Records show how the Egyptians built the Great Pyramid more than 4500 years ago.
The last surviving wonder of the ancient world, the Great Pyramid of Piza has mystified archeologists for decades. But archeological evidence gives clues as to how ancient Egyptians were able to construct something of that scale and complexity. These papyri, which were excavated at the site Wadi al-Jarf, have information about times, dates, and cargo deliveries––almost like an Excel spreadsheet of what the workers received.
To build the pyramid some 4500 years ago, Egyptians needed high quality tools to cut the massive stones. They imported copper mined from the Sinai and sent across the Red Sea to Wadi al-Jarf.
The Great Pyramid required three different types of stone. The exterior was made of high-quality limestone, the inner core consisted of a more common limestone, and the chambers for the sacred tomb of the king were made of granite. While the limestones were sourced locally, the granite stones proved more difficult. They came from a quarry in Aswan, 500 miles south of Giza.
The millions of tons of stone required were brought to the site on boats sailing the Nile. The Egyptians used systems of basins and waterways to deliver the stone directly to the construction site, about 100 feet higher.
“The major influx of materials– both gigantic stones, timber, wood, grain to feed the people––happened during the flood season, when the Nile rose and covered the valley and filled the deep channel,” says archeologist Mark Lehner.
To raise the blocks up the sloping sides of the pyramids, they used ramps and embankments. This was before the days of the wheel, but Egyptians used sledges to carry large rocks up.
While thousands of laborers helped build the pyramid, records reveal there was one man in charge of the successful operation: Ankh-haf. The half brother of the pharaoh, he was essentially the chief of the administration and big boss for building the pyramid. He and the many workers who contributed to the project pulled off one of the greatest feats in archaeological history–a wonder of the world that still stands today.
