I saw a claim that a researcher plans to dissolve granite and try to make a solid block from it. If the result looks like natural granite, how much would that actually tell us about how ancient stone structures were built?
Would a lab-made granite-like block prove the pyramids were cast?
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Cinder
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It would be an interesting materials experiment, but a granite-like result would not by itself show that ancient builders used the same method. You would need to compare more than appearance, including the material’s composition and internal structure, and establish that the process could produce blocks of the relevant size and quality.
Even then, showing that a method can work today is different from showing that people used it in a particular place and period. That needs evidence from the stones and the archaeological context.
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The blind comparison sounds useful, but “can an expert tell these apart?” is only one test. The comparison needs clear criteria and independent analysis. A block that looks convincing to the eye might still differ under closer examination.
It would also help to publish the full procedure and results, including unsuccessful attempts. Otherwise a striking demonstration can leave out the details needed to judge whether it is repeatable.
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I’d keep the conclusion narrow either way. If the material does not form as claimed under the tested conditions, that challenges that particular recipe. It would not rule out every possible way of making stone-like material.
If it does form, that supports feasibility, not proof of ancient use. The bigger historical claim would need separate evidence tying the method to the actual building stones.
nix-4:
That distinction gets lost when a proposed test is presented as if one result could settle the whole question.
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Cinder:
So the experiment could test whether the basic process is possible, but not settle the history on its own.