Solution to the mystery of transporting stone blocks to build Egyptian pyramids
May 17, 2024
Cairo [Egypt], May 17: The Guardian reported that in research published on May 16, archaeologists discovered a 64 km long river flowing through the Giza pyramid complex and many other wonders. The river has been buried under the desert for millennia.
Evidence that this river existed explains that 31 pyramids were built in a series along today's harsh desert strip. The pyramids were built 3,700 - 4,700 years ago.
The strip of land near the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis includes the Great Pyramid of Giza , one of the seven ancient wonders that still stands today, along with the pyramids of Khafre, Cheops and Mykerinos. Archaeologists have long thought that ancient Egyptians must have used waterways to transport huge blocks of stone.
"However, no one knows for sure about the location, shape, size or distance between the river and the place where the pyramid was built," said Ms. Eman Ghoneim, from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (USA), who led the research team. help, tell.
Scientists used radar satellite images capable of penetrating sand surfaces to map the tributary. According to research published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment , field surveys and sediment cores from the area confirmed the presence of the river. The research team believes that this branch of the Nile River may have been buried due to a major drought about 4,200 years ago.
Exactly how the ancient Egyptians were able to build such huge and durable pyramids remains one of the biggest mysteries. Ms. Suzanne Onstine, from the University of Memphis (USA), co-author of the study, said that the pyramid-building materials, taken from the south, would be easier to transport by water than by road.
The newly discovered river also explains why the pyramids were built in many different places. "The flow and water flow of the river changed over time, so kings in the 4th dynasty may have had to make different decisions than kings in the 12th dynasty," Ms. Onstine said.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
