Has the mystery of how the pyramids were built FINALLY been solved? Scientists discover a unique hydraulic lift system at Egypt's iconic Pyramid of Djoser

It has agelong been a taxable of statement - really precisely were Egypt's awesome pyramids built by nan civilized world's first engineers? 

A celebrated mentation suggests they utilized a strategy of ropes and sledges to haul stones to nan apical arsenic nan pyramid was built from nan crushed up, furniture by layer. 

But a caller study suggests that nan oldest pyramid successful Egypt, nan Pyramid of Djoser, was built 4,700 years agone utilizing an moreover much ingenious 'hydraulic lift'. 

'Ancient Egyptians are celebrated for their pioneering and mastery of hydraulics done canals for irrigation purposes and barges to carrier immense stones,' nan squad explained. 

'This activity opens a caller statement of investigation – nan usage of hydraulic unit to erect nan monolithic structures built by Pharaohs.' 

The caller mentation is presented successful a caller study led by Xavier Landreau, president of Paleotechnic, an archaeological investigation institute successful Paris, France. 

The researchers studied humanities records and satellite photos of nan area to construe nan features that support their argument.  

'We identified that nan measurement pyramid’s soul architecture is accordant pinch a hydraulic elevation system ne'er reported before,' Landreau and colleagues say. 

'Ancient architects apt raised nan stones from nan pyramid centre successful a volcano manner utilizing nan sediment-free water.' 

The Pyramid of Djoser, astir 200 feet high, is simply a 'step pyramid' – meaning its sides are a bid of level platforms aliases steps, dissimilar nan comparatively level sides of the celebrated Pyramid of Giza. 

While Giza is nan largest of Egypt's pyramids, Djoser is nan oldest, having been constructed at some constituent betwixt 2667 and 2648 BC. 

The stunning building was built wholly retired of chromatic by nan ancient Egyptian designer Imhotep successful nan immense Saqqara necropolis southbound of Cairo.

It's believed to beryllium nan last resting spot of King Djoser, ancient Egyptian pharaoh and laminitis of nan Old Kingdom. 

While a immense shaft astatine nan centre of nan pyramid was already known about, researchers now coming a caller mentation regarding its purpose.

Firstly, they constituent to Gisr el-Mudir, an ancient chromatic building little than a mile to nan westbound of the Pyramid of Djoser. 

The usability of Gisr el-Mudir has ne'er been certain, but nan researchers opportunity it whitethorn person acted arsenic a dam, collecting rainfall and directing it towards nan pyramid done a strategy of pipes. 

Once nan underground h2o reached nan centre of nan pyramid, it flushed upwards done nan cardinal shaft for illustration magma successful a volcano. 

This powerful pitchy of h2o would person pushed up a floating elevator – a level level apt made of wood – that could transportation up to 100 tonnes of chromatic astatine a clip acknowledgment to nan unit of nan water. 

According to nan experts, nan pitchy of h2o could beryllium controlled truthful that nan shaft could beryllium emptied, fresh to beryllium reused for different load of stone. 

Potentially nan h2o could beryllium blocked astatine nan guidelines of nan pyramid's shaft for illustration immoderate benignant of plug earlier being unleashed erstwhile nan adjacent load was successful place. 

While this newly-posited strategy sounds particularly analyzable for 4,700 years ago, nan pyramids themselves are grounds that nan ancient Egyptians were possibly much skilled engineers than we springiness them credit. 

Gisr el-Mudir has antecedently been thought to beryllium a cattle enclosure, a ceremonial tract to believe nan gods aliases moreover an unfinished pyramid. 

But nan mentation that it was a reservoir provides a compelling nexus to nan cardinal shaft of Pyramid of Djoser, which reopened for visitors successful 2020 aft a 14-year restoration. 

It's unclear if immoderate much of Egypt's celebrated pyramids could person utilized this building technique; MailOnline has contacted nan experts for much information. 

The caller study outlining nan mentation has been published in nan journal PLOS One.