Egypt pyramids: Scientists may have solved mystery behind construction

Flying Squid@lemmy.worldmod to World News@lemmy.world – 172 points –
Egypt pyramids: Scientists may have solved mystery behind construction
bbc.com

Believe it or not, no aliens were likely involved! Just some very smart humans and a massive amount of labor.

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Again, there are hundreds of articles about the adjacent work camps. Please look at the publications of Zahi Hawass, chief archeologist of Egypt, and Amihai Mazar, a professor of archeology in Jerusalem.

Most claim that there could have been up to ten thousand workers. Some claim that the number of workers was as low as 1600.

I'm not sure why you think 1600 workers mean they couldn't just drag large stones over land on sledges using a significant number of those 1600 workers. I'm not even sure why you think ten thousand workers would have been necessary. Can you explain please?

I never suggested that they couldn't.

Personally, I don't think that the "brute force" argument is the best. I think it's arguing from ignorance.

I mean, it's probably both. They would have used a bunch of guys, and maybe oxen, because that was their source of mechanical energy for nearly everything. To make is easier, they would add the cleverest engineering you can do with no formal science and bronze age materials.

How is it arguing from ignorance when, yet again, they showed us that they did just that.

Are you saying the carving is a lie? Why would it be?

They also depict gods with the heads of jackals and birds, beings from other planets, their conception of the afterlife, pornography, and obviously exaggerated claims about the power and influence of the Pharoahs.

I'm saying that we should be skeptical. dubitante omnibus, as Descartes would say...

But why would the carving be a lie? What would the benefit be about lying about a lot of people dragging huge pieces of stone on a sledge when a lot of people dragging huge pieces of stone on a sledge would work?

I don't know, my friend. I'm not an archeologist or Egyptologist. I'm just an enthusiast who has read a dozen conflicting theories.

Which of those theories say that large numbers of people did not move large blocks of stone in Egypt and which scientists make those claims?

In other words, no such theories exist.

Believe it or not, it is not my job to prove that you say true things.

It seems like you're out for blood, my friend.

I've cited three academic scientists in this conversation. You're welcome to check them out if you want.

None of your cited scientists make the claim that Egyptians did not move large blocks of stone by pulling them. That was your claim.

Wow, you really got bodied in this debate. This dude came with actual info and you kinda went full debate bro on him.

I'm sure I'll see you picking up some wins in another thread.

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You're caught up in the argument and not paying attention to what the other person is saying.

Think of it this way, that carving might be totally accurate snd still not represent the whole story. It doesn't even really show that many people, I've worked jobs where for a few days there are hundreds of people it's very impressive and the photos always end up somewhere. This could just be intended to capture one key stage or big event, if it could be combining lots of things into one image to show 'there was a huge workforce' it's not a lie or deception but it's also not the whole story.

Brute force was part of how they did it but it certainly wasn't all of it, and most people who've never pulled a big rope don't really think about how hard it is - plus we take it for granted now but having rope that a hundred men can pull on is a feat of engineering in itself.

We know they used boats to transport them most the way, we know they used complex pullies and levers to get them into position, we know they used work teams and various other methods but none of those really solve all the questions which is why it's such an interesting subject to think about.

And yes I know people get silly and talk about aliens or magic acoustic whistles or whatever but that's not what the person you were talking to was doing, things like wet sand and forgotten infrastructure are realistic and logical ideas.

The person I was talking to said that they probably came up with a type of simple machine which has never been rediscovered since.

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