Lost Engineers of Prehistoric Egypt - Ben van Kerkwyk, UnchartedX #323

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Ben van Kerkwyk is the host of the @UnchartedX Youtube channel, best known for his study of unbelievably precise stone vases from the pre-dynastic period in Egypt. The strangeness of these vases cannot be overstated. They’re hewn out of some of the hardest stones known to man with micron precision. Mathematical relationships like pi, phi, and the flower of life are encoded in their construction. And they are OLD. Some have been found in tombs that date back to 6000 BC, more than three thousand years before the peak of Egyptian civilization. When they are discovered, it is always among other vases that *look* similar, but lack the precision and fine workmanship, or are made from softer stone. It is as if they are prized heirlooms, passed along through the generations, from a people whose ability to work stone (at the very least) rivals ours - but who are completely missing from the archaeological record. Who were these people? Why did they make these vases? What else were they doing? We sit down with Ben to unravel the story.

Ben's channel, UnchartedX here on YT: https://www.youtube.com/@UC2Stn8atEra7SMdPWyQoSLA

(00:00) Go!

(00:05:18) The Enigmatic Vases of Ancient Egypt

(00:07:53) Contextualizing Pre-Dynastic Egypt

(00:12:02) Advanced Stonework: Evidence of Ancient Precision

(00:20:34) Egyptian Artifact Enigma

(00:25:10) Museums and Unseen Records

(00:27:19) Mythological Memories

(00:32:10) Cataclysmic Events and Memories

(00:38:36) Cultural Evolution and Memory Loss

(00:40:42) Ancient Egyptian Symbols and Theories

(00:42:06) Cargo Cults and Cultural Memory

(00:44:04) Egypt's Architectural Mysteries

(00:47:04) Human Antiquity and Technological Gaps

(00:49:23) Civilization Cycles and Future Challenges

(00:55:09) Energy, Society, and Civilization’s Future

(01:03:11) Unfinished Works and Ancient Techniques

(01:06:40) Evidence of Advanced Machining

(01:10:38) Theories on Ancient Machining Methods

(01:19:40) Ancient Machining Techniques

(01:32:22) Mathematical Encodings in Art

(01:39:03) Analysis of Vase Geometry

(01:43:14) Mathematical Modelling Precision

(01:47:01) Historical Implications & Mathematical Knowledge

(01:52:33) Machining Challenges

(01:56:28) Geopolymer Theories

(02:02:02) Precision in Ancient Artifacts

(02:09:06) Authenticity and Provenance Concerns

(02:22:51) Functional Speculations of Ancient Structures

(02:25:11) Rewriting Historical Narratives

(02:31:11) Tour Challenges and Insights

(02:34:22) Future Research Themes

(02:37:11) Interconnection of Beauty and Mathematics

(02:38:36) Mathematical Precision in Ancient Designs

(02:43:00) Ancient Civilizations and Their Lost Histories

#LostCivilizations,, #ancienttechnology, #AncientArtifacts, #AncientHistory, #EgyptianMysteries, #Archaeology, #HistoricalMysteries, #AlternativeHistory, #AncientEgypt, #MysteryUncovered, #AncientCivilizations, #HistoryBuff, #AncientSecrets, #AncientEngineering, #HistoricalResearch, #Mythology, #philosophypodcast, #sciencepodcast, #longformpodcast

Check our short-films channel, @DemystifySci: https://www.youtube.com/c/DemystifyingScience AND our material science investigations of atomics, @MaterialAtomics https://www.youtube.com/@MaterialAtomicsJoin our mailing list https://bit.ly/3v3kz2S