Revolution surrounding the pyramids of Egypt: one hypothesis about how they were built could change everything
A new study suggests that the Step Pyramid of Djoser may have been built using a system way ahead of its time.
People are naturally curious - always pondering life’s great mysteries. Among those age-old questions, one that often comes up is: How were the Egyptian pyramids built? Some believe there’s more to the story than meets the eye, speculating about ancient cranes or lost technologies. Others simply accept the pyramids as timeless monuments that have always stood.
But a new scientific study may shed light on this enduring enigma. Researchers now suggest that the construction of Egypt’s pyramids wasn’t solely a feat of brute strength and stonework. Instead, an ingenious hydraulic system - predating modern engineering by millennia - might have played a crucial role.
Until now, most theories have centered on ramps, pulleys, and seemingly endless human labor. But this fresh hypothesis could rewrite the narrative.
How would the hydraulic system have worked?
A team from the French research institute Paleochnic has published a study proposing that the Step Pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara may have been built using water power. Lead researcher Xabier Landreau points to specific features in the pyramid’s stone blocks that suggest the use of hydraulic pressure mechanisms.
According to the study, water was channeled into internal shafts, generating enough pressure to lift massive stone blocks from the pyramid’s core to higher levels.
To test the feasibility of this idea, scientists analyzed the terrain around the pyramid - and the findings are compelling. Just west of the structure lies a massive stone enclosure known as Gisr el-Mudir. This area may have functioned as a dam, capturing water and sediment from a Nile tributary.
The proposed system would have included sedimentation tanks, retention basins, and primitive filtration devices. Together with the dam, these components likely formed an interconnected hydraulic network - regulating water flow, purifying it, and harnessing it for practical construction purposes.
The researchers theorize that workers pumped water into a vertical shaft, creating enough force to raise a float connected to a platform. Stone blocks placed on the platform would then be lifted upward as the water level rose. Once the water was released, the platform would settle, allowing the block to be positioned precisely. It’s a clever alternative to massive ramps and backbreaking labor.
Skeptics cast doubt on new theory
If proven, this could mean the ancient Egyptians had a sophisticated understanding of hydraulic engineering - far ahead of their time.
Still, the theory faces skepticism. Geoarchaeologist Judith Bunbury points out that while there’s extensive written and visual documentation of life in ancient Egypt, none of it references such a device.
Moreover, from a scientific standpoint, the hypothesis lacks concrete evidence. Julia Budka of Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich notes a major flaw: the absence of Egyptologists among the study’s authors. She also questions the researchers’ claim that the Step Pyramid wasn’t originally intended as a royal tomb.
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