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Why were slaves used in the building of pyramids?

Kattie Threadgold

Hey there,

Great question! The use of slaves in building pyramids was a common practice in ancient Egypt. Slavery was a widespread practice in several cultures, and Egypt was not an exception.

The pharaohs wanted to build pyramids to showcase their power, for their own vanity, and to assure themselves a successful afterlife. They thought that the bigger and grander the pyramid, the more likely the pharaoh would be remembered and revered.

The regular workforce was not large enough to accomplish these colossal tasks, so the pharaohs turned to slave labor. They also wanted to ensure that the slaves they used were expendable, so they chose to use foreign slaves instead of their own or neighboring people.

These workers were brought in from other regions, such as Nubia, and forced to work long hours under brutal conditions. They had no pay, no rights, and no way to escape slavery. The pharaohs used violence and intimidation to keep them obedient.

A large workforce was needed to quarry the limestone, transport it, and cut it into the right size and shape to build the pyramid. This work was extremely dangerous and required a certain level of experience and skill. However, the slaves had none of this, and many of them died during the construction process due to lack of safety measures.

The use of slaves in building the pyramids was a deplorable practice that demonstrated the gap between the ruling class and the common people. The pharaohs saw the slaves as mere tools to achieve their ambitions, even if it meant the slaves would suffer greatly in the process.

In conclusion, the pharaohs used slaves because they needed a large workforce that was expendable and could be controlled. They saw no issue with using the labor of others in an inhumane manner to achieve their goals. The construction of the pyramids illustrates the powerlessness of the slaves in an era where the ruling class was characterized by an insatiable desire for power and prestige.

I hope this has answered your question. Let me know if you have any more!