Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
remained the characteristic building style until the end of traditional Egyptian
monumental building (1st-2nd Century AD). At its introduction it appeared fully
developed, and its technical excellence has never been surpassed. h e blocks were
massive, as a rule ranging from several tons to many tons in burden. h ey were
as a rule not regular parallelopiped in form—their joints were not orthogonal and
sometimes were stepped. h is evidences that as much as possible of the dressing
was ef ected
in situ
.
h ese massive units were set in place by the same procedures as was Megalithic
masonry, i.e. the use of earthwork ramps, banks and i lls, together with expert
levering; but the nature of the masonry units was entirely dif erent from those
of megalithic construction. Whereas Megalithic masonry was largely unhewn,
Pharaonic masonry was i nely dressed so that all the joints between blocks were
“hairline”. h us the construction was of the greatest possible solidity. h is mastery
of the art of i ne dressing large blocks of stone remained a principal factor in build-
ing construction throughout antiquity down to very recent times when reinforced
concrete and steel framed construction has rendered i nely dressed load bearing
stone construction virtually obsolete. h e invention of this practice is seen in 4th
Dynasty Egypt—and no forerunners are to be seen. On the other hand, as stated
above, the construction procedures of Pharaonic masonry were those of Mega-
lithic Masonry. h e development of Megalithic Masonry in Western Europe was
a good millennium prior to that of Pharaonic masonry, however they overlapped
historically. Megalithic construction was l ourishing when Pharaonic construction
was introduced and both remained contemporary for a millennium or more. Very
little has been said about any possible connection or inl uence.
Clean Lifting by Block and Tackle
During the 6th Century BC Greek builders developed to perfection a style of Ashlar
Masonry which has remained the academic norm, and has never been surpassed
in its detailing. However the basic idea of i nely dressed large block masonry was
derived by Greek builders from the example of Egyptian monumental building
(past and present). It was a specii c item in the building procedure of this Greek
ashlar construction, reversing and outmoding Egyptian procedure which constituted
a most signii cant development (innovation) in the history of ancient building
technology. h is was clean lit ing by block and tackle—i.e. a device of a “block”
in which were housed one or more wheels around which wheels a rope could
be passed serially. Each wheel reversed the motion of the rope and the number
of wheels in the system progressively increased the mechanical advantage of the
