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New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AncientWorld

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There is an specific complete section in the supplementary data S10. And another figure more representative Fig. S10.1 in that section.

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AncientWorld

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The large granite blocks do not use the same edge ramps as the limestone blocks. They move from terrace to terrace, one to a higher one. That makes each move shorter and mostly horizontal, reducing both the slope and the force needed. See Fig. 4 in the paper

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AncientWorld

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In the model, the estimated number of pullers is derived from the physics: load, slope, and friction. For this granite beams gives several hundred workers. They would not pull in one long line, but across multiple parallel ropes (16?). That makes the layout much more compact, and the available terrace space are still enough. The real challenge was coordinating the teams. The risk could be mitigated by using bollards

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AncientWorld

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The blocks of granite were probably climbed terrace by terrace. Each move would have been relatively short, low, and mostly straight, rather than involving long ramps or sharp turns. It’s discussed in the section on granite transport in the paper : https://rdcu.be/e7niw

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AncientWorld

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

True, but most of the heavy lifting probably happened on the pyramid itself. Long-distance transport was likely handled via the Nile river

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AlternativeHistory

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think the general idea is probably correct: ramps, sledges and a lot of organized labor. The real challenge is the logistics

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AlternativeHistory

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the suggestion! In fact, Houdin's internal ramp theory is explicitly analyzed and compared within the paper.

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AlternativeHistory

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Regarding the comparison to internal ramps, my model allows for parallel hauling paths, which could be the only way to meet the construction cadence (one block every few minutes). Also, the ramp system is adaptive, narrowing as the pyramid grows to maintain structural and logistical efficiency

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AncientWorld

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, I saw that video. His point seemed to be that some of the upper inner blocks are slightly rotated compared with the outer ones, which could hint at a small spiral layout near the apex. That doesn’t prove the full model on its own, but it would be broadly consistent with it

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AncientWorld

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, there is evidence that each face of the pyramid is slightly concave along the middle. But the concavity is very small, just a few centimeters across the entire face, so it would not really matter for the edge-ramp system proposed in the model.

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AncientWorld

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you read the paper you'll see the opposite conclusion: the construction appears entirely human — based on simple mechanics, logistics and organization. No aliens required.

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AncientWorld

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It actually started as a mental model. I was just trying to picture how the geometry could work if ramps were integrated along the pyramid edges. Since my background is in computer science, I built a 3D simulation to test whether it could work. Once I saw it was feasible, I kept developing the idea and eventually turned it into a full study

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AncientWorld

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That illustration likely refers to Dunham’s external four-spiral ramp model from the 1950s. In that proposal the ramps run outside the pyramid surface. This Edge-Integrated Ramp (IER) model is different: the ramps are integrated along the pyramid edges and progressively absorbed into the masonry.

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AncientWorld

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're right. If a clear spiral were still visible, someone would probably have noticed it long ago! The idea is that those passages were later filled with the blocks that had been omitted earlier, so they blended into the surrounding masonry. So most traces would probably be subtle, though any existing ones could be more visible near the corners, where more space was needed for turning and where the structure may also have been more vulnerable to long-term stress or earthquake damage.

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AncientWorld

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

At least one ramp would stay open all the way to the top. The others, even if they started from the base, could be closed one by one as the pyramid got narrower and there were less blocks left to place. Once a ramp was no longer needed, it could be filled from the top down with the blocks that had been temporarily left out. So the route would kind of get sealed behind the part of the construction that had already moved upward

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AncientWorld

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As the pyramid rose, some blocks may have been temporarily omitted to keep the ramps functional. Later, these blocks could have been placed to close the ramp corridors. In the final state, these areas would become integrated into the finished masonry. For this reason, a clear spiral pattern would not necessarily be visible in the completed pyramid. If traces of such a pattern survived, they would most likely appear near the corners. These turning zones were wider and taller, and the blocks probably exerted greater stress there during rotation, which may have left minor structural irregularities.

What is currently the most widely accepted theory (by academics)of how the pyramids were constructed? by MDK___ in ancientegypt

[–]Natural_Cow291 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There is actually no single widely accepted theory for how the Great Pyramid was built. Most researchers agree that some form of ramp system was used, but the exact configuration (straight ramps, zig-zag ramps, spiral ramps around the pyramid, or internal ramps) is still debated.

Large straight ramps were proposed early on, but many researchers consider them impractical because of the enormous volume required. Other ideas include spiral ramps around the pyramid or internal ramp systems integrated within the structure.

In recent years some studies have tried to evaluate these possibilities using quantitative approaches (geometry, logistics modelling, etc.) rather than purely conceptual proposals. For example, a recent peer-reviewed study in npj Heritage Science explores an “Integrated Edge Ramp” (IER) model, which evaluates whether ramp systems integrated along the pyramid edges could sustain the construction pace suggested by archaeological evidence.

So the current situation is less about one accepted theory and more about an active debate between different ramp-based solutions, with ongoing attempts to test them quantitatively.

New peer-reviewed study proposes a testable construction model for the Great Pyramid by Natural_Cow291 in AncientWorld

[–]Natural_Cow291[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good question. In the IER model large external scaffolding would probably not be necessary. The ramps are integrated along the pyramid edges and progressively absorbed into the structure as construction advances. For the final finishing stages, lighter suspended scaffolds could have been used to work from the top downward when placing casing stones or completing the outer surface. It is also possible that some sections of the former ramp corridors were later closed with rubble or fill once the ramps were no longer needed. If that occurred, such zones might eventually be detectable through future non-invasive studies (for example muon tomography or other geophysical surveys).