The Egyptian pyramids of Giza are some of the most impressive manmade structures in the history of our planet. It’s estimated that they were built over 4,500 years ago with over two million stones over a period of 20 to 30 years.

The Great Pyramid is the largest of the three Giza Pyramids, built for each of three pharaohs—Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. Khufu’s pyramid is the largest ever constructed in Egypt, standing 481 feet (146 m) tall when it was first built. Ancient writers considered it a wonder of the world.

Have you ever surmised the number of ancient Egyptians it took to build these architectural wonders or how they cut the monstrous blocks of stone and moved them into place?  You’re not alone!  With all of the extensive research that has been performed, even archeologists can’t agree.  As such, the construction of the pyramids remains a mystery. And unfortunately, the Egyptians seem to have purposefully left no record of how they accomplished their herculean task.

The Ramp Theory

Most Egyptologists believe that, based on the evidence thus far, The Ramp Theory offers the most plausible explanation for how the ancient Egyptians constructed the pyramids.  The Ramp Theory suggests that the pyramids were made with sheer manpower and tens of thousands of workers via a method known as “ramp systems.”  But at the same time, there are different theories about what types of ramps would have been used.

Some experts have theorized that ancient Egyptians utilized straight ramps that went up the pyramid’s outside walls. Then again, other experts believe that the pyramid builders utilized either ramps that curved around these walls or ramping systems that were built inside the pyramids themselves.

In 2018, archaeologists discovered the remains of an ancient ramp system in the 4,500-year-old Hatnub quarry in the Eastern Desert of Egypt that they believed offered a definitive explanation of how ancient Egyptians built the pyramids. According to archaeologists from the Institut français d’archéologie orientale (French Institute for Oriental Archaeology) in Cairo and from the University of Liverpool in England, the system would have been used to transport heavy alabaster stones up a steep ramp.  And, it was possibly the methodology by which Egyptians built the Great Pyramid in the name of the pharaoh Khufu. The only problem with this theory is that the Giza pyramids were built of granite, not alabaster.

The Ramp System

The Ramp System was composed of a central ramp flanked by two staircases with numerous post holes. Using a sled that carried a stone block and was attached with ropes to the wooden posts, ancient Egyptians were conceivably able to pull the alabaster blocks out of the quarry on very steep slopes of 20 percent or more, according to researchers from the University of Liverpool and Cairo’s French Institute for Oriental Archaeology.  The ropes attached to the sled would have acted as a “force multiplier,” which would have made it easier for workers to pull the sled up the ramp.  Such a design would have alleviated some of the burden for the workers who had to pull these huge loads.

There may have been several ramps on each side of the pyramid at different levels, and a ramp may have been coiled around the pyramid as it grew in height. Once a stone block reached its desired level, wooden rockers may have been used to maneuver it into position.

This theory is supported by the fact that sleds are well documented in ancient wall paintings, as are images of giant statues being pulled by hundreds of men. It would, however, have been a very time-consuming process.

Moving the Stones into Place

How the Egyptians moved the stones to the pyramid construction site is also a mystery.  A wall painting discovered in the ancient tomb of Djehutihotep, which dates back to about 1900 B.C., depicts 172 men hauling an immense statue using ropes attached to a sledge. In the drawing, a person can be seen standing on the front of the sledge, pouring water over the sand, said study lead author Daniel Bonn, a physics professor at the University of Amsterdam.

It is theorized that the water made it easier for sleds that carried the massive granite stones to be dragged across the desert sand to the pyramid construction sites. Adding water to the sand would have increased the stiffness of the sand, and the sleds would have been able to glide more easily across the surface. This is because droplets of water create bridges between the grains of sand, which helps them stick together. It is also the same reason why using wet sand to build a sandcastle is easier than using dry sand.

So… How Exactly Did They Build the Pyramids?

Even with all of these findings and evidence, Egyptologists remain perplexed. They continue to seek evidence that would definitively explain how ancient Egyptians cut, moved, and placed into position the massive stones that were used to construct the pyramids.