5, 2018, and will explore ancient Greece. What ancient Greek secrets Ubisoft will reveal this time remains to be seen.

Archeology was my first career passion as a child (because being a sewer-dwelling, pizza-eating ninja doesn’t count). Before I had seen Indiana Jones, I saw a crew of researchers dusting off the great pyramids in a documentary. I lit up with excitement, thinking that I would someday grow up and do exactly what they were doing. Though I didn’t take that path, there is a special place in my heart for ancient history. I can only imagine how important it is to the Assassin’s Creed staff to go through such painstaking efforts in the name of authenticity.

If you like the display image, shared again below, it was contributed by artist Scarlett Bustamante. Find more of her work on Instagram, or visit her Etsy for prints and merchandise.

Keep on exploring, my friends.

Written by: Michael R Gonzalez