If you’re knowledge of Egyptian history is limited to repeated viewings of Cecil B. De Mille’s Ten Commandments, you’re probably under the impression that Moses and his Hebrew brethren provided the slave labor that built the pyramids. But new archaeological findings reveal the work was performed by skilled laborers who had the perks of a labor union: work only ninety days a year, eat steak and lamb every day, luxury burial benefits, etc.
Egyptian archaeologists discovered a new set of tombs belonging to the workers who built the great pyramids, shedding light on how the laborers lived and ate more than 4,000 years ago, the antiquities department said Sunday.
The thousands of men who built the last remaining wonder of the ancient world ate meat regularly, worked in three months shifts and were given the honor of being buried in mud brick tombs within the shadow of the sacred pyramids they worked on.
“These tombs were built beside the king’s pyramid, which indicates that these people were not by any means slaves,” said Hawass in the statement. “If they were slaves, they would not have been able to build their tombs beside their king’s.”
Evidence from the site, Hawass said, indicates that the approximately 10,000 laborers working on the pyramids ate 21 cattle and 23 sheep sent to them daily from farms in northern and southern Egypt.
He added that the workers were rotated every three months and the burial sites were for those who died during the construction
(Via: Neatorama)
January 14th, 2010 | 1:51 pm
Hypothesizing in the excess of the evidence. . . .
All this shows is that they were well treated. And why wouldn’t a king let his own slaves build their tombs next to his? They are, after all, his slaves. They might not get the treatment of a slave who was a personal attendant on the king, who probably lived better than most free men and had more power, too, but they could get well treated.
January 15th, 2010 | 12:44 am
One must wonder what the dues and initiation fees were, as well as whether they ever struck.
Did they also have corrupt union bosses that squandered their members’ dues on themselves?…Or was the union boss really the Pharoh?
March 5th, 2010 | 12:13 pm
I’ve always heard that the great pyramids would have to be built with about a hundred-thousand men. I still find it hard to believe that Egypt had 100,000 union workers at that day and age.
I also heard that the king would let his slaves be buried near him so that he could keep the slaves in the after life. The same goes for his gold, pets, and other valuables.
So this discovery still is hard for me to believe. Most of us grew up learning in school that it was slaves that built the pyramids. I still think that at least some, or most, of them were slaves.
I’m not racist or anything, but why would a king pay workers when he had slaves that would do it for free?
Yes, there was graffiti that suggests that they liked the king. But there have been cases throughout history of slave owners treating their slaves very well. This could have been the case as well, but I would still like to see more evidence.
If anyone has a link with more information that would be great. Thanks.
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