Posted on 07/14/2009 4:59:29 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
All of the current theories -- a long, straight ramp, a ramp that corkscrewed around the outside of the pyramid, or cranelike shadoufs (used in Egypt until recently for irrigating fields) -- have serious flaws... architect Jean-Pierre Houdin and I presented a radical new theory: that blocks of stone were raised to the very top of the pyramid on an internal ramp.
We gave what we felt was strong evidence for the theory, which explains a French team's microgravemetric survey in the 1980s that recorded variations in the density of the pyramid... an image from the survey may show a ramp still open inside the pyramid, running parallel to the outer face of the structure and turning 90 degrees at the corners, corkscrewing up to the top.
(Excerpt) Read more at archaeology.org ...
One of the things I found interesting, was the idea that previous researchers were ascribing religious significance to things they didn’t understand, instead of considering the practical. It just maybe that unlocking the pyramid mysteries takes an architect instead of an Egyptolgist...
It just always seemed odd to me that there are no records of any kind on the construction technique.
Every theory has holes ;-).
Hasn’t he died yet?
Apparently not, ‘cause you just KNOW he’s gonna get a big pharaonic burial ceremony complete with ritual that will be pay-per-view, as befits an attention whore like Zahi. But probably not complete with nose-hook brain removal.
Well, at least he’s not machine-gunning tourists.
Since there’s at least two *known* ramps *inside* the Great Pyramid — the Grand Gallery, and the descending passageway — plus the likelihood of this internal ramp, what “masons” are you talking about?
Yet.
Nah, actually you’re right, because if he were he’d insist on full media coverage.
:’D Yeah, there’s a strong inclination toward the occult in the human psyche.
The ramp may have been filled with sand (would still show up to the French team), but I doubt it. Zahi is probably considering the best timing for the opening of the ramp entrance; first the investigation will get done, entirely concealed from photographers and the like, then the documentary team already recruited for the “discovery” will be brought in to the shoot, while Zahi contributes one of his delightful non-sequitur patter performances. :’)
Well, it was an illiterate civilization with a smallish literate managerial class; any drawings made on papyrus or other non-durable medium would likely not survive (I believe all surviving Old Kingdom texts are painted on or carved in stone), and secrecy about the exact layout would be important. Khufu’s own mother was interred in a tomb on the plateau, not far from his pyramid, and an account of the of the robbery of her tomb (this happened while Khufu was on the throne, and the stolen mummy was never recovered) happened to make it through, I think inscribed on the wall of another tomb.
The Khafre pyramid, which appears to be nearly the same height as Khufu’s, was built on a slight rise in the terrain, but has just over half the mass of Khufu’s. Luis Alvarez made his famous experiment in that pyramid, searching for unknown chambers. It would be interesting to have a similar microgravimetric study down in Khafre, to see if it, too, appears to have an internal ramp. If it did, opening that one first would make an even more dramatic show, and would support the idea that the method was handed down. Sneferu’s three or four large pyramids (all are some miles south of Giza) and the remains of Djedjefre’s pyramid (Khufu’s son and successor, died young; site is Abu Roash) might be worth looking at, to see how old the idea is.
If Zahi makes it to old age, he’ll be lucky. I’m not a big fan of him (obviously), but the difficulty of the job he has — in Egypt, a Muzzie country — makes me glad it’s him and not me. ;’)
:’)
This is the topic I was *really* intending in message 16. [blush]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1331709/posts?page=83#83
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/707978/posts?page=37#37
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/991553/posts?page=21#21
Those ramps are obviously not there for the purposes of construction, but rather served some as yet undefined purpose.
I suspect that this third "ramp", should it exist, probably served some esoteric purpose as well.
The master masons I'm speaking of refer to Imhotep and his predesessors/successors who masterminded the magnificent construction.
I simply have a difficult time believeing that men who could build on such a massive scale to such exactitude would have resorted to the blunt and stupid use of labor necessitated by dragging those massive stones up steep ramps. Speaking as someone who has worked w/ master masons; its moronic.
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