• Contramuffin@lemmy.world
    0·
    23 days ago

    I’m not sure “expendable labor” is really the most accurate description. My understanding was that the pharoahs hired skilled artisans and craftsmen during winter seasons in exchange for food. They didn’t use slaves to build the pyramids, to my understanding

    • homes@piefed.worldEnglish
      0·
      23 days ago

      to be fair, this meme is so very old (20-25 years old, possibly older), it probably predates that understanding which is only about 14 years old.

      although there has long been the belief that the Ancient Egyptians couldn’t reasonably have built such incredible architectural wonders so long ago without the use of skilled laborers rather than slaves (as widely believed due to myths and legends), it wasn’t really conclusively proven until a number of archeological discoveries were made around 2011-2012, IIRC, which helped give credibility to the theories that the pyramids were, indeed, built by skilled laborers and craftsmen who were paid and/or otherwise compensated fairly for their work.

  • 🍉 DrRedOctopus 🐙🍉@lemmy.world
    0·
    23 days ago

    i think historical accounts show that they were fairly paid professionals, probably should have paid more, but definitely not slaves.

    i think a recent discovery showed that they flooded the area, and used boats to bring the limestone blocks straight to the pyramid. highly technical and professional work.