Zahi Hawass on archaeology: what the evidence says · JRE #2321
SUBJECT: ARCHAEOLOGY
Not a true/false call. Every claim is logged with its sources; read the exhibits below.
But now we discovered that they slaughter 11 cows and 33 goats every day, and this can feed 10,000 workmen a day. Then we believe now, and I published, that the workmen who built the pyramids were 10,000 workmen, and they worked every day,
What the evidence says 01 / RECORD
Excavations of the Giza workers' town led by Mark Lehner and Zahi Hawass recovered large quantities of cattle, sheep, and goat bone showing the builders ate a protein-rich, meat-heavy diet, and the layout of the barracks and cemetery indicates organized, paid, rotating labor rather than slaves. National Geographic reports the settlement had a maximum capacity of roughly 20,000 people, of whom perhaps half were dedicated to construction at any one time, which is consistent with Hawass's estimate of about 10,000 builders. The Smithsonian account of the site notes that the diet, including prime beef from young male cattle, indicates the workers were not slaves. The precise daily provisioning figure (11 cows and 33 goats) is Hawass's own published estimate derived from the faunal remains rather than an independently confirmed daily headcount, so it is best read as an illustrative order-of-magnitude figure. The broad picture, a well-fed workforce on the order of 10,000 organized laborers, is well supported: largely accurate.
Evidence sources 03 / EXHIBITS
Who Benefits
Hawass promotes his own excavation findings and his published estimate of the workforce size, which is central to his public lectures, books, and media appearances.