It is 481 feet tall, 756 feet long at its base, and consists of 2.3 million blocks of stone weighing two and a half tons each. One of the mysteries of the Great Pyramid of Giza is: How did the ancient Egyptians, with their primitive technology, build it? Writer Jackson (The Oxford Book of Money) and Stamp, producer of the TV program Pyramid,
assert that the builders were young peasants conscripted into the pharaoh's service—and that, though Herodotus said 100,000 men were needed—in fact, probably no more than 4,000 men completed the job. Realistic computer images show workers cutting stone in the quarry, hauling the huge stones up a ramp and setting them in place. Other color and duotone archival images reveal the inside of the pyramid, including the king's burial chamber and the low-ceilinged main entranceway. The authors put the pyramid in context, discussing ancient Egyptian beliefs about death and the afterlife in general, and the funeral rites for the pharaoh in particular. Among the more striking images here is a photo of the mummy of Ramses II, so hardened it appears to be made of stone. This is an excellent beginning for anyone interested in the culture of ancient Egypt and the pyramids. (Mar.)
