News Archaeology

Was Egypt’s first pyramid built with hydraulics? The theory may hold water

A water-powered elevator may have hoisted stones for King Djoser’s pyramid. The claim has critics.

Egyptian King Djoser's pyramid rises above a sandy landscape, while sun-tinged clouds cast a golden glow on the scene.

Ancient workers could have built Egyptian King Djoser’s pyramid (shown) using a water-powered elevator to hoist the heavy stone blocks, a computer simulation suggests. But not all archaeologists are on board with the idea.

Anton Petrus/Moment/Getty Images

By Bruce Bower

Read another version of this article at Science News Explores

Waterpower may have given a big lift to builders of Egypt’s oldest known pyramid, the nearly 4,700-year-old Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara.