Featured Image Credit: Saqqara Step Pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser (Getty Images)
Topics: Ancient Egypt, Archaeology, Technology, History, Science
Kegan Marquez
Topics: Ancient Egypt, Archaeology, Technology, History, Science
Over recent years there has been numerous archaeological findings which are changing the way we understand how the ancient Egyptians built their pyramids. However, none of them are as impressive as the latest findings from a recent study into the pyramids.
A recent report reveals that advanced construction techniques were used as far back as 4,700 years ago, including a hydraulic lift system and a stepped construction method described as being built 'in volcano fashion'.
The research suggests that the Pyramid of Djoser might have been constructed using a hydraulic lift mechanism, which would have lifted the blocks up through the centre of the structure, much like lava rising in a volcano.
The key finding involves a unique shaft structure located beneath the pyramid. This shaft was likely used to move heavy stone blocks up using water pressure, making shifting the giant blocks much easier than previously thought.
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Most of what we knew previously about pyramid construction focused on theories involving large teams of workers dragging stones over ramps.
While this method likely still played a part, the new findings suggest the ancient Egyptians were also applying advanced engineering which previously hadn't been thought possible in that era.
Although, many scientists over the years have claimed that ancient societies may have possessed more technological skill than previously assumed.
The study was led by Dr. Xavier Landreau from the CEA Paleotechnic Institute, and included a team of hydrologists.
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Their findings pointed to a water management system that would have been considerably sophisticated for the time.
Dr. Landreau and his team utilised satellite radar imagery, which helped them to identify Gisr el-Mudir, a stone enclosure, as having all the 'technical characteristics of a check dam', something that would have been used to control flash floods and capture sediment.
In his findings, Dr. Landreau explained: “The monumental linear rock-cut structure in the southern section of the moat combines the technical requirements of a water treatment facility: a settling basin, a retention basin, and a purification system. This setup likely directed sediment-free water to feed the hydraulic lift system within the pyramid.”
In case you're wondering, how did they use hydraulics in the desert? The answer is simple.
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As pointed out in Dr. Landreau's paper, the Third Dynasty period coincided with the latter part of the Green Sahara period, a period of time where northern Africa had much more rain, vegetation, and of course, water.
He even went on to say: “Before the Fourth Dynasty, there were more problems with floods than with a lack of water.”
While the research currently only offers theories on how the pyramids were built, it does offer us a much more likely scenario, showing how an ancient civilization could have used ingenuity to do what had previously seemed impossible.