Model machine shows how Egyptians built the Pyramids as told by Herodotus

The construction techniques of the ancient Egyptians are now a little less mysterious. Through a simulation with a model machine built by the Politecnico di Torino, the first of its kind in the world, experts in construction techniques have shown that is possible with the use of rope wound around a drum and twisting of the cables to haul huge blocks of granite, heavy up to ten tons, up through a long tunnel. Not only that, just the strength of one man is enough to carry any huge block along the tunnel. For the construction of the pyramid of Khufu, heavy blocks up to 45 tons could be maneuvered with the strength of just three or four men.

The machine that Herodotus mentions truly existed, according to this experiment, and was rebuilt in scale and used for the first time in a simulation in the department of structural and geotechnical engineering, in collaboration with Iveco, which has funded part of the experiment.

Ten meters long, the modern model of the machine is capable of moving up to five tons. This version was submitted to the Scientific Committee of the Foundation of the Egyptian Museum and experts in recent days, during the national conference of “Egyptology and Papyrology”.

Translated from La Repubblica Torino

Related posts:

1. Modern bridge building like an Egyptian
2. Book Review: The Secret of the Great Pyramid
3. Two of Egypt's pyramids were conceived as a single project
4. Mind blowing Egyptian pyramid building theory
5. New Evidence on Egypt's Pyramids Construction

Tags: engineering, Khufu, Model machine shows how Egyptians built the Pyramids as told by Herodotus, Pyramid, pyramid building, pyramid building machine, pyramid construction

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 9th, 2009 at 10:43 am and is filed under Egyptology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.