Archaeology & History

4,500-year-old ramp system discovered in Egypt

By T.K. Randall
November 1, 2018

Image: Pyramids of Giza
Credit: KennyOMG / CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted) The question of how the ancient Egyptians managed to move the huge stone blocks used in the construction of the pyramids has long remained one of archaeology's most enduring mysteries.

Now though, the discovery of a ramp system dating back to the time of the Great Pyramid may have finally helped to shed some light on the methods used by Egypt's ancient builders.

Unearthed in Hatnub - a quarry in Egypt's Eastern Desert - the ramp mechanism appears to have been used to transport heavy alabaster slabs up a steep incline.

It consists of a ramp with two staircases on either side and multiple holes where posts once stood."Using a sled which carried a stone block and was attached with ropes to these wooden posts, ancient Egyptians were able to pull up the alabaster blocks out of the quarry on very steep slopes of 20 percent or more," said joint mission co-director Yannis Gourdon.

"This kind of system has never been discovered anywhere else."

"As this system dates back at least to Khufu's reign, that means that during the time of Khufu, ancient Egyptians knew how to move huge blocks of stone using very steep slopes."

"Therefore, they could have used it for the construction [of] his pyramid."

Ancient Egypt stunner: Possible ramp used to build Great Pyramid found https://t.co/VOTIrjpNW4 pic.twitter.com/R0vBDzbAhk

— Shannon Lochwood (@shannonlochwood) November 1, 2018

Source: Live Science

Tags: Pyramid, Egypt, Ramp