Technological Regression in Old Kingdom Pyramid Construction: Reassessing the Engineering Anomaly from the Fourth to Sixth Dynasties By Antonio Ambrosio

https://www.academia.edu/165200591/Technological_Regression_in_Old_Kingdom_Pyramid_Construction_Reassessing_the_Engineering_Anomaly_from_the_Fourth_to_Sixth_Dynasties?rhid=39759186980&swp=rr-rw-wc-144908355&nav_from=e75518a8-96bf-4a7b-ad2f-a832695c69d2 The pyramids of the Egyptian Old Kingdom represent some of the most remarkable achievements in human architecture. Conventional Egyptological scholarship situates the technological apex of pyramid construction in the Fourth Dynasty, particularly with the Great Pyramid of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure at the Giza Plateau. However, the pyramids constructed in the subsequent Fifth and Sixth Dynasties show a notable decline in scale, structural precision, and engineering sophistication. In this paper, I examine this phenomenon as a potential case of technological regression, analyzing construction techniques, architectural planning, and comparative historical evidence. I propose that the Giza Plateau pyramids may predate the full development of Old Kingdom state administration, offering a potential explanation for the observed anomalies in later dynasties. While this paper does not seek to identify the original builders, it highlights a critical gap in the accepted narrative of Egyptian architectural development. ...