5 pyramid conspiracy theories debunked
How the Giza pyramids were formed has been a source of debate for generations. Here, we debunk several of the best-known pyramid conspiracy theories.
Image: stock.adobe.com
Think of Egypt and you probably think straight away of the pyramids. The best-known of these ancient masonry structures are dotted across the Giza necropolis. These, in turn, are guarded by the similarly iconic statue of the Great Sphinx.
The Giza pyramids were all built during Ancient Egypt’s Fourth Dynasty period, which lasted from about 2613 to 2494 BC. However, for centuries, historians and archaeologists have been unable to decipher exactly how these pyramids were built.
This gap in knowledge has led pyramid conspiracy theories to proliferate. Below, we at Sky HISTORY investigate several of the most famous — and explain why they don’t hold water.
How pyramid conspiracy theories have taken root
For many amateur sleuths today, it’s unfathomable that a civilisation as supposedly primitive as the Ancient Egyptians could have built the pyramids entirely by themselves.
Historians think that the stones were brought to Giza by being ferried up the River Nile. Meanwhile, most Egyptologists believe that ramp systems were used to lift blocks up the under-construction pyramids. None of this has prevented the following pyramid conspiracy theories from spreading…
1. Tens of thousands of slaves were involved
The story that the pyramids’ construction relied heavily on slaves has been repeated as fact for centuries. This myth can be traced back to a claim made by the Ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who wrote his own history of Egypt.
However, Herodotus was writing 2,000 years after the pyramids were built. The Sky HISTORY programme Truthseekers has revealed what life was really like for the builders of the pyramids.
In the late 20th century, archaeologists found what looked like the remains of large barracks where the pyramid workers could have comfortably lived. Other discoveries indicate that the workers consumed large quantities of meat — far from the kind of diet afforded to slaves.
2. Aliens built the pyramids
This is one of the most persistent pyramid conspiracy theories of recent times. It saw renewed attention in August 2020 when Elon Musk lent support to the alien conspiracy theory.
His words drew ire from Egyptian experts at the time. Besides, evidence abounds that humans did build the pyramids, even without sophisticated tools.
In 2013, archaeologists came across eye-opening papyri from the ‘Diary of Merer’ (as it has now been dubbed). Merer was a mid-ranking official overseeing the sourcing of stone for the Great Pyramid’s construction. As revealed by the papyri, building materials were transported from far-flung corners of Egypt, necessitating a significant national effort.
3. The pyramids resulted from stone removal
In his book Ancient Egypt: A Very Short Introduction, Ian Shaw touches on the subject of ‘pyramidology’. This term refers to the practice of devising pyramid conspiracy theories.
In the book, Shaw recalls once hearing the suggestion that the pyramids 'had been created by quarrying away all the surrounding stone'. However, he points out that 'this doesn’t actually explain their shape'.
4. The Great Pyramid was eroded by flooding
A user of X (formerly Twitter) propagated this theory in May 2024. The user in question observed that physical damage to the Great Pyramid of Giza showed hallmarks of erosion caused by flooding.
This idea ignores the fact that the damaged blocks visible today were once hidden under a smooth, light-colored limestone layer. Over the centuries, chunks of this limestone were removed to be repurposed for other building work.
5. The pyramids were built by residents of Atlantis
In April 2013, two German men — Dominique Goerlitz and Stefan Erdmann — chiselled off part of a cartouche inside the Great Pyramid. This cartouche identified the Egyptian king Khufu as the pyramid’s creator.
Goerlitz and Erdmann had sought to analyse pigments from the cartouche to confirm it as more recent than the pyramid itself. This was all an attempt to strengthen the theory that the structure had actually been assembled thousands of years earlier.
By whom? People from the legendary island of Atlantis. However, the story of Atlantis — as originally told by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato — is today widely regarded as fictional.
There’s lots more for you to unravel
You never have to wait long to see pyramid conspiracy theories sprouting up. Many of them focus on the enduring mystery of how the Great Pyramid was built.
Whether you want to explore this subject or other aspects of Egyptology, why not subscribe to the Sky HISTORY Newsletter? It’s a great way to be kept notified of exciting new TV shows and stories diving into enlightening historical discoveries.
