Aliens Built the Pyramids? The Perils of Mixing of Archaeology and Ethnocentrism

On July 31, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted, “Aliens built the pyramids obv.” With almost 90,000 retweets, over 500,000 likes and 25,000 replies, theories about extraterrestrial efforts to build Earth’s architectural marvels continue to stir conversation. These debunked theories have been popularized by the TV show “Ancient Aliens,” which focuses on the supposed possibility that aliens built many of the grand structures seen today. 

Elon Musk’s tweet about the Egyptian pyramids. Elon Musk. Twitter.

While the theories can be entertaining to consider, many academics and archaeologists find that this perspective erases the history of the people present when these structures were built. With regard to the pyramids, the belief that extraterrestrials deserve credit erases possible Black African history in Egypt.

Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation replying to Elon Musk. Rania A. Al Mashat. Twitter.

Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation, Rania al-Mashat, corrected Musk by tweeting, “I follow your work with a lot of admiration. I invite you & SpaceX to explore the writings about how the pyramids were built and also to check out the tombs of the pyramid builders.” This correction by the minister was necessary, as speculation over how the Egyptian pyramids were built can be answered by accurate historical accounts.

The belief that aliens are responsible for building structures such as the pyramids is called pseudoarchaeology and it has gained popularity on the internet. Several serious books have been written about the topic, and many of these texts have even been peer reviewed by other archaeologists. The first pseudoarchaeological book to gain widespread traction was a series of texts written by Erich von Daniken, the first of which was called "Chariots of the Gods." Thirty-two more volumes followed. Most of Von Daniken’s texts question architectural structures specifically in non-White regions like Latin America, Africa and Asia, with little speculation directed at ancient Viking or Celtic structures.

The Great Sphinx and two of the Egyptian pyramids. Museums Victoria. Unsplash.

A major problem with texts such as “Chariots of the Gods” comes from the ethnocentric bias many of them have. Rather than crediting the actual, often non-White, builders for architectural feats like the pyramids of Egypt, the assumption is that the structure is too complex for humans to understand or build. Archaeologist Eric Cline told Forbes that, “Pseudoarchaeologists cannot accept the fact that the mere humans might have come up with great innovations such as … the Sphinx all on their own; rather, they frequently seek or invoke divine, or even alien, assistance to explain how these came to be.” 

Mexico’s Teotihuacan. Alejandro Morelos. Unsplash.

Questions have even been asked about the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Teotihuacan, an ancient Aztec city located near present-day Mexico City. Many pseudoarchaeologists believe the ruins could have once been a spaceport due to the presence of mica and liquid mercury in the area. This type of misinformation may be interesting, but it greatly takes away from the intricate planning necessary to accomplish such great feats of engineering. 

While far-fetched theories about the past are entertainment for some, it is clearly more important to recognize the history which has already been uncovered. Theorizing without noting facts not only discounts history itself, but also greatly takes away from those who built Earth’s great marvels.

Renee Richardson

is currently an English student at The University of Georgia. She lives in Ellijay, Georgia, a small mountain town in the middle of Appalachia. A passionate writer, she is inspired often by her hikes along the Appalachian trail and her efforts to fight for equality across all spectrums. She hopes to further her passion as a writer into a flourishing career that positively impacts others.