A robot archaeologist was sent into Khufu pyramid in September 2002 by an Egyptian team in cooperation with a U.S. university, which led to the discovery of three doors. (Xinhua Photo/AFP/File) Photo Gallery >>>

    CAIRO, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Tests on robot archaeologists are underway in order to send a robot deep inside Egypt's largest Khufu pyramid near the capital for exploration, Egypt's MENA news agency reported on Thursday.

    The tests will be carried out by a team from Singapore and a joint group from Britain and China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on a specifically designed makeshift milestone-built passage, reported the MENA.

    The robot archaeologist of the British-Hong Kong team has been tested, while the robot of the Singaporean team has not, as part of the robot was broken during its shipment to Egypt, MENA quoted Zahi Hawwas, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, as saying.

    He said the British-Hong Kong robot easily penetrated through the passage until it reached the first door.

    An Egyptian team will undertake the mission scheduled for February next year in cooperation with the better team of the above two after the tests, Hawwas said.

    A robot archaeologist was sent into Khufu pyramid in September 2002 by an Egyptian team in cooperation with a U.S. university, which led to the discovery of three doors.

    By exploring various clues, archaeologists have been trying to discover the tomb of Khufu, the pharaoh who reigned around 2670 B.C.