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A study suggests that the first of the seven key pyramids in Egypt, the Pas Pas de Djoser pyramid was built using a hydraulic facelift.
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Dated approximately 4,500 years ago, this would increase the introduction of main hydraulic systems from previous beliefs.
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The landscape, rivers and interior architecture of the pyramid all point to the hydraulic system.
Hydraulic mechanics may have been the engine of building ancient Egyptian pyramids.
In a preliminary paperScientists have concluded that the pyramid stage of Djoser in Saqqara, Egypt – was the oldest of the seven monumental pyramids and potentially built about 4,500 years ago – a remarkable plan for hydraulic engineering.
The hydraulic mechanism could have maneuver the blocks of oversized stone forming the pyramid, from the ground. The research team says that the internal architecture of the pyramid is consistent with a hydraulic elevation mechanism, which has never been reported before at this place or at that time.
By lifting the stones from the inside of the pyramid in what the authors call a “volcano mode”, the water pressure in the hydraulic system could have put the blocks in place. If it is proven, this research shows that the Egyptians had a powerful understanding of the advanced hydraulic systems long before modern researchers believed it. This raises the question: was it the first major use of the system, or had it been at stake before?
Regardless of the answer, withdrawing it at the footsteps of the pyramid would not have been an easy task.
The team believes that on the basis of the mapping of the nearby watersheds, one of the massive and still unexplained structures – SAQQARA, known as the Gisr El -Mudir enclosure, has the characteristics of a control dam with the intention of trapping sediments and water. Scientists say that the topography beyond the dam suggests a possible temporary lake west of the Djoser complex, with a water flow that surrounds it in a design similar to moats.
As the tributary of the Nile nouring the region, a dam could have created a temporary lake, potentially linking the river to a “dry ditch” around the Djoser site, helping to move materials and serve hydraulic needs.
“The ancient architects have probably raised the stones of the pyramidal center in a volcanic way using the water without sediment of the southern section of the dry ditch,” write the authors.
In a section of the ditch, the team found that a linear monumental structure of rocks composed of successive compartments and deep trenches combines the technical requirement of a water treatment installation – and a design still often observed in modern water treatment factories – including a decantation basin, a retention basin and a purification system.
“Together, the Gisr el-Mudir and the interior section of the dry ditch work as a unified hydraulic system which improves water quality and regulates flow for practical purposes and human needs,” write the authors. The team believes that the water available in the region was sufficient to meet the needs of the project.
“The ancient Egyptians are famous for their pioneer and their mastery of hydraulics through canals for irrigation and barges to transport huge stones. This work opens a new research line: the use of hydraulic force to erect massive structures built by pharaohs. ”
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