Construction of pyramids

Pyramids have been fascinating structures ever since they came into existence. Knowledge of how they were designed and built was lost early on in history, making them an intriguing subject of debate. A common theory amongst Egyptologists is that the building blocks were hauled up a slope on sledges.

Our guest speaker, Bernard Mullers, found this puzzling. After all, simple calculations suggest that this method of construction would have required an improbably large amount of time and manpower. He set out to investigate and was inspired by nautical solutions that must have been known in antiquity. This led him to an alternative construction method, which he began to test using scale models. The evidence was gathered and published in 2022; see also www.pyramid-building-principles.com.

His solution has now been included as an accepted alternative in the Wikipedia entry on pyramids.

We are proud to welcome a critical-minded kindred spirit who illustrates the theory and practice of engineering with his discovery regarding how pyramid construction may well have taken place.

About the speaker
Bernard Mullers worked as an orthopaedic surgeon in Leiden. He has a background in both medicine and engineering. His interest in mechanics and lifting principles, fuelled in part by his work restoring historic ship engines, led to his research into the technical aspects of Egyptian pyramid construction.