New discoveries by researchers explain how the ancient Egyptians transported millions of giant stone blocks to the site of the pyramids in an area that is now a desert.
Tourists ride camels and horse-drawn carriages past the pyramids in Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt
According to Business Insider on September 2, scientists may have solved the mystery of how the ancient Egyptians transported millions of 2-ton stone blocks across the desert to build the pyramids.
Specifically, researchers discovered traces of a branch of the Nile River that disappeared thousands of years ago. When it was still active, this branch of the river flowed to an area right next to the Giza pyramid complex (built about 4,500 years ago).
The discovery was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States (PNAS) earlier this week.
Currently, the Nile River is located about 6km east of the pyramids in the complex. How could the ancient builders transport the giant stone blocks to the pyramid construction site? This question has long puzzled scientists and archaeologists.
Scientists still believe that the Egyptians used waterways to transport stones. In 2013, a papyrus was discovered that described the location of an ancient port near the Red Sea. This port is where the pyramid stones were loaded onto boats. This is evidence that the Egyptians knew how to transport stones along rivers.
Other excavations have also shown that a port was built next to the pyramids and that the ancient builders created complex waterways connecting to this port.
An Egyptian walks next to the pyramids in Giza, Egypt in April 2021 – PH๏τo: XINHUA
Therefore, to determine whether the Nile followed another route leading to the port at the time the pyramids were built, scientists dug many exploratory holes around the pyramids in the desert. In these holes, they looked for traces of pollen from plants such as papyrus and cattail, which thrive in water environments.
The latest research shows that during the reign of the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure (about 4,500 years ago), the Nile had a steady branch flowing towards the aforementioned pyramids. But over time, this branch dried up.
Pollen traces from drought-resistant plants show that by the time the pharaoh Tutankhamun came to power (around 1350 BC), this branch of the river had dried up for several centuries.
The New York Times quoted geographer Hader Sheesh, the author of the study, as saying: “The pyramids could not have been built here without this branch of the Nile.”
With their enormous size, perfect geometry and elaborate decoration, the pyramids at Giza (on the outskirts of the Egyptian capital Cairo) served as a testament to the power of the pharaohs during Egypt’s golden age.
The Giza pyramid complex includes three large pyramids and the Sphinx. These pyramids were built as tombs for the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure between 2560 BC and 2540 BC.
The Great Pyramid of Giza (also known as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops) was the first pyramid to be built and is the largest of the three. According to National Geographic, an estimated 2.3 million blocks of limestone and granite were used to build the pyramid. Each block weighs between 2.5 and 15 tons.
According to Business Insider, even if we had the cranes, helicopters, tractors, and trucks at our disposal today, it would still be very difficult to build the Great Pyramid of Giza. The construction of this structure is so incredible that some people believe that aliens or mystical elements were involved.
