Produced by: Manoj Kumar
New research suggests Egyptians may have used water-powered lifts to raise massive stone blocks.
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By channeling Nile floodwaters, builders may have harnessed hydraulic force to elevate pyramid stones.
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Two vertical shafts in the Step Pyramid may have functioned as ancient water-powered elevators.
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Dubbed “volcano construction,” the process used water pressure to successively push stones upward.
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Researchers point to nearby watercourses and a suspected dam structure as integral to the system.
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A water purification system might have filtered silt from Nile floodwaters for smooth hydraulic flow.
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This theory challenges the dominant ramp-based construction narrative that's lasted for centuries.
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If confirmed, this would be the earliest known use of hydraulic engineering for monumental building.
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This idea redefines ancient Egyptian ingenuity—placing them among the earliest hydraulic pioneers.
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