This theory aims to explain the unprecedented speed and precision of its construction. (Image: Ref)
For centuries, the Great Pyramid of Giza has stood as a silent monument to ancient ingenuity, guarding the secret of its own creation. How did ancient builders lift over two million enormous stones with no advanced technology? A new study offers a shocking theory—that the pyramid functioned as a machine, constructing itself from the inside outward.
The long-held assumption is that Egyptians used immense external ramps and thousands of workers to drag stones into place. Simon Andreas Scheuring, a scientist at Weill Cornell Medicine, has published research that turns this idea on its head. His study in Heritage Science suggests the pyramid's interior was a sophisticated engine. He suggests that internal ramps and pulley systems helped the pyramid lift its own stones. In other words, the pyramid’s design itself acted as the main construction tool, removing the need for giant external ramps.
The theory points to specific features within the pyramid as key components. The Grand Gallery and Ascending Passage were not just ceremonial corridors, according to the study. He believes internal ramps and pulley systems allowed the pyramid to raise its own stones. In short, its design served as the main building tool, making massive external ramps unnecessary.
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Experts have long been puzzled by the Antechamber, often labeling it a security feature for the King's Chamber. According to Scheuring, the chamber had a functional purpose—it acted as the center of a pulley system. Ropes running over wooden beams could have powered the lifting of huge granite blocks through internal shafts to the higher parts of the pyramid.
The most significant weakness of the external ramp theory is a complete lack of archaeological evidence. Scheuring's paper notes that a ramp for the 480-foot-high pyramid would have been larger than the pyramid itself, yet no trace has ever been found. This is resolved by his internal machine model, which places every piece of machinery inside the current framework. It offers a tenable explanation that is consistent with the known timeline of the pyramid and the physical data.
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The construction was not a uniform process. Scheuring's model describes a complex, phased project. The pyramid expanded upward and outward from a central core, with work happening simultaneously on all four sides. His internal machine model, which situates every piece of machinery inside the existing framework, resolves this. It provides a plausible explanation that is in line with the physical data and the established pyramid timeline.
