Warwick L Nixon Wrote:
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> but they weren't just building
> Tombs/Pyramids...they were building Dams, temples,
> houses. they were involved in processing their
> harvests, husbanding their livestock. There was
> a Huge Scribe Class, and of course soldiers and
> police. Tdadesmen of every ilk. Boat crews
> constantly plying up and down the nile. and of
> course Priests and their attendants everywhere.



Yes. The work of the society still had to go onward and some of the farmers were, no doubt, unavailable as well. Depending on the crop and other circumstances there can be significant farm work all year round. Chickens and livestock needed fed, produce processed, fences mended, etc, etc. Womem and children might handle much of the work but if idle hands lead to chaos wait till you see what happens when you separate couples for long periods.

I still think the closing of the temples by Khufu were critical to this manpower issue. It wouldn't be surprising if those in the temples were exempt from pyramid work so they were closed to free up a lot more manpower or something of this sort.




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Man fears the pyramid, time fears man.