And Just How Were Those Pyramids Built?

The lengthy post below shows the Giza pyramids from many angles. When you spend a bit of time around them, you certainly appreciate the construction project that created them. The conventional story, of course, is that they were built from stone quarried and then transported with primitive machines and set in place one stone at a time.

Another theory emerged several years ago.

In this 1988 book, The Pyramids: An Enigma Solved by Joseph Davidovits and Margie Morris, French chemical engineer Davidovits and University of Minnesota's Morris argue a convincing case that the pyramids were built using an ancient concrete technology. Convincing that is to everyone except Egyptologists and archaeologists. They wouldn't let Davidovits or others do the testing necessary to verify the theory.

In April of 2008, The Boston Globe reported on a new series of experiments being conducted at MIT to prove or disprove the Davidovits theory. Linn W. Hobbs, professor of materials science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology says:

"Maybe the ancient Egyptians didn't just leave us mysterious monuments and mummies. Maybe they invented concrete 2,000 years before the Romans started using it in their structures."

...
Hobbs describes himself as "agnostic" on the issue, but believes mainstream archaeologists have been too contemptuous of work by other scientists suggesting the possibility of concrete.

"The degree of hostility aimed at experimentation is disturbing," he said. "Too many big egos and too many published works may be riding on the idea that every pyramid block was carved, not cast."

A key part of Davidovits' case rests on the remarkably close tolerances between blocks in the pyramids. It is difficult to imagine someone with primitive tools carving one stone to fit perfectly against another, when a much simpler explanation is available.







I have been a supporter of Davidovits' theory for many years. Needless to say, no one I have talked to in Egypt has heard of the theory.

Davidovits has two new books out on the subject:

• They Built the Pyramids by Joseph Davidovits (Paperback - Oct 22, 2008)
  
• Why the pharaohs built the Pyramids with fake stones by Joseph Davidovits (Hardcover - Jan 1, 2009)
  

Presumably, he is now retired and able to spend more time writing!