No one is sure how the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids near Cairo.
No
one
is
sure
how
the
ancient
Egyptians
built
the
pyramids
near
Cairo
.
But a new study suggests they used a little rock'n'roll.
But
a
new
study
suggests
they
used
a
little
rock'n'roll
.
Long-ago builders could have attached wooden poles to the stones and rolled them across the sand, the scientists say.
Long-ago
builders
could
have
attached
wooden
poles
to
the
stones
and
rolled
them
across
the
sand
,
the
scientists
say
.
"Technically, I think what they're proposing is possible," physicist Daniel Bonn said.
``
Technically
,
I
think
what
they
're
proposing
is
possible
,
''
physicist
Daniel
Bonn
said
.
People have long puzzled over how the Egyptians moved such huge rocks.
People
have
long
puzzled
over
how
the
Egyptians
moved
such
huge
rocks
.
And there's no obvious answer.
And
there
's
no
obvious
answer
.
On average, each of the two million big stones weighed about as much as a large pickup truck.
On
average
,
each
of
the
two
million
big
stones
weighed
about
as
much
as
a
large
pickup
truck
.
The Egyptians somehow moved the stone blocks to the pyramid site from about one kilometer away.
The
Egyptians
somehow
moved
the
stone
blocks
to
the
pyramid
site
from
about
one
kilometer
away
.
The most popular view is that Egyptian workers slid the blocks along smooth paths.
The
most
popular
view
is
that
Egyptian
workers
slid
the
blocks
along
smooth
paths
.
Many scientists suspect wokers first would have put the blocks on sleds.
Many
scientists
suspect
wokers
first
would
have
put
the
blocks
on
sleds
.
Then they would have dragged them along paths.
Then
they
would
have
dragged
them
along
paths
.
To make the work easier, workers may have lubricated the paths either with wet clay or with the fat from cattle.
To
make
the
work
easier
,
workers
may
have
lubricated
the
paths
either
with
wet
clay
or
with
the
fat
from
cattle
.
Bonn has now tested this idea by building small sleds and dragging heavy objects over sand.
Bonn
has
now
tested
this
idea
by
building
small
sleds
and
dragging
heavy
objects
over
sand
.
Evidence from the sand supports this idea.
Evidence
from
the
sand
supports
this
idea
.
Researchers found small amounts of fat, as well as a large amount of stone and the remains of paths.
Researchers
found
small
amounts
of
fat
,
as
well
as
a
large
amount
of
stone
and
the
remains
of
paths
.
However, physicist Joseph West think there might have been a simpler way, who led the new study.
However
,
physicist
Joseph
West
think
there
might
have
been
a
simpler
way
,
who
led
the
new
study
.
West said, "I was inspired while watching a television program showing how sleds might have helped with pyramid construction.
West
said
,
``
I
was
inspired
while
watching
a
television
program
showing
how
sleds
might
have
helped
with
pyramid
construction
.
I thought, "Why don't they just try rolling the things? "
I
thought
,
``
Why
do
n't
they
just
try
rolling
the
things
?
``
A square could be turned into a rough sort of wheel by attaching wooden poles to its sides, he realized.
A
square
could
be
turned
into
a
rough
sort
of
wheel
by
attaching
wooden
poles
to
its
sides
,
he
realized
.
That, he notes, should make a block of stone "a lot easier to roll than a square".
That
,
he
notes
,
should
make
a
block
of
stone
``
a
lot
easier
to
roll
than
a
square
''
.
So he tried it.
So
he
tried
it
.
He and his students tied some poles to each of four sides of a 30-kilogram stone block.
He
and
his
students
tied
some
poles
to
each
of
four
sides
of
a
30-kilogram
stone
block
.
That action turned the block into somewhat a wheel.
That
action
turned
the
block
into
somewhat
a
wheel
.
Then they placed the block on the ground.
Then
they
placed
the
block
on
the
ground
.
They wrapped one end of a rope around the block and pulled.
They
wrapped
one
end
of
a
rope
around
the
block
and
pulled
.
The researchers found they could easily roll the block along different kinds of paths.
The
researchers
found
they
could
easily
roll
the
block
along
different
kinds
of
paths
.
They calculated that rolling the block required about as much force as moving it along a slippery path.
They
calculated
that
rolling
the
block
required
about
as
much
force
as
moving
it
along
a
slippery
path
.
West hasn't tested his idea on larger blocks, but he thinks rolling has clear advantages over sliding.
West
has
n't
tested
his
idea
on
larger
blocks
,
but
he
thinks
rolling
has
clear
advantages
over
sliding
.
At least, workers wouldn't have needed to carry cattle fat or water to smooth the paths.
At
least
,
workers
would
n't
have
needed
to
carry
cattle
fat
or
water
to
smooth
the
paths
.
No one is sure how the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids near Cairo. But a new study suggests they used a little rock'n'roll. Long-ago builders could have attached wooden poles to the stones and rolled them across the sand, the scientists say.  "Technically, I think what they're proposing is possible," physicist Daniel Bonn said.  People have long puzzled over how the Egyptians moved such huge rocks. And there's no obvious answer. On average, each of the two million big stones weighed about as much as a large pickup truck. The Egyptians somehow moved the stone blocks to the pyramid site from about one kilometer away.  The most popular view is that Egyptian workers slid the blocks along smooth paths. Many scientists suspect wokers first would have put the blocks on sleds. Then they would have dragged them along paths. To make the work easier, workers may have lubricated the paths either with wet clay or with the fat from cattle. Bonn has now tested this idea by building small sleds and dragging heavy objects over sand.  Evidence from the sand supports this idea. Researchers found small amounts of fat, as well as a large amount of stone and the remains of paths.  However, physicist Joseph West think there might have been a simpler way, who led the new study. West said, "I was inspired while watching a television program showing how sleds might have helped with pyramid construction. I thought, "Why don't they just try rolling the things? " A square could be turned into a rough sort of wheel by attaching wooden poles to its sides, he realized. That, he notes, should make a block of stone "a lot easier to roll than a square".  So he tried it.  He and his students tied some poles to each of four sides of a 30-kilogram stone block. That action turned the block into somewhat a wheel. Then they placed the block on the ground.  They wrapped one end of a rope around the block and pulled. The researchers found they could easily roll the block along different kinds of paths. They calculated that rolling the block required about as much force as moving it along a slippery path.  West hasn't tested his idea on larger blocks, but he thinks rolling has clear advantages over sliding. At least, workers wouldn't have needed to carry cattle fat or water to smooth the paths.