Have been a source of amazement and puzzlement for centuries.
impressive use of water.
Now, a new study has found evidence that at least one of the great structures was constructed using gear that was far more advanced than initially believed.
On 5 August, it’s suggested that the famous 4,500-year-old Step Pyramid of Djoser was built with the aid of a special hydraulic lift system.
In the past, experts thought the Step Pyramid was probably built using a network of ramps and pulleys.
However, the latest analysis, led by Xavier Landreau of France’s CEA Paleotechnic Institute, indicates that the Ancient Egyptians used nearby canals to power weight-bearing pulleys.
The study suggests that water was able to flow into two shafts, located within the pyramid itself, which were used to assist in raising and lowering a float used to transport the massive stone building blocks.
“Old Egyptians are well-known for their pioneering and expertise in using hydraulics through canals for irrigating crops and barges to shift massive rocks.”
“This work marks the start of a new area of research: the application of hydraulic power to construct the massive structures built by the Pharaohs.”
The Step Pyramid is thought to have been built around 2680 BCE as a burial site for Pharaoh Djoser of the Third Dynasty. However, the exact way it was constructed has always been a mystery.
Landreau and his colleagues reckon a nearby previously-unexplained structure, known as the Gisr el-Mudir enclosure, was actually a “check dam” used to catch water and sediment.
They also reckon that a series of trenches dug into the ground just outside the pyramid could’ve been used as a water treatment plant. This would’ve allowed sediment to settle out as the water flowed through each subsequent trench.
From there, after flowing into the pyramid’s shafts themselves, the pressurised water would have floated the building stones up to the higher levels of the structure via an internal shaftway, in a process known as “volcano” construction.
Nonetheless, the authors are fairly confident that “the internal architecture of the Step Pyramid aligns with a hydraulic lift mechanism previously unrecorded,” but they acknowledge that further probes are warranted.
They now aim to figure out how water moved through the shafts, as well as how much water was around the area thousands of years ago.
Despite this, it’s likely that other structures, including ramps, were also used to help build the pyramid, but a hydraulic lift system could’ve been used to assist the building process when there was sufficient water.
They stress that their research, done in conjunction with “several national laboratories”, has led to “the discovery of a dam, a water supply facility, and a hydraulic lift, which would’ve allowed the construction of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara.”
They conclude: “This study marks the beginning of a new area of research for the scientific community: investigating the potential use of hydraulic power in the construction of the pyramids of Egypt.”
Sign up
For our free weekly newsletter
How to join
The ‘s free WhatsApp channel
is a lively, fervent and forward-thinking online publication that covers the latest trending and viral content, celebrity news, science and technology, and more. It brings readers the latest guides for Gen-Z, trending TikTok content, explanations from popular influencers, and breaking news on important topics. From the latest social media trends to in-depth reporting using maps and charts to tell complex stories in an engaging way, check it out on . Follow at the top of the article.
