Chapter 11 — History & Culture
How were the pyramids built?
By tens of thousands of paid workers (not slaves) over about 20 years per major pyramid. Limestone blocks were quarried nearby, floated on Nile flood channels, and levered up on ramps. Precision came from years of practice, not lost technology.
Follow-up questions
Who's buried in the Great Pyramid?
Pharaoh Khufu, around 2560 BC. His burial chamber was found empty — likely looted in antiquity.
Were slaves used?
No — evidence (worker villages, bakeries, medical care) points to skilled laborers paid in beer, bread, and status.
How accurate are the pyramids?
The Great Pyramid's base is level to within 2 cm across 230 metres, and the sides align to true north within a fraction of a degree.
Why did they stop building them?
Pyramids attracted grave robbers. Later pharaohs used hidden tombs in the Valley of the Kings instead.
Why were they built?
As tombs and vehicles for pharaohs to enter the afterlife. Also political — massive projects that unified Egyptian society.
Are there hidden chambers?
Modern scanning has found voids inside the Great Pyramid whose purpose is still being investigated.
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