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Causeways were used to pull stone blocks on wood sleds up the side of the pyramids. Water was put on the ramps to lessen friction while hauling the blocks.
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The idea for cranes came from pulley systems which were first used by the Sumerians in Mesopotamians around 1500 B.C.
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Ancient Greeks developed primitive versions of the crane before we originally thought. It turns out the ancient Greeks had created cranes as early as 700-650 B.C.
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By 515 B.C the ancient Greeks already had blueprints for modern cranes. Carved in stone were the components for this present day crane design.
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The first-ever compound pulleys were produced by Archimedes from Syracuse who used them to lift a whole warship with its crew. In 230 B.C the Romans invented the treadwheel crane and used it to build temples and other buildings.
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After French mathematician, Blaise Pascal studied hydrodynamics and hydrostatics, he formulated a new understanding of fluid and density (hydraulic principals). Using those principles, Blaise invented hydraulic cranes.
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A book in 1550 contained the design for the first-ever crane which could move its cargo horizontally. This was unfortunately just a diagram, not a real-life crane. In 1666, Claude Perrault built the horizontal moving crane and the plan finally became a reality.
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Cranes were being made in iron starting in 1834 due to the rise of ironworks. In 1851 hand-powered cranes began to run on steam.
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With the development of electronic and communication technologies, cranes have become automated. This has improved the safety of the workplace and made it more cost-efficient. Some new features include: anti-collision cells, load limiters, and radio controls.
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Cranes nowadays are a lot stronger, safer, and can carry more weight. The maximum load capacity of a Liebherr all-terrain crane is a whopping 1200 tons, and the maximum hoist height is 188 meters. These advanced cranes can also operate on all-terrains (where it gets its name).
