Pyramids. Are they really so technically clever?

After listening to my brother going on about how special the pyramids were. And, alien or advanced technology etc.
I made a comment as a joke.
I said they weren't clever buildings, and what was so clever about not being able to make a roof.
So, that started me thinking about it.
An area as large as the base of a pyramid would need supporting pillars to support stone slabs.
But, it is quite obvious that cubed blocks were the preferred shape. Probably because they were easier to cut and transport.
www.bbc.co.uk...
Therefore, it would be easier to bring all four walls together to create a complete building. imo
www.ancientegypt.co.uk...

a reply to: blackcrowe

Did you know the Great Pyramid actually has 8 exposed sides, and not 4?





It is much more evident during the soltice due to the way the sun hits it.

I'm a bit confused about what you meant by

it would be easier to bring all four walls together to create a complete building

The Pyramids are absolutely incredible in more ways than one. The mathematics used in their design and creation, and the alignment of the Great Pyramid in terms of solstices and astronomy is quite baffling.


"Man fears time, but Time fears the Pyramids."

a reply to: FamCore

What i mean is. Not four walls and roof construction. But, because of the large size. It was easier to join all four walls together to create a complete weatherproof building. Ends up shaped like a pyramid.

a reply to: blackcrowe
Okay, that makes sense. I edited my original comment and included some pictures that demonstrate how the Pyramid actually has 8 sides and not 4 - quite interesting stuff

a reply to: blackcrowe

Then the builders of this one were 'Simpletons Squared' because their pyramid has 8 sides and not 4...

world-pyramids.com...

And to comment on FamCore's submission: How many learned folks opine that the language of the Universe is mathematics? The math that went into these, the pyramids that are known about and that haven't been destroyed and/or covered up, is beyond what is currently used in today's society.

"The slaves built it..." "They didn't have t.v. or even radio so they had nothing else to do..."

namaste

I'm going to go ahead and assume that you've never been to Egypt…

Because asking if the great pyramids of Giza required its builders be "technologically clever" is possibly the most obtuse question ever posted on ATS…

And that is saying something considering there are threads debating whether the earth is flat or if humans lived alongside dinosaurs...

So congratulations on this post...

originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: blackcrowe
Okay, that makes sense. I edited my original comment and included some pictures that demonstrate how the Pyramid actually has 8 sides and not 4 - quite interesting stuff

That is odd. I hadn't seen Your edit when I posted the bit about the 8 sides. When I clicked 'reply' the first thing I saw was the 8 sided pyramid..

a reply to: [post=21028038]FamCore[/pos
Thanks.
I do do know the great pyramid is eight sided. Same rule applies though. All walls butt together.

a reply to: blackcrowe

So does a teepee, try making either one and see how easy it is NOT!

a reply to: forthelove

Easier than four walls and a roof. That's the point i'm trying to make.
Not made to represent the Ben Ben. Or , so the Pharaoh could climb to the sky. Or, to represent the suns rays.
But because it was easier than a four walls and roof construction.

a reply to: blackcrowe

They are marvels from the standpoint of organization and labor, but in architectural sophistication they don't hold a candle to the gothic cathedrals.

They're a very stable shape, and we see them in nature. The only real challenge (and we see the Egyptians and other civilizations independently working this out) is to decide how steep the slope can be. In Egypt, this was done by trial and error over 200 years or so (as we can see if we look at the first pyramids all the way to the Giza ones.) Even the shape of the chambers evolves over time.

originally posted by: blackcrowe
An area as large as the base of a pyramid would need supporting pillars to support stone slabs.
But, it is quite obvious that cubed blocks were the preferred shape. Probably because they were easier to cut and transport.
www.bbc.co.uk...
Therefore, it would be easier to bring all four walls together to create a complete building. imo
www.ancientegypt.co.uk...

Also, the blocks aren't THAT regular in shape, and the GP was started around a mound. In addition, a lot of the pyramid is not filled with nice blocks but rather with rubble and sand. So it's not actually solid.

a reply to: Byrd

Ok. Not that regular. But, still cube like.
How large would slabs have to have been in order to cover a size as large as the base?
cutting and transporting slabs would be far harder than smaller cube like blocks.
With all four or eight as in the GP's case walls joining together to form a pyramid. It all supports
itself. So, obviously doesn't need to be solid.

Great info contributions folks!

I think we can put to bed the idea that aliens built it, but it is certainly clever in the planning and execution of this wonder!

It is not perfect, apparently lop-sided
Imperfect pyramid

By the looks of the stones on this climber's ascent, theres nothing perfect or notable about the stone fittings or blocks.
German teen films his climb to the top of the Great Pyramid

a reply to: Butterfinger

Thanks for the links.

a reply to: blackcrowe

Yeah, it's a valid question.
There are some very average thrown together pyramids around the world, obviously nothing very special
The great pyramid on the other hand, truly the greatest designed building ever
You need to study it before you can really understand its full genius

a reply to: forthelove

That's true, I built a teepee with my Brother and that was no easy feat. The spirits of Native Americans must still be laughing at that structure...Pathetic.

originally posted by: Christosterone
I'm going to go ahead and assume that you've never been to Egypt…

Because asking if the great pyramids of Giza required its builders be "technologically clever" is possibly the most obtuse question ever posted on ATS…

And that is saying something considering there are threads debating whether the earth is flat or if humans lived alongside dinosaurs...

So congratulations on this post...

I am going to guess you know nothing about pyramids, there is only one truly amazingly built pyramid in Egypt
The rest are not that special

Most obtuse answer ever...

a reply to: blackcrowe

I' ll make a long story short:

A question we should ask ourselves: The greatest geniuses of our time came up with different scenarios for how the pyramids were built, but not one of them withstood reality tests. How can this be possible? And that more than 40 years after astronauts walked on the moon.

www.evawaseerst.be...

a reply to: Raggedyman

Of course the GP is the pinnacle of all pyramids.
But, the shape designs itself. There's no other shape it could have been. For such a large base area.
A flat roof design would maybe be even more impressive.