Egyptian archaeologists discovered tombs of the workers who built the great Pyramid of Cheops at El Giza, Egypt`s Culture Minister Faruq Hosni said on Sunday.

He said the newly discovered tombs date to Egypt`s 4th Dynasty (2649 B.C. to 2513 B.C.).

Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt`s Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the discovery proved the men, who had built the last remaining wonder of the ancient world, were paid laborers rather than slaves.

"These tombs were built beside the king`s pyramid, which indicates that these people were not by any means slaves," Hawass said in a statement, adding "if they were slaves, they would not have been able to build their tombs beside their king`s."

According to Hawass, evidence from the site showed rich Egyptians had sent 21 cattle and 23 sheep daily from their farms in northern and southern Egypt to feed some 10,000 laborers working on the pyramids.

Graves of pyramids` builders were first discovered in 1990.
sections: Culture, World News