A new study suggests that the ancient Egyptians may have used a hydraulic mechanism to lift stone blocks during the construction of the pyramids. This discovery could completely change our understanding of ancient Egyptian technology and show that the civilization possessed complex engineering thousands of years earlier than previously thought.
Scientists have proposed a new theory for the construction of the Egyptian pyramids, according to which water played a key role in lifting the massive stone blocks. The research, published in a forthcoming issue of National Geographic, suggests that the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara, built approximately 4,500 years ago, may have been designed as a complex hydraulic system.
The authors believe that the pyramid’s internal structure aligns with the principle of a hydraulic lifting mechanism, previously unknown in the architecture of that era. Water pressure created inside the pyramid could have “volcanically” lifted the stone blocks from the bottom up.
If this theory is confirmed, it would prove that the Egyptians possessed deep knowledge of hydro-engineering long before the advent of modern engineering systems.
The scientists also link the discovery to the mysterious nearby structure, Gisr el-Mudir. Its shape and structure resemble a dam that could have retained rainwater, creating a temporary lake connected to the “Dry Moat” around the Djoser complex. This system could have supplied water to the construction sites and utilized its pressure for lifting blocks.
“Ancient architects likely raised the stones from the center of the pyramid using water supplied from the southern part of the Dry Moat,” the article states.
Furthermore, researchers discovered underground trenches and reservoirs resembling modern water treatment facilities with settling and filtration basins. In their view, the entire Gisr el-Mudir complex and the southern part of the Dry Moat could have functioned as a single hydraulic system, ensuring control of the water flow and its quality.
Experts emphasize that the ancient Egyptians already actively used water for irrigation and transporting stones along the Nile, but this new discovery is the first to propose the use of hydraulic force for the construction process itself.
This opens up a new avenue of research that may forever change the understanding of how Egypt’s majestic pyramids were erected.
