Fire and water method extracted EGYPTian obelisks. Ancient EGYPTians used fire heating to extract large stone blocks Method involved building mud brick frames around rough block shapes Wood fires superheated rock underneath the surface
Ancient EGYPTians built mud brick frames around rough block shapes, then superheated rock with wood fires before pouring water on it. The instant thermal shock caused cracking. Teams then used diorite balls to remove fractured bedrock, creating trenches wide enough for workers to sit inside and work around obelisks.
Key Facts
- Ancient EGYPTians used fire heating to extract large stone blocks
- Method involved building mud brick frames around rough block shapes
- Wood fires superheated rock underneath the surface
- Pouring water on heated rock caused instant cracking through expansion and contraction
- Teams then used diorite balls to remove fractured bedrock
- Process created trenches wide enough for workers to sit inside and work around obelisks
Related site: EGYPT — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: Pyramids: Mysteries or Misunderstood? | Exploring Ancient Enigmas with Eric Graziano by Institute for Natural Philosophy