What does the new study suggest about how the pyramids were built?

The Study hypothesizes that old Egyptians possibly availed of a sophisticated hydraulic device, whereby stone blocks of Step Pyramid of Djoser were hoisted by means of water pressure.

How is this theory different from previous pyramid construction theories?

The usual speculations have been that ramps and brute force was applied but this paper has postulated use of some sort of volcano-type hydraulic system, which was driven by management of controlled water, was perhaps employed.

What evidence supports the hydraulic system theory?

Archaeologists later discovered stone features, which look like sedimentation and purification basins and the Gisr el-Mudir enclosure, which may have served as a check dam to hold and regulate water.

How Were the Pyramids Built? Engineers Suggest a New Theory

A recent study conducted in pyramids in Egypt suggests that the pyramids may have been constructed with the aid of an advanced hydraulic system.

When a research team found evidence of ancient Egyptians employing water pressure to raise stone blocks at the Step Pyramid of Djoser, they concluded that the structure resembled that of a “hydraulic elevation mechanism.”

Why It Matters

The proposal explains how the pyramids were built using tools that were previously believed to be unavailable at the period and may be the first indication of hydraulic engineering in monumental building. If accurate, it indicates that the Egyptians knew a lot more about hydraulic technology than was previously believed.

Things You Should Know

According to the majority of accepted ideas, the Egyptians’ main means of raising the blocks of limestone that comprise the pyramids were ramps and brute force.

The study contends, however, that the Step Pyramid’s internal design and the surrounding terrain point to the possibility that engineers employed a volcano-style mechanism, whereby water-driven pressure assisted in raising stones from within the pyramid.

The system would have worked in concert with both naturally occurring terrain and man-made reservoirs, maybe connecting to a Nile tributary to form a makeshift lake.

stone structure, were the primary pieces of evidence in favor of the hydraulic idea. These characteristics are similar to sedimentation and purification basins, which are parts of a contemporary water treatment system.

The lifting mechanism inside the pyramid might have been powered by the water flow that was captured and controlled by the Gisr el-Mudir acting as a check dam. This arrangement, however, suggests a degree of hydraulic complexity that much beyond any previous estimates of the skill of ancient Egyptian engineering.

What Individuals Are Saying

The Step Pyramid of Djoser in Saqqâra, Egypt, is regarded as the earliest of the seven colossal pyramids constructed approximately 4,500 years ago, according to the researchers’ abstract. Transdisciplinary investigation revealed that the pyramid might have been constructed using a hydraulic lift.

The Gisr el-Mudir enclosure, one of the inexplicable enormous Saqqâra structures, bears the characteristics of a check dam with the intention of trapping sediment and water, as demonstrated by our mapping of the surrounding watersheds.

“The sediment-free water from the south section of the Dry Moat may have been used by the ancient architects to elevate the stones from the pyramid center in a volcano-like form. The Egyptians are renowned for having invented and mastered hydraulics, using barges to move large stones and canals for irrigation.

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FAQs

What does the new study suggest about how the pyramids were built?

The Study hypothesizes that old Egyptians possibly availed of a sophisticated hydraulic device, whereby stone blocks of Step Pyramid of Djoser were hoisted by means of water pressure.
How is this theory different from previous pyramid construction theories?

The usual speculations have been that ramps and brute force was applied but this paper has postulated use of some sort of volcano-type hydraulic system, which was driven by management of controlled water, was perhaps employed.
What evidence supports the hydraulic system theory?

Archaeologists later discovered stone features, which look like sedimentation and purification basins and the Gisr el-Mudir enclosure, which may have served as a check dam to hold and regulate water.