Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Ancient Egypt's Pyramids: Norwegian Researcher Unlocks Construction Secrets
Science Daily ^ | 24 Sep 2010 | Science Daily

Posted on 09/25/2010 1:07:46 AM PDT by Palter

Scientists from around the world have tried to understand how the Egyptians erected their giant pyramids. Now, an architect and researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) says he has the answer to this ancient, unsolved puzzle.

Researchers have been so preoccupied by the weight of the stones that they tend to overlook two major problems: How did the Egyptians know exactly where to put the enormously heavy building blocks? And how was the master architect able to communicate detailed, highly precise plans to a workforce of 10,000 illiterate men?

A 7-million-ton structure

These were among the questions that confronted Ole J. Bryn, an architect and associate professor in NTNU's Faculty of Architecture and Fine Art when he began examining Khufu's Great Pyramid in Giza. Khufu's pyramid, better known as the Pyramid of Cheops, consists of 2.3 million limestone blocks weighing roughly 7 million tons. At 146.6 meters high, it held the record as the tallest structure ever built for nearly 4000 years.

What Bryn discovered was quite simple. He believes that the Egyptians invented the modern building grid, by separating the structure's measuring system from the physical building itself, thus introducing tolerance, as it is called in today's engineering and architectural professions.

The apex point a key

Bryn has studied the plans from the thirty oldest Egyptian pyramids, and discovered a precision system that made it possible for the Egyptians to reach the pyramid's last and highest point, the apex point, with an impressive degree of accuracy. By exploring and making a plan of the pyramid it is possible to prepare modern project documentation of not just one, but all pyramids from any given period.

(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...


TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: bobbrier; egypt; ggg; giza; godsgravesglyphs; greatpyramid; internalramp; jeanpierrehoudin; norway; olejbryn; pyramid; pyramids
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-63 next last
To: allmost
I'm not familiar with diurite. What's the chemistry there?

I think the poster meant diorite.

21 posted on 09/25/2010 3:38:59 AM PDT by snowsislander (In this election year, please ask your candidates if they support repeal of the 1968 GCA.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: wendy1946

http://www.materials.drexel.edu/Pyramids/


22 posted on 09/25/2010 3:47:16 AM PDT by EVO X
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: snowsislander

Thank you for the clarification. Extra hard granite with sporadic impurities. I can’t imagine hand grinding a vase out of that. In my pampered modern existence it seems almost sadistic.


23 posted on 09/25/2010 3:49:32 AM PDT by allmost
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: skr; allmost

I don’t believe they were slaves — it took 20 years to build the grand pyramid of Khufu and this suggests that it was more during the Niles flooding season when farmers had free time, when they were involved in this national building. The population of ancient Egypt c. 2200 BC wouldn’t have had enough to sustain a large population of slaves. Also, these weren’t Hebrew or Semitic — they would come later during the time of the Hyksos


24 posted on 09/25/2010 3:53:40 AM PDT by Cronos (This Church is holy, the one Church, the true Church, the Catholic Church-St.Augustine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Palter; wendy1946; allmost
or, there's an alternate theory :)

Dinosaurs helped build the pyramids, school director says

25 posted on 09/25/2010 3:58:04 AM PDT by Cronos (This Church is holy, the one Church, the true Church, the Catholic Church-St.Augustine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cronos
Egypt was a society filled with slaves. I've heard the attempts at rewriting history, paid for by the Egyptian government, by Hawass. To say they weren't utilized sounds a bit ludicrous.
26 posted on 09/25/2010 3:59:18 AM PDT by allmost
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Cronos

Barney’s got a cool hat. :)


27 posted on 09/25/2010 4:00:44 AM PDT by allmost
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: allmost
One method not mentioned here is copper saw blades, they were used to cut flint that was then pressure flaked to produce some of the most beautiful blades known. Limestone wouldn't be much of a problem. These flint blades came from Egypt. Photobucket Photobucket
28 posted on 09/25/2010 4:04:39 AM PDT by Dusty Road
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: allmost

I believe he is saying each individual block was poured.regards!!


29 posted on 09/25/2010 4:22:28 AM PDT by ontap
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: wendy1946
i'd love to see a strength test... poured anything with that much weight on top of it and not crumbling
30 posted on 09/25/2010 5:43:43 AM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: allmost

No doubt Egypt had a lot of slaves. That they were used exclusively on the pyramids seems unlikely. As others have pointed out, there are long periods in the Egyptian year when the farmers (the vast majority of the people) were sitting around with nothing to do.

Why not apply a labor tax to them and get some good out of this otherwise wasted (from Pharoah’s perspective) time? Meanwhile his slaves, a capital investment, probably had other regular duties.


31 posted on 09/25/2010 5:46:31 AM PDT by Sherman Logan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Palter; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1010RD; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ..

· GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach ·
· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic · subscribe ·

 
 Antiquity Journal
 & archive
 Archaeologica
 Archaeology
 Archaeology Channel
 BAR
 Bronze Age Forum
 Discover
 Dogpile
 Eurekalert
 Google
 LiveScience
 Mirabilis.ca
 Nat Geographic
 PhysOrg
 Science Daily
 Science News
 Texas AM
 Yahoo
 Excerpt, or Link only?
 


Thanks Palter. He hasn't really shown anything, other than a need for modern cranes in ancient Egypt. :')

great pyramid site:freerepublic.com
Google
To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
 

· History topic · history keyword · archaeology keyword · paleontology keyword ·
· Science topic · science keyword · Books/Literature topic · pages keyword ·


32 posted on 09/25/2010 6:02:49 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Democratic Underground... matters are worse, as their latest fund drive has come up short...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sherman Logan

Maybe they imported Illegals. ;0)


33 posted on 09/25/2010 6:42:50 AM PDT by seemoAR
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Dusty Road; Palter; allmost; Cronos

What method was used to construct the pyramids in Mexico? Are the construction techniques similar or identical?


34 posted on 09/25/2010 7:13:10 AM PDT by NYer ("God dwells in our midst, in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar." St. Maximilian Kolbe)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Palter
The REAL secret of the pyramids...


35 posted on 09/25/2010 7:23:31 AM PDT by Fresh Wind (King: "I have a dream"...Sharpton: "I want a check")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dusty Road

Saw some of those blades in the Louvre. They are fantastic.


36 posted on 09/25/2010 9:37:56 AM PDT by bigheadfred (We built a tower of stone. With our flesh and bone. Just to see him fly .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: wendy1946

Your link goes to a google search page which does not show one reputable scholarly source, only links to people talking on forums and something from “Associated Content,” which publishes pretty much anything anybody wants to write, with or without substantiation. I see nothing verifiable there. Do you have some more credible source?


37 posted on 09/25/2010 9:52:18 AM PDT by ottbmare (off-the-track Thoroughbred mare)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv; EVO X; Palter; nuconvert

This is against the thinking of our “friend”:

Zahi Hawass, head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt, minced no words in assailing the concrete idea. “It’s highly stupid,” he said via a spokesman. “The pyramids are made from solid blocks of quarried limestone. To suggest otherwise is idiotic and insulting.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/world/africa/23iht-pyramid.1.12259608.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2


38 posted on 09/25/2010 9:59:42 AM PDT by AdmSmith (GCTGATATGTCTATGATTACTCAT)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: ottbmare

Try the link at #22 http://www.materials.drexel.edu/Pyramids/


39 posted on 09/25/2010 10:01:40 AM PDT by AdmSmith (GCTGATATGTCTATGATTACTCAT)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: AdmSmith

Thanks! Looks interesting.


40 posted on 09/25/2010 10:03:51 AM PDT by ottbmare (off-the-track Thoroughbred mare)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-63 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson