The Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest of Egypt's iconic pyramids, may have been built with the help of a unique hydraulic lift system, according to researchers.
The Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest of Egypt's iconic pyramids, may have been built with the help of a unique hydraulic lift system, according to researchers. A new study suggests that water may have been able to flow into two shafts located inside the pyramid itself, where that water could have been used to help raise and lower a float used to carry the building stones.
The Pyramid of Djoser, also known as the Step Pyramid, is believed to have been built around 2680 BCE as a funerary complex for the Third Dynasty pharaoh Djoser. Yet the exact method of its construction remains unclear. In this new interdisciplinary analysis, researchers suggest that the nearby Gisr el-Mudir enclosure -- a previously unexplained structure -- may have functioned as a"check dam" to capture water and sediment.
The authors add:"A collaborative effort between the newly established research institute, Paleotechnic, and several national laboratories has led to the discovery of a dam, a water treatment facility, and a hydraulic elevator, which would have enabled the construction of the Step Pyramid of Saqqara. This work opens a new research line for the scientific community: the use of hydraulic power to build the pyramids of Egypt.
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Hydraulic lift technology may have helped build Egypt's iconic Pyramid of DjoserThe Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest of Egypt's iconic pyramids, may have been built with the help of a unique hydraulic lift system, according to a study published August 5, 2024, in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Xavier Landreau from CEA Paleotechnic Institute, France, and colleagues.
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Ancient Engineering: Water Technology May Have Helped Build Egypt’s Step Pyramid of DjoserScience, Space and Technology News 2024
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Egypt’s oldest pyramid may have been built using a hydraulic liftAndrew Paul is Popular Science's staff writer covering tech news. Previously, he was a regular contributor to The A.V. Club and Input, and has had recent work featured by Rolling Stone, Fangoria, GQ, Slate, NBC, as well as McSweeney's Internet Tendency. He lives outside Indianapolis.
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