How the Egyptians moved 170,000 tons of stone to build the Great Pyramid

Ancient papyrus journals reveal that multi-ton blocks of stone were transported by ship through a system of canals straight to the base of the pyramid.

Evidence of how the Great Pyramid's building stones were transported in ancient papyrus. Video: YouTube.

Archaeologists have found fascinating evidence showing how the Egyptians transported 2.5-ton blocks of limestone and granite from quarries more than 800 kilometers away to build the Great Pyramid of Giza, the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu, about 2,600 years ago, International Business Times reported yesterday.

At 147 metres high, it is the largest of all pyramids and the largest man-made structure on the planet until the Middle Ages. The discovery of an ancient papyrus scroll, a ceremonial boat and an ingenious system of water pipes sheds light on the infrastructure created by the builders.

According to the research results, thousands of skilled masons transported 170,000 tons of limestone along the Nile in wooden boats tied together with ropes, through a specially built canal system leading to an inland port just meters from the base of the pyramid.

An ancient papyrus found in the seaport of Wadi Al-Jarf has shed new light on the role of ships in pyramid construction. Written by Merer, a foreman in charge of a team of 40 workers, it is the only firsthand account of the Great Pyramid’s construction, detailing how limestone blocks were transported downstream from Tura to Giza.

In his diary, Merer also mentioned his team's role in transforming the landscape, opening giant trenches to divert the Nile's waters and bring them to the pyramids through a system of artificial canals.

Although experts have long known that the granite for the pyramid's inner chamber was quarried at Aswam, 858 kilometers south of Giza, and the limestone for the outer casing came from Tura, 13 kilometers away, archaeologists have disagreed on how the ancients transported them.

Archaeologist Mark Lehner, a leading expert in the field, discovered evidence of a lost waterway beneath the Giza plateau. "We mapped out the basin of the central canal, which we believe was the primary transport area to the foot of the Giza plateau," Lehner said.

The team also excavated a ceremonial boat intended for the pharaoh Khufu in the afterlife. They reconstructed the wooden planks before using 3D laser scanning to see how they were assembled. They found they were connected by coils of rope.

According to VNE