We look at the pyramids of Egypt and the enormous stone blocks that make up the core masonry, and even though there are some great explanations for how it was done, such as the work of architect Jean-Pierre Houdin, who has studied every detail of the Great Pyramid for the past 22 years, many of us still can’t fathom how such blocks of stone were even moved.
The great Greek historian Herodotus explained that the pyramids were built in steps, raising stones to their places by means of machines formed of short wooden planks. One machine raised them from the ground to the top of the first step, then another machine took them from step one to step two and so on. This founds like some kind of counter weight contraption.
Whether you believe the words of Herodotus, or the explanations by Jean-Pierre Houdin or something in between, ancient technology like counterweight mechanisms and pulleys were surely eImployed in large ancient Egyptian building projects. I think everyone can agree that some kind of technology was used, instead of the old fashioned view of dozens of men pulling a stone behind them with good old fashioned brute force.
Well, not many people know about a discovery by the brilliant and progressive Egyptologist, Selim Hassan in the 1930s, and well documented in his 1960 publication ‘The Great Pyramid of Khufu and its Mortuary Chapel.”
From 1932 to 1933, Hassan was clearing the Pyramid City of Queen Khentkawas, the ruined structures to the east of the badly eroded pyramid-like structure.
In one unbaked-brick house he found an artefact made of basalt rock. It had a very distinct shape, with a hole running through it and three grooves on one edge.
This object looks to be a true piece of ancient lost technology from the 4th dynasty of Egypt. It looks like it could well be some sort of proto-pulley. Watch the video to learn more.
00:00 - Introduction
00:50 - How were the pyramids built?
02:06 - Ancient technology
03:12 - Discovering ancient technology
04:41 - Evidence of ancient contraptions
05:30 - The 'Proto-Pulley'
07:02 - How were the pulleys used?
09:51 - Ramp contraptions of the Old Kingdom
10:58 - Conclusion