What building method was used for the Egyptian pyramids?
Wikilatief--When viewed from the building, of course everyone will think about the process of making the Pyramids of Giza.
The pyramid construction also uses natural stones which are very large and reach 140 meters high.
As the researchers argue, the construction of the Giza pyramids used about 23 million boulders, with an estimated weight of between 2.5 and 70 tonnes each.
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The total of the Pyramids of Giza is around 6.5 million tons.
How did the ancients build pyramids with such large and heavy stones?
This has caused some controversy. Some argue, only giants are able to lift stones weighing 2.5-70 tons.
Others say, the pyramids were built by aliens, as mentioned by Erich von Daniken.
However, in his book Chariots of the Gods, Erich von Daniken states that the pyramids were built by aliens with advanced technology.
Daniken put forward his theory based on the high technology pyramid structure for that era.
In fact, Daniken's hypothesis was later translated by several film directors by showing a film called Stargate and Transformer 2.
There are others who argue that the construction of the Pyramids of Giza was carried out by Pharaoh's slaves.
They are employed without pay. The reason why slaves worked as workers to build this pyramid was because Pharaoh was known as the most cruel king in the world.
Even Herodotus, a historian of ancient Greece, supports this analysis.
Herodotus' statement was what the public finally believed.
Then, the pyramid is still mysterious, how is the process of making it?
The Great Pyramid Complex of Giza |
Imagine that 4000 years ago the Egyptians were able to build the pyramids of Giza.
This pyramid is estimated to consist of 2 million stone blocks.
And completed within 30–40 years. They don't know wheels and steel.
Then how do they move the stones? Lift it up? And cut it?
What building method was used for the Egyptian pyramids?
They used these:
Sledge
Pyramid workers pulling limestone blocks with a drag cart (credit: Look and Learn / Peter Jackson Collection) |
Dragging or moving a 2 ton limestone block is not easy.
Moreover, the distance is so far, because the stones are carried from the boat to the pyramid construction site.
The Egyptians tricked this by placing wooden blocks as roads and spraying water on the sand to make the surface smoother.
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According to researchers from the University of Amsterdam, this method succeeded in reducing friction with sand by 2 times.
Ramps
In fact, it is still a mystery how the ancient Egyptians lifted the tons of stones up to hundreds of meters (the height of the Khufu pyramid in the Great Pyramid complex of Giza 146 meters).
However, the theory most approved by scholars is that the Egyptians made their way around the pyramids.
Sloping road around the pyramid (credit: discover magazine) |
Copper and Dolorite stone utensils
In fact, the stones used to make this pyramid are of various types.
For the exterior and tomb space using granite, the pyramid building uses limestone, and is covered with white tura limestone as the casing.
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In order to form limestone into blocks, it is believed that the Egyptians cut them with copper saws, and trimmed them with copper chisels.
Harder granite is formed with dolorite stone, imagine that every hour can only file 0.5 mm.
It takes dedication to make each block. Fortunately, the granite in the pyramid structure is only thousands compared to the millions of limestone that make up the pyramid.
Granite for exterior and burial space (credit: messagetoeagle) |
Limestone to compose the pyramids and tura limestone as a cover (credit: occultsphysic) |
And if the stones are imported from the quarry, they are very far away.
The granite in Giza was imported from Aswan, which is 912 km from the location of the pyramid.
Limestone itself has its mines near the Giza site.
The orange color is mining limestone (credit: cheops. Pyramide) |
Advanced technology is not the ancient Egyptian nation? And the construction technique of this pyramid has not been fully revealed, it still leaves many mysteries.
The Great Pyramid of Giza in the days of the new kingdom of Cleopatra's reign, still looks white and the top is coated with electrons (a mixture of silver and gold) (credit: ubisoft) |