January 10, 2010.

Egypt, Cairo. Tombs of builders of Great Pyramid of Cheops discovered in Giza Complex.

Egyptian archeologists discovered a group of burials of workers who labored on the construction of the biggest and the most famous of all remaining pyramids of Ancient Egypt – the Pyramid of Cheops, reported Egypt’s Minister of Culture Faruk Hosni on Sunday.

According to his words, the age of the discovered tombs dates from the time of the reign of the pharaohs of IV dynasty (2649-2513 B.C.).

The Head of the Supreme Council on the affairs of antiquities of Egypt Zahi Havas in his turn stated that the tombs of workers found in the Giza Complex in the nearest vicinity of the Great Pyramid of Cheops is another proof that refutes the theory about the pyramids having been built by slaves.

“If the pyramids had been built by slaves, it would have been impossible for their burials to be in that zone where tombs are just facing the Great Pyramid,” Havas said.

He also added that, according to Egyptian scientists’ estimation, the number of workers employed to build the Great Pyramid was not more than ten thousand.

Havas explained that rich families of the Upper Egypt and the Nile’s Delta daily offered 11 calves and 23 lambs to feed the workers engaged in the construction of pyramids, which made them exempt from paying any other taxes.

Another major archeological discovery in Giza is not, however, the first finding of tombs of builders of pyramids. The first series of such burials was discovered by archeologists in Giza as early as in 1990.

RIA Novosti, Margarita Kislova.