The Great Pyramid of Giza is, without reason of a doubt, one of the most incredible feats of engineering in ancient times. Given its massive size, complexity, and aura of mystery surrounding it, it has evoked numerous theories concerning its construction. Was it really built by the ancient Egyptians? Was it just an ordinary tomb? Does it have secret chambers? Many questions remain unknown. The greatest mystery, perhaps, is why the builders of the Great Pyramid never decided to leave behind written evidence. The ancient Egyptians were great scholars and scribes. Much of their history was written on papyri. Additionally, much of their history was also written in stone.
Diary of Merer
But the greatest feat of engineering, the manual of the construction of the pyramids, is nowhere to be found. Is this not strange to you? An incredibly advanced civilization, as the Ancient Egyptians decided not to document the construction of a superstructure unparalleled in the world. Many people say that a series of papyri discovered years ago and dubbed the Diary of Merer tell the story of how it was built. However, this is not the case. These papyri were written more than 4,500 years ago by a man called Merrer. This individual is thought to have been an inspector. Moreover, their importance resides in the fact that they are the only known papyri to this date with text. Since they date to the 27th year of the reign of pharaoh Khufu during the 4th dynasty, many believe they are connected to the pyramid construction.
Why people think they mention how the pyramids were built resides in misinterpretation of them. The papyri actually describes a list of the daily activities of Merer and his crew. Also, they mention the transportation of white limestone blocks from Tura quarries to Giza by boat. However, nowhere do they mention how the blocks were raised of whether they were used in construction. Additionally, the diary of Merer never mentions what the stones were used for.
How was the pyramid built?
The honest truth is that we do not know. However, we may have certain clues as to how it was done. By carefully analyzing the Great Pyramid as it stands today, we might obtain clues. The Great Pyramid could help us understand how it was built. Additionally, by analyzing photographic evidence of the pyramid, we could finally crack the secret of its construction. Aerial images of the pyramid certainly help. And seeing the magnificent structure from the air certainly means a lot when studying it. Muon readings of the pyramid are also of great help when trying to figure out how it was built in ancient times. Even though we can’t say for sure how it was constructed, at least not yet, I leave you with this interesting video which offers interesting insight. The video can be accessed here.
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