[jacquesm]

When you have a large number of slaves lots of things that would normally be impossible suddenly becomes easy.

[acqq]

However egyptologists today believe that slaves weren't the force behind building pyramids etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramid_construction_t...

[Zev]

Except that they have found archaeological evidence that shows that ramps were used to build some pyramids, such as the Great Pyramid of Giza[1].

And from your wiki page: Most Egyptologists acknowledge that ramps are the most tenable of the methods to raise the blocks...

1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/great_pyramid...

[acqq]

Why "except"? My point was that the workers were not slaves. Ramps are certainly the most probable aid in construction.

[Zev]

Hm, not sure. When I posted, I think I may have had you and bloomshed mixed up. He was expressing some skepticism about a ramp being used to build pyramids. Sorry about that!

[bloomshed]

I didn't mean to sound like I was being skeptical about ramps. Ramps make the most sense, especially the enormous three mile ones that lead right to the top level of the pyramid being built. I love big ramps made of dirt!

Egyptians also used the "build an earthen ramp to get the heavy stuff up, then clear the dirt away after you're done" strategy to build their ridiculously awesome temples. Any History Channel fan knows that.