The Great Pyramid Was Not Built by Slaves Alone-Skilled Workers Played a Central Role

4,500-Year-Old Inscriptions Shed Light on the Giza Mystery: Archaeological Team Led by Zahi Hawass Uncovers Evidence of Pharaoh Khufu’s Builders

New archaeological discoveries are rewriting history about the Great Pyramid of Giza—one of humanity’s greatest enigmas towering over the Egyptian plateau for millennia. Contrary to ancient sources claiming it was built by slave labor, scientific evidence now supports that the colossal monument was constructed by salaried, skilled workers.

The Greek Slave Legend Begins to Crumble

According to generations of repetition of ancient Greek historian Herodotus’s claims, the Great Pyramid was built over 20 years by 100,000 slaves working in three-month shifts. However, Egyptologist Dr. Zahi Hawass and his team have uncovered findings that at least partially revise this narrative. Inscriptions discovered within the pyramid and tombs surrounding it reveal that the builders were free, skilled laborers.

Newly Discovered Inscriptions

Using advanced imaging technology, Dr. Hawass’s team scanned narrow voids above the King’s Chamber and revealed previously undocumented inscriptions. These writings, believed to date to the 13th century BCE, include titles such as “Inspector of the Side of the Pyramid” and “Craftsman,” indicating organized, specialized labor.
“If these people had been slaves, they would never have been buried in the shadow of the pyramids,” Hawass states. “These inscriptions show they were respected professionals.”

Masters Buried in the Sacred Shadow
 

Tombs discovered on the pyramid’s southern slopes support these findings. Archaeologists uncovered the final resting places of stone carvers and construction supervisors. Statues within the tombs reflect the workers’ professional identities and social status. Construction tools from the era—flint and pounding stones—were also recovered.

Ramp Theory Confirmed

The puzzle of pyramid construction techniques is also being unraveled. New findings suggest that limestone blocks, quarried roughly 300 meters away, were transported using ramps reinforced with rubble and mud. Remnants of these ramps were found in an area called C2 at the pyramid’s southwest corner.
“When they dismantled the ramps, they didn’t erase all traces. What remains confirms our theory,” Hawass explains.

Workers’ Diet Wasn't Just Bread and Onions—They Ate Meat and Salted Fish

Dr. Hawass’s colleague, Mark Lehner, is excavating a workers' settlement just east of the Great Pyramid. Discoveries include a large bakery, fish-cleaning facilities, barracks, and remains of daily life.
The research debunks the old myth that workers survived only on bread, onions, and garlic. Thousands of animal bones were found, and experts from the University of Chicago concluded that, during construction, about 11 cattle and 33 goats were slaughtered each day—providing a high-protein diet for roughly 10,000 laborers.

Controversial Inscriptions: Authentic or Forged?

Addressing past debates about forged inscriptions, Dr. Hawass clarified during a Limitless podcast interview that while some 19th-century carvings may have been added later, the newly found texts are in a style so specialized that only trained Egyptologists could decipher them.
“No one could have faked this recently. Just accessing these chambers requires immense physical effort,” he noted.

A Robot Is Headed for the Great Void

Dr. Hawass and podcast host Matt Beall are now turning their attention to the mysterious “Great Void,” discovered via radar in 2017. Positioned at least 30 meters above the Grand Gallery connecting the King’s and Queen’s Chambers, this cavity will soon be explored using a micro-robot smaller than a centimeter.
The expedition is scheduled for early 2026. Dr. Hawass speculates that this space could be the long-lost burial chamber of Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops), although Beall urges caution:
“No pharaoh’s remains have ever been found inside the main pyramids. It's possible this is a tomb—but far from certain.”

As the Great Pyramid rises among 4,500-year-old stones, its greatness is no longer measured by sheer size alone. The recent discoveries highlight the skill, nourishment, and social standing of those who built it—not as slaves, but as well-fed, respected, salaried professionals. With that, not only does Egyptian history gain new light, but ancient prejudices begin to crumble.