How were the pyramids of egypt really built - Part 2

See below details of the book, and where to pre-order your copy.

Also available at W H Smith and all good book shops.

About the book:

When construction project manager Chris Massey set off on a surprise trip to Egypt it seemed he was in for a relaxing time - a cruise down the Nile, a hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings, sunbathing by the Red Sea and guided tours of the most spectacular ancient structures in the world...

But wherever he looked, he saw problems with the perceived wisdom on how the pyramids, temples and tombs of the pharaohs were built:

If limestone blocks were dragged up a mud brick ramp to be placed at the top of the Great Pyramid, where is the evidence of this huge ramp? How could materials such as wooden rollers and mud bricks take the strain put on them by tons of stone? Thousands of men are supposed to have dragged the building blocks across the desert in the searing heat - how did the ancient project managers keep morale up amongst the dusty and tired workforce?

Surely there must have been an easier way? Massey looked around him and saw the greatest resource available to the Egyptians - the waters of the mighty Nile.

This engaging account is the result of Massey's pool-side ponderings, in which he gives a detailed alternative theory of how the ancient Egyptians could have used water to their advantage to make pyramid building much easier.

[stevenmorgan]

Quite honestly, the entire system used to float the massive blocks from the quarry, all the way to the pyramids, which includes your system of elevating them with a channel and locks. . .would be more difficult to build than the pyramid itself.

[aarinisles]

I have to say getting his son involved with “out of the box” thinking is a good thing. And his son seems to really enjoy being a part of the experiments. Nice.

[CaryGlennDavis]

I love how he uses an air tight plastic tub and a glass cylinder to simulate the path these stones would travel even though a stone shaft would be leaking like a sieve under thousand of tons of pressure at each joint. Splain that one Lucy!

[kheopsz]

I wonder:
1. how the ancient Egypt built a long, watertight tube, with enough support under it
2. how big was the float for a 5-10-20+ tonne stone?

[titangnosis]

Even if this is not how it was done, I think it is brilliant.

[whobutroo]

Also, this makes so much sense with the "vents" leading from the Queen's and King's chambers: It is to prevent air from becoming trapped in the water, which could occur during opening and closing of the "dam" doors. Absolutely amazing!

[shannonfrazier]

This is what I've always believed. As a stone mason, I can tell you that this is how I would approach the problem
I've always believed the " mysterious" internal cavities were channels for water. The simplest solution is the best almost every time.

[Bart-Did-it]

The tunnel with gates etc would be a larger feat than the largest pyramid itself clever but impossible no matter how much music you play over this demonstration . I’m glad we use this technology today as it so clever and easy .

[sinkingship]

Wow. So much hostility. Regardless of whether it is practical or not, great to see some new ideas on the pyramids construction!

[lamebubblesflysohigh]

That tube would have to be giant... what material would they use to build such tube? Giant tube = giant pressure... once again, what would they build that tube from? How would they regulate that pressure? How would they get enough water on top of the pyramid? How would they fit the upper water tank, huge upper end of the giant tube, people and stone blocks on the upper parts of the pyramid which are getting fairly narrow with each layer?

[jovannebontuyan]

Nice idea and great experiment sir ! Ancient Egyptians were great engineers of their own time .

[davidwootton]

If we all plug away at looking for solutions as to how it was done. Then we will find out how they did it! Brilliant idea, thanks for sharing this with us. The next thing is to scale this up to the size of a block used in construction.

[jasoreed]

Although reading some where on another channel which i have forgotten, i remember a quote that a researcher mentioned ''certainly a lot of water was needed to build the pyramids'

[kevtherev]

Although I doubt it, Congratulations for innovation, creativity. Especially because its simple.

[lawrenceogden]

brilliant video heard about this idea a while ago, also the nile was a lot closer to the pyramids 2000 years ago

[kiyoku_exe]

mind blowing for something so simple it's amazing

[ZiggyDan]

Water displacement is the key. You build inside out from the centre using water pressure from the lower shafts and chambers to pump water and stones to the upper levels. I think the pyramid at Abu Roash still as the beginnings of a dock and shaft being constucted first!

[dvideos]

I would love to play around this and optimise this.

[debbiramsey]

It's interesting . I watched the other, I'd think the tilting up run would have to build from rock. The down wn pressure sealing the fillable upright would weigh incredible amounts. It potentially as high as the pyramid. All trying to force down the bottom of the tilt. If you opened it tons of water would force down . Really creative but I'd love to see a working model of a rock filled barrel. Still. It's creative and I like the thought.

[timurkhasanov]

I am interested in the valves, how they were built in your experiment. Please elaborate more