Steve Clayton Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> >It's ironic that you figures aren't even correct
> since this was a step pyramid and the step pyramid
> was completed before much of the filling of the
> sides was done.
> >  It is akin to saying it's far easier to lift a
> heavy weight by dragging it on a ramp than just
> picking it up. Obviously this is true if the
> weight is too heavy to lift. But suddenly we have
> "they mustta used ramps".
>
> Hi Cladking,
>
> You both could be correct, depending on which
> Pyramid we are discussing. There is plenty of
> evidence, prior to using stone, the Pyramids were
> built in steps. Once they refined their process,
> they chose to use capping stones. Can we not
> agree, the capping stones looked better, and
> potentially provided a more efficient method to
> lift stones. Stones which were on average 2.5
> tons. You and I both agree, they did not build and
> use ramps. That would require a major leap of
> engineering, and if any one section collapsed, the
> entire build would come to a halt. There is no
> evidence of ramps, other than those used to remove
> cut stones from (chocolate) quarrie(s), and over
> on a downward slope, to the base of the G1
> Pyramid.  This thread,  should serve to cancel
> that way of thinking. It's not only impractical,
> there is no evidence.
>
> Ramps are Debunked! 
>
> Currently, we may differ on the question... Did
> they fill in the Cap Stones with each layer, or
> not?

We are in close agreement. And I can even agree it's possible to have pulled stones up the cladded sides of the growing pyramid. It's not only possible they did it your way in theory but it's even possible that they did it this way in fact.

I don't believe they did because the gravimetric scan clearly shows a five step pyramid with each step about 80' high. The sides are divided in six roughly equal segments by the location of the step tops.

I'm suggesting that by definition the steps and interior were more solid and provided the skeleton of the pyramid. Since the tops of the steps are more solid they are denser and show up better on the gravimetric scan seen here;

[hdbui.blogspot.com]

These step tops are the parallel to the base lines that show the five steps under the surface.

On the basis of having used steps at all I believe the stones were pulled up each step just as they pulled stones up at the tops of mastabas. It was Imhotep who thought of continuing upward by building another smaller mastaba on top of the first. If they used steps to lift stones then it follows they finished the pyramid from the top down. While some stones were no doubt pulled up the cladded sides it is probable that the vast majority of all satones were pulled up the sides of steps.

I don't know. Egyptology won't study the pyramids and I haven't been able to prove it yet. There might be enough evidence to prove this but for now all we can say is ramps are debunked and it appears stones were pulled straight up the sides of step pyramids.