Djedi Project

The Djedi Project was an international archaeological robotics exploration of the inaccessible interior shafts in the Great Pyramid of Giza, particularly those in the Queen's Chamber. The name derived from Djedi, the ancient Egyptian magician consulted by Pharaoh Khufu when planning his famous pyramid.

The team was managed by University of Leeds and supported by Dassault Systèmes in France with research lead Professor Rob Richardson. Its central objective was to deploy a minimally invasive robotic system capable of navigating the shafts, in order to gather evidence about their function. Development of the robotic system took several years, with the 20cm width of the shafts posing as the main technical challenge.

Team members

The team included:

Ng Tze Chuen (Hong Kong), independent researcher
Shaun Whitehead (UK), independent researcher, Scoutek
Robert Richardson (UK), Professor of Robotics, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, UK
Ron Grieve (Canada), from Tekron Services, Canada
Other key team members are Andrew Pickering, Stephen Rhodes, Adrian Hildred, Jason Liu, William Mayfield and Andrew Smyth.

The team made preliminary studies of the airshafts in July and December 2009, and continued its work in 2011.

Equipment

Details of the Djedi Team Robot:

"Pinhole camera" that can fit through small spaces and see around corners like an endoscope
A miniaturised ultrasonic device 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 compass and inclinometer to measure the orientation of the shafts
A core drill that can penetrate the second blocking stone (if necessary and feasible) while removing the minimum amount of material necessary

Results

The Djedi robot successfully ascended the southern shaft of the Queen’s Chamber, and deployed its camera systems beyond the previously unreachable barriers.

Small red markings were found inside the second-door small shaft space. The back of the door was filmed which showed the rest of two ornate metal handles. Construction marks were also found on the floor and walls of a small hidden chamber.

Development of the project and photographic findings were published in the 2013 Journal of Field Robotics.

References

↑ Zorich, Zach (September–October 2011). "A Peek Inside Two Secret Chambers". Archaeology. 64 (5). Archaeological Institute of America.
↑ "Djedi robot – Archaeological expedition | Robotics at Leeds". robotics.leeds.ac.uk. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
1 2 Malewar, Amit (20 February 2020). "The robot reveals what's inside the Great Pyramid". Tech Explorist. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
↑ Payne, Keith (7 March 2013). "The Djedi Project: The Next Generation in Robotic Archaeology". Em Hotep. Archived from the original on 26 May 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
↑ "The Djedi Team". Zahi Hawass blog. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
1 2 Richardson, R.; et al. (May 2013). "The "Djedi" Robot Exploration of the Southern Shaft of the Queen's Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt". Journal of Field Robotics. 30 (3): 323–348. doi:10.1002/rob.21451. S2CID 2440517.
↑ "Pyramid robot photo". Zahi Hawass blog. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
1 2 Richardson, Robert (13 August 2012). "The "Djedi" Robot Exploration of the Southern Shaft of the Queen's Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt" (PDF). arjunnagendran.com. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
↑ Hooper, Rowan. "First images from Great Pyramid's chamber of secrets". newscientist.com. Retrieved 13 June 2011.

External links

Blog of Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt. "The Djedi Team Robot". Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2016.

[1] Zorich, Zach (September–October 2011). "A Peek Inside Two Secret Chambers". Archaeology. 64 (5). Archaeological Institute of America.

[2] "Djedi robot – Archaeological expedition | Robotics at Leeds". robotics.leeds.ac.uk. Retrieved 29 March 2026.

[:0-3] 1 2 Malewar, Amit (20 February 2020). "The robot reveals what's inside the Great Pyramid". Tech Explorist. Retrieved 29 March 2026.

[4] Payne, Keith (7 March 2013). "The Djedi Project: The Next Generation in Robotic Archaeology". Em Hotep. Archived from the original on 26 May 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2016.

[5] "The Djedi Team". Zahi Hawass blog. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2016.

[JFR2013-6] 1 2 Richardson, R.; et al. (May 2013). "The "Djedi" Robot Exploration of the Southern Shaft of the Queen's Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt". Journal of Field Robotics. 30 (3): 323–348. doi:10.1002/rob.21451. S2CID 2440517.

[7] "Pyramid robot photo". Zahi Hawass blog. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2015.

[:1-8] 1 2 Richardson, Robert (13 August 2012). "The "Djedi" Robot Exploration of the Southern Shaft of the Queen's Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt" (PDF). arjunnagendran.com. Retrieved 29 March 2026.

[9] Hooper, Rowan. "First images from Great Pyramid's chamber of secrets". newscientist.com. Retrieved 13 June 2011.