Hijinks with "Giza Underground City"

Pranksters at the Kahfre Project having fun with Synthetic Aperture Radar tomography

There is a long history of academic tomfoolery in archeology that makes for extremely entertaining reading. Johann Winckelmann and Heinrich Schliemann were both extremely colorful characters who, in addition to making real finds, had lively imaginations and a gift for storytelling.

Another notorious figure who was extremely adept at spinning all kinds of colorful yarns about the ancients was Aleister Crowley.

During the 1930s, the archaeologist Otto Wilhelm Rahn devoted his life to finding archaeological evidence of the Holy Grail myth that frequently appears in 19th century German literature and opera. During the Third Reich, SS director Heinrich Himmler thought he was an incomparable genius and funded Rahn’s whacky expeditions all over the world—the likely inspiration of the bad guys in the Indiana Jones movies.

As an archaeology buff, my eye was drawn to recent reporting about a group of researchers who call themselves the Kahfre Project who claim to have found evidence of a vast underground city beneath the pyramids of Giza.

The Kahfre Project consists of Corrado Malanga from the University of Pisa and Filippo Biondi from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. The team claims to have discovered the subterranean network using advanced technology known as Synthetic Aperture Radar tomography.

I was very happy to see that my favorite ancient history YouTuber—an Italian who goes by the name The Metatron—just published a critical review of a large academic conference—with high priced tickets—recently hosted by the Kahfre Project.

Listening to it last night before bed gave multiple fits of laughter. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of such academic hijinks. My favorite moment is when one the researchers presents his analysis of spectral representations of the underground city, and then happens to mention—during his talk—that he is colorblind.

In recent years I have often thought that much of the political and academic establishment is now in the business of testing the gullibility of the public. The guys at the Kahfre Project are apparently pranksters of the highest order.