Item 9 Read the passage.

How Did the Egyptians Build the Pyramids?

The pyramids of Egypt are amazing examples of human imagination. Built over 4,500 years ago, the pyramids served as proof of the power of the men who built them.

The first pyramids started out as rectangular tombs called mastabas. Mastabas were flat-roofed structures with sloped sides. The pyramid of the pharaoh Djoser started off as a mastaba but gradually turned into a 197-foot structure with six “steps” and a three-and-a-half-mile underground labyrinth.

It wasn’t until much later that the kind of smooth-faced pyramids we’re used to seeing were constructed. The Great Pyramid in Giza is an excellent example of this. Today, it is considered one of the “Seven Ancient Wonders of the World.”

Much is known about the pyramids, but one thing remains a mystery. How did ancient people with little understanding of modern engineering and no modern construction machines build them?

PLANNING

The modern way in which the ancient Egyptians organized the construction of pyramids was impressive. High-ranking officials were chosen to plan and manage pyramid-building projects. They were responsible for building the main structure as well as the temples, boat-pits, and other buildings surrounding them.

Undertaking such a massive colossal task required a huge workforce. In this case, as many as 20,000 skilled laborers worked to build the pyramids. Tens of thousands of workers required enormous resources, such as a place to live during the construction. Important officials were often in large homes, but the workers usually slept in simple conditions around the construction site. The workers needed protection from enemies and, possibly, each other, so construction managers also had to build barracks for troops.

Of course, everyone associated with the project needed to eat. Cutting, hauling, and stacking the stones that the pyramids were made from took a lot of strength and energy. Researchers discovered that animals were brought to the construction sites to feed workers around 4,000 pounds of meat a day. This led the researchers to believe that it was likely the workers ate better on the job than they did back at home.

GATHERING MATERIALS

Once the plans were made, the supply chain created, and the workforce assembled, the construction of the pyramids began. Alabaster was usually used to create floors, statues, tiles, and vases. Limestone was used on the outside of the pyramids. Both materials had to be imported to the construction site.

This stage began with quarrying and shipping massive slabs of stone. A team from the French Institute for Oriental Archaeology discovered a unique ramp system for removing stone blocks from an alabaster quarry in the Eastern Desert. The ancient Egyptians put the stone on a sled and attached the sled to wooden posts. To reduce friction, they poured water on the sand. Using these methods, they were able to pull giant rocks up the steep slopes of the quarry.

Stones were gathered from many areas and shipped by boat to a port near the construction site. The ports themselves were their own grand construction achievement. In a harbor near the Great Pyramid, Egyptologist Pierre Tallet discovered a pier that was built around 4,600 years ago. He and his team found over 100 anchors and thirty giant caves built into the mountain that were used for storing Egyptian boats. The existence of these deep caves, called galleries, allowed boats carrying stone and other supplies to be safely docked. Before the pyramids were even built, the Egyptians were performing amazing feats of engineering.

CONSTRUCTION

The actual construction of the pyramids has baffled historians for years. Each stone weighed approximately 2.5 tons. The Great Pyramid weighed approximately 5,750,000 tons. A draft horse can pull four tons on its own and approximately twelve tons when working with another horse. For a more modern comparison, a pickup truck can pull about eight tons on its own.

But the ancient Egyptians didn’t use horses, and they certainly didn’t have pickup trucks.

How did the ancient Egyptians haul over five million tons up hundreds of feet?

Perhaps they used systems of ramps, ropes, and plain, old-fashioned elbow grease, much like the systems they used to remove stones from their quarries. Maybe they used ramps that went straight up the sides or ramps that curved around the walls. There is no consensus. The real method remains a mystery.

According to Kara Cooney, a professor of Egyptian art and architecture, this is exactly what the ancient Egyptians wanted. It increases the sense of awe and wonder, proving the amazing power of the rulers who built them.