The Importance of Copper in the Building of the Pyramids

[JHCC]

A member of an archaeology-themed Facebook group shared this fascinating article about the discovery of papyrus ledgers of one of the teams supplying the building of the Great Pyramid of Khufu. Among the information contained therein was this interesting bit about the importance of the copper trade in that project:

Quote

Although nowhere to be seen in the finished product, massive amounts of copper were essential to building the monument. Copper picks were used to quarry the stone. Copper saws were used to cut it, and experiments have shown that an inch of metal was lost from blades for every one to four inches of stone cut. While preparing the stone blocks for use in the pyramid, workers smoothed their surfaces with copper chisels the width of an index finger. The immense quantity of copper consumed by the construction project—not to mention the other pyramids and monumental buildings that preceded and followed it—led to an urgent search for sources of the metal. Some copper was extracted from the Eastern Desert, between the Nile Valley and the Red Sea, but the major copper mines were across the sea in the southern portion of the Sinai Peninsula. The most efficient way to access these mines was by boat

Journeys of the Pyramid Builders -- Archaeology Magazine, July/August 2020

[George N. M.]

Some years ago I watched a documentary where they sent a small, tracked robot with a camera up one of the ventilation shafts in the Great Pyramid.  The most interesting thing they found was a copper chisel which someone had apparently accidentally dropped down the shaft 4500 years ago.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Frosty]

Good article, thanks John. The ancient Egyptians kept records of everything and it's cool when someone finds some of them. I love this kind of stuff.

Something I recall from reading is how many of the work teams signed their work. Blocks through out the pyramids and surrounding structures carry graffiti, things like, The Mork team beat the Yonk team by 3 loads. Or Yonk bought the beer because Mork team brought more loads. That's a gross paraphrase of course. I recall one about a crew chief having his nose broken in an argument. Another one was about a crew member being flogged for theft. The author was a little self righteous about it.

It made ancient Egyptians feel more like regular guys to me. 

Frosty The Lucky.

 

 

[JHCC]

It certainly gives one a much better perspective of the massive scale and complexity of the project, analogous, I suppose, to the mobilization of the United States to a war economy in WWII. 

[BillyBones]

George i watched that same show. 

Didnt the Egyptians also use copper strap things to hold the blocks in place?

I have been recently getting into the Indian temples. I been watching this guy on the you tube that goes really in depth in those temples. Going places that are in back corners and just not seen. Amazing how much detail they put into something that is not seen. However the guy is also one of those "ancient advanced technology" guys and does get into some whacked out theories. But at least it is not aliens for him. 

[George N. M.]

Billy, IIRC the Egyptians did use copper "butterflys" to tie stones together.

As to the detail in unseen places there is a story about a medieval stone carver who was making statues of saints, etc. which would be placed high in the cathederal a paaer by noticed that he was carving and finishing the backs, which would never be seen, with as much detail and care as the fronts.  When asked why he was doing so much work that would never be seen he replied, "If I didn't God would know and I would know."  Very possibly a similar sentiment was in place in India.  Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Frosty]

I seem to recall copper "rebar" shaped like butterflies, a capitol I or similar shapes being used in Greek or possible Mesopotamian stone. IIRC the Egyptians carved their stone blocks to lean or shift towards the center of support on large structures. It's been so long since I did much reading on the subject I can't say for sure. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[JHCC]

I don’t know about the Egyptians, but the Greeks definitely used bronze butterfly keys, and the Romans used iron.