A new theory has suggested that ancient Egyptians might have used a water-powered hydraulic lift system to construct the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest one in Egypt!

Although Egyptologists have been trying hard to reveal the construction process of ancient pyramids for years, the exact methods used to build those marvels of engineering remain shrouded in mystery despite centuries of scrutiny. In an article published in the PLOS One journal in August 2024, researchers mentioned that water had played an important role in the construction process, saying that the ancient Egyptians might have used a hydraulic system to lift huge stones into a place from the very heart of the Step Pyramid of Djoser. They stated: “Ancient Egyptians are famous for their pioneering and mastery of hydraulics through canals for irrigation purposes and barges to transport huge stones. This work opens a new line of research: the use of hydraulic force to erect the massive structures built by Pharaohs.”

Meanwhile, the Smithsonian Magazine has claimed that the Egyptians had constructed the Step Pyramid in 2680 BC as a majestic burial complex for the revered King Djoser, a Pharaoh of the 3rd Dynasty. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the “ancient marvel holds the distinction of being the oldest significant stone building in Egypt”.

According to researchers, they found evidence of a unified water filtration and hydraulic system at the Step Pyramid, suggesting that ancient Egyptians used to purify water from nearby canals and regulate its flow for practical uses. Dr Xavier Landreau of CEA Paleotechnic Institute stressed: “A series of compartments dug into the ground outside of the pyramid may have served as a water treatment facility, allowing sediment to settle as water passed through each subsequent compartment. Water may then have been able to flow into the pyramid shafts themselves, where the force of its rise could help carry the building stones.” He expressed hope that further research was required to understand how water might have flowed through the shafts, and how much water was available on the landscape at that point of time.

However, some experts are not convinced with the new theory. Dr Judith Bunbury, a Geoarchaeologist at the University of Cambridge, told Ars Technica that there was no concrete evidence to support the claim that ancient Egyptians did employ other hydraulic technologies, apart from a hydraulic lift system. She stated: “While information from this period is sparse, it is not absent, and it is surprising when so many other details of daily life and technologies are recorded in the Old Kingdom tomb scenes and texts, like the Red Sea Scrolls, that this type of device is omitted if it were in use.”

According to Dr Bunbury, various speculative hypotheses have already been proposed for a long time. However, there is no sufficient evidence to establish the fact that ancient Egyptians used ramps, levers, cranes, winches, hoists, pivots or any combination during the construction of pyramids.

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Facebook

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Twitter

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Linkedin

Contact: kousdas@gmail.com

Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das