For decades, Egypt's pyramids have fascinated academics, adventurers, and conspiracy theorists alike. Many have speculated that these ancient structures were built by extraterrestrials, overlooking the ingenuity of humans even 5,000 years ago.
Now, a new study reveals that Egypt's oldest pyramid may have been constructed using technology far more advanced than previously thought- specifically, involving water.
The research, recently published in the online journal PLOS ONE, explores the techniques used to build the famous Step Pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara. Covering an area of 13,189 square meters and standing 62.5 meters high, the 4,500-year-old pyramid is one of the most remarkable structures of its time.
While experts previously believed the pyramid was constructed using interconnected ramps and levers to move heavy materials, the new study suggests that the builders may have utilized a hydraulic lift system.
Xavier Landreau of France's CEA Paleotechnic Institute proposed that the ancient Egyptians might have harnessed nearby canals to power lifts for moving heavy stones. Based on new analysis, the study suggests that water was directed into the pyramid through two shafts, which helped raise and lower a float carrying large stone blocks.
The researchers wrote: "Ancient Egyptians are renowned for their pioneering hydraulic engineering, using canals for irrigation and barges to transport massive stones. This research opens up a new area of exploration: the use of hydraulic power in constructing the Pharaohs' massive structures."
The Step Pyramid, built around 2680 BC as a funerary complex for Pharaoh Djoser of the Third Dynasty, remains an enigma, and determining exactly how it was built is challenging.
One nearby structure, the Gisr el-Mudir enclosure, which has long puzzled experts, may provide further insight. Landreau and his team argue that it functioned as a "check dam" to capture water and sediment. The researchers also suggest that the pyramid may have featured a water treatment facility, with a series of compartments allowing sediment to settle as water flowed through, eventually pressurizing the shafts within the pyramid. This process, known as "volcano" construction, could have lifted building blocks using the rising water.
Despite these groundbreaking findings, the team acknowledges that further investigation is needed. They plan to simulate how this hydraulic system might have worked and whether the region's environment at the time could have supported such a method.
The paper also notes that traditional techniques, like ramp systems, were likely used alongside the hydraulic lift. Landreau and his colleagues conclude: "This study opens a new line of research for the scientific community: the use of hydraulic power in building Egypt's pyramids."
