Construction of the Top of the Egyptian Pyramids: an Experimental Test of a Levering Device
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CONSTRUCTION OF THE TOP OF THE EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS: AN EXPERIMENTAL TEST OF A LEVERING DEVICE By ROBERT SCOTT HUSSEY-PAILOS A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2005 Copyright 2005 by Robert Scott Hussey-Pailos To Carl Sagan, whose work helped me recognize fraudulent and fallacious arguments, gave me the means to construct and understand a reasoned argument, and serve as a model for good prose. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank my parents, my family, girlfriend, friends, Rinker Inc., Dr. Properzio, Glenn Ketcham, Dr. Sassaman, Dr. Wagman, and Dr. Schmidt. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... ix ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................1 2 OVERVIEW OF THE EGYPTIAN PYRAMID SUPERSTRUCTURES...................5 3 HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS OF LIFTING THE PYRAMID BLOCKS ....................9 4 RAMP METHODS.....................................................................................................11 Straight Ramp Methods ..............................................................................................11 The Large, Straight Ramp ...................................................................................11 Straight, Zigzagging Ramps ................................................................................13 Straight Ramp Utilizing Part of the Incomplete Superstructure..........................15 Spiraling Ramp Methods ............................................................................................16 Spiraling Ramps Fully Supported by the Superstructure. ...................................16 Spiraling Ramp Leaning on the Superstructure as a Large Accretion ................17 General Critiques of Ramp Methods ..........................................................................18 Techniques Utilizing the Finished Pyramid Face as a Ramp .....................................20 Olaf Tellefson......................................................................................................21 James Frederick Edwards....................................................................................22 5 EVIDENCE FOR THE USE OF LEVERS................................................................25 Difficulties Locating Wooden Levers in the Archaeological Record ........................26 Evidence for Levers within Monument Stones ..........................................................27 The Shadoof................................................................................................................28 Nubian Pyramids and Levers......................................................................................30 v 6 LEVERING DEVICES..............................................................................................33 Incremental Levering Methods...................................................................................35 The Nova Experiment..........................................................................................38 Peter Hodges’ and Julian Keable’s Incremental Levering Experiments .............40 Isler’s Additional Levering Methods...................................................................43 Levering Devices Using One Large Movement to Raise the Blocks .........................45 Louis Croon.........................................................................................................46 Olaf Tellefson’s Double Lever Device................................................................49 J. P. Lepre’s Double Fulcrum Device .................................................................50 Pierre Crozat........................................................................................................52 7 ALTERNATIVE LEVERING DEVICE....................................................................56 Origins of the Design..................................................................................................58 Issues with the Fulcrum..............................................................................................58 Evidence for the Lifting Device .................................................................................59 Rope Tourniquet Fulcrum ...................................................................................59 The A Frame........................................................................................................61 Rope.....................................................................................................................63 Acacia nilotica.....................................................................................................65 Lebanese Cedar and Cilician Fir .........................................................................67 8 EXPERIMENTAL TESTS.........................................................................................69 The 5-to-1 Scale Model ..............................................................................................70 The 3.63-to-1 Scale Single Lever Model....................................................................71 The Full-Scale Column Test.......................................................................................74 Columns...............................................................................................................75 Rope.....................................................................................................................78 Lever....................................................................................................................80 The 3.63-to-1 Scale Model Revisited .........................................................................81 Arcs of Movement ......................................................................................................82 Issues with the Double Arcs of Movement .........................................................85 Arcs of Movement and the Staircase Ramp ........................................................86 Refining the Device.............................................................................................87 The Large-scale Experiment.......................................................................................89 Materials Used in the Large-scale Experimental Tests ..............................................90 Blocks..................................................................................................................90 Wood ...................................................................................................................92 Fabrication of the Large-Scale Test............................................................................96 Blocks..................................................................................................................96 Wood ...................................................................................................................99 Rope...................................................................................................................101 Experimental Tests ...................................................................................................102 April 21, 2004....................................................................................................104 April 25, 2004....................................................................................................106 vi 9 DISCUSSION...........................................................................................................109 APPENDIX A ACACIA NILOTICA..................................................................................................112 B DOMESTIC WOOD ................................................................................................114 C ESTIMATED BENDING STRESSES FOR THE LARGE SCALE TEST.............117 D ESTIMATED BENDING STRESSES WHEN LIFTING A 2-TON BLOCK ........121 LIST OF REFERENCES.................................................................................................123 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ...........................................................................................129 vii LIST OF TABLES Table page A-1. Physical and mechanical properties related to strength .........................................112 A-2. Safe working stresses for structural purposes ........................................................113 B-1. Physical and mechanical properties of Yellow Pine (Longleaf, Shortleaf, Slash, and Pitch), Hickory, Douglass fir, and Ramin. .....................................................114 B-2. Design values for visually graded Yellow pine timbers (5” x 5” and larger) ........115 B-3. Design values for visually graded lumber (Tabulated design values are for normal load duration and dry service conditions) ............................................116 C-1. Large scale test square cross section nominal 5” x 5” No. 1 dense Yellow