NEW evidence proves that the Ancient Egyptians constructed the Great Pyramid at Giza by transporting 170,000 tons of limestone in boats.

It has long been known that the rock was extracted eight miles away in Tura and that granite used in the monumental structure was quarried 533 miles away in Aswan.

6 The Great Pyramid is the largest in Giza, Egypt, and was built in 2600BC Credit: Channel 4

6 170,000 tons of limestone were used to build the Great Pyramid, the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu Credit: Channel 4

6 Granite used in the interior of the Great Pyramid was quarried and transported over 500 miles away Credit: Channel 4

6 An ancient papyrus scroll that dates back to 2600BC has been recently discovered and is the only first hand account of how the pyramid was built Credit: Channel 4

However, archaeologists have disagreed over how the material was transported to Giza, now part of modern-day Cairo, for construction of Pharaoh Khufu's tomb in 2600 BC.

Now that mystery could be a step further to being solved after the discovery of an ancient scroll of papyrus, a ceremonial boat and a network of waterways, reported the Mail on Sunday.

The new evidence shows that thousands of labourers transported 170,000 tons of limestone along the River Nile in wooden boats built with planks and rope.

6 Archaeologist Mark Lehner says he has discovered evidence of waterways used to transport rock to Giza Credit: Flickr

6 The papyrus scroll details how specially built waterways were used to transport 2.5 ton limestone blocks Credit: Channel 4

The 2.5-ton blocks were ferried through a system of specially designed canals before arriving at an inland port built just yards away from the base of the Great Pyramid.

The papyrus scroll is the only firsthand record of how the pyramid was built, and was written by an overseer named Merer.

He explained in detail how the limestone was moved from the quarry in Tura to Giza using the Bronze Age waterways.

Archaeologist Mark Lehner has also uncovered evidence of a waterway underneath the plateau the pyramid sits on.

He said: "We’ve outlined the central canal basin, which we think was the primary delivery area to the foot of the Giza Plateau."

The new discoveries are being broadcast in a documentary on Channel 4 tonight named Egypt’s Great Pyramid: The New Evidence.

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