According to the American Physical Society, a team from the University of Amsterdam showed that adding water — but not too much — to sand would reduce friction enough to make sliding an object on it easier.
The physicists conducted an experiment that showed how “capillary water bridges” formed with the addition of water, aiding in sliding. Too much water, however, would actually increase sliding friction.
“Our results, therefore, show that the friction coefficient is directly related to the shear modulus; this has important repercussions for the transport of granular materials. In addition, the polydispersity of the sand is shown to also have a large effect on the friction coefficient,” the authors wrote." TheBlaze
Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens.
And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
Exodus 1:11