Chapter 1
The physics of moving mountains
Chapter 2
The great ramp debate
Chapter 3
Aligning with the stars
Chapter 4
The water-powered elevator at Saqqara
Chapter 5
Pyramids around the world
Ch 1 · The physics of moving mountains
007skaty Pyramid Transport Barges
The wooden barges float the limestone down the Nile, To case the Great Pyramid in a shining style.
007skaty This simple expansion method replaced non-existent iron tools during the Old Kingdom.
BETA
007skaty Pound limestone blocks with ancient tools to figure out how the great pyramids were engineered.
Fun Fact
Wet sand physics: Adding just a tiny splash of water makes dry sand twice as stiff, making heavy wooden sledges slide with half the effort.
Quiz
Why did ancient builders time the river transport of heavy pyramid stones with the Nile's annual summer inundation?
Quiz
How heavy were some of the largest spherical dolerite pounding stones used by ancient Egyptian quarry workers?
Quiz
Which ancient Egyptian tomb contains a famous 1880 BCE wall painting showing a worker pouring water in front of a sledge?
Quiz
From which southern Egyptian quarry town did the builders of the Giza pyramids source their heavy granite blocks?
Quiz
From which ancient quarry site did the high-quality white limestone casing stones of the Great Pyramid of Giza originate?
Quiz
How did ancient Egyptian quarry workers split massive, hard granite blocks without iron tools?
Quiz
What type of extremely hard volcanic rock did ancient Egyptian workers use as spherical pounding tools to shape granite?