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People in ancient Egypt built the Step Pyramid. This structure, about 204 feet high, was the tallest structure of its time, built for Pharaoh Djoser in the 27th century BC. This structure, about 204 feet high, was the tallest structure of its time.
However, the method by which they built the pyramid using stones weighing around 300 kilograms each remains a mystery that has puzzled experts for centuries.
Egyptologists have debated how ancient Egyptians built the massive pyramids more than 4,000 years ago. Recently, engineers and geologists have put forward a new theory, suggesting that a hydraulic lift system may have been used to float heavy stones into the middle of Egypt’s oldest pyramid, according to a study published in PLOS One.
“Several detailed publications have discussed pyramid construction processes and provided concrete evidence, but these generally focus on the more recent, better-documented and smaller pyramids of the Middle and New Kingdoms (1980 to 1075 B.C.),” CNN quoted Dr. Xavier Landreau, the lead author and CEO of Paleotechniques in Paris, as saying.
Dr. Landreau suggested that a variety of techniques may have been used in the construction of the great pyramids, such as ramps, cranes, winches, toggle lifts, hoists, pivots, or a combination of these.
He said that, although manpower and ramps may have been sufficient for smaller structures, the larger pyramids of the Old Kingdom would probably have required additional methods.
According to the study, a complex water treatment system using local resources would have enabled a water-powered elevator to lift heavy stones through the pyramid’s internal vertical shaft. The study suggests some sort of float was used to lift the stones, CNN said.
Not everyone agrees
However, not all Egyptologists agree with this theory. Dr. David Jeffries, retired senior lecturer in Egyptian archaeology at University College London, explained that the more widely accepted idea is that ancient Egyptians used ramps and haulage devices to move heavy blocks. Many experts are skeptical about the new theory.
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