The steps were for the haulers, the mummies and sarcophagi being dragged up the inclined plane.
"Manual Of Egyptian Archaeology And Guide To The Study Of Antiquities In Egypt"
Gaston Camille Charles Maspero
Then one of the front lines of haulers in turn had to move forward to an island, to swim for it with six hundred feet of hawser slapping the river as they dragged it.
"Careers of Danger and Daring"
Cleveland Moffett
The traffic around Pallas was fairly heavy this time of year, since the planetoid was on the same side of the sun as Earth, and the big cargo haulers were moving in and out, loading refined metals and raw materials, unloading manufactured goods from Earth.
"Anchorite"
Randall Garrett