Who Built the Pyramids?

There are more than 130 ancient pyramids in Egypt, but the three pyramids at Giza dwarf the rest in comparison. Historians and archaeologists have been deeply fascinated by these structures for centuries. Many theories have been proposed in regards to who the people to construct these towering monuments were. A popular theory stemming from the Bible is that Israeli slaves, kept in harsh conditions by the pharaoh’s men, were forced to haul the giant stones used to construct the pyramids. The scale of the construction and the fact that the pyramids were built 4500 years ago have caused some people to believe that the project must have been carried out by superhuman forces such as aliens or giants. Modern day historians have collected enough evidence to disprove these theories and propose one of their own. The pyramids at Giza were built by a group of approximately 5,000-10,000 Egyptians, who were not enslaved but respected and rewarded for their hard labour. This is evident in archaeological findings, which show the way in which these people were treated. In addition, the inscriptions and graffiti found inside the pyramids prove that the workers were more than willing to participate in the hard labour. Lastly, experiments and research conducted by historians and building engineers further support this theory and disprove all others. The two leading historians on the subject of the Giza pyramids are the renowned Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his friend and fellow historian Mark Lehner. The two have been deeply interested in the pyramids for decades, and are accountable for most of the archaeological finds on and around the site. Lehner’s main focus has been in unearthing the settlements where the workers lived and ate, while Hawass’ goal was in exploring the cemeteries of the labourers. Both men have found abundant evidence that points to the fact that the workers could not have been slaves simply for the fact that they were treated too well. Mark Lehner’s