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Ancient Papyrus Finally Solves Egypt's 'Great Pyramid' Mystery (newsweek.com)

schwit1 was the first Slashdot reader to bring us the news. Newsweek reports: Archaeologists believe they have found the key to unlocking a mystery almost as old as the Great Pyramid itself: Who built the structure and how were they able to transport two-ton blocks of stone to the ancient wonder more than 4,500 years ago...? Experts had long established that the stones from the pyramid's chambers were transported from as far away as Luxor, more than 500 miles to the south of Giza, the location of the Great Pyramid, but had never agreed how they got there. However, the diary of an overseer, uncovered in the seaport of Wadi al-Jafr, appears to answer the age-old question, showing the ancient Egyptians harnessed the power of the Nile to transport the giant blocks of stone.

According to a new British documentary Egypt's Great Pyramid: The New Evidence, which aired on the U.K.'s Channel 4 on Sunday, the Great Pyramid, also known as the Pyramid of Khufu, was built using an intricate system of waterways which allowed thousands of workers to pull the massive stones, floated on boats, into place with ropes. Along with the papyrus diary of the overseer, known as Merer, the archaeologists uncovered a ceremonial boat and a system of waterworks. The ancient text described how Merer's team dug huge canals to channel the water of the Nile to the pyramid.

4 of 253 comments (clear)

  1. Thanks Science! by evilbessie · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Ramps, boats and good rope. I pretty much guessed that as a child but you know well done to those involved.

    1. Re:Thanks Science! by mcrbids · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It's easy to suspect and hypothesize. It's quite another thing to prove it.

      --
      I have no problem with your religion until you decide it's reason to deprive others of the truth.
  2. Re:Great. Now prove it. by modmans2ndcoming · · Score: 4, Insightful

    No...."Prove what was said in the papyrus can be done" was the challenge. All it takes is showing that it is physically possible.....you are asking a different question "Prove they did it". OK....The papyrus said so....that's all you get from archaeology.

  3. Re: Fake News by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Are you saying blacks fuck a lot and have no Jobs so they multiply faster than a plague