Scientists have put forward a new theory regarding the construction of the Pyramid of Cheops
The Daily Mail reports on this, citing research by independent researcher Vicente Luis Rosell Roig, published in *npj Heritage Science*.
What the new model suggests
The author of the study, Vicente Luis Rosell Roig, believes that during the construction of the Great Pyramid at Giza, workers may have used a so-called ‘edge ramp’ – a sloping path along the edges of the pyramid, which was gradually closed off as new tiers were erected. In the article itself, this system is described as an integrated edge multi-ramp mechanism, formed by temporarily leaving gaps and subsequently filling the outer rows of stone.
This is not a proven archaeological fact, but a new engineering and logistical hypothesis. The researcher sought to demonstrate that such a scheme could have been compatible with the technological capabilities of the Old Kingdom, when the Egyptians were already using copper chisels, ropes, levers, water-lubricated sledges, earth embankments and barges on the Nile, but did not possess iron tools, wheeled transport for heavy loads, or complex block-and-tack systems.
Why this theory has attracted attention
The Pyramid of Cheops remains one of the greatest archaeological mysteries. According to historians’ estimates, the structure has a base of approximately 755 feet on each side and an original height of about 481 feet, and around 2.3 million stone blocks were used in its construction. Some of them, as the source notes, weighed up to 15 tonnes. That is why the question of how these blocks were quickly lifted and precisely positioned without modern technology remains a subject of debate to this day.
In his new study, the author has developed a computer model that combines geometry, the logistics of moving the blocks, and a step-by-step analysis of the load on the structure. Calculations showed that, using this method, stone blocks could have been delivered every four to six minutes. At this rate, the main construction phase could have lasted approximately 14–21 years, and taking into account stone quarrying, transport along the Nile and seasonal breaks – around 20–27 years. It is this range, according to the author, that is consistent with established historical estimates.
What the model seeks to explain
One of the key arguments in favour of the new version, the author states, is the internal cavities that have already been detected in the pyramid using modern scanning methods. The study argues that the geometry of the proposed ramp may correspond to these cavities and that they are likely not random voids, but part of the construction logic. At the same time, the author himself presents this precisely as a hypothesis that still needs to be verified archaeologically.
Another key focus of the work is its testability. The researcher writes that his model makes specific predictions that can be either confirmed or refuted in future studies. In particular, these concern possible traces of filling at the edges of the structure and characteristic wear at the corners, where there would have been heavy traffic of goods.
What this means for science The
new study does not put an end to the debate over the construction of the Pyramid of Cheops, but adds another formalised and calculated version to it. Its strength lies in the attempt to integrate logistics, geometry and structural strength into a single system. The ultimate value of this hypothesis will depend on whether archaeologists manage to find the physical traces it predicts. Until then, this is not a definitive solution to the mystery, but a new, well-argued version of how one of the most famous structures of the ancient world might have been built.
As reported by ThePublic, the Gemini app has received a major update that allows complex questions to be turned into interactive simulations directly within the chat window
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