In mid-October 2024, a video was shared online purportedly showing actual footage of the pyramids in ancient Egypt being constructed.
One X user captioned the clip, in French: "INSOLITE – Un archéologue a retrouvé des vidéo filmées lors de la construction des pyramides d'Égypte en 2550 avant J.-C.," which, in English, translates to: "UNUSUAL – An archaeologist has found videos filmed during the construction of the pyramids of Egypt in 2550 BC."
📸 INSOLITE – Un archéologue a retrouvé des vidéo filmées lors de la construction des pyramides d'Égypte en 2550 avant J.-C. pic.twitter.com/wrZrS3915v
— Pediavenir (@Pediavenir) October 17, 2024
Some of the scenes show workers moving massive stone blocks using ropes and boats, while others depict giants lifting the blocks above their heads or onto their shoulders, and elephants carrying them the stones on their backs.
The same video appeared on Reddit, where it was captioned: "Footage of the Giza Pyramid Complex being built Egypt c. 2600 – c. 2500 BC."
Footage of the Giza Pyramid Complex being built Egypt c. 2600 – c. 2500 BC
byu/ZashManson inaivideo
However, the above footage is fake and was generated using artificial intelligence software.
Video recording technology was not invented until thousands of years after the ancient Egyptian period ended — historians reportedly agree the first motion pictures were captured in 1888 — and even if this was intended as a recreation, Snopes has previously reported there is no scientific evidence giants have ever existed.
AI-detection tool TrueMedia concluded screenshots from the footage showed "substantial evidence of manipulation." In their explanation, which they pulled from Numerama, a French science analysis website, TrueMedia noted:
The image is described as part of a viral video generated by artificial intelligence, depicting the construction of Egyptian pyramids by giants. It is explicitly stated in the context provided that the video and its contents are entirely fictional, created for entertainment and not based on historical or credible events. Therefore, the image is classified as fake.
Additionally, Google's reverse-image search tool displayed numerous older examples of the footage with a disclaimer stating it was AI-generated. The above Reddit video was also shared in the r/aivideo community.
There are many theories about how the pyramids of ancient Egypt were constructed. One such theory suggests ramps were used to transport the blocks, while another postulates that a hydraulic lift was used to move the stones up. A separate idea is that workers relied upon "a sloping and circling embankment of brick, earth, and sand, which was increased in height and length as the pyramid rose." Blocks were then allegedly hauled up the ramp using sledges, rollers, and levers.
Greek historian Herodotus reportedly claimed around 100,000 men were used to construct the pyramids, though Egyptologists believe the number was between 20,000 and 30,000.