The construction of the pyramids of ancient Egypt has been a topic of debate among Egyptologists for years. Despite centuries of scrutiny, the exact methods used to construct these marvels of engineering remain shrouded in mystery. Now, a new theory suggests that ancient Egyptians may have used a hydraulic lift system to build the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest pyramid in Egypt.
In a fascinating study published Monday in the journal PLOS One, researchers suggested that water played a crucial role in the construction process, potentially powering a hydraulic system that lifted massive stones into place from the very heart of the pyramid.
''Ancient Egyptians are famous for their pioneering and mastery of hydraulics through canals for irrigation purposes and barges to transport huge stones. This work opens a new line of research: the use of hydraulic force to erect the massive structures built by Pharaohs,'' the researchers wrote.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, the Step Pyramid of Djoser was constructed circa 2680BC as a majestic burial complex for the revered King Djoser, a pharaoh of the 3rd dynasty. This ancient marvel holds the distinction of being the oldest significant stone building in Egypt, as noted by Encyclopedia Britannica.
The researchers also said they found evidence of a unified water filtration and hydraulic system at the Step Pyramid that purified water from nearby canals and regulated its flow for practical uses.
Dr Xavier Landreau, of CEA Paleotechnic Institute, said, ''A series of compartments dug into the ground outside of the pyramid may have served as a water treatment facility, allowing sediment to settle as water passed through each subsequent compartment. Water may then have been able to flow into the pyramid shafts themselves, where the force of its rise could help carry the building stones.''
The team say further research is still needed to understand how water might have flowed through the shafts, as well as how much water was available on the landscape at that point in Earth's history.
Meanwhile, not all experts are convinced. Dr Judith Bunbury, a geoarchaeologist at the University of Cambridge, remains sceptical. In an interview with Ars Technica, Ms Bunbury pointed out that although ancient Egyptians did employ other hydraulic technologies, there's no concrete evidence to support the existence of a hydraulic lift system.
''While information from this period is sparse, it is not absent, and it is surprising when so many other details of daily life and technologies are recorded in the Old Kingdom tomb scenes and texts like the Red Sea Scrolls, that this type of device is omitted if it were in use,'' she told the publication.
Numerous speculative hypotheses have been proposed, including that they used ramps, levers, cranes, winches, hoists, pivots, or any combination thereof.
