Theoretical validation of the feasibility of ancient Egyptian monolith
Presentation Type
Abstract
Faculty Advisor
Deborah Chatr Aryamontri
Access Type
Event
Start Date
25-4-2025 1:30 PM
End Date
25-4-2025 2:29 PM
Description
As public interest in the structures left by ancient civilizations grows, so do various theories which doubt their commonly accepted origins. Due to how impressive many ancient structures are, these theories argue that more advanced technology than that commonly attributed to the civilizations that built them must have been employed. A primary example usually cited are the two colossal statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Advanced technology theories argue that it would have been impossible for the Ancient Egyptians to move these enormous monuments using the relatively primitive tools found in their archaeological record. Although some experiments have verified that heavy stones can be transported without the use of modern technology, these stones are always lighter than those which advanced technology theories refer to. The two statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III individually weigh 720 tons and were transported over 400 miles, meanwhile the heaviest monolith ever transported in the history of the United States weighs 320 tons and required modern machinery to move it 106 miles. Since experimental validation is both extremely laborious and expensive, it is the goal of this study to provide theoretical validation that transporting the statues of Amenhotep III was possible using the tools and materials found in the archaeological record. Through engineering analysis, this study demonstrates that moving these statues was possible using large amounts of human and animal labor as well as sturdy materials which were available to the Ancient Egyptians.
Theoretical validation of the feasibility of ancient Egyptian monolith
As public interest in the structures left by ancient civilizations grows, so do various theories which doubt their commonly accepted origins. Due to how impressive many ancient structures are, these theories argue that more advanced technology than that commonly attributed to the civilizations that built them must have been employed. A primary example usually cited are the two colossal statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Advanced technology theories argue that it would have been impossible for the Ancient Egyptians to move these enormous monuments using the relatively primitive tools found in their archaeological record. Although some experiments have verified that heavy stones can be transported without the use of modern technology, these stones are always lighter than those which advanced technology theories refer to. The two statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III individually weigh 720 tons and were transported over 400 miles, meanwhile the heaviest monolith ever transported in the history of the United States weighs 320 tons and required modern machinery to move it 106 miles. Since experimental validation is both extremely laborious and expensive, it is the goal of this study to provide theoretical validation that transporting the statues of Amenhotep III was possible using the tools and materials found in the archaeological record. Through engineering analysis, this study demonstrates that moving these statues was possible using large amounts of human and animal labor as well as sturdy materials which were available to the Ancient Egyptians.
Comments
Poster presentation at the 2025 Student Research Symposium.