A TECHNOLOGICAL CONTINUUM

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Proposal for a special issue

NGS knows better than anyone else the interest of the public for Egyptian antiquities and particularly the pyramids.

The first historian, Herodotus from Halicarnassus (V^th century BC), the « father of history », left us an explanation of the construction mode of Cheops Great Pyramid. This explanation has been basically ignored up to now, because it is outside of the competency of egyptologists, archeologists and pyramidologists. It belongs to the specific domain of the « builder ».

Architect and engineer with a diploma of the Ecole polytechnique of Lausanne (EPFL/Natural and Built Environment (ENAC) in 1972 (SIA prize winner), I published a first book « The construction system of the pyramids » in 1996, CANEVAS publisher (France and Switzerland). I obtained a doctorate in 2002 (at 61), with jury congratulations, from the Laboratoire Environnement, Géomécanique et Ouvrages (LAEGO) in civil engineering from the Ecole des Mines of Nancy (INPL). I then published a second book, with the same title with the publisher Dervy. My main thesis advisor was Prof. Thierry Verdel (currently the director of the French Speaking Léopold Senghor University in Alexandria), the two others thesis advisors were Prof. André Guillerme and Prof. Jean-Pierre Mohen. The president of the jury was Prof. Hany Helal, who teaches civil engineering and rock mechanics at the University of Cairo.

This research, done from a point of view that is entirely "scientific, technical and operative” by a builder with almost 60 years of experience, relies on the testimony of the greek historian Herodotus, who reports what the Egyptian priest of the temple of Ptah in Memphis (two thousand years after the construction) told him about he construction method of Cheops great pyramid « a system of successive benches », and not steps, I.e. a « crenellated stair », from A. Bailly’s dictionary, realized with « machines made of short pieces of wood that are moved or multiplied ».

This research has been published several times, has been reported in the press and been the object of multiple scientific communications, as it advanced, since the first book of 1996, « The constructive system of the pyramids », where the hypotheses are exposed. They then became developed in the dissertation of 2002 and were verified in the 20 years of post doctoralstudies. In other words, 30 years, counting the sudden awareness contemplating the sphinx in 1990, and the duty to myself « How would I do it ? ».

This « constructive system », developed and modeled in was verified by the geological study (genesis, structure, stratigraphy, pedology and restitution of the paleo-topo-stratigraphy/GOCAD) of the Gizeh plateau. It was also verified by the study of the rock natural fracture networks and the thickness of the strata, according to M. Ruhland (1969-1972/ Institute of Globe Physics, Strasbourg IPGS). It was followed by verification in situ with the traces of exploitation and quarry leftovers noticeable everywhere on the sites of each great pyramid in Gizeh, and of the two Dashur pyramids . This study was accomplished with the Institute for advanced research and training in stone profession (ISRFMP -Rodez), and with the Workmen Association of the Compagnons du Devoir, (inscribed in the immaterial world patrimony of the Unesco (AOCDTF, Paris). There was also the expertise of a specialist in Georessources (IPGS).

The specific innovating contributions of this constructor’s thesis are as follows :

• the establishment of slide, a technical continuum with the tumular workscoming from the “vernacular” at the Neolithic period,
• the interpretation of the Great Gallery as an « extraordinary sloped elevator »; central slide, lateral rack, counterweight blocks (future closing blocks) and antechamber of the three portcullis serving to restart the elevating machinery,
• the demonstration of the “vernacular” principle placing the tumulus, the stone pyramids and the great smooth pyramids at the center of their quarry. Hence the hypothesis that the Queen’s chamber would be placed on the original ground of the Gizeh plateau: « Cheops’ Horizon »,
• the primordial role of geology (tectonics, deformation analysis, stratigraphy),
• the study of rocks fracture networks (M. Ruhland) and its application in situ, that explains the orientation of the three great pyramids by pinpointing tectoglyphs: N/S striata,
• the spotting of quarry remains and the traces of exploitation,
• the method and actual attempt to carve out and move a block,
• the checking up the dimensions of the blocks and their header settings at the top of the rhomboid and red pyramids in Dashur (picture published by NGS in « Égypte entre ciel et terre »),
• the Successive modelisations : manual, graphic, infographic, artificial intelligence, pedagogical and in a workshop at Bibalex (2007),
• the “static” interpretation of the Great and Small voids discovered by the Japanese “muographers” and published in Nature, as a « precautional discharge chimney » for the “fragile” Great Gallery ; the small void being the obvious proof of it (open letter to Dr. Hani Helal, scientific director of HIP-ScanPyramids),
• talk to CULTNAT in 2017- Smart Village (Cairo, Egypt) on the differences between « Civil Engineering: organization and calculation of matter », and « Architecture: organisation of spaces and functions »,
• Finalization of the « Model théorique d’accroissement pyramidal PYR/CAR according to the algorithmic logistics induced by the Movement-Machine » described by Herodotus,
• Bringing out « an internal Homothetics » of Cheops’ PYRamid and its QUArry, allowing one to envisage the interpretation of the height and shade variation of the bases, their stratigraphic origin and of the slope (Fig. 1) (to be done),
• the Homage to Herodotus, Pythagore, Lepsius, Westropp, Choisy, Serres, the precursors of the “machinistic” method developed by P. Crozat (Fig. 2) ,
• the “paradoxal” proofs brought by Z. Hawass and M. Lehrer in « Giza and the Pyramids; the Definitive History » , 2017 (Fig. 3) and the positive proofs published by NGS in « Égypte entre ciel et terre », 2004, with photographs by M. Bertinetti,
• the operational research for the « machine made of short pieces of wood » described by Herodotus (a fulcrum for the arm of a lever) with the Superior Institute for Research and Training of Stone Professions (Rodez and AOCDTF, Paris),
• the static role played by the stop-blocks of the three Girdle Stones of the ascending corridor, in order to hold the push of the Great Gallery which is measured out according to its slope, until they rest on the inferior layer (f).

CURRENT RESEARCH AND SEARCH FOR PARTNERS:

• A proposal to the UNESCO of a « petrographic analysis of the base of Cheops’ pyramid, by an international INRAP mission, specialist of Lutetian Nummulites,
• A proposal for an international « campaign of aerial archeology » with drones, to the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS), to analyse the precision of explanatory proofs of the construction system, the variations of the bases, of the inclinations, etc.
• A call for an « international research scientific project » - IRSP, gathering all the persons who have helped this research: engineers, architects, infographists, experts in stone work etc., to an ad hoc institutional organization in order to realize a film of the pyramidal growth according to the algorithmic logistics induced by the movement-machine described by Herodotus, of Cheops’ pyramid.

This thesis, like a Copernican revolution, pays homage to Herodotus, the first historian, 25 centuries later, and to Pythagorus, to K. R. Lepsius (1810-1884), egyptologist, for his theory of accretion : « increased and heightened simultaneously on all sides, by super-imposed coverings of stones ». And to H.M. Wetsropp (1820-1884), archeologist, for his drawing of a rhythmical accretion (on 7 horizontal levels), but also indicating enveloping cones with dotted lines. And to A. Choisy (1841-1909), architect, historian of architecture, for his drawing of successive enveloping cones, nested on one another and to M. Serres (1930-2019), epistemologist, to have shown how thought came from practice « logistics or algorism » with the great Pyramids of Egypt of the IVth dynasty.

To these 6 preceding intuitive hypotheses of a structure like « an onion skin » – but that do not ask the question of the provenance of the constitutive material – one must add the new and complementary hypothesis of the borrowing of the materials on the spot. See P. Crozat, (1996), experienced architect-engineer, who describes « the taking of the stones around the building itself, by successive stages, on all four faces simultaneously » (Fig. 2). It brings a total coherence to the construction system of the great pyramids and, with the geological study of the paleo-stratigraphy and of the fracturation network of the rocks on the Gizeh plateau, it brings the definitive scientific proof of the cumulative genius of the builders, corresponding to the “concrete additional and fractional system” of that period in Egypt. This is in opposition to “rampist” theories, following the « earth levees, they say » of Diodorus of Sicily (first century AD).

If a researcher’s duty is to establish correct hypotheses and to demonstrate them, the research should not remain on the dusty shelves of a university or on a random computer. It should be studied, verified, and widely shared by specialized media in a format allowing photographs, plans and vertical images, and also allowing an interactive kinetic animation.

However, as soon as publications for the public at large are on the table, there occurs the question of the ownership of the pictures, gathered here and there by the researcher. Many of them, and often the most explanatory, are those of Marcello Bertinetti in « Égypte, entre ciel et terre », French edition in 2004 by NGS.

Therefore, the « builder-author » of this operatory, technical and scientific research, now completed, is presenting it to the NGS and proposes to participate to the illustrations and to join the APSI for the publication of a special issue on the « Genius of the pyramids of Egypt ». There could also be a pedagogical and scientific film on the subject.

The NGS mediation would open a new chapter of study on the Art of Building in Antiquity, seen from the point of view of a constructor, under the title « The Genius of Buildings and Men » (P. Crozat, 2010). It would open it to the public, and it could be added to the building category of the Cultural Patrimony of Humanity.

Best regards,

Pierre CROZAT
Urbaniste - Architecte EPF-L (CH) (1971)
Dr. INPL / École des Mines de Nancy / Génie Civil (F) (2002)
Thèse “le génie des pyramides” / PDF 2844541615

F - 39380 LA LOYE
tel: +33 (0)9 52 60 13 49
mob: +33 (0)6 84 07 87 95 / WhatsApp
pierre.crozat@free.fr

WEB SITE: www.crozat.damia.ch

Academia.edu - ResearchGate - Pyramidales