Glasgow 'Graffiti' from 1902 Discovered on Pyramid of Khafre

An inscription reading 'J Neilson Glasgow 1902' has been discovered on the pyramid of Khafre, the second-largest of the three main pyramids at the Giza complex near Cairo. Geologists believe the carving is likely the work of James Neilson, a prominent 19th and early 20th-century Scottish scientist who was a council member and vice-president of the Geological Society of Glasgow.

The inscription was uncovered in images taken by Egyptian photographer Osama Sherif Elmedany, which show carvings made when tourists were permitted to climb the ancient structures. Neilson led geological expeditions in Scotland and traveled overseas, producing a paper titled 'Notes on a Recent Trip to Egypt' in May 1902, which was published in the Transactions of the Geological Society of Glasgow. This timeline aligns with the date found on the pyramid.

However, the exact identity of 'J Neilson' remains an 'interesting mystery,' according to Ian Millar, secretary of The Geological Society of Glasgow. He noted that the initial 'J' could represent various names, and conclusive proof without further evidence is unlikely.

While such inscriptions are as old as human history, Millar stressed that they are 'not to be encouraged.' The discovery precedes another notable inscription from Sir Thomas Lipton, the founder of Lipton's Tea, who reportedly had his surname and 'Scotland' carved above the entrance to the Great Pyramid in 1882.