[Jeff Chandler]

The ancient Egyptians where masters of the creation of "artificial" stone. It was a part of their religion. Clay and earthen things where "mortal", and stone was "eternal" (hardly a concept strange to Christians "earthen vessels").

They created artificial stone vessels which where even reported to recieve fresh water upon immersion into the depths of the sea (reverse osmosis).

Modern concrete is not even up to the standards of ancient
Rome's concrete, let alone ancient Egytp's.

Read the books. Fascinating.

[Jeff Chandler]

Spelling failing... must rest...sleep....

[FixitGuy]

I'm a post behind. Sounds like an interesting read. Agree, congrete is fascinating. Mine's cracked, porch, basement, garage and it's only 12 years old.

Where's an Egyptian when ya need 'em.

[tortoise]

Modern concrete is not even up to the standards of ancient Rome's concrete, let alone ancient Egytp's.

Errmm... How much do you know about modern concrete? Modern concrete can be vastly superior to anything the ancients concocted, even by accident. We know more about that class of materials than any man should waste a lifetime on. The composition of Roman and Egyptian concrete is not a mystery and easily characterized. If I am not mistaken, archaeologists analyze and characterize concrete to determine its source (mostly by tracking the impurities and aggregate characteristics).

Concrete is un-special engineering, both the bog standard types and the exotic types. And the ancient concretes were not even exotic. The ancients were remarkably adept with basic concrete though considering their lack of significant materials science. Quite good for the times, but nothing special in modern times.