Construction of the Egyptian pyramids

Lore & Background

The first historical accounts of pyramid construction come from Herodotus in the 5th century BC and Diodorus Siculus in the 1st century BC. Herodotus described a machine using wooden levers to raise stones tier by tier, finishing the top first. Diodorus Siculus reported the use of earthen ramps, claiming that later Egyptians said ramps were made of salt and natron and washed away by the river, though he rejected this explanation. He stated 360,000 men worked for twenty years.

Reader's Guide

The construction of the Egyptian pyramids represents a significant achievement in ancient engineering, but many details remain uncertain. The source article notes that disagreements chiefly concern the methods used to move and place stones, as well as the nature of the workforce. While Greeks believed slaves built them, archaeologists now think the Great Pyramid of Giza was built by tens of thousands of skilled workers who camped nearby and worked for salary or as tax payment. For the Middle Kingdom pyramid of Amenemhat II, evidence shows foreigners from Canaan were employed. The pseudoscientific field of pyramidology includes many fringe theories. The article emphasizes that construction techniques developed over time, with early pyramids using sloping inward courses and later ones using horizontal layers. Mortar used gypsum and rubble, requiring large quantities of wood for dehydration, and radiocarbon dating has produced dates averaging centuries earlier than accepted chronology, possibly due to recycling old wood. Tools included copper chisels, drills, and saws for softer stone, and pounding with dolerite and sand abrasion for harder stones like granite. Blocks were transported by sledge, likely lubricated by water.

Did You Know?

• The Great Pyramid of Giza was likely built by tens of thousands of skilled workers who camped nearby and worked for a salary or as a form of tax payment.
• Herodotus described a machine using short wooden logs as levers to raise stones tier by tier, finishing the top of the pyramid first.
• Diodorus Siculus reported that 360,000 men were constantly employed for twenty years to build a pyramid.
• The mortar used in the pyramids required dehydrating gypsum by heating, which needed large quantities of wood, possibly leading to deforestation.