HOW THE PYRAMIDS WERE BUILT
HOW THE PYRAMIDS WERE BUILT
The astonishing pyramids of Giza, Egypt stand as monuments of ancient man’s remarkable engineering skills. Yet, no one is sure exactly how they were built. Their method of construction has been one of the most enduring mysteries of human achievement. There is no conclusive evidence in ancient Egyptian writing or carvings that tell us how they were built. This lack of record has spawned dozens of theories, from the practical to the fantastic.
Traditionalists contend that they were built over decades by massive numbers of laborers, pulling the enormous blocks of stone on wooden sleds up a series of earthen ramps. Again, there is no definitive proof for this theory.
Others who stand in awe of these remarkable constructions say that no amount of human labor could have hauled these massive stones – some weighing several tons – to such great heights and fitted them together with such impressive precision. The Egyptians must have possessed some technology that has been lost to history, they say. Perhaps they knew how to levitate the great stones with anti-gravity devices. Or perhaps they had help from extraterrestrials.
A relatively recent theory is that some of the large blocks, mainly the ones used at the higher levels, were actually poured in place using a kind of limestone concrete.
Why we may never know. We have no definitive evidence. The secret of the pyramids may be lost to history.
The only way we’ll know is…. The debate about how the great Egyptian pyramids were built will rage indefinitely. The only way the mystery will be solved is if some ancient writing or artifact from the period of their construction is unearthed that unambiguously depicts the method of building.
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Very interesting yet again, Shadow, but the theory I’ve always heard, and seen demonstrated on a large scale, is manpower and sand/earth ramps.
Bearing in mind the Egyptians are well known for their measuring and plan drawing abilities and that they had virtually limitless manpower (slaves) they prepared the lowest level of the pyramid by dragging the stones into place on rollers. Then they simply in-filled all the voids on that level with sand/earth, built gently sloping ramps up to the top of the level which allowed them to drag the next level up and into place and so on and so on.
Once the pyramid was complete it was merely a matter of digging away the ramps and the passageways and voila.
A similar technique is thought to have been used to get the Cap-stones in place at Stonehenge.
More complicated are the pyramids of South America which tend to be of steeper construction or the buildings of Machu Picchu where the stones are so finely fitted together that even with modern techniques and machinery it would be difficult to reproduce them today.
That was a very interesting read Way. Thank you. Man power and sand/earth ramps seems to be the answer i quess, well for Egyptian pyramids at least. I have never read, or heard of the pyramids of South America, i will look them up, give me something else to do!!!.
I agree Way..We may never know just how it was done..even using ramps the problems of moving that immense amount of material,is staggering.
What has intrigued me also..If they did use an army of slaves or hired labour..They must have had a sizable town or encampment very close by to house and feed them..obviously they would have walked to work…Theres no mention of double decker chariots…lol.
Im surprised that no evidence of such a place has been found.
I do know that the ancients of many countries had techniques of manufacture and building that have been lost to us today…Maybe we are not as smart as we think?
Actually, Lofty, they have found evidence of a settlement of sizeable size near the site of one of the Egyptian Pyramids. The data retrieved indicates that it was only occupied for about 20 to 25 years and then abandoned.
And NO. We are not that smart. We have lost a lot of the old knowledge over the years. Napalm is close to Greek Fire, for instance, but it’s not quite there yet. Perhaps, in that case, it’s a blessing.
Shadow… Brilliant read, thank you …
I didnt know that Way…Thanks for the info..I will try to see if theres anything online about it..perhaps you can point me in the right direction.
I have heard a story about how Samurai swords were made back in the day..It involves chickens and the colors of sunset…Dont know if its a laugh ,or if theres some truth in it.
I saw the construction on a History Channel documentary lofty so I’m afraid I can’t point you at the net anywhere.
With regard to the swords, see my post on the making of a Katana if interested
shads this is a little late and the disovery channel not withstanding, I asked three architichets about the pyramids. While there are many theories, they are just that theorys. No one knows how they were built much less how to duplicate the structures.