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Tombs show Egypt pyramids not built by slaves
 [Iran Press TV Latest] Chief Egyptian archeologist says the newly-found tombs contradict the idea that the country's Great Pyramids were built by slaves. "These tombs were built beside the king's pyramid, which indicates that these people were not by any means slaves," head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities Zahi Hawass said in a Sunday statement. "If they were slaves, they would not have been able to build their tombs beside their king's." Corvee laborers were in theory free, assuming that concept applied in 3200 B.C. Their labor was considered as payment of a tax. Found in Giza, the new tombs are part of the collection of workers' tombs, which belonged to workers building the pyramids of Khufu and Khafre. Hawass had earlier spotted graffiti on the walls from workers referring to themselves as "friends of Khufu", which is another evidence supporting the idea of their being free workers. Egypt's chief archeologist also referred to the evidence showing that farmers in Delta and Upper Egypt used to send 21 buffalo and 23 sheep every day to feed the builders. The farmers were exempted from paying taxes to the ancient Egyptian government for their contribution to a national project, Reuters reported. Posted by: Fred 2010-01-11 |
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