Level 1 Reading 10B

Ch.20 Reading 10B

WONDERS OF EGYPT Many people today think of the pyramids of Giza as the defining icon of ancient Egyptian culture. But who actually built them? For years, we did not know for sure. Now, however, archeologists have discovered an ancient city near the pyramids. Close by, there is a cemetery where the pyramid builders were buried. From studying these places, archeologists can now confirm that the pyramids were not built by slaves or foreigners (or space aliens!). Ordinary Egyptians built them. It took about 80 years to build the pyramids. Archeologists believe that about 20,000-30,000 people were involved in the construction. The workers had different roles. Some dug up the rock, some moved it, and some shaped it into blocks. People also worked on different teams, each with its own name. Workers often competed to see whose team could do a job faster. Life for these workers was hard. "We can see that in their skeletons," says Azza Mohamed Sarry El-Din, a scientist studying bones found in the cemetery. According to her research, the bones show signs of arthritis. This probably developed from carrying heavy things for a long time. Archeologists have also found many female skeletons in the ancient city and cemetery. The damage to their bones is similar to that of the men. In fact, their lives may have been even tougher: Male workers generally lived to age 40-45, but women to only 30-35. However, workers usually had enough food, and they also received medical care if they got sick or hurt. The task was challenging, but laborers were proud of their work. On a wall in Khufu's Great Pyramid, for example, a group of workers wrote Friends of Khufu. "It's because they were not just building the tomb of their king," says Egyptian archeologist Zahi Hawass. "They were building Egypt. It was a national project, and everyone was a participant."

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