For millennia, the construction methods behind the ancient pyramids have puzzled historians and enthusiasts alike. These monumental structures have attracted countless visitors, yet their construction techniques remained a topic of speculation and theories, some even involving alien intervention.
Recent insights into the Step Pyramid of Djoser, located in Saqqara, Egypt, may finally shed light on this ancient enigma. This pyramid, believed to be the oldest of the seven, dates back nearly 5,000 years.
Scientists propose that the answer lies in hydraulic engineering, a surprisingly modern concept. They suggest that a hydraulic-powered mechanism was used to maneuver the enormous stone blocks into position, stacking them to create the pyramid’s iconic shape.
By exploring the interior of the Step Pyramid, experts have observed features consistent with construction through a hydraulic elevation mechanism. This system would have utilized water pressure to facilitate the movement of the blocks.
Further examination of nearby watershed maps, including those of the Saqqara structures, revealed evidence that suggests the existence of a dam. Beyond this dam, there may have been a temporary lake, akin to a moat with flowing water.
The paper’s authors revealed, “The ancient architects likely raised the stones from the pyramid center in a volcano fashion using the sediment-free water from the Dry Moat’s south section.”
Additionally, researchers found a ‘monumental linear rock-cut structure consisting of successive, deep compartments’ in the moat’s south section, which functioned as a water treatment facility: a settling basin, a retention basin, and a purification system.
This discovery supports the notion that the moat functioned as a ‘unified hydraulic system that improves water quality and regulates flow for practical purposes and human needs.’
The authors concluded: “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 mystery of pyramid construction may finally be unraveling.