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Picture a building thirty times larger than the Empire State Building—so large it can be seen from the moon! Now imagine this building was built over 4,500 years ago! If you think that is really cool, you aren't alone. The only surviving wonder of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt, continues to drive scientists and tourists to stare and wonder, "How did they do that?"
How did ancient laborers who had no metal tools or mechanical equipment carve out, transport, and raise single blocks of stone weighing several hundred tons? How did they line up the four corners of the base not only at almost perfect right angles but also pointing directly due north, south, east, and west, without a protractor or a compass?
The endless supply of questions is what makes the pyramids of Giza one of the world's best mysteries. As scientists continue to unravel the secrets hiding behind the blocks of granite, several theories have emerged.
The debate over who built the pyramids began with Herodotus, the Greek historian who wrote in the 5th century B.C. that the labor force that built the Great Pyramid totaled more than 100,000 people. However, modern scientists now believe that the town of Giza was home to a small crew of workers who worked on the pyramids year round. Yet during the late summer and early autumn months, they were helped by a larger group of farmers and villagers.
Some theories about how the pyramids were built credit lost civilizations, hidden technologies, and even aliens! But scientists today are fairly confident that the Egyptian laborers developed ramps that either encircled the Great Pyramid as it was being built or extended as one long ramp that stretched far out into the desert. Researchers also consider the possibility that the laborers lifted the huge stones with a sophisticated system of rollers and levers.
How the mystery will end is anyone's guess. But one thing is for sure, the words of an Arab proverb: "Man fears Time, yet Time fears the pyramids."
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