Evening star., 1899-02-04
ON INCLINED PLANES
Suggested Method by Wh;1h the
Pyramids Were Built
WHEN MANUAL LABOR Was ABUNDANT
How the Stone Was Transported
for Great Distances.
MOVING nHE MONOLITHS
MOVING H,HE MONOLITHS

from Casters.
From the earliest times the erection of
embdnkments Of earth has been carried on
by savage nations and primitive peoples
The earthworks left by the mound builders
in America and Europe are conspicuous
evidence that the digging and carrying of
earth was practiced on a large scale in
many localities long distant from one an
other. centuries age.
Let Us see how by the aid of inclined
planes o. earth, the huge stones used IN
the construction Of dolmens or cromlecns
could De put in position by theuse of prIm-
itiye appliances. The stone posts could be
moved to the desired place and erected in
vertical position Two piles of earth
are dug from the pit in which one of the
posts is to stand. The stone slab can be
rolled up the inclined plane and tilted into
position. and by the use of levers and pTy
bars be made to stand upright; and when
the second post was erected by similar
operation. and the space between the posts
and around them filled with earth, the top
stone or Intel could be placed in position
after being elevated to the desired height
on another inclined plane. made of earth.
These operations being completed, the earth
could be returned To the pits from which it
was dug, and the surface of the ground
leVeled.
By similar Methods.
The construction Of the Egyptian pyra-
mids. for centuries matter of wonder,
could have been performed by similar
methods Let Us suppose that each of the
stone blocks used had a rectangular base,
being half as thick as wide, and that they
We're moved from the quarry to the pyra-
mid. being first placed on rollers and moved
into position! Other stone blocks could
then haze been transported along the sur
face of the ground in the same manner
and could the other stones in tn same
tier. An rmbaHkment at ~ per cent or
- per cent grade could then have been
constructed by carrying earth from pits
beyond the continuation of the bOun lary
Ines nj the base of tne pyramid. over the
surface OF this plane, extended toward the
quarry the second tier of stones could then
hI-e been put in place: new embdukinaut
c'uia then have been constructed. and new
blocSS 1"d those behind them being put in
pia"e. ami so on, by the aid Of the additions
L the embankments, the rema ainS stones
could have been put in position.
Nr-G the pyramid was cOmp.et= the
eartg could have been removes / from in
from u il. the pts filled up. restoring the
original conditions Of the surface of the
Erpual. leaving no hint to gratfy the
p.or.r- forty centuries after tn WORK was
done.
Pyramid of Gizeh.
La- Us see what labor this method would
hav- involved in the construction Of the
pyramid Of Gizeh. the largest Of its kind.
which is approximately 100 yards high and
90 Yards square at the base. AS is well
know. in building this pyramid which is
located three miles south of Cairo, t.2o
kind If stone were used. limestone and red
granite The limestone was quaTried at FL
Aia=SaTtlh. IOrty-fiVe fifty miles from
Giz.h- while the red granite was brought
from Assouan, near the first cataract. over
5Hu mics. Both Of these quarries We're To-
Gated the River Nile.
Rats laden with stone blocks could be
brought from the quaTTieS by this means.
IFrl the slOping embaEkment blocks are
lF.u" drawn on S'edgeS. perhaps equipped
v5.h rollers. to the highest point to which
IEa structure has been built. the inclined
plane being gradually made longer and
hi-Her with earth brought from the pits on
t.a right and left. The highest embank-
Ug,Gt necessary when the wOrkmen reach
oil thr top course. assuming that a % per
.-t grade was adopted. would have been
go wards long. containing about 100 900
c-15c yards. if the sides Of the earth en-
hruNnIaur would stand at an angle Of 30
d trees. which is not at all improbable.
The Time Occupied.
Assuming that one la5orer could have
placed two and onc-haIf yards ,about
twenty barrow loads 3f earth on an a=er-
age each day on this embankment. 10000
men could have built it in twelve months
80 twenty-five working days. 1t is stated
th.r |tt" Men va-e employed for twenty
years % the whole work. 50 that. accord
ing 60 iHi~ ejaculation. the construction Of
1h.- euuaukrvut would have occupied only
q small portion u the total time consumed.
TIE false work To support the walls of
;f. interior chambers of the pyramids
rHH-- .S' nave been made of earth rather
diam ~ timber. it should be remembered
tH-r heavy lumber for scanoding must
.--. h.-T Drought over long distances. and
fTat ~ Training and erection Of any struc-
L.[" ., ~.'.'...ut strength TO bear heavy
" ".r-a-s WrliG H.,va required more skill and
Es 'a5,. the 5Gidiug of the pyra-
DE-. ---.f by ;r- method above described
&" Inc Er'af temple II RamCses | is 10
. so 81 1iosSa! statue of that king,
H equals F. d'Ta GsiJus and exceeds in
-... amy .-..ar Egyptian monDlith. being
feet E.-H +gd Weighing So tons five
.. .-i-..I Hu- .sesiweight. II was made
-.- "a --a=.. book pI red granite brought
'..H ..- rue-Eir= at AssOuau 13J miles
sHt. 9g ,ae River Nile.
Difscuit Problem.
b.. E-E.a. syria. are to be found the
rams al three temples. ore Of which has
...a -.,.u the name of TrlIthon, Three
--.-a rsEYIe.' from the extraordinary pro-
portions ot thrrc Of the stone blocks found
Iu IT, each being over sixty-threc feet IN
length. thirteen feet iu height and proper
UorG-.ly thick These stones now rest In a
wall over twenty feet above the present
s-rfle. OF the ground.
In -1e solution Of the problem Of putting
--i-..I.tt htEt- DUCKS IN place at the present
day. lne utilization OF inclined planes OF
earth lH me manner Just described nigh,
WDl !n considered by the modern engineer
h't"ra adopting more complex met nod in
fact since the various details OF his meth
o.! II construction have suggested them
selves. the writer has examined photo
go plS Of many ancient structures and has
E"' tu unI one that could not have been
c"H-' rHc'ed tC Il great extent according to
the practices just described. Until the
pr nci9-aS of the true arch were understood
it "as less difficult TO move and erect long
blask- pr stone by these primitive methods
than 20 place smaller units over the open
!nts ~ structures designed in accordance
with the types Of ancient architecture. in
"Aich the arch, with keystone, was lack
ing
Especially this true of an era when
tEs value Of time was not considered and
rl.--es were 10 be obtained by thousands at
So 10 cost. 10 toll and sweat to crafty the
ambition and perpetuate the fame of kings.
Modern Methods.
Happily for our race and time the crack
of the Egyptian slave masters whip and
the weird cries Of cadence Of the battalions