The Legacy of the Great Pyramid Laborers
The efforts of the laborers and skilled workers of Khufu’s pyramid were vital to creating the Great Pyramids of Giza, designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The builders of the Great Pyramid of Giza used literal blood, sweat, and tears. Even so, they had to go back to their day jobs on farms and other roles in Egyptian society. The skilled craftspeople did top-notch work to ensure the Pharaoh was presentable in the afterlife. The administrators kept everything organized, provided for workers, ensured everyone was fed, housed, paid, and happy. Despite the broken bones and compressed spines, that is. The Pyramids were a long, laborious project that required the construction of a whole city, and literally broke the backs of workers. Their work has endured 4,500 years, with no signs of losing its “World Wonder” status.
Where did we find this stuff? Resources and Additional Reading
Ancient Egyptian Sport (n.a.) State Information Service: your Gateway to Egypt. (n.d.)
Hawass: ‘The Great Pyramids were not built by slaves.’ Mustafa Marie, Egypt Today, 9 June 2020.
Pyramid builders had Happy Hours, too. Associated Press. Los Angeles Times, 31 May 1993.
Pyramid builders had medical care. Tarek El-Tablawy, AP News, 27 July 1998.
Pyramids at Giza. Brian Handwerk, National Geographic (n.d.)
Were the Egyptian pyramids built by slaves? Laura Price, BBC Science Focus, (n.d)
Who built the Egyptian Pyramids? Not slaves. Eric Betz, Discover Magazine, 1 February 2021.
Who built the Pyramids? Jonathan Shaw. Harvard Magazine, July-August 2003.