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Sustainability Times
6 days ago
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'These Machines Rewrite History': Archaeologists Stunned as Evidence Emerges of Ancient Egyptians Using High-Tech Water-Powered Devices to Build the Pyramids
IN A NUTSHELL 🌊 Researchers discovered an advanced water management system around the Pyramid of Djoser, showcasing ancient Egyptian engineering prowess. around the Pyramid of Djoser, showcasing ancient Egyptian engineering prowess. 🏗️ The system included a vast stone dam that captured and stored floodwaters, supporting large-scale construction projects. that captured and stored floodwaters, supporting large-scale construction projects. 🔧 An intricate hydraulic lifting system beneath the pyramid utilized water pressure to elevate limestone blocks efficiently. beneath the pyramid utilized water pressure to elevate limestone blocks efficiently. 🔍 This discovery redefines our understanding of ancient Egyptian technological innovation and prompts a reevaluation of historical construction methods. The ancient pyramids of Egypt have long fascinated historians, archaeologists, and enthusiasts alike, drawing them into a world of mystery and architectural brilliance. Recently, a groundbreaking discovery has emerged, offering a fresh perspective on how these monumental structures were built. The presence of an extensive water management system around the Pyramid of Djoser has prompted archaeologists to reconsider the construction techniques of the ancient Egyptian builders, revealing a technological prowess that far surpasses previous assumptions. A Stone Dam to Capture and Store Desert Floodwaters In the heart of Saqqara, a monumental stone structure known as Gisr el-Mudir has intrigued researchers for years. Measuring nearly 1,181 feet long, this rectangular enclosure is one of Egypt's oldest stone constructions. Recent studies by Xavier Landreau and his team at the CEA Paleotechnic Institute, published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, suggest that this structure was not a ritual enclosure or defensive wall as previously thought. Instead, it functioned as a dam, capable of capturing floodwaters from nearby wadis. By analyzing the region's slopes, ancient watercourses, and erosion marks, researchers reconstructed a watershed capable of channeling water to the enclosure. This structure likely served as a temporary reservoir, holding up to 105 million gallons of water—a volume sufficient to support extensive construction projects. During seasonal floods, the captured water would also deposit sediments into a series of natural basins downstream. This discovery repositions Saqqara's role in Egyptian history, suggesting that its location was chosen not only for religious or political reasons but also based on geological and hydrological criteria. As noted by Armé this new interpretation unveils a previously unrecognized land management strategy for the era. 'They Finally Found the Universe's Missing Matter!': Astronomers Stagger the Scientific World by Pinpointing Hidden Material in Colossal Cosmic Webs How Hydraulic Construction of the Pyramids Worked While ample water storage upstream was essential, it was not enough to lift limestone blocks. The key lay in the depths of the Djoser complex. South of the monument lies a vast trench carved into the rock, featuring a series of interconnected basins and compartments. This network, known as the 'Deep Trench', operated as a water treatment system. Heavier sediments settled first, gradually clarifying the water before it was transferred further. This purified water likely powered a vertical lifting system beneath the pyramid. Two vertical shafts, connected by a 656-foot underground gallery, enabled the installation of a floatation device. Blocks placed on a floating platform could be elevated by the simple pressure of water injected into the shafts. Once the load reached the desired height, it was slid onto the monument's upper levels. The observed structures within the galleries, underground compartments, and pyramid conduits support this hypothesis. Some granite elements, previously thought to have funerary functions, actually exhibit characteristics of a flow-regulation and sealing system. The entire setup functioned much like a hydraulic elevator, using water's force to minimize mechanical effort. 'They Just Rewrote the Future!': FAMU's Mind-Blowing 3D Printing Revolution Sends Shockwaves Through NASA and Could Launch Humanity Into Deep Space A Sophisticated Technology Befitting Pharaonic Ambitions Though the hydraulic construction hypothesis may seem bold, it rests on concrete field observations. The dam, basins, galleries, and shafts all exhibit a logical organization compatible with a hydraulic chain. Contrary to popular belief, the Egyptians already mastered many water-related techniques. Irrigation canals, wooden sluices, agricultural dams—all testify to their well-established hydraulic expertise. The study goes further, showing that this system avoided the need for immense external ramps, significantly reducing labor requirements and logistical constraints. The project thus became more efficient, safer, and precise. While this method doesn't entirely rule out the use of ramps, it offers a complementary, credible, and ingenious solution. This level of engineering, advanced for its time, prompts researchers to reconsider other Old Kingdom monuments. The Pyramid of Djoser, often viewed as a prototype, could actually have been the product of a highly developed technology that subsequent dynasties failed to replicate. 'We Slashed the Work by 99.9%': Scientists Achieve Fusion Reactor Analysis 15× Faster in Unbelievable Computational Breakthrough What the Hydraulic Remains at Saqqara Change in Our Understanding of the Past Until now, pyramids have been predominantly studied from symbolic or architectural perspectives. The discovery of such an expansive and integrated hydraulic system opens up a new avenue. It demonstrates that the builders did not merely respond to a religious project; they also conceived a sustainable technical ecosystem, adapted to the environment and available resources. This interdisciplinary approach, combining archaeology, hydrology, and geotechnics, enriches our understanding of the past. It reveals a sophisticated work organization, rigorous material management, and fine territorial exploitation. It's now plausible to imagine that pyramids were not solely the result of massive labor mobilization but also an underappreciated technical genius. This perspective highlights the innovative capabilities of ancient Egypt and invites a new examination of other monumental sites, searching for similar traces of buried or forgotten hydraulic systems. The revelation of Egypt's ancient hydraulic mastery not only reshapes our understanding of pyramid construction but also sheds light on the broader technological landscape of the time. As we delve deeper into these ancient systems, we must ask: What other forgotten technologies might be waiting to be rediscovered beneath the sands of history? This article is based on verified sources and supported by editorial technologies. Did you like it? 4.6/5 (20)
TimesLIVE
03-07-2025
- Science
- TimesLIVE
Ancient Egyptian man's genome reveals his society's cross-cultural ties
DNA obtained from the remains of a man who lived in ancient Egypt about the time the first pyramids were built is providing evidence of the ties between two great cultures of the period, with a fifth of his genetic ancestry traced to Mesopotamia. Though based on a single genome, the findings offer unique insight into the genetic history of ancient Egyptians — a difficult task considering that Egypt's hot climate is not conducive to DNA preservation. The researchers extracted DNA from the roots of two teeth, part of the man's skeletal remains that had been interred for millennia inside a large sealed ceramic vessel in a rock-cut tomb. They then managed to sequence his whole genome, a first for any person who lived in ancient Egypt. The man lived about 4,500-4,800 years ago, the researchers said, about the beginning of a period of prosperity and stability called the Old Kingdom, known for the construction of immense pyramids as monumental pharaonic tombs. The ceramic vessel was excavated in 1902 at a site called Nuwayrat near the village of Beni Hassan, about 270km south of Cairo. The researchers said the man was about 60 years old when he died and aspects of his skeletal remains hinted at the possibility that he had worked as a potter. The DNA showed the man descended mostly from local populations, with about 80% of his ancestry traced to Egypt or adjacent parts of North Africa. But about 20% of his ancestry was traced to a region of the ancient Near East called the Fertile Crescent that included Mesopotamia. 'This suggests substantial genetic connections between ancient Egypt and the eastern Fertile Crescent,' said population geneticist Adeline Morez Jacobs of Liverpool John Moores University in England and the Francis Crick Institute in London, lead author of the study published on Wednesday in the journal Nature. The findings build on the archaeological evidence of trade and cultural exchanges between ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, a region spanning modern-day Iraq and parts of Iran and Syria. During the third millennium BCE, Egypt and Mesopotamia were at the vanguard of human civilisation, with achievements in writing, architecture, art, religion and technology. Egypt showed cultural connections with Mesopotamia, based on some shared artistic motifs, architecture and imports such as lapis lazuli, the blue semi-precious stone, the researchers said. The pottery wheel from Mesopotamia first appeared in Egypt at about the time the man lived, a period when the earliest pyramids began to spring up near modern-day Cairo, starting with the Step Pyramid of the pharaoh Djoser at Saqqara and later the Great Pyramid of the pharaoh Khufu at Giza. About 90% of the man's skeleton was preserved. He stood about 1.59m tall, with a slender build. He also had conditions consistent with older age such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, as well as a large unhealed abscess from tooth infection. 'Ancient DNA recovery from Egyptian remains has been exceptionally challenging due to Egypt's hot climate that accelerates DNA degradation, with high temperatures breaking down genetic material over time compared with cooler, more stable environments,' Francis Crick Institute population geneticist and study co-author Pontus Skoglund said. 'In this case, the individual's burial in a ceramic pot vessel within a rock-cut tomb probably contributed to the unusual DNA preservation for the region,' Skoglund added. That his burial occurred before mummification became standard practice in Egypt may have helped avoid DNA degradation because his remains were spared elaborate preservation techniques. Scientists have struggled to recover ancient Egyptian genomes, according to paleogeneticist and study co-author Linus Girdland Flink of the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. One previous effort yielded partial genome sequencing of three individuals who lived about 1,500 years after the Nuwayrat man. Given the track record, the researchers were surprised with their success in sequencing the man's genome. 'Yeah, it was a long shot,' Skoglund said. The man may have worked as a potter or in a trade with similar movements because his bones had muscle markings from sitting for long periods with outstretched limbs. 'All indicators are consistent with movements and positions of a potter, as indicated in ancient Egyptian imagery,' said bioarcheologist and study co-author Joel Irish. 'He would have been of high status to have been buried in a rock-cut tomb. This conflicts with his hard physical life and conjecture that he was a potter, which would ordinarily have been working class. Perhaps he was an excellent potter.'
Straits Times
02-07-2025
- Science
- Straits Times
Ancient Egyptian man's genome reveals his society's cross-cultural ties
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox DNA obtained from the remains of a man who lived in ancient Egypt around the time the first pyramids were built is providing evidence of the ties between two great cultures of the period, with a fifth of his genetic ancestry traced to Mesopotamia. Although based on a single genome, the findings offer unique insight into the genetic history of ancient Egyptians - a difficult task considering that Egypt's hot climate is not conducive to DNA preservation. The researchers extracted DNA from the roots of two teeth, part of the man's skeletal remains that had been interred for millennia inside a large sealed ceramic vessel within a rock-cut tomb. They then managed to sequence his whole genome, a first for any person who lived in ancient Egypt. The man lived roughly 4,500-4,800 years ago, the researchers said, around the beginning of a period of prosperity and stability called the Old Kingdom, known for the construction of immense pyramids as monumental pharaonic tombs. The ceramic vessel was excavated in 1902 at a site called Nuwayrat near the village of Beni Hassan, approximately 170 miles (270 km) south of Cairo. The researchers said the man was about 60 years old when he died, and that aspects of his skeletal remains hinted at the possibility that he had worked as a potter. The DNA showed that the man descended mostly from local populations, with about 80% of his ancestry traced to Egypt or adjacent parts of North Africa. But about 20% of his ancestry was traced to a region of the ancient Near East called the Fertile Crescent that included Mesopotamia. "This suggests substantial genetic connections between ancient Egypt and the eastern Fertile Crescent," said population geneticist Adeline Morez Jacobs of Liverpool John Moores University in England and the Francis Crick Institute in London, lead author of the study published on Wednesday in the journal Nature. The findings build on the archaeological evidence of trade and cultural exchanges between ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, a region spanning modern-day Iraq and parts of Iran and Syria. During the third millennium BC, Egypt and Mesopotamia were at the vanguard of human civilization, with achievements in writing, architecture, art, religion and technology. Egypt showed cultural connections with Mesopotamia, based on some shared artistic motifs, architecture and imports like lapis lazuli, the blue semiprecious stone, the researchers said. The pottery wheel from Mesopotamia first appeared in Egypt at about the time the man lived, a period when the earliest pyramids began to spring up near modern-day Cairo, starting with the Step Pyramid of the pharaoh Djoser at Saqqara and later the Great Pyramid of the pharaoh Khufu at Giza. About 90% of the man's skeleton was preserved. He stood about 5-foot-3 (1.59 meters) tall, with a slender build. He also had conditions consistent with older age such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, as well as a large unhealed abscess from tooth infection. "Ancient DNA recovery from Egyptian remains has been exceptionally challenging due to Egypt's hot climate that accelerates DNA degradation, with high temperatures breaking down genetic material over time compared to cooler, more stable environments," Francis Crick Institute population geneticist and study co-author Pontus Skoglund said. "In this case, the individual's burial in a ceramic pot vessel within a rock-cut tomb likely contributed to the unusual DNA preservation for the region," Skoglund added. The fact that his burial occurred before mummification became standard practice in Egypt may have helped avoid DNA degradation because his remains were spared elaborate preservation techniques. Scientists have struggled to recover ancient Egyptian genomes, according to paleogeneticist and study co-author Linus Girdland Flink of the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. One previous effort yielded partial genome sequencing of three individuals who lived some 1,500 years after the Nuwayrat man. Given the track record, the researchers were surprised with their success in sequencing the man's genome. "Yeah, it was a long shot," Skoglund said. The man may have worked as a potter or in a trade with similar movements because his bones had muscle markings from sitting for long periods with outstretched limbs. "All indicators are consistent with movements and positions of a potter, as indicated in ancient Egyptian imagery," said bioarcheologist and study co-author Joel Irish. "He would have been of high status to have been buried in a rock-cut tomb. This conflicts with his hard physical life and conjecture that he was a potter, which would ordinarily have been working class. Perhaps he was an excellent potter." REUTERS
Daily Mirror
23-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Eerie discovery at Egyptian burial site with chilling messages on coffins
�A burial site in Egypt has been uncovered by archaeologists which is believed to have been used by people from working and middle class backgrounds instead of the elite When people think about Egyptian discoveries, they often conjure images of pharaohs and high-ranking officials, their tombs lavishly decorated with precious artefacts, ornate coffins, and detailed cartouches revealing the identity of the interred. However, a recent find consisting of dozens of 2,000 year old burials near the Saqqara necropolis has shed light on the lives of ordinary folk from that era. As reported by Science Alert, it's believed this discovery represents the final resting place of individuals from working and middle-class backgrounds, rather than the societal elite. During a September 2018 excavation, Polish Egyptologist Kamil Kuraszkiewicz from the University of Warsaw and his team were working in an area situated between the world's oldest pyramid, Djoser, and a location known as the dry moat. The dry moat is essentially a regular ditch, approximately 20 metres deep and 40 metres wide, encircling the 4,600 year old structure, reports the Mirror US. "Most of the mummies we discovered last season were very modest," Kuraszkiewicz told the Polish Press Agency. "They were only subjected to basic embalming treatments, wrapped in bandages and placed directly in pits dug in the sand." This significant find follows decades of work by Polish archaeologists in Egypt, who have been instrumental in excavating the expansive "city of the dead" to uncover its hidden secrets. The Saqqara necropolis, the ancient burial ground for the capital of Memphis and various Royal families over thousands of years, offers a unique window into the funerary customs of ancient Egyptians. However, the site poses significant challenges to archaeologists, including numerous bodies not interred in tombs, deteriorating wooden coffins, and centuries of looting. Despite the site's degradation, one coffin still bore enough decoration to discern some details. A necklace was depicted on the lid of the casket, positioned where the mummy's neck would have been. Further down, imitation hieroglyphs were found, but to the scientists' disappointment, they did not reveal the identity of the casket's occupant. These symbols were deemed utterly nonsensical, providing little insight. Nevertheless, this discovery provides a haunting glimpse into how someone was significant enough to warrant an attempt at replicating elements of the elite's burial process. Despite these burials being simpler and more modest compared to the opulent tombs discovered in other parts of the necropolis, the mummies reveal that common folk shared similar funerary customs with the affluent. It seems artists attempted to emulate the burial rites of the wealthy, even if they didn't fully comprehend them, in an effort to bestow dignity upon the deceased. Kuraszkiewicz shed light on the discovery, stating: "Apparently, the artisan who painted it could not read, and perhaps he tried to recreate something that he had seen before. In any case, some of the painted shapes are not hieroglyphic signs, and the whole does not form a coherent text." The Warsaw-based researcher described the coffin as "Beautifully clumsy", revealing two depictions of Anubis - the jackal-headed guardian of the Egyptian underworld - at its foot. What caught their attention was the unusual blue colour used for both figures, as typically, these mythological creatures are depicted in black. The team couldn't pinpoint why the artist chose blue, speculating that they might have been unfamiliar with artistic norms or it could be a nod to the deity's precious hair. Unfortunately, there wasn't much else to go on, as the coffin had been plundered long ago and the burial mask, which would have offered additional crucial clues, was missing.
NDTV
16-05-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Archaeologists Unearth Mysterious Fake Door In 4,000-Year-Old Egyptian Tomb
A joint archaeological mission has made a fascinating discovery within the tomb of Prince Waser-If-Re, son of King Userkaf, in Egypt's Saqqara necropolis, according to The Metro. The team unearthed a large, pink granite door dating back 4,000 years, only to find it was a false door leading nowhere. The door, standing over 14 feet tall, featured hieroglyphs listing the prince's names and titles. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, such false doors were symbolic gateways between the living and the underworld, allowing souls to freely pass through. According to the Newsportal, Beyond the false door, researchers found a treasure trove of artefacts, including 13 high-backed chairs featuring statues carved from pink granite. Red granite was used for an offering table with carved texts describing ritual sacrifice. Notably, a statue of King Djoser, his wife, and his 10 daughters was discovered inside the tomb. Archaeologist Dr Zahi Hawass believes these statues, originally housed near Djoser's step pyramid, were moved to Prince Userefre's tomb during the Late Period. A massive black granite statue of a standing man with hieroglyphic inscriptions was also found, dating back to the 26th Dynasty. The team also uncovered another entrance adorned with pink granite, featuring a cartouche of King Neferirkare. These finds, particularly the pink granite statues, are considered unique to the Saqqara area. The team found 13 of the statues, and the researchers believe those with higher positions were the wives of the prince. Archaeologists will remain on site to further investigate the tomb and uncover more about Prince Userefre and the reasons behind the placement of King Djoser's statues.
