Posted on 05/03/2014 6:46:48 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
The ancient Egyptians who built the pyramids may have been able to move massive stone blocks across the desert by wetting the sand in front of a contraption built to pull the heavy objects, according to a new study.
Physicists at the University of Amsterdam investigated the forces needed to pull weighty objects on a giant sled over desert sand, and discovered that dampening the sand in front of the primitive device reduces friction on the sled, making it easier to operate. The findings help answer one of the most enduring historical mysteries: how the Egyptians were able to accomplish the seemingly impossible task of constructing the famous pyramids.
To make their discovery, the researchers picked up on clues from the ancient Egyptians themselves. A wall painting discovered in the ancient tomb of Djehutihotep, which dates back to about 1900 B.C., depicts 172 men hauling an immense statue using ropes attached to a sledge. In the drawing, a person can be seen standing on the front of the sledge, pouring water over the sand, said study lead author Daniel Bonn, a physics professor at the University of Amsterdam...
But, there is a delicate balance, the researchers found... The amount of water necessary depends on the type of sand, he added, but typically the optimal amount falls between 2 percent and 5 percent of the volume of sand.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
my bad it was sharks in the sahara...
https://www.google.com/#q=prehistoric+sharks+bones+and+the+sahara+desert
The VERY, VERY, very south of Egypt might, at one time, have bordered on the more northern African forests. They were all "rain forests" because that kind of forest could not have existed without almost daily heavy rainfall.
But that is a far cry from an Egyptian "rainforest."
Egypt might have extended its rule farther south than we know of as well. However, by the time there was the culture WE KNOW OF in Egypt, it was desert. We also know this information from the other ancient civilizations at the time...ones the Egyptians warred against.
It IS an interesting topic. Rain forests and whale bones, what could be more interesting for a Sunday night?
I don't know about rainforests in Egypt, but there is a theory that the Sphinx predated the ancient Egyptians by several thousand years when the climate was much wetter there than it is today. This theory was based on the fact that wind erosion is very different from water erosion and water erosion patterns can clearly be seen on the limestone of the Sphinx and in the Sphinx Enclosure, but not on other Egyptian works on the Giza plateau. The last time there was significant rainfall in Egypt was over 9,000 years ago - thousands of years before the Old Kingdom when the Sphinx was supposedly carved.
Lexxtex -- the Hidden Secret of the Great Pyramid's Construction Uncovered
The Great Pyramid Mystery Solved - National Geographic
Khufu Reborn - Dassault Systemes
Note: this topic is from . Just a ping message update.
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.