104 



REPORT 1844. 



The director having repeatedly walked backwards and forwards, tilting each end of 

 the stone alternately, and additional hoards having been introduced every time, the 

 stone gradually rose to the required height, rather exceeding that of the next step, 

 when rollers were placed on the boards and the stone was transferred to similar planks 

 placed in readiness on the next step of the Pyramid. 



The same process was then renewed, and contiimed from step to step till the stone 

 arrived at its destined locality. 



Should any of the stones have been short, and consequently have afforded insuffi- 

 cient leverage for one man's weight to tilt them, he might have carried a load ; or 

 planks might have been made fast at the top so as to project beyond the ends of the 

 stone for him to walk along; or two or more men might have been employed in 

 traversing the stonej or various other expedients might, obviously, have been adopted 

 to tilt the stone. The wood probably underwent some preparatory process by which 

 it was condensed and its elasticity destroyed, perhaps by being subjected to very 

 heavy pressure when sodden with boiling water. 



Thus " the properties of the lever and of the centre of gravity were brought into 

 co-operation, so that the lucight to be lifted was itself the principal element of the lifting 

 poiuer." Figuratively speaking, the stone was made to raise itself by means of 

 ITS OWN weight. 



In this manner, with the aid of a few dozen planks, a couple of men (one traversing 

 the stone while the other arranged the planks) might have conducted to the top of 

 the great Pyramid the largest stone used in its construction ; thus corroborating the 

 assertion of the Egyptian priests, as stated by Herodotus, that the "stones were raised 

 from stej) to step by the aid of short pieces of wood ; which, being jjortable and easily 

 managed, might be removed or transferred as often as they deposited a stone ; or different 

 sets might have been employed for every range of steps." By this simple process, also, 

 a few men might have raised Stonehenge in a single night, if the requisite stones 

 were provided and placed in readiness near the spot, without any previous or subse- 

 quent indication of the means by which it was effected j affording the Druids a 

 favourable opportunity of practising upon the ignorance and credulity of the multi- 

 tude by ascribing its erection to supernatural agency. 









RAISING THE STONES FROM STEP TO STEP IN CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID. 



