Definetly.
Definetly.
They landed, said "let's build some huge triangles for shits and giggles" and then they fucked off.
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The "great wonders" of this world typically derive from some form of slavery/exploitation.
Skilled paid stonemasons were required to build the tight fitting surface stones of this one, so some of the laborers were definitely not slaves, howeveri believe you're correct I doubt the sled drag team was salary.
Why can't you have skilled slaves?
By all accounts the builders of the pyramids actually had nice places to live, and a higher quality of life than most Egyptians. In truth there is literally no evidence they were slaves outside of the story of Moses.
In truth there is literally no evidence they were slaves outside of the story of Moses.
Of course there's no evidence. It happened more than 4000 years ago and there aren't many writings left. No evidence doesn't mean it didn't happen.
Ah, going the George Bush route that the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. So, let me tell you about the unicorns on Mars. What, you can't prove they're not there.
Seriously though, we do have quite a few records from then since the Egyptian kings really wanted people to know about them. We also have archeological finds of where the workers lived. Also in them being given lavish tombs that regular Egyptians at the time didn't. This stuff is really not hard to look up.
No evidence doesn't mean it didn't happen.
that's what I tell about my homies about me having had sex.
maybe it wasn't worth teaching slaves how to properly build the pyramids and it was easier to get already educated citizens to build them
Maybe. Or maybe it was worthwhile to enslave people who know how to build pyramids than to pay them?
All those unfinished pyramids around Egypt from people who were robbed of their chance to make their place in history.
It's not like any other country was that keen on building pyramids, like ever. Which of the cultures and/or races they enslaved would have experienced pyramid builders to boot?
Even in Egypt, building pyramids was a very niche hobby.
I dunno, I wasn't around. We have records of different "levels" of slaves in Rome (2000 years later) so it's possible.
Then again, I think the Nile was the only river providing so much bounty that all the labour could go into such large projects. Obviously Mesopotamia was doing well at the same time, but I don't think they were doing the same level of megaprojects. BUT, my view is biased I'm that I'm not really aware of sources before about 500BC, so there could have been other megaprojects that didn't survive.
Regardless, I would estimate a hierarchy of builders and labourers is highly probable for the pryamids. The level of compensation and agency for each of those levels is something I don't think we know (though this may be my personal blind spot).
I would be surprised if pyramid engineers/architects were allowed to leave their project sites or find other work. But that's me placing my modern state and strategic lens on a important ressource.
True. I also went from the assumption that slaves way back then = slaves in recent history.
I like to think that being the pyramid engineer/architect for the current pharaoh at the time would have been even a lifetime job.
If they were allowed to decide themselves what project to work on... I would really like to know that.
Maybe they handed out pamphlets, promoting their skills.
Pete's Pyramids! Now with 5,000 year guarantee!
If you want to be remembered forever, a Pete's Pyramid is the only way to guarantee you and your slaves will be entombed forever. Our Ra-proof quadruple slope technology is perfectly aligned with astrological precision to make sure all your worldly belongings make it to the next realm. Ask about our embalming subscription package to keep your organs in the best shape possible.
Mike's mausoleums don't have this kind of deal.
Not really. The people who built the pyramids ate better than the average Egyptian given the archeological record and were skilled laborers with no evidence for slave labor being involved.
Additionally, the ways in which Egypt handled captives from battles was quite different from what we think of for the African slave trade.
Captives were treated quite well with the intention of replacing allegiance to their homeland to allegiance to Egypt, which does seem to have worked out fairly well, with things like Ramses II's personal bodyguard by the battle of Kadesh being the Sherden peoples.
Even stories of giving foreign peoples designed plots of land ownership within Egypt.
A number of the tales regarding conflict with captured peoples are structured around the claim that a new Pharoh came along and kicked out the foreigners from Egypt or invalidated land claims which pissed them off so much they came back to fight against Egypt.
The much harsher picture of Egypt was not the capture of foreign slaves, but the classism inherent to retainers with abhorrent practices like retainer sacrifices at the death of the person they served - later replaced with a symbolic alternative in dolls representing the retainers. And this was more like personal assistants and people waiting on the individual. Skilled labor was far too valuable to treat poorly or kill off, particularly during the periods of most aggressive construction.