Engineering's Great Achievements: The Great Pyramid by Jason Todd
I think that the greatest achievement in engineering is The Great Pyramid. Considering what the Egyptians had to work with, it was amazing. It stood as the tallest building in the world for over forty centuries. Its height couldn't be surpassed until the nineteenth century. It is said that the pyramid could be seen from the mountains of Israel when it still had its shiny casing.
One of the reasons that I think that The Great Pyramid is the greatest achievement in engineering is its incredible durability. It is the oldest of the great wonders of the world, but it is the only one still standing. This is probably more durable than any of our modern buildings. An Arab proverb says, "Man fears time, yet time fears the pyramids."
Another reason is the amazing accuracy with which it was built. The maximum amount of error in the length between sides is an amazing one tenth of a percent. Each level is perfectly even with the level across from it. Each side is almost perfectly oriented with a cardinal direction. The three largest pyramids are arranged in the shape of Orion's Belt. This shows incredible foresight and ability. The Great Pyramid is one of the most precisely built buildings ever. After all the centuries, every stone is still level.
The construction of The Great Pyramid showed knowledge beyond the time of the Egyptians. The Egyptians apparently knew of geometric principles not discovered until hundreds of years after the construction of The Great Pyramid. They also showed great knowledge of architecture. The joints between the sides use ball bearings to allow for expansion and contraction due to weather. This method is still used today. The relieving chambers above the King's Chamber show great intelligence. They keep the King's Chamber from collapsing under the weight of the pyramid. Many experts conclude that we would be unable to construct The Great Pyramid today.
The engineer of The Great Pyramid was obviously a genius. He showed knowledge well beyond his time. The Egyptians accomplished a feat that would be amazing today. The Great Pyramid is without a doubt one of the greatest achievements in engineering.