The documents of note are contained within a diary of a man named Merer, an official known to have been involved in the planning of the architectural wonder, reports Newsweek.

At more than 4,500 years old, the documents are among the oldest papyri ever found. Given their content, they might represent one of the greatest discoveries in Egyptian archaeology in recent history.

If Merer’s account is authentic then the Great Pyramid’s massive stones were apparently ferried via canals right up to the foot of the structure. Given that the banks of the Nile River are currently several miles from Giza, this means that an elaborate canal system had to be built specifically for the purpose of building the pyramids.

Since the discovery of the papyrus, archaeologists have corroborated Merer’s account by also unearthing a buried waterway hidden beneath the Giza plateau, as well as a ceremonial boat at the foot of the pyramids.

The findings, detailed in a new documentary titled “Egypt’s Great Pyramid: The New Evidence,” aired recently on Channel 4, and can be viewed online here.