The construction methods of the enormous Egyptian pyramids have long remained a puzzle. Some have even argued that they could not have been constructed solely by the ancient Egyptians, suggesting the involvement of extraterrestrial beings. However, archaeological studies offer a key to solving some of the pyramids' mysteries.
In 2013, at the ancient port site of Wadi al-Jarf near the Red Sea, French archaeologist Pierre Tallet and his team discovered scrolls of well-preserved papyrus in a cave, which turned out to be a daily work log by a man called Merer who, more than 4,500 years ago, led his team across Egypt and beyond the Red Sea to gather materials for building the pyramids.
Merer meticulously recorded how he and his colleagues traveled by boat to transport the giant stone materials to Giza, with details of their travel duration, the number of stones they transported, and the names of canal checkpoints along the way, unveiling that the construction of the pyramids was a national project supported by precise calculations, efficient logistics, and a highly organized bureaucratic system.
The importance of archaeological studies in decoding the past was highlighted by Gao Wei, a Chinese researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Archaeology, during the recent salon Embracing Cultures, hosted by China Daily, which examined how digging up the past offered inspiration for modern people.
Gao joined the discussion with Alexander J. D. Westra of Greece, from the Key Research Institute of Yellow River Civilization and Sustainable Development at Henan University, and two moderators from China Daily.
The two archaeologists explain that archaeology is richer than people usually imagine.
"Some people think archaeology is about digging and discovery. It is not wrong, but that is only part of it," says Gao. "Archaeology is a science focusing on ancient materials. It uses many scientific methods such as geographical, biological and physical analysis. Apart from digging, archaeologists gain a lot of knowledge that they must analyze in the laboratory."
Through hard work in the field and in laboratories, Chinese archaeologists have significantly labeled human history by proving China's million-plus years of humanity, 10,000 years of culture, and more than 5,000 years of civilization.
"Things we now assume were always the case, such as China's very long history, come from archaeological discoveries," says Westra. "A community of scholars have worked for decades to generate this knowledge, which is now common sense. Scholars have made impressive archaeological contributions to science."
