For decades, the construction of Egypt's Great Pyramid has puzzled scientists and archaeologists. Now, a new study proposes a bold theory that the pyramid may have been built using a pulley and counterweight system, allowing the massive structure to rise quickly.
Dr. Simon Andreas Scheuring of Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature, explained that their proposal was based on an analysis of the pyramid's architecture and stonework. He stated that this construction method is physically plausible and could explain how the pyramids were built so quickly.
The Great Pyramid contains 2.3 million limestone bricks. The smallest bricks weigh about two tons, while the largest weigh more than 60 tons. According to the researchers, the construction of the pyramid took approximately twenty years, with approximately one brick being laid every minute.
Previous studies suggested that the pyramids were built using construction ramps and a bottom-up layer-by-layer method. However, the researchers argue that such a simple technique would not have allowed workers to lift and place the heaviest bricks to the top so quickly.
Scheuring and his team propose that the builders may have used pulley-like systems, powered by sliding counterweights on internal ramps. This system would have provided the strength and precision needed to lift large stones to the upper levels of the pyramid.
If this theory is correct, the pyramid would have been built from the inside out, meaning construction began at the core and progressed gradually upwards via a pulley system.
The team based this idea on elements found inside the pyramid, such as the Grand Gallery and Ascending Passages, which they interpreted as sloping internal pathways for counterweight ramps. They also observed smooth surfaces and wear on the walls of the Grand Gallery, which indicate the movement of sledges rather than foot traffic.
In addition, the researchers also presented a new perspective on the antechamber. This small granite room was previously believed to house a security grate, to deter tomb robbers.
from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/uaP8dzk
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