Unexplained Ancient Egyptian Tech We Still Can’t Figure Out

Bright Side

The ancient Egyptians were seriously ahead of their time, and some of their tech still leaves us scratching our heads today! 🏺 For example, we still can't quite figure out how they built the pyramids with such precision and massive stones without modern machinery. And then there’s the mystery of their medical tools—they had instruments for surgeries that look surprisingly advanced, even by today’s standards. The Egyptians also made batteries out of clay pots that could generate electricity—way before electricity was even a thing! 🔋 Their use of a type of concrete that’s stronger than some modern versions also has scientists stumped. These mysteries make you wonder just how much they really knew and what other secrets they took with them.

Transcript

00:00If there's a question that still baffles archaeologists to this day, it's this one.

00:05How did the ancient Egyptians build those magnificent pyramids?

00:09As far as we know today, their resources were quite limited,

00:13especially in terms of tools and building materials.

00:16We still don't have a fully satisfying answer.

00:19But hey, we've got some pretty amazing theories worth considering.

00:22The leading contender among these theories involves the clever Egyptians

00:27employing a sneaky strategy.

00:28Now, picture this.

00:30They constructed a slanted and curving mound made of bricks, earth, and sand,

00:35encircling the pyramid to be.

00:37As the pyramid grew taller and taller,

00:40they simply increased the height and length of this wacky structure.

00:43It's like they were playing an ancient game of Jenga.

00:46Now, how did they get those massive stone blocks up there?

00:50Well, according to the legendary ancient Greek historian Herodotus,

00:55they used sleds, rollers, and levers.

00:57It sounds like they turned construction into a supersized game of tug-of-war.

01:01And guess what?

01:02Herodotus also claimed that the Great Pyramid,

01:05you know, the one from Giza, the granddaddy of them all,

01:08took a whopping 20 years to build.

01:11There's more.

01:12Herodotus also dropped a mind-boggling number on us.

01:16100,000 men were supposedly involved in this pyramid extravaganza.

01:21Did they hire the entire Egyptian population?

01:24Well, it might not be as far-fetched as it sounds.

01:28These men were probably mostly farmers,

01:30so they probably focused on the pyramids

01:32when there wasn't much work to be done in the fields.

01:35You know, like during the flood season of the Nile River.

01:38Obviously, specialists in the archaeological community

01:41had something to add to this theory.

01:43By the late 20th century,

01:45they discovered some evidence that suggests

01:47the workforce might have been smaller

01:49and more permanent than previously thought.

01:52Instead of a massive army of 100,000 pyramid builders,

01:56they proposed that a modest crew of around 20,000 workers,

02:00accompanied by support personnel like bakers,

02:03physicians, and even spiritual leaders,

02:05could have gotten the job done.

02:07There was also this theory

02:09that claimed that the pyramids were actually built

02:11from the top downward.

02:13It suggested that these colossal structures

02:15were nothing more than isolated hills used as quarries.

02:19The stones were supposedly drawn from these hills,

02:22and over time, competing engineers took charge

02:25and transformed them into the iconic pyramids we know today.

02:29Now, before you dismiss this theory as a wild fantasy,

02:33some folks thought it wasn't completely crazy.

02:36After all, there are instances where isolated hills exist.

02:39So maybe this theory had a tiny glimmer of truth.

02:43Whether it involved ramp building or ingenious work schedules,

02:47one thing is clear.

02:48Those pyramids have definitely left their mark on history

02:51and on our imaginations.

02:54Now, speaking of ancient Egyptian mysteries,

02:57there's this gigantic unfinished obelisk

02:59sitting in ancient Egypt.

03:01And scientists are trying to figure out how it was shaped.

03:04Now, some people suggest that our industrious ancestors

03:07use handheld pounders to get the job done.

03:11One expert has a different take on the matter, though.

03:14He argues that if we take a closer look

03:16at the pattern left behind by the shaping tool,

03:19we'll notice something peculiar.

03:21The walls of the trenches surrounding the obelisk

03:24display a neat and even pattern,

03:26which is pretty unlikely if they were pounded away

03:29by mere mortal hands.

03:31According to this expert,

03:32those horizontal striations are usually the result

03:36of a tool that takes breaks while removing material,

03:39leaving its mark on the surface.

03:41But wait, there's more.

03:43Imagine the tool being rocked back and forth

03:46against the trench walls,

03:47clearing away the waste to keep the trench from narrowing.

03:51Well, in that case,

03:52the tool might have left some funky horizontal striations

03:55where it was pressed against the sidewall.

03:58This sounds like some fancy technology at play,

04:00don't you think?

04:01And guess what?

04:02The dynastic Egyptians probably didn't have access

04:05to that kind of know-how.

04:07Another famous Egyptologist from way back

04:10also uncovered a bunch of core drills

04:12during his adventures.

04:14Although the actual drill bits are missing,

04:16his collection houses these particular core remnants

04:19made of limestone, alabaster, and even granite.

04:23These constructions aren't the only amazing thing

04:26the ancient Egyptians left behind, though.

04:28As it turns out,

04:29the Egyptians were the genius minds

04:31behind the creation of the handheld mirror.

04:34Yeah, that little mirror you use every day

04:37to check yourself out.

04:38But here's the twist.

04:39These mirrors are like pieces of art.

04:41They were decorated with inscriptions and figures.

04:45But that's not all.

04:46The Egyptians had a serious concern with their appearance.

04:49They knew the importance of personal hygiene

04:51and looking fabulous.

04:53So, in their quest for pearly whites,

04:56they invented toothbrushes and toothpaste.

04:59Dental problems were pretty common back then,

05:01and their smiles weren't exactly all white.

05:04Dentistry wasn't their strongest suit, you see.

05:07Maybe their minds were distracted

05:08by all that pyramid building.

05:10So, that doesn't mean

05:11those ancient toothpaste recipes weren't amazing.

05:14One delightful concoction included rock salt,

05:18mint, dried iris petals, and pepper.

05:20Some brave dentists in the 21st century tried it out,

05:24and it worked pretty well.

05:26Ground-up ash was also used in another recipe

05:28to create a tooth cleansing paste.

05:31Mint was missing,

05:32so that didn't do much for their breath.

05:34That's when the genius Egyptians

05:35came up with the world's first breath mints.

05:38They made tablets from heated spices like cinnamon,

05:41and they mixed it with honey.

05:43Now, let's shift gears to home decor, Egyptian style.

05:47They surely took ornamentation to the next level.

05:50While the concept of decorating furniture

05:52started in Mesopotamia,

05:54the Egyptians cranked it up a notch.

05:57They went all out with different colors of ink

05:59and even developed various weights of paper.

06:02Oh, and let's not forget

06:03about those cute little area rugs

06:05we all have in our homes today.

06:08Guess who came up with the idea?

06:10Yep, the Egyptians.

06:11They used the versatile papyrus plant

06:13to make those cozy rugs.

06:15And speaking of trends,

06:17the Egyptians loved their knick-knacks.

06:19They had an assortment of small figurines

06:21in the shapes of cats, dogs, and people.

06:25These statues were made from various materials,

06:27like simple sun-dried mud

06:29to the ultimate bling of gold.

06:32It all depended on how loaded you were.

06:35The Egyptians were also all about farming,

06:37and they knew that clean water

06:39was crucial for their crops and animals.

06:41That's why they came up with some nifty inventions

06:43and techniques to make sure their land was fertile

06:46and their plants were happy.

06:48First off, they had the genius idea

06:51of using ox-drawn plows.

06:53They had two types of plows, heavy and light.

06:56The heavy plow would strut its stuff,

06:58cutting deep furrows in the soil,

07:00while the lighter plow followed behind,

07:02fluffing up the earth.

07:04But they didn't stop there.

07:05After plowing, the Egyptians would break up

07:08clumps of soil and sow the rows with seeds.

07:10To give those seeds a good old squish into the pharaohs,

07:14they'd march their livestock across the field,

07:16effectively closing up the furrows.

07:19But hey, all that hard work would be pointless

07:21if their seeds were as dry as the Sahara.

07:24That's where irrigation comes into play.

07:27The Egyptians were so good at it

07:29that other cultures, like the Greeks and Romans,

07:32couldn't help but copy their techniques.

07:34Now let's switch gears

07:35and talk about the marvelous architecture of ancient Egypt.

07:38These folks weren't just skilled farmers.

07:41They were also architectural maestros.

07:44They built these fancy canals

07:46to carry water to farms and villages.

07:48And boy, did they know how to make those canals look pretty.

07:51Just imagine strolling along a canal

07:54lined with ornate structures.

07:56The pharaoh Ramesses the Great

07:58was quite the overachiever when it came to construction.

08:01One of his mind-blowing creations

08:03was the construction located at Abu Simbel.

08:05This building was designed so that twice a year,

08:09the sun would shine directly into it

08:11and illuminate the statues of Ramesses.

08:14And let's not forget about the corbelled arch.

08:17Without this architectural gem,

08:19we'd be missing out on some mind-boggling structures

08:22like the Great Pyramid.

08:24The Egyptians knew how to make things stand tall and proud,

08:27thanks to their engineering and construction wizardry.

08:30They built grand halls and inner sanctums

08:32that make your jaw drop.

08:34And some of these temples doubled

08:35as astronomical observatories.

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