Ancient Egypt Research Associates

We looked to the landscape and started the Giza Plateau Mapping Project. From 1984-1987 we mapped the geology and terrain, and studied the clues left by “human disturbance on a geological scale.”

We used this knowledge to build a model of how the pyramid builders organized the Giza Plateau for their building projects. We predicted their city must lie south of the Sphinx, near a large stone wall called the Heit el-Ghurab (or “Wall of the Crow”).

In 1988 we began to excavate this site and found a massive urban settlement containing barracks, bakeries, a livestock corral, officials’ houses, and a large royal administrative building—all parts of a palace city and port that sprawled across the Giza Plateau.

As we dig, we save every scrap of material that the pyramid builders left behind – pottery, flint flakes from sharpening their tools, animal bones, and even plant remains from their diet.

We make some of our most important discoveries in the lab, through magnifying glasses and microscopes.

We use all of this information to help rebuild the everyday lives of the pyramid builders as in this 3D reconstruction. The gallery buildings shown here had unusually thick walls, which may have supported arched roofs and a second story. 

These gallery buildings are early examples of institutional buildings. Were they barracks where the pyramid workers were housed? Each was large enough to house 40 people.

Each gallery may have housed a “za” of 40 men as they served their term of compulsory labor for the crown. If so, we are finding the architectural footprint of early labor organization.

In 2012 we heard word of a discovery on the Red Sea coast—a port of Khufu! At this site Pierre Tallet had discovered the Red Sea scrolls, the world’s oldest papyri. These papyri included the diary of a man named Merer.

Merer described working with his “za” to bring materials to Giza to build Khufu’s pyramid. They must have arrived by boat to deliver their materials to the building site.

We used evidence from the Red Sea Scrolls, along with findings from drill cores and excavations, to reconstruct a model of the ancient waterways needed to transport materials to Giza.

We are now excavating the possible location of the harbor at the Lost City of the Pyramids. Become an AERA member to follow our work and see what we find!