MIRANDA KRESTOVNIKOFF: The ancient Egyptians were skilled stone workers.
We know a lot about how they worked stone because of the clues left behind.
If you examine the surface of an object, you can see how it was made.
This is a tool the ancient Egyptians used to work stone. It's a copper chisel.
Copper was the hardest metal they had. But it isn't that hard. It blunts quite quickly.
So a chisel like this was constantly sharpened. It was heated up in a fire and the tip was hammered sharp again.
That's what Nakht saw people doing in the quarry. We know how an ancient Egyptian quarry worked because abandoned quarries have been excavated.
When archaeologists excavated this site, they found stones that had been used as hammers. By studying these and marks left in the rock, they worked out how the stone was cut.
NAKHT: It must have been a year later when our life in the quarry changed.
We were called one day by Yunu, the foreman. He said we were to report for a new job, then led us across to the ramp which rose out of the quarry.
Walking up it, we saw clearly for the first time what the huge stone blocks we hauled from the quarry were being used to build.
We saw the pyramid.
Video summary
Miranda Krestovnikoff presents an analysis of the tools used in the quarrying of stone for the pyramids. The evidence was found during the excavation of abandoned quarries.
This clip is from the BBC Primary History series, Pyramid - In the Name of the King.
Teacher Notes
Pupils could imagine what the boys saw when they walked above the quarry.
Pupils could be given images of the pyramids today, and consider how these views would differ from what the boys saw.
Pupils could create a piece of artwork depicting their view.
This video is relevant for teaching KS2 History in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and second level in Scotland.
Building the pyramids - part 1 of 5. video
How were the mighty pyramids built? This reconstruction shows how a young Egyptian boy is recruited to leave his family and work on an incredible project.
Building the pyramids - part 2 of 5. video
In this reconstruction, Nakht and Deba take a boat up the River Nile with other slave workers to start work on the building of the pyramid.
Building the pyramids - part 3 of 5. video
This reconstruction shows the young enslaved workers join an army of haulers dragging blocks of stone into position as the building of the pyramid begins.
Building the pyramids - part 5 of 5. video
A video reconstruction describing how the final touches were added to the Great Pyramid of Khufu.
Ancient Egyptian beliefs and the construction of the pyramids. video
The ancient Egyptians believed in a God of the Sun who could be reborn in the afterlife. They also believed the position of the stars pointed the way to the afterlife.
Building the pyramids accurately - part 1 of 2. video
To build the pyramids, the ancient Egyptians had to use incredible precision and exact measurements. In this clip, Miranda Krestovnikoff explains how they did this.
Building the pyramids accurately - part 2 of 2. video
The Egyptians needed to be precise in their calculations to build the pyramids. Miranda Krestovnikoff uses the example of the 'bent pyramid' in Egypt to show what happens when those calculations go wrong.
