French Architect Claims to Have Solved Pyramid Secret
Posted: March 31, 2007
A French architect claimed Friday to have uncovered the mystery
about how Egypt's Great Pyramid of Khufu was built — with
use of a spiral ramp to hoist huge stone blocks into place.
The construction of the Great Pyramid 4,500 years ago by Khufu,
a ruler also known as Cheops, has long befuddled scientists
as to how its 3 million stone blocks weighing 2.5 tons each
were lifted into place.
Ending eight years of study on the subject, architect Jean-Pierre
Houdin released his findings and a computerized 3-D mockup showing
how workers would have erected the pyramid at Giza outside Cairo.
The most widespread theory had been that an outer ramp had
been used by the Egyptians, who left few traces to help archeologists
and other scientists decode the secret to the construction.
Houdin said he had taken into account the copper and stone
tools available at the time, the granite and limestone blocks,
the location of the pyramid and the strength and knowledge of
the workers.
According to his theory — shown in a computer model available
at http://www.3ds.com/khufu — the builders put up an outer
ramp for the first 140 feet, then constructed an inner ramp
in a corkscrew shape to complete the 450-foot structure.
Houdin also postulated that King's Chamber was hoisted into
place through a system of counterweights.
Houdin said he plans to verify his theories through non-invasive
tests on site. Article at: myfoxny.com
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