Letter: Pyramids

Monday 24 March 1997 00:02 GMT

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Pyramids trick

Sir: It seems very unlikely that the Egyptians would have needed to construct straight ramps to build the pyramids ("Getting to the point: how rolling stones helped build the pyramids", 21 March) when the pyramids themselves provided ready-made ones.

By using the principle of the hairpin bend to take a road up a mountain, stones could be carried spirally up the pyramid structure itself - at any gradient to suit the required load and its method of transportation. Moreover as the pyramid rose so, with very little extra effort, would this spiral ramp.

SEBASTIAN MACMILLAN

The Martin Centre for Architectural and Urban Studies

University of Cambridge

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