How The Pyramids Were Built
One of history’s most ancient puzzles is the construction of the pyramids, over and over again throughout the course of history, many nations, scholars, and scientists asked the question “How The Pyramids was Built“. 4,500 years ago Giza Pyramids were constructed to immortalize the legacy of the ancient Egyptian civilization for many generations to come, it was also able to offer insight into the life aspects of the ancient Egyptians from religious to agricultural practices through the magical wall illustrations of the pyramids.
A Workforce of the Pyramids/How The Pyramids Were Built
The techniques used in constructing the Egyptian pyramids have baffled historians and scientists for countless years. The pyramids are the subject of many controversial hypotheses, the general theory is based on the belief that the huge stones were carved from the quarries using copper chisels, and then these blocks dragged and lifted into position but the method concerning the movement and placement of these stones under a great dispute.
The form of the workforce was under a huge debate as it was believed that the pyramids were constructed using slave labor but after research published in 1990, it turned out that the pyramids were built by “tens of thousands of free skilled workers” who lived and buried near the great pyramid and worked for a salary, a wage of ten loaves of bread or a jug of beer per day or a form of tax payment until the construction completed. They used hammers, chisels, and levers capable of handling the stones. The workforce was highly organized and managed to the highest level.
Location of the Pyramids/How The Pyramids Were Built
Giza Pyramids
The most important element in constructing a pyramid choosing the right location. The pyramids were constructed on the west side of the Nile River where the sunset which believed where the dead enter the underworld, the location also needed to be on higher ground to avoid the danger of flooding at the time of the Nile’s inundation. The location must be in close proximity to the Nile River and on a firm rock base capable of supporting the massive weight of any Pyramids with cracking or showing signs of structural weakness and more importantly must be in close reach of the current capital.
The Base of the Pyramids/How The Pyramids Were Built
The Pyramids were constructed using locally quarried limestone which is the main material of choice for all the pyramids. A higher quality of limestone quarried near modern Cairo is used for the outer casing. Granite was used in the construction of architectural elements of the roofs and the burial chamber and also in the outer casing like the King Menkaure Pyramid,
which was quarried near Aswan. The workers began their work by preparing a strong foundation by removing the loose sand from the rock base which made it completely flat.
The flat base was accomplished by building low mud walls all around the base and cutting the channels in a grid pattern over the surface, then afterward the channels would be filled with water, and the level at which the water reached was marked. After the water was drained, all the sticking-out rocks would be removed and any void would be filled with stones in order to make the surface level perfectly flat.
The Architecture of the Pyramids/How The Pyramids Were Built
The ancient Egyptians were highly advanced in the field of astronomy as Each side of the pyramid was designed to face one of the cardinal points. The ancient Egyptian builders observed the rising and setting of the northern star on the horizon, which explains why they began by establishing the true north first then the rest of the other directions. They were able to make all four sides exactly the same length and in the right perfect corners. They bisected the angle, thus obtaining north and south lines, they also used their instruments to draw right angles and find the east and the west angels.
Blocks Placement of the Pyramids/How The Pyramids Were Built
One of the biggest mysteries surrounding the construction of the pyramid is the process by which the massive limestone blocks weighing 2.2 tons moved across the desert. A wall painting on a tomb dating to 1900 BC depicts 170 men dragging a huge state using ropes attached to a sled and in front of it, men pouring water over the sand in order to reduce friction and make it easier to operate the sled. The ancient Egyptians understood that adding water to the sand increased its stiffness to drag the sleds more easily across the surface.
They calculated the amount of water necessary to reduce friction, depending on the type of sand, and the optimal amount of waterfalls between 2% and 5% of the complete value of the sand. This discovery highly important as it not only explains how the blocks moved but also helps the researchers in understanding the behavior of other granular materials like coal or even asphalt or concrete.
Construction Method of the Pyramids/How The Pyramids Were Built
One of the most acknowledged theories on what method used to raise the blocks among Egyptologists is ramps. The Greek historian shows in his writings the usage of levers used to raise the blocks from one level to the next. As the pyramids grew in size so did the ramps to the point where the ramp had to be as huge as the pyramid.
Internal ramps also used as the grand gallery believed to have acted as a trolley guide for counterbalance weights. They’re also a theory that states that a form of limestone concrete cast in wooden molds then it would transform from a wet to a hard substance after undergoing a chemical reaction. The method of the pyramids is completely shrouded with mystery and many theories are still open for discussion.
