The Pyramid Builders | Diagram of the Average Male Pyramid Worker

Data on the pyramid builders came from various sources, so the analysis required an interdisciplinary approach. Osteologists—experts on human bones—examined the human remains in the cemeteries of Heit al-Ghurab and determined that the average male was around 16–20 years old and 160 cm tall, weighing around 60–65 kg. Using nutritional science, it was calculated that the workers who were housed in the barracks would have needed 2,700–3,000 kcal per day. Archaeobotanists and archaeozoologists, experts on plant and animal remains respectively, used archaeological evidence to identify that the workmen’s diets would have consisted of bread and beer, sheep, goat, and cattle, as well as various species of fish.

For more, see Claire Malleson's article 'Feeding The Forces' from Rawi magazine's Issue 10 available online (link in details).