# Are there any theories on WHY such large stones were used to build the pyrimids? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 16, 2010, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-theories-on-why-such-large-stones-were-used-to-build-the-pyrimids/560846 "2010-11-16T10:57:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-theories-on-why-such-large-stones-were-used-to-build-the-pyrimids/560846/21 "2010-11-17T05:15:24Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > The way I read it, is that they didn’t work on the pyramids year round. A lot of the work was done after the peasants were done getting the crops in and they didn’t have much work to do until after the spring flooding of the Nile when they would plant their crops. > > There was a small crew of skilled labor that worked year round, but the heavy working of moving the stones from the quarry to work site was done using seasonal labor. 1. So this demonstrates that time \*was \*an issue,making my case for me. If time wasn’t an issue why not work year round? 2. What you just posted is almost word for word what I wrote in the very first reply. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-theories-on-why-such-large-stones-were-used-to-build-the-pyrimids/560846/22 "2010-11-17T05:29:27Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > The biggest practical objection to this theory (after all of the scientific objections) is, if they had that technology why not apply it to everthing you build? Why not pour house walls and roofs, tables and chairs, etc? Frank Loyd Wright wasn’t around to invent the leaky roof and cement chair? I’m not married to the theory in any way but I just thought it was interesting. I thought it would have died in the 70’s when it came out. ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-theories-on-why-such-large-stones-were-used-to-build-the-pyrimids/560846/23 "2010-11-17T05:42:59Z")
This is probably less important over all, but the internal galleries all have cantilevered ceilings (can’t remember the architectural term) where each course jutted out a bit more until the 2 sides met. Is part of the idea of structural stability the fact that large stones require more force before they crack? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-theories-on-why-such-large-stones-were-used-to-build-the-pyrimids/560846/24 "2010-11-17T06:45:44Z")
> [@dzero](#): > > Is part of the idea of structural stability the fact that large stones require more force before they crack? Just curious. IANA engineer, but I assume that’s part of it. Another part is that large stones have more surface area and so have more friction with adjoining stones stones. Take a pile of bricks and stack them into a 10’ cube and give them a light shake. The bricks on the corners will fall off. Keep shaking and the whole pile will turn to rubble in short order. Make the same stack out of 1’ blocks and you’ll have to shake a lot harder. Use 2’ blocks and you’ll just about have to turn the stack side on to make the blocks move. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-theories-on-why-such-large-stones-were-used-to-build-the-pyrimids/560846/25 "2010-11-17T09:25:38Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’m not married to the theory in any way but I just thought it was interesting. I thought it would have died in the 70’s when it came out. Having not died out adds nothing. By that reasoning the proponants of the Kennedy assasination, 9-11 truthers, moon landing hoaxers, chariots of the gods, flat earth believers and so on should have dropped their beliefs long ago. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-theories-on-why-such-large-stones-were-used-to-build-the-pyrimids/560846.md?page=1)