Hybrid Construction of the Great Pyramid of Khufu: A Multi-Phase Model Integrating External Ramps, Internal Counterweight Systems, Internal Ramps and Scaffolding

The construction of the Great Pyramid of Khufu (c. 2560 BCE) remains one of antiquity’s most enduring engineering enigmas. Despite extensive study, no consensus exists regarding the methods by which its stone blocks were raised to heights exceeding 137 meters. Existing theories—the external ramp, the stepped-core hypothesis, and Houdin’s internal spiral ramp—each encounter significant logistical or structural objections. This paper synthesizes their strengths while addressing their weaknesses, proposing a phased, hybrid model: (1) an external ramp with a narrow structural contact for the lower third; (2) an internal counterweight lift system utilizing the Grand Gallery for the middle third; and (3) an internal ramp or internal scaffold for the final third. This tripartite sequence is evaluated against architectural, geophysical (microgravity), and material evidence and is shown to be mechanically consistent with the known internal structure, including the anomalous features of the Grand Gallery and the density patterns identified in the 1986 microgravity survey.