Ancient Hydraulic Technology May Explain Pyramid Construction, Study Reveals

A groundbreaking study suggests that ancient Egyptians used advanced hydraulic systems to build the Step Pyramid of Djoser, predating the Giza pyramids by 50 years, Earth.com reported. Researchers from France’s CEA Paleotechnic Institute analyzed satellite imagery and bedrock carvings, revealing a network of channels, dams, and a purpose-built “Dry Moat” that likely functioned as a hydraulic elevator.

The system, fed by seasonal Nile floods, may have used water pressure to lift limestone blocks weighing up to 5,000 pounds, reducing the need for massive ramps. Dr. Xavier Landreau, lead author, noted that buoyant barges or sealed sleds could have floated stones upward with 30-foot water columns offsetting two-thirds of their weight.

This innovation allowed rapid scaling of block sizes, enabling later pyramids like Khufu’s. The study, published in PLOS One, proposes the pyramid’s empty burial chamber may have served as a hydraulic pressure core. Further excavation could confirm these findings, reshaping our understanding of ancient engineering.