Harte, there is no need to bring in new figures into the discussion. The number
of slabs and their weight have long been established and are easily verifiable.
I only have to measure a slab, use the specific weight for limestone, and I
would tell you the weight. Dividing the volume of the pyramid by the volume
of a slab would even give a layman a close figure of the total number, ignoring
the smaller number of bigger granite slabs in the centre.

So your calculation makes a 8.33 times bigger energy necessary (5.25 min
x 20 years versus 8.75 x100 years).

Someone higher up mentioned block and tackle. Archimedes invented it only
some 240 years B.C.

The Egyptians knew the 6- or 8-spoked wheel as of about 1500 B.C.

If I was given enough time, I could have built the pyramids all by myself,
although I would not have seen their completion.

The only thing it takes is leverage of circles or beams on fulcrums. Then
NEWTON (ARCHIMEDES) comes in : half way = double the weight or double
the way = half the weight.

Generations of scientists seem to have forgotten all those basics.

In the 5/5 part video they show teams of men foolishly pulling the levers
not all from the very end of the beam, but conviently from anywhere
between the end tip and the fulcrum. They are just copying mistakes from
pictures other "scientists" have drawn in the past.

The lengthy videos above ask more questions than they give answers.

The weight of the Baalbek-stone quoted should have been 100,000 kg,
not tons.

That astronomical cog-wheel apparatus in that video could have been copied
from the machine constructed by Archimedes to tow all by himself a ship
onto the beach, fulfilling a promise made to king HERON of Syrakuse.
(cog-wheel = lever on a circle). This is history, no tale.

The internal ramp theory featured in this thread is an interesting one, and I've seen it before, but it still has its flaws. It doesn't reconcile how the enormous capstone would've fit in the narrow corridors that this theory proposes- that is of course if it even existed...

Also too it's asking that we consider a half mile long ramp, which in of itself is a huge undertaking...

And the problem I've always had was with timelines and logistics (and energy)...

It's generally accepted that Khufu reigned for 23 years and that his pyramid took 20 to build.

But these aren't full years because work time was only 4 months out of year when the Nile flooded and workers were unable to tend to crops. So really it's more of 1/3 of 23 years or roughly 7.5 years to build time. Hmm, We can start to see issues already... not to mention the time it took to build his enormous causeway (herodotus says 10years) and temples, and the time it took to level the bedrock for building. Then quarrying and transport and so on...

Now I'm not sure if during the "non-building" months some men were still hard at work in the quarries and making sure that all the stone was produced and delivered in time for when the next round of construction was to take place... a definite possibility, but then where would you store all this stone?

We have to consider that a lot of stone came from Aswan (600 miles away) and Tura.

This all had to be produced and delivered on que. If mortar was used, it had to be produced, in mass quantities, which would require huge fires burning constantly. Fires need wood, which was scarce in a desert region. This mean that most wood was imported from Lebanon, not very close....

How about food? Need to keep the men energized so they could work all day in the blistering heat. We're talking moving by hand extremely large stones over very difficult terrain and then up hundreds of feet....This requires lot's of protein and carbs, constantly. Although most what I've read says that these guys drank quite a bit a beer and wine while working... damn, that's hardcore

This is just the tip of the iceberg when I think about all the moving parts... and this is just for one pyramid! Sneferu had 3!

No wheel that we know of and very primative tools, but an amazing intellect and a will that I don't believe modern man posses any more.

It's why I know for a fact that we couldn't build a pyramid in the manner which they did...never... the motivation required to do it does not exist today



[edit on 2-2-2010 by PhotonEffect]

Originally posted by Udo Hohnekamp Lux.
Harte, there is no need to bring in new figures into the discussion. The number of slabs and their weight have long been established and are easily verifiable.
I only have to measure a slab, use the specific weight for limestone, and I
would tell you the weight. Dividing the volume of the pyramid by the volume of a slab would even give a layman a close figure of the total number,

That's where the problem lies.

Part of what you are calling the "volume" of the GP is in fact "filled" by a small hill that was there and the pyramid was built around. Another part of the "volume" is empty space.

Nobody truly knows how much of the GP is actually stone blocks and how much is not. No one.

However, in places where it has been dynamited (Vyse, et al.,) empty space is clearly visible and much formerly empty space can be seen to have been filled with mortar and stone waste (chips, IOW.)

So, no, you can't just divide the calculated volume of the overall pyramid by the volume of a typical stone.

In fact, the usual estimate of the number of stones in the GP that most people here bandy about comes from precisely that sort of calculation - with no consideration of the demonstrable fact that the GP is not even close to being "solid" in that respect.

Also, pardon me but I don't view any videos linked here. I don't consider entertainment to be evidence. And even if I did, I can't view them at work and currently have no internet access at home.

Harte

I have to correct myself on the weight of the Baalbek-stone. Instead of falsely
quoting 100,000 tons the video should have given the figure as 1,000 tons.

With reference to the transportation of slabs on sledges, I should like to ask
you all :

Which way requires the least force to pull a slab over fixed runners, the
broad (same weight on a smaller surface) or the long way (same weight on
a larger surface) ? The runners are not being moved. The question is about friction.

I will give you the answer, that I gained from my series of mechanical
tests re pyramid construction, later.

Some of the responses in this thread are absolutely comical.

The biggest problem we face in forum discussions like these is the absolute lack of holistic thinking that is present. So, your an engineer, great, but unless you built the pyramids, STFU......yes, have an opinion but stop ridiculing posters with alternative theories beside the Egyptians built it.

Now, here's some data that will absolutely knock your socks off and put most of this skeptical crap to shame:

1. All four sides of the Pyramid are very slightly and evenly bowed in, or concave. This effect, which cannot be detected by looking at the Pyramid from the ground, was discovered around 1940 by a pilot taking aerial photos to check certain measurements. As measured by today's laser instruments, all of these perfectly cut and intentionally bowed stone blocks duplicate exactly the curvature of the earth. The radius of this bow is equal to the radius of the Earth. This radius of curvature is what Newton had long been seeking.

2. The average height of land above sea level (Miami being low and the Himalayas being high), as can be measured only by modern-day satellites and computers, happens to be 5,449 inches. That is the exact height of the Pyramid.

3. Other numbers are also repeated throughout. Each of the Pyramids four walls, when measured as a straight line, are 9,131 inches, for a total of 36,524 inches. At first glance, this number may not seem significant, but move the decimal point over and you get 365.24. Modern science has shown us that the exact length of the solar year is 365.24 days.

4. The height of the Pyramid's apex is 5,812.98 inches, and each side is 9,131 inches from corner to corner (in a straight line). If the circumference of the Pyramid is divided by twice its height (the diameter of a circle is twice the radius), the result is 3.14159, which just happens to be pi. Incredibly, this calculation is accurate to six digits. So the Pyramid is a square circle, and thus pi was designed into it 4,600 years ago. Pi is demonstrated many times throughout the Pyramid.

5. Amazingly, the outside surface stones are cut within 0.01 (1/100th) inch of perfectly straight and at nearly perfect right angles for all six sides. And they were placed together with an intentional gap between them of 0.02 inch. Modern technology cannot place such 20-ton stones with greater accuracy than those in the Pyramid.

Even more amazing is that the 0.02-inch gap was designed to allow space for glue to seal and hold the stones together. A white cement that connected the casing stones and made them watertight is still intact and stronger than the blocks that it joins.

6. While the bulk of the Pyramid's core was constructed of 4,000- to 40,000-pound blocks of soft limestone, the outer layer of the Pyramid was made of a beautifully bright, protective layer of polished stone. These outer "casing stones" are missing today because about 600 years ago they were stolen by Arabs, (This accounts for the very worn appearance of the Pyramid today, since the inner limestone blocks are not immune to attack by the elements-wind, rain, and sandstrom.) This protective covering was made up of 100-inch-thick, 20-ton block of hard, white limestone, similar to marble but superior in hardness and in durability against the elements.

The casing stones, 144,000 in all, were so brilliant that they could literally be seen from the mountains of Israel hundreds of miles away. On bright mornings and late afternoons, sunlight reflected by this vast mirrored surface of 5-1/4 acres distinguished the Pyramid as being visible from the moon.
(Note: For those interested in possible symbolic significance, in Bible prophecy 144,000 is the number of people-12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel-who are supposed to evangelize the world at the endtime.)

7. The Pyramid is located at the exact center of the Earth's land mass. That is, its East-West axis corresponds to the longest land parallel across the Earth, passing through Africa, Asia, and America. Similarly, the longest land meridian on Earth, through Asia, Africa, Europa, and Antarctica, also passes right through the Pyramid. Since the Earth has enough land area to provide 3 billion possible building sites for the Pyramid, the odds of it's having been built where it is are 1 in 3 billion.

8. Thirty times larger than the Empire State Building, the Pyramid's features are so large they can be seen from the Moon.

9. Its base covers 13.6 acres (equal to seven midtown Manhatten city blocks), each side being greater than five acres in area. It is also nearly identical in measurement base wise to the Mayan Pyramids.

10. A highway lane eight feet wide and four inches thick could be built from San Francisco to New York and put inside the Great Pyramid.

Originally posted by OnTheFelt
Some of the responses in this thread are absolutely comical.

Are they?

The biggest problem we face in forum discussions like these is the absolute lack of holistic thinking that is present. So, your an engineer, great, but unless you built the pyramids, STFU......yes, have an opinion but stop ridiculing posters with alternative theories beside the Egyptians built it.

Thanks for setting us all straight here continue

1. All four sides of the Pyramid are very slightly and evenly bowed in, or concave. This effect, which cannot be detected by looking at the Pyramid from the ground, was discovered around 1940 by a pilot taking aerial photos to check certain measurements. As measured by today's laser instruments, all of these perfectly cut and intentionally bowed stone blocks duplicate exactly the curvature of the earth. The radius of this bow is equal to the radius of the Earth. This radius of curvature is what Newton had long been seeking.

Really? Source and calculations?

2. The average height of land above sea level (Miami being low and the Himalayas being high), as can be measured only by modern-day satellites and computers, happens to be 5,449 inches. That is the exact height of the Pyramid.

The height now or after it was complete?

3. Other numbers are also repeated throughout. Each of the Pyramids four walls, when measured as a straight line, are 9,131 inches, for a total of 36,524 inches. At first glance, this number may not seem significant, but move the decimal point over and you get 365.24. Modern science has shown us that the exact length of the solar year is 365.24 days.

What kind of inches? I don't believe the AE's were aware of that standard of measurement, so what significance does this have other than a pretty cool coincidence?

4. The height of the Pyramid's apex is 5,812.98 inches, and each side is 9,131 inches from corner to corner (in a straight line).

Again as it was then, or as it stands now?... the pyramid as it is now is not nearly the same size as it was then... carry on

If the circumference of the Pyramid is divided by twice its height (the diameter of a circle is twice the radius), the result is 3.14159, which just happens to be pi. Incredibly, this calculation is accurate to six digits. So the Pyramid is a square circle, and thus pi was designed into it 4,600 years ago. Pi is demonstrated many times throughout the Pyramid.

Could this be the result of using perfect squares and equilateral triangles?

5. Amazingly, the outside surface stones are cut within 0.01 (1/100th) inch of perfectly straight and at nearly perfect right angles for all six sides. And they were placed together with an intentional gap between them of 0.02 inch. Modern technology cannot place such 20-ton stones with greater accuracy than those in the Pyramid.

Challenge.

Even more amazing is that the 0.02-inch gap was designed to allow space for glue to seal and hold the stones together. A white cement that connected the casing stones and made them watertight is still intact and stronger than the blocks that it joins.

You mean the mortar?

7. The Pyramid is located at the exact center of the Earth's land mass. That is, its East-West axis corresponds to the longest land parallel across the Earth, passing through Africa, Asia, and America. Similarly, the longest land meridian on Earth, through Asia, Africa, Europa, and Antarctica, also passes right through the Pyramid. Since the Earth has enough land area to provide 3 billion possible building sites for the Pyramid, the odds of it's having been built where it is are 1 in 3 billion.

This Im afraid is highly debatable and has been many times over on ATS

8. Thirty times larger than the Empire State Building, the Pyramid's features are so large they can be seen from the Moon.

Cool! Have any pics?

[edit on 2-2-2010 by PhotonEffect]

Yes; I knew I would get a response from someone too lazy to watch a 5 minute video.

Nevertheless I do hope you are young enough to appreciate the information that is coming out of egypt recently.

The model airplane was a tip of the information coming out of egypt currently, and it is not a stand alone representation of flight. We have solid gold mayan artifacts that are labeled as bugs. However if you look at them they have vertical/horizontal stabilizers exactly like the stabilizers you would find on ??? (What kind of bug).

I cannot actually believe that anybody can look at the Christopher Dunn video I posted or the series, and not realize that this is what happened.

I am sorry kadinsky, but I honestly believe you are just quoting 1953 National geographic and not basing your opinion on his work. I do not believe you even looked at his video.

Skeptics knew the world was flat merely 600 years ago, and they were proved wrong.

The idea of needing a power plant to build a power plant is laughable, and I'm betting you wish you could edit that out. Mankind has often built power plants. We even built a first one (go figure).

If anyone wants to know why pyramids exist look no further than the work by Christopher Dunn, and I am sure his work will continue.

The Egyptians did know some stuff we did not. I am not arguing for astrology existence but it is based on egyptian/sumerian cultures.
These people knew how many planets we had and that the world was round a long time before we figured it out, and accurately describe planets that we didnt know existed until this century.

The Sumerians claimed to be more advanced than us in that they claimed to have "gods" among them who were from space.

I sincerely wish that people would realize that science is hot on the tail of the Egyptians and some of their lost science is popping up in our current science.

Modern day experiments with alchemy,harmonic resonance/acoustic levitation, and much more.

It is a very exciting time in the world of science and breakthroughs are occurring daily as opposed to monthly like it did in the 50's.

So hang on kadinsky, If you are young enough to last a few years then you will be around long enough to see that you are wrong. Actually; never mind, you will still be quoting from your 1953 National Geographic.

To anyone willing to look though the evidence is already overwhelming in favor of Egypt being more advanced at least in some ways.

Alchemy for instance is taught as hogwash by skeptics, yet dozens of reputable men devoted their lives to its study. Its teachings can be traced back to Thoth/Hermes(greek name) in Egypt.

The english word "Thought" comes from Egypts "Thoth". Even Isaac Newton spent most of his time studying alchemy.

Alchemists thought their science was too powerful to be taught freely, and frequently disguised their notes in cryptic riddles.

The english word "gibberish" can be traced back to the cryptic notes left by the alchemist Geber.

I have spent many years studying both conventional theories and fringe theories within Egypt, and I have to tell you that the fringe theories are a lot sounder than the conventional theories.

I think it is because nobody wants to look anymore at what was established as fact to them by their grade six textbooks.

I do not believe anyone can look at the Videos by Christopher Dunn and not see it as truth.

So many fallacies about egypt pervade. Nobody can quite figure out how it was done. If they used a ramp then what did they do with all the stones required in such a ramp. Is the internal ramp theory correct? National geographic says it took 80 years to build, yet others say it took 30. So many guesses.

Does it not seem hilarious that we can read their writing (i disagree with a few translations), but not know how a pyramid was built, or how long it took.

The egytian hat like sphinx and pharaohs wore could reflect sound into ears, almost beats our baseball caps....

[edit on 7-2-2010 by friendlyprogrammer]