01The Wadi Abusir Hydraulic Management System
Saqqara · PLOS ONE 2024
Research Institute for Archaeology & Ancient Engineering · Paris
Unveiling past advanced techniques.
At the intersection of archaeology and engineering, Paleotechnic studies the systems, landscapes and knowledge that shaped ancient civilisations.
Our approach
We read ancient sites as systems — connecting terrain, water, structures and human ingenuity.
HydrologyEgyptologyArchaeologyGeotechnicsPaleoclimatologyGeographyPhysicsMaterials
Current programmes
Research
A multidisciplinary analysis to answer fundamental questions about ancient technologies and environments.
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02The Dahshur Dams
Dahshur · npj Heritage Science 2026
03The Great Pyramid of Giza
Giza · research programme
Saqqara · field evidenceThe laboratory
From field evidence to digital reconstruction.
We combine satellite imagery, hydrology, photogrammetry, Egyptology and 3D creation to analyse ancient sites at every scale.
See our latest resultTools & expertise
Our lab
A wide range of cutting-edge tools to analyse ancient sites and technologies, from regional landscapes to individual structures.
01Geography, hydrology, geologyUnderstanding people and their environment+
Our access to satellite imagery enables complete characterisation of ancient sites. We generate digital elevation models, carry out hydrological analyses, and reconstruct watersheds, lakes, rivers and urban supply systems.
02PhotogrammetryFrom millimetres to kilometres+
Our technology and know-how capture the exterior and interior of objects or structures at small, medium and large scales, producing precise material for study, measurement and interpretation.
03Satellite imageryOptical, hyperspectral and radar+
We programme and acquire commercial satellite images, then combine optical, hyperspectral and radar approaches to identify landscape and archaeological markers.
04EgyptologyOur core discipline+
We give equal emphasis to archaeology and text, moving beyond traditional geographical, chronological and methodological boundaries to understand how ancient sites and technologies worked.
05CAD & 3D creationAnalysis, simulation and transmission+
From CAD models for numerical simulation to paleo-realistic environments for film and virtual visits, our team works with Solidworks, Unreal Engine, Blender and SketchUp.
Selected publications
Research that opens new perspectives.
Figure 4 · 2026
npj Heritage Science · 2026
Two possible ancient dams near the Red Pyramid on the Dahshur Plateau, Egypt.
The study presents evidence that two 600–700 m structures crossing Wadi Dahshur may have functioned as giant dams, alongside a water diversion channel west of the Red Pyramid. One structure includes a possible duckbill weir designed to regulate flow and sediment.
Read the 2026 paper
PLOS ONE · 2024
On the possible use of hydraulic force to assist with building the Step Pyramid of Saqqara.
The study identifies Gisr el-Mudir as a possible check dam, a water-treatment system within the Dry Moat, and an internal hydraulic lifting mechanism that may have assisted construction of the Step Pyramid of Djoser.
Read the 2024 paperGisr el-Mudir · PLOS ONE 2024
In the international press
Research making headlines.
Independent reporting and expert discussion around our 2024 Saqqara study and the 2026 Dahshur paper.
Could a hydraulic lift have helped build Egypt’s oldest pyramid?
CNN
Ancient Egyptians may have built a massive dam near the Red Pyramid
New Scientist
How water power may be the secret behind the first pyramids
The Times
How heavy stones may have been raised to build Djoser’s Pyramid
Al Jazeera
Egyptian pyramid may have been built using a water-powered elevator
New Scientist
Research network
Partners & co-publishing institutions.
Our work is strengthened by long-term scientific collaborations across research, academia and industry.
Cairo University
INRAE
Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement
Université Grenoble Alpes
CNRS
Université d’Orléans
Sicame Group
AirbusThe INRAE link opens its feature on the hydraulic system proposed for the construction of the Saqqara pyramid.
About Paleotechnic
At the intersections of several disciplines lies the potential for the greatest discoveries.
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Paleotechnic in a nutshell
Paleotechnic is a research institute specialising in archaeology and ancient technology analysis. Its mission is to discover our civilisation's origins through a multidisciplinary, holistic approach spanning hydrology, archaeology, geotechnics, climatology, physics and materials science.
The Institute conducts R&D studies to identify and analyse how technologies from the past functioned, with a particular focus on Ancient Egypt and the construction of the giant pyramids.
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What makes us different
Reverse engineering helps us understand forgotten technologies. Far from being simple or outdated, many required sophisticated knowledge that is no longer commonly known today.
By bringing together materials science, physics, chemistry, mechanics and astronomy, our laboratory network can reconstruct these systems and explore what they can teach us now.
Education
Research made accessible.
Every year Paleotechnic organises conferences and courses on current research topics, in French or English.
Scientific and historical insight
Lectures and advisory services on early Egyptian history, architecture and construction — from the Pyramid of Djoser to the Pyramid of Khufu.
Theory meets field practice
Courses combine theory with hands-on practical sessions across modern archaeology, Old Kingdom Egyptology and satellite imagery analysis.
Contact
Let's open a new line of enquiry.
communicationpaleotechnic@gmail.com
Paleotechnic
9 rue des Colonnes
75002 Paris, France