Architect claims to solve pyramid secret

Yahoo News ^ | March 30, 2007 | LAURENCE JOAN-GRANGE

[Man50D]

PARIS - A French architect claimed Friday to have uncovered the mystery about how Egypt's Great Pyramid of Khufu was built — with use of a spiral ramp to hoist huge stone blocks into place.

The construction of the Great Pyramid 4,500 years ago by Khufu, a ruler also known as Cheops, has long befuddled scientists as to how its 3 million stone blocks weighing 2.5 tons each were lifted into place.

Ending eight years of study on the subject, architect Jean-Pierre Houdin released his findings and a computerized 3-D mockup showing how workers would have erected the pyramid at Giza outside Cairo.

The most widespread theory had been that an outer ramp had been used by the Egyptians, who left few traces to help archeologists and other scientists decode the secret to the construction.

Houdin said he had taken into account the copper and stone tools available at the time, the granite and limestone blocks, the location of the pyramid and the strength and knowledge of the workers.

According to his theory — shown in a computer model available at http://www.3ds.com/khufu — the builders put up an outer ramp for the first 140 feet, then constructed an inner ramp in a corkscrew shape to complete the 450-foot structure.

Houdin also postulated that King's Chamber was hoisted into place through a system of counterweights.

Houdin said he plans to verify his theories through non-invasive tests on site.

[ClaudiusI]

Famous Egyptologist Daniel Jackson, however, is not convinced.

[Gorzaloon]

These theories pop up with monotonous regularity.

"All brontosauruses are very small at one end, become much larger in the middle, and narrow down to become very small again at the other".

(Miss Anne Elk.)

[tranzorZ]

Whos the ex football player who thinks they were built by aliens and has been trying to make a doc? Heard about him on C2C

[SIDENET]

Architect claims to solve pyramid secret

"They get smaller at the top!"

[Ken522]

OJ Simpson?

[Diggity]

Everyone knows Aliens from Planet X did it.

John

[Fractal Trader]

ggg ping

[period end of story]

Dinosaurs did it; probably.

[Pharmboy]

AP - Fri Mar 30, 10:18 AM ET In this 3D computer image released by
French company Dassault Systemes on Friday, March 30, 2007, a
section view of the theory of French architect Jean-Pierre
Houdin of an internal ramp built and counterweights used for the
construction of the Great Pyramid is seen. During a 3D screening
followed by a press conference at the Paris Geode cinema on Friday,
Houdin exposed his revolutionary theory of the construction of the
Great Pyramid of Khufu, arguing it was built from the inside. Houdin
presented the hypothesis of an internal ramp and the use of
a counterweight system. Houdin used 3D technology to have his
theory confirmed. (AP Photo/Dassault Systemes/HO)

[ronnie raygun]

Listen we have a more pressing issue, windmills in fat head Ted's back yard, Oh the humanity!

[Ramius]

I think they used cranes.

Really.

I think if we could go back in time and see them doing it, we'd all slap our heads and say "well duh!"

[Cruising Speed]

Houdin also postulated that King's Chamber was hoisted into place...

The chamber is empty space--I assume he is refering to the large support blocks over the chamber.

[David_G_Burnet]

Ending eight years of study on the subject

Eight friggin years?

Wonder how many bags of weed that translates to.

Don't get me wrong, it's an interesting piece of work, and I'm jealous he got to play with all the cool 3D computers (on the cuff if I'm not mistaken), but I don't see it taking eight years (and he was working with a team).

It would have been fun to watch their 3D show, but I didn't want to risk installing their proprietary viewing software on my freshly built machine. I figured if it took them eight years to do a computer model, their software's gotta be messed up.

[Nachoman]

The secret - a bunch of Jews and a lot of rope.

[Lancey Howard]

...has long befuddled scientists as to how its 3 million stone blocks weighing 2.5 tons each were lifted into place.

How do they know the stone blocks weren't hollowed out first and are (relatively) light weight?

[SunkenCiv]

Houdin said he plans to verify his theories through non-invasive tests on site.

Can't wait until he hits the brick wall better known as Zahi Hawass. ;')

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Fractal Trader.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
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[SunkenCiv]

Houdin's website:

http://khufu.3ds.com/introduction/

[Blind Eye Jones]

Spock got fed with the prime imperative and used the tractor beam. He said to Kirk, "Jim you will go on to play Booker T, a cop show where you hang on the hood of a car, whereas with me, there will be nothing... so I'm building this pyramid as a monument to me." Jim said, "Spock you know there will be a lot of people trying to figure out that pyramid and who will be smoking a lot of pot trying to rap their mind around it." Spock: "Same can be said about your cop TV show, Jim, and your singing..."