Ancient Egypt – the land of the pharaohs – is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Its monumental tombs and temples, decorated with reliefs and hieroglyphs, have been the source of awe and admiration for millennia. Art and crafts of great beauty, and well preserved organic evidence (especially mummies) have added to ancient Egypt’s fascination. “How did they do it?” is a question, often asked about the ancient Egyptians, that has sometimes given rise to highly speculative and fantastical explanations. For example, it has been suggested that the Great Pyramid at Giza (built by Khufu in the 4 th Dynasty), which was the largest structure in the world until the 19th century ad, and other Egyptian monuments, could not have been built without the technological and mathematical knowledge of an earlier civilization – the fictitious lost continent of Atlantis. But there were no earlier civilizations anywhere in the world and such an explanation is based entirely on fanciful beliefs which do not credit the ancient Egyptians with the intelligence and ability to organize and carry out such a project.
A closer look at the archaeological evidence provides information about how the Egyptians built their monuments. At Khufu’s pyramid there is evidence of rectangular cuts in the bedrock used by ancient surveyors, and the remains of pyramid construction ramps have been identified to the south of the three kings’ pyramids at Giza. Evidence of ancient stone quarries at Giza has also been located. Graffiti naming gangs of workmen can still be seen on blocks used to build the pyramids, and are found in stress relieving spaces above the burial chamber in the Great Pyramid.
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