this post was submitted on 19 Feb 2024
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[–] ricecake@sh.itjust.works 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Can't tell you, I'm not an Egyptian. All I can say is that it seems like the evidence says they weren't slaves.

https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2003/07/who-built-the-pyramids-html

It mostly ends up being discussed in the last quarter, with the rest of the article being about the guy and the process that resulted in the findings.

Tldr: paid in food and lodging, rather than currency. There appears to be a degree of honor associated with the work, which was mandatory but not in a slavery sense, more akin to how you "can't" opt out of helping an older relative move.
You're obligated to work, but you're celebrated and rewarded as well, feasting on pizza and beer, and ceremonially refusing your uncle's attempt to give you gas money.

That's a long article, I'll dig through it later.

I'm guessing it's a mix. Like the people in that village would be the skilled workers, while slaves provided the labor in moving the blocks from the mountains to the work site.

Redding, who has worked at archaeological sites all over the Middle East, "was astounded by the amount of cattle bone he was finding," says Lehner. He could identify much of it as "young, under two years of age, and it tended to be male." Here was evidence of many people—presumably not slaves or common laborers, but skilled workers—feasting on prime beef, the best meat available.

So I'm sure there were a lot of "employees" at the site, I just also think it's highly likely slaves did most of the work bringing materials to the site. And that seems to be what Rogan is talking about (how did the stones end up here).