The Egyptians pyramids have been a center of controversy for as long as they have been around. The biggest question of all being how did an ancient civilization with primitive tools construct these marvelous structures. Not to mention, moving 2.5 ton stones in the sand with just man power.

Research shows that friction between an object and sand is reduced by half by the addition of some water, but not too much to make it mud. The Egyptians were actually pretty ahead of their time, and were some of the very first scientists and mathematicians in ancient times. By using this method they could reduce the manpower needed to move massive structures across great distances.

One of the things Egyptians did well was document everything they did, from rituals to historical events. But in the picture depicted below from the tomb of Djehutihotep you can clearly see a schematic or a “How to” possibly for future generations. If you notice the person standing on top and in front of the sled, he is pouring water over the sand right in front of the sled.

 

 

A team led by Daniel Bonn from the University of Amsterdam tested the sliding friction of dry and wet sand across the surface. They experimented using dry sand, when they pulled the sled a heap of sand formed in front of the sled slowing it down significantly. When they added water in front of the sled, the force needed to pull the sled and the amount of friction decreased.

“I was very surprised by the amount the pulling force could be reduced—by as much as 50 percent—meaning the Egyptians needed only half the men to pull over wet sand as compared to dry,” Bonn tells the Washington Post

The answers to a lot of our questions are out there we just need to look in the right place and understand the deeper meaning to it. But when all else fails …..