What Would the Pyramids Look Like if Built Today?

Imagine the logistics of managing a work force that is at least 100,000 strong. The ancient historian Herodotus apparently witnessed the construction of a pyramid in Egypt, and wrote of such a force of men. Over the years, Egyptologists have correctly and incorrectly begun piecing together how the pyramids were built. Today’s technology dwarfs what the ancient Egyptians had, so how would our pyramids look compared to theirs?

Pyramid Purpose

To begin with, massive funding would be required for a construction project of that magnitude today. That means that the whole pyramid idea isn’t really leaving the ground as no one could use it for anything practical.

Large portions of existing city would need to be cleared out for the project, and while it would create significantly more jobs in the construction industry, it would also displace thousands or even millions of people depending on location.

But our view of the rich and the view that Egyptians had are very different. For one, pyramids were based on a tribute to the sun god Ra. So pyramids served as religious relics and burial sites, a purpose not as practical today.  

Technology

For all of our cranes and machinery, we really don’t know much more about the logistics of building pyramids than Egyptians did. That’s fairly fascinating, considering the precision of the angles in the pyramids. Machinery and advanced calculations are a blessing; the Egyptians did it all by hand. We could mimic it, and probably do it more efficiently. Better? Not by a long shot.