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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 4:00 pm
by Forum Monk
Digit wrote:Does anybody see alternatives to my arguments?
I don't know how they were built other than levers, ramps and manpower (or maybe, literally, horsepower - they had horses didn't they?) but I had speculated to some before, that perhaps priesthood directed the projects to serve some religious mandate and so it may well have spanned several generations.
Nevertheless, I think the prevailing opinion is, they took about 20 years.
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 4:05 pm
by Minimalist
In one of the last specials I saw on the subject, an obviously aging Mark Lehner conceded that "no one knows" how they were built.
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 4:06 pm
by Digit
Then using just logic Monk we have to suggest a method that enabled the construction to be completed within that time scale, and according to what the experts tell me, the Egyptians did not have the technology to achieve such a feat within that time scale, so we have an impasse. Something must give. What is it I ask?
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 4:08 pm
by Digit
Good God Min, someone who admits to NOT knowing? What ever next?
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 4:10 pm
by Minimalist
I know. It was very refreshing.
I'm sure Hawass revoked his key to the Egyptology Club mens room for that!
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 4:21 pm
by Forum Monk
My previous statement of horses was in correct since it is agreed they were not introduced until the 16th dynasty (based on bones found).
However, oxen have been domesticated by the Mesopotamians since the 6th millenium. A couple of teams could do the work of many men. Maybe its part of the answer. Still, Digit, even if you figure out a way to do it, it doesn't mean its the method they may have used.
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 4:30 pm
by Digit
Absolutely Monk. I've seen all sorts of imaginative suggestions for their construction, but all of them fail if you accept all of the other criteria. ie, the number of the blocks, the size of the blocks, the number of people available to do the building, the number people to support the builders, the technology available, and the time scale. One or more of the generally agreed points must be wrong.
Any civil engineer COULD do the job, but not if he had to meet those criteria.
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 4:33 pm
by marduk
well Roy to answer this question perhaps you should state what your beliefs are as to
the number of the blocks, the size of the blocks, the number of people available to do the building, the number people to support the builders, the technology available, and the time scale
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 4:36 pm
by Digit
I've no idea Steve, that's why I asked. I simply point out that the figures quoted by others don't compute.
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 4:53 pm
by marduk
well the reason for that is rather obvious don't you think ?
can you come up with the figures quoted by others and get back to me on this
i think you'll be surprised
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 4:57 pm
by Forum Monk
Well one question I have, how do we know the pyramids are solid masses of block excluding the passages and small chambers. It could be possible to construct the facade around large voids.
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 5:00 pm
by marduk
we know they arent
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 5:04 pm
by Digit
Try the earlier link that was posted or do as I asked and give me your answers. I appear to be one of the few people in Christendom who doesn't know how the pyramids were built, where King Arthur is buried or what happened to the Holy Grail.
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 5:11 pm
by marduk
who doesn't know how the pyramids were built, where King Arthur is buried or what happened to the Holy Grail.
1. ask herodotus
2. hes at southend on sea, essex
3. it was melted down for scrap by Hitler
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 5:26 pm
by Forum Monk
Early historians attempted to explain the means in which the ancient Egyptians lifted materials used in the pyramids. Herodotus, the ancient Greek historian, relates to us that:
"At first, it (the pyramid) was built with steps, like a staircase....The stones intended for use in constructing the pyramids were lifted by means of a short wooden scaffold. In this way they were raised from the earth to the first step of the staircase; there they were laid on another scaffold, by means of which they were raised to the second step. Lifting devices were provided for each step, in case these devices were not light enough to be easily moved upward from step to step once the stone had been removed from them. I have been told that both methods were used, and so I mention them both here. The finishing-off was begun at the top, and continued downward to the lowest level."
However, in his Bibliotheca, the ancient scholar, Diodorus Siculus, provides another view of how the ancient Egyptians lifted construction material:
"It is said that the stone was brought over a great distance, from Arabia, and that the construction was undertaken with the help of ramps, since at that time cranes had not yet been invented."
From:
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories ... dlifts.htm