Recently, a French scientific study shed new light on the construction methods of the ancient Egyptians, particularly regarding the Great Pyramid of Zoser. The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, suggests that water played a key role in the building process. Scientists believe that within the pyramid, there were two wells used to create a flotation system. This system would have allowed the heavy stones to be transported by introducing them into water to facilitate their movement. "This flotation system would have allowed greater freedom in choosing where to place each stone," the researchers explained, according to El Cronista.
Further supporting this theory, scientists concluded that certain excavations found outside the perimeter of the pyramid could have been used for sediment settlement. Water transfer from one excavation to another might have deposited sediments inside the pyramid, working as a technique of purification of the water used in construction. Additionally, it is believed that the nearby enclosure of Gisr el-Mudir could have functioned as a dam. This dam would have contained water and sediments from the Nile, enabling the creation of the flotation system employed in the pyramid's construction.+
The authors of the study affirmed that their work set a precedent for new research. Such research could determine the true role of hydraulic energy in the construction of the Egyptian pyramids. They suggested that a hydraulic lifting system was used, allowing the Egyptians to elevate the stones by taking advantage of the natural rise of water levels.
A independent Italian research team led by Filippo Biondi and Corrado Malanga claimed they Used satellite-based radar technology called Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) in combination with Doppler tomography, they investigated what lies beneath the pyramids. At a seminar in Bologna in March this year, they presented their conclusions about discoveries under Khafre's Pyramid. According to the researchers, radar images show eight enormous cylindrical structures, arranged in two rows of four, going almost 650 meters straight down into the bedrock. Around each of the cylinders runs some form of spiral path.
"We believe that the structures under Giza are interconnected, which strengthens our perception that the pyramids are just the tip of the iceberg, a colossal complex of underground infrastructure," said Biondi in an interview with the British Daily Mail. The team claims there are five chambers similar to those above the King's Chamber in Khufu's Pyramid. They also suggest that the radar images reveal cubical structures with a side length of 80 meters at the ends of the cylinders.
However, the results from the scanning of Khafre's Pyramid and other parts of the Giza Plateau were not yet reviewed by other scientists. Some skeptics believe the structures could be natural cavities, albeit strangely shaped, as such formations are common in the limestone bedrock of the Giza Plateau. Zahi Hawass, a leading figure in modern Egyptology and former Minister of Antiquities of Egypt, dismissed the SAR scanning as nonsense, referring to the limitations of radar technology in detecting objects so deep underground. Hawass believes that the unexplored void found above the Grand Gallery in the Great Pyramid of Khufu may be the pharaoh's actual burial chamber.
The official version remains that the pyramids were built around 4,500 years ago as burial sites for the pharaohs Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chefren), and Menkaure (Mykerinos). Yet, no mummy or other human remains were ever found in any of the pyramids. The inner chambers of the Great Pyramid are constructed with granite blocks weighing up to 70 tons, tightly joined together. Granite is a hard rock that copper or bronze tools cannot work effectively, and these blocks were transported to Giza from a quarry in Aswan, 800 kilometers to the south.
Most researchers previously assumed that the Egyptians used ramps to move the heavy stones to their intended places. The most common theory is that gigantic ramps were built, where tens of thousands of workers used sledges, logs, and levers to gradually place the stone blocks, according to Münchner Merkur. However, the problem with this theory is that Egyptologists never found remains of the building material that would have been necessary for the ramps.
Contrary to popular belief, the pyramids were not built by tormented slaves but by a perfectly organized staff of specialists and workers. Fact is that up to 20,000 people were occupied with the construction for ten to twenty years. About 5,000 were well-trained skilled workers who lived with their families in the adjacent pyramid city. Another 5,000 were unskilled workers who were employed only for a few months. The remaining 5,000 worked in the quarries, and 5,000 were responsible for the supply.
Imhotep, the architect, built the Step Pyramid for Pharaoh Djoser around 2680 BCE, which is the oldest pyramid of all those that make up the Egyptian legacy. The ancient Egyptians created monumental structures: the pyramids, which are among the architectural and cultural wonders of the world. Within a few generations, the Egyptians of the Old Kingdom perfected their architecture and erected these monumental structures.
The preparation of this article relied on a news-analysis system.