Egypt shows new find: tombs of pyramid builders

[February 04, 2010]  CAIRO (AP) -- Egypt has displayed its latest archaeological discovery -- tombs more than 4,000 years old said to belong to workers who built the Great Pyramids of Giza.

The modest 9-foot-deep shafts, uncovered last week, held a dozen skeletons of pyramid builders, perfectly preserved by dry desert sand along with jars that once contained beer and bread meant for the workers' afterlife.

Egypt's archaeology chief Zahi Hawass says they date to the 4th Dynasty (2575 B.C. to 2467 B.C.) when the pyramids were built.

Hawass showed off the find Monday, seeking to dispel the popular myth that pyramid builders were slaves. He says they came from poor families and were respected for their work. He says "no way would they have been buried so honorably if they were slaves."

[Associated Press; By KATARINA KRATOVAC]

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