The pyramid report paragraph 10. The first wonder of the world: Egyptian pyramids
Only one of the seven wonders of the world has survived in the world - the pyramids in Egypt. How they were erected, what is their purpose and what they symbolize - these questions are answered in this article.
Construction and evolution of the shape of tombs
Official science classifies the Egyptian pyramids as multilevel tombs for the burial of pharaohs. In total, there are about 120 pyramids in different parts of the Nile, but all of them are built in the same way - a regular pyramid with a square at the base. Part of the pyramid is on the surface of the earth, part is hidden under the sands. Inside there is a burial chamber, to which passages lead from both sides. The walls of the passages were painted with hieroglyphs containing religious texts.
How were the pyramids built in Ancient Egypt? The first pyramids were built from bricks obtained by mixing clay with river silt - adob. With the development of building knowledge, large limestone megaliths began to be used. Until now, the facts of how the pyramidal complexes were built without the presence of complex construction equipment remain a mystery.
Pyramids are divided into two types. The stepped pyramids are of more ancient origin and did not have impressive overall dimensions. Over time, they were replaced by pyramids with a smooth surface, which were built from large monolithic stones mined in the upper course of the Nile. Pyramids Ancient egypt are not just one building. Two temples were to be located near them: one directly next to, and the second was to be washed by the waters of the Nile and connected to the first temple by an alley.
Rice. 1. Step pyramid in Egypt.
Contrary to popular belief that the pyramids were built by slaves, excavations have shown that the builders lived in good conditions with decent nutrition.
Pyramids of Dakhshur and at Sakkara
The extensive construction of the pyramids in Dakhshur took place during the change of the 3rd and 4th dynasties. Pharaoh Huni was the first to build a regular pyramid, based on the stepped structures from Meidum. This pyramid was supposed to be the tomb for his son - Snorfu (2613-2589 BC).
Although Snorfu finished his father's work, he built his pyramid as a stepped one. However, it had to be abandoned, since changing the angle of inclination of the lateral plane led to a change in the angle of inclination. This pyramid has survived to this day and is called Broken.
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The oldest step pyramid of Djoser is located in Saqqara. It was from her that the pyramidal construction began. In Sakkara, an ancient document "The Pyramid Texts" was found, according to which its architect was the son of the god Ptah Imhotep, who invented masonry from hewn rocks.
Pharaoh's dissatisfaction with the Broken Pyramid was the reason for the construction around the 2600s BC. The pink pyramid, so named because it was built from red limestone. It was created in the correct shape and had a slope of 43 degrees.
Rice. 2. Broken pyramid in Egypt.
Pyramids of Giza
On the banks of the Nile, 20 km. from Cairo there is a wonder of the world - the pyramid of Cheops. The Great Pyramids of Ancient Egypt were built in 2500 BC.
Rice. 3. Pyramid of Cheops.
It still remains a mystery how the Egyptians managed to make a huge technological breakthrough in a short 200 years, which is equal to the time between the construction of the Broken Pyramids and the Great Pyramids. Indeed, for a breakthrough in construction, other spheres of human activity had to be affected, and this was not observed in those years.
It is noteworthy that in addition to the strict orientation to the cardinal points and the ideal lateral faces of the Giza pyramids, they are all star-oriented. The Pyramid of Cheops consists of 2.3 million stone blocks weighing from 2 to 15 tons.
Much about the construction of the pyramids has survived to this day thanks to Herodotus, who visited there. According to his records, the Cheops pyramid was built by 400,000 people over a period of 20 years. But this data is considered to be increased and scientists believe that about 20,000 workers were involved in the construction.
What have we learned?
According to official version, the pyramids had a religious purpose and were built during the life of the pharaohs for their eternal stay there. This is a unique monument ancient civilization, which carries information that has yet to be received until the end.
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The first wonder of the world of all time, one of the main structures of our planet, a place full of secrets and mysteries, a point of constant pilgrimage for tourists - the Egyptian pyramids and in particular the pyramid of Cheops.
Building the giant pyramids, of course, was far from easy. Huge efforts of a large number of people were made in order to deliver stone blocks to the Giza or Saqqara plateau, and later to the Valley of the Kings, which became the new necropolis of the pharaohs.
At the moment, there are about a hundred pyramids found in Egypt, but the finds continue, and their number is constantly increasing. V different times one of the 7 wonders of the world meant different pyramids. Someone meant all the pyramids of Egypt as a whole, someone the pyramids near Memphis, someone the three large pyramids of Giza, and most critics recognized only the largest pyramid of Cheops.
Afterlife of Ancient Egypt
One of the central moments in the life of the ancient Egyptians was religion, which shaped the entire culture as a whole. Particular attention was paid to the afterlife, perceived as a clear continuation of earthly life. That is why preparation for life after death began long before her, was posed as one of the main tasks of life.
According to the ancient Egyptian belief, a person had several souls. The soul of Ka played the role of the Egyptian's double, with whom he was to meet in the afterlife. Ba's soul connected with the person himself, and left his body after death.
Religious life of the Egyptians and the god Anubis
At first it was believed that only the pharaoh had the right to life after death, but he could grant this "immortality" to his entourage, who were usually buried next to the tomb of the ruler. Ordinary people were not destined to get into the world of the dead, the only exceptions were slaves and servants, whom the pharaoh "took" with him, and who were depicted on the walls of the great tomb.
But for a comfortable life after the death of the deceased, it was necessary to provide everything necessary: food, household utensils, servants, slaves, and much more needed for the average pharaoh. They also tried to preserve the human body so that the Ba soul could later reconnect with him. Therefore, in matters of body preservation, embalming and the creation of complex pyramid tombs were born.
The first pyramid in Egypt. Djoser's pyramid
Speaking about the construction of the pyramids in Ancient Egypt in general, it is worth mentioning the beginning of their history. The very first pyramid in Egypt was built about five thousand years ago at the initiative of Pharaoh Djoser. It is in these 5 millennia that the age of the pyramids in Egypt is estimated. The construction of the pyramid of Djoser was led by the famous and legendary Imhotep, who was even deified in the later centuries.
Djoser's pyramid
The entire complex of the erected building occupied an area of 545 by 278 meters. Along the perimeter, it was surrounded by a 10-meter wall with 14 gates, only one of which was real. In the center of the complex was the Djoser pyramid with sides 118 x 140 meters. The height of the Djoser pyramid is 60 meters. A burial chamber was located almost at a depth of 30 meters, to which corridors with many branches led. Utensils and sacrifices were kept in the branch rooms. Here archaeologists have found three bas-reliefs of Pharaoh Djoser himself. Near the eastern wall of the Djoser pyramid, 11 small burial chambers were discovered, intended for the royal family.
Unlike the famous great pyramids of Giza, the pyramid of Djoser had a stepped shape, as if intended for the ascent of the pharaoh to heaven. Of course, this pyramid is inferior in popularity and size to the Cheops pyramid, but still the contribution of the very first stone pyramid to the culture of Egypt is difficult to overestimate.
The Pyramid of Cheops. History and short description
But still, the most famous for the ordinary population of our planet are the three nearby pyramids of Egypt - Khafren, Mekerin and the largest and highest pyramid in Egypt - Cheops (Khufu)
Pyramids of Giza
The pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops was built near the city of Giza, which is currently a suburb of Cairo. When the pyramid of Cheops was built, at the present time it is impossible to say for sure, and research gives a wide spread. In Egypt, for example, the date of the beginning of the construction of this pyramid is officially celebrated - August 23, 2480 BC.
Pyramid of Cheops and Sphinx
About 100,000 people were simultaneously involved in the construction of the wonder of the world, the Cheops pyramid. During the first ten years of work, a road was built, along which huge stone blocks were delivered to the river and the underground structures of the pyramid. Work on the construction of the monument itself continued for about 20 more years.
The dimensions of the Cheops pyramid at Giza are striking. The height of the Cheops pyramid initially reached 147 meters. Over time, due to being covered with sand and the loss of cladding, it decreased to 137 meters. But even this figure allowed her for a long time remain the tallest human structure in the world. The pyramid has a square base with a side of 147 meters. The construction of this giant is estimated to require 2,300,000 limestone blocks weighing an average of 2.5 tons.
How were the pyramids built in Egypt?
The technology of building pyramids is controversial in our time. Versions range from the invention of concrete in Ancient Egypt to the construction of pyramids by aliens. But it is still believed that the pyramids were built by man exclusively by his own strength. So for the extraction of stone blocks, first a shape was outlined in the rock, grooves were hollowed out and a dry tree was inserted into them. Later, the tree was doused with water, it expanded, a crack formed in the rock, and the block was separated. Then it was processed to the desired shape with tools and sent down the river to a construction site.
Most people just know that the Egyptian pyramids are large, impressive structures dating back to ancient Egypt. It is also widely known that the pyramids served as monumental tombs in which the pharaohs, the rulers of ancient Egypt, were buried. However, in fact, there are many more interesting things and little-known facts that many do not know about these fascinating structures. To expand your knowledge of the Egyptian pyramids, check out the twenty-five facts below that you may not know.
25. The three most famous Egyptian pyramids are those found in the Giza Necropolis, but in fact, approximately 140 pyramids have been discovered in the area of ancient Egypt.
24. The most ancient Egyptian pyramid is considered the Pyramid of Djoser, which was built in the Saqqara Necropolis in the 27th century BC.
23. While the Pyramid of Djoser is considered the oldest, the Pyramid of Khufu (also known as the Great Pyramid of Giza) is the largest. The original height of the pyramid was 146.5 meters, and the current height is 138.8 meters.
22. Until Lincoln Cathedral was built in England in 1311, the Great Pyramid of Giza held the title of tallest man-made structure in the world. She held the record for at least 3871!
21. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest of the Seven Wonders Of the Ancient World(Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) and the last one in existence at the moment.
20. Estimates of the number of workers involved in building the pyramids vary widely, however it is likely that at least 100,000 people built them.
19. The Pyramids of Giza are guarded by the Great Sphinx, the largest monolithic sculpture in the world. It is believed that the face of the sphinx was given a resemblance to the face of the pharaoh Khafra.
18. All Egyptian pyramids were built on the western bank of the Nile River, which is the place of sunset and was associated with the kingdom of the dead in Egyptian mythology.
17. The ancient Egyptians buried their noble citizens in pyramids with funerary gifts that ranged from household items to the most expensive items such as jewelry. They believed that the dead would use them in the afterlife.
16. The very first famous architect the pyramids was Imhotep, an ancient Egyptian polymath, engineer and physician. He is considered the author of the first major pyramid - the Pyramid of Djoser.
15. While experts generally agree on the hypothesis that the pyramids were built from huge stones carved with copper chisels in quarries, the methods used to move and fold them are still the subject of heated debate and speculation.
14. Another, relatively obvious, is the fact that the methods used to build the pyramids evolved over time. The pyramids of the later period are not built in the same way as the earliest pyramids.
13. After the end of the pyramid construction period in Ancient Egypt, an outbreak of pyramid construction began on the territory of modern Sudan.
12. In the 12th century, an attempt was made to destroy the pyramids of Giza. Al-Aziz, a Kurdish ruler and second sultan of the Ayyubid Sultan of Egypt, tried to demolish them, but he had to surrender, as the task was too large-scale. However, he managed to damage Menkaure's Pyramid, where his attempts left a vertical gaping pit in its northern slope.
11. The three pyramids of Giza are precisely aligned with the Constellation of Orion, which may well have been the builders' intention, since the Orion stars were associated with Osiris, the god of rebirth and the underworld in ancient Egyptian mythology.
10. It is estimated that the Great Pyramid of Giza consists of 2,300,000 stone blocks that weigh between 2 and 30 tons, and some of them even weigh more than 50 tons.
9. Initially, the pyramids were covered with finely polished white limestone facing stones. These stones reflected the light of the sun and made the pyramids shine like precious stones.
8. When the facing stones covered the pyramids, they could be seen from the mountains in Israel and maybe even from the moon.
7. Despite the wild heat around the pyramids, the temperature in the pyramids themselves actually remains relatively constant and keeps around 20 degrees Celsius.
6. It is rather difficult to calculate accurately, but the weight of the Cheops Pyramid may well be approximately 6 million tons.
5. The Pyramid of Cheops was built facing north. In fact, it is the most carefully north-aligned structure in the world. Despite the fact that it was built thousands of years ago, it still faces north, with only a slight error. However, the error occurred because the N Pole is gradually shifting, which means that at one time the pyramid was directed exactly to the north.
4. On average, it took 200 years to build each pyramid. This means that often several pyramids were built at once, rather than one pyramid.
3. One of the reasons why the pyramids have been preserved so well is the unique cement mortar used in them. It's harder than real stone, but we still don't know how they made it.
Pyramids of ancient egypt for more than one millennium they have been admiring, surprising, stirring up the imagination. Heated controversy continues about when the ancient pyramids were built in Egypt, who built them, and why they were built. Each disputing party has its own compelling arguments. This article provides a largely controversial official point of view on these issues.
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History of the construction of the tombs of the pharaohs |
| History of the pyramids of Egypt |
| Medum pyramid |
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| Great Pyramids of Giza |
| The Pyramid of Cheops |
| Pyramid of Khafre |
| Pyramid of Mikerin |
| Pyramids of the 5th and 6th dynasties |
| Pyramids of the Middle Kingdom |
| Subsequent life of the pyramids |
History of the pyramids of Egypt
The history of the pyramids of Egypt from the construction of the first pyramid of Ancient Egypt - the step pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser. It was built in Saqqara in about 2,600 BC. This was the Pharaoh of the third dynasty.
Before him, the tombs of the pharaohs were built from dried bricks. Subsequently, they received the name - mastaba. Such a mastaba was also built for Djoser.
But the pharaoh did not use this tomb, and together with his most talented architect Imhotep undertook grandiose construction mastabas in Saqqara, which is now called the Djoser pyramid or "step pyramid". Above this lower mastaba, five more mastabas were built, each smaller in size. The construction took place in six stages, according to the number of steps. As a result of superstructures, the base of the pyramid has reached dimensions of 125x115 meters, and its height is 61 meters (the height of a modern twenty-storey building).
Here, for the first time, not fired brick was used as a building material, but stone. The Pyramid of Djoser is considered the world's first stone architectural structure.
Undoubtedly, these small pyramids that adorned the upper part of the tomb were associated with the cult of the sun god. On the eastern slope of the pyramid, a small niche was arranged, in which there was a cult statue of the inhabitant of the tomb. She looks towards the rising sun. Above the burial chamber, carved into the rock, there was a small courtyard. It was surrounded by a stone wall. In its western part, a small chapel was built in the form of a terrace with columns. Above all this towered a small pyramid with a base of 3X3 m, a height of 4 m. The angle of inclination to the plane of the horizon was much more vertical than that of the huge pyramids of the Ancient and Middle Kingdom, it reached 68 °.
The pyramids were revived in the VIII-VII centuries BC. e., but no longer in Egypt, but on the territory of the Nubian kingdom of Napata and in the IV century BC. e. in Meroe. None of these pyramids had a base length of more than 12-13 m and a height of more than 15-16 m. The angle of inclination of the faces was equal to 68 °, as on the graves of Theban masters. They were built mainly of stone, only the latest ones were built of bricks.
The magic of mysterious lands still exists. Palm trees sway in the warm wind, the Nile floats through the desert surrounded by a green valley, the sun illuminates the Karnak Temple and mysterious pyramids Egypt, and in the Red Sea, bright shoals of fish flicker.
Burial culture of Ancient Egypt
Pyramids are called grandiose structures in the form of a regular geometric polyhedron. In the construction of burial buildings or mastabs, this form, according to Egyptologists, began to be used because of the resemblance to a memorial cake. If you ask how many pyramids there are in Egypt, then you can hear the answer that to date, about 120 buildings have been found and described, which are located in different areas along the banks of the Nile.
The first mastabas can be seen in Sakkara, Upper Egypt, Memphis, Abusir, El-Lahun, Giza, Hawara, Abu Ravash, Meidum. They were built from clay bricks with river silt - adobe, in a traditional architectural form. The pyramid housed a prayer room and a funeral "dowry" for traveling in the afterlife. The underground part kept the remains. The pyramids had a different appearance. They have evolved from a stepped to a true, geometrically correct, shape.
Evolution of the shape of the pyramids
Tourists are often interested in how to see all the pyramids of Egypt, in which city they are located. There are many such places. For example, Meiduma is the most mysterious place where the oldest of all the great burial buildings are located. When Sneferu ascended the throne (circa 2575 BC), Saqqara was the only large fully completed royal pyramid of Djoser.
The ancient locals called it "al-haram-el-kaddab", which means "false pyramid". Because of its shape, it attracted the attention of travelers back in the Middle Ages.
The step pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara is known as the earliest form of a burial structure in Egypt. Its appearance is attributed to the period of the third dynasty. Narrowing passages from the north lead to the burial chamber. Underground galleries surround the pyramid from all sides except the southern one. This is the only completed building with huge steps that were faced with stone. But its shape was different from the ideal. The first regular pyramids appeared at the beginning of the reign of the 4th dynasty of the pharaohs. The true form has arisen as a result of the natural development and improvement of the architectural design of the stepped building. The structure of a real pyramid is practically the same. The building blocks were laid to the required shapes and sizes of the object, and then they were finished with limestone or stone.
Dakhshur pyramids
Dakhshur forms the southern region of the necropolis in Memphis and contains a number of pyramidal complexes and monuments. Dakhshur has only recently been opened to the public. In the Nile Valley, south of Cairo, alone at the edge of the Western Desert, above lush green fields in Meidum, is a notable area where you can see the transition from stepped to regular pyramid shape. The transformation took place during the change of the third dynasty of the pharaohs to the fourth. During the reign of the 3rd Dynasty, Pharaoh Huni organized the construction of the first regular pyramid in Egypt, where the stepped structures from Meidum are located as a base for construction. The burial structure was intended for the son of Huni, the first pharaoh of the fourth dynasty Sneferu (2613-2589 BC). The heir completed work on his father's pyramids, then built his own - a stepped one. But the construction plans of the pharaoh were curtailed, as the construction did not go according to plan. Decreasing the angle of inclination of the side plane resulted in a diamond-shaped curved silhouette. This structure is called the Broken Pyramid, but it still has the outer shells intact.
The oldest pyramids in Saqqara
Sakkara is one of the huge necropolises ancient city which is known today as Memphis. The ancient Egyptians called this place "White Walls". The pyramids of Egypt at Saqqara are represented by the first oldest stepped pyramid, Djosera. It was here that the history of the construction of these burial structures began. In Saqqara, the first writing on the walls was found, known as the Pyramid Texts. The architect of these projects is called Imhotep, who invented masonry from hewn stone. Thanks to construction developments, the ancient architect was ranked among the deities. Imhotep is considered the son of Ptah, the patron saint of crafts. There are many tombs in Saqqara that belonged to important ancient Egyptian officials.
The true gem represents the great pyramids of Egypt at the Sneferu complex. Discontent with the Broken Pyramid, which did not allow him to go to heaven with dignity, he began construction about two kilometers to the north. It was the famous Pink Pyramid, so named for the red limestone used in construction. This is one of the oldest buildings in Egypt, and it was built in the correct shape. It has a slope of 43 degrees and is the second largest, second only to the Great Pyramid of Giza. It was built by the son of Sneferu in Khufu. In fact, the Great Pyramid is just 10 meters from Pink. Other major monuments in Dakhshur belong to the 12th and 13th dynasties and are incomparable in scale with the works of Huni and Sneferu.
Late pyramids in the Sneferu complex
There are later pyramids in Meidum. In Egypt, where the White Pyramid of Amenemhat II, the Black Amenemhat III and the building of Senusret III are located, smaller burial monuments for minor rulers, nobles and officials dominate.
They talk about a fairly stable and peaceful period in the history of Egypt. Interestingly, the Black Pyramid and the construction of Senusret III are not built of stone, but of bricks. Why this material was used is unknown, but at that time new construction methods penetrated into Egypt from other countries, thanks to trade and international relations. Unfortunately, while brick was much easier to work with compared to granite blocks, which weighed many tons, this material did not stand the test of time. Although the Black Pyramid is reasonably well preserved, the White one is badly damaged. Tourists who are little aware of the huge number of pyramidal burials have a misunderstanding. They ask, "Where are the pyramids in Egypt?" While everyone is aware of the great burial structures of Egypt, there are many less significant examples of similar structures. Scattered along the Nile from Celia at the edge of the oasis to Elephantine Island in Aswan, in the village of Naga el-Khalifa, about five miles south of Abydos, in the city of Minya and many other unexplored places.
Pyramids of Giza and the necropolis
For all tourists who come to Egypt, excursion to the pyramids becomes almost a ritual. The buildings of Giza are the only surviving of the seven wonders of the Ancient World and the most famous landmarks. This sacred place impresses with its antiquity, the scope of the necropolis, the unreality of the structures and the Great Sphinx. The mysteries of the construction and the alleged symbolism of the pyramids of Giza only add to the appeal of these ancient wonders. Many modern people still consider Giza to be a spiritual place. A number of fascinating theories have been proposed to explain the "mystery of the pyramids." The author of the project of the Great Pyramid in Egypt is called the adviser Cheops and his relative, Hemiun. Giza is the most important place on earth for many researchers who are trying to unravel the geometric perfection of burial structures in ancient sources. But even the greatest skeptics are in awe of the deep antiquity, the scope and absolute harmony of the Giza pyramids.
History of the pyramids of Giza
Located on the west bank of the Nile River, about 12 miles southwest of downtown Cairo, Giza (el-Gizah in Arabic) is the third largest city in Egypt with a population of nearly 3 million. It is a famous necropolis on the Giza plateau and is home to the most popular monuments in Egypt. The Great Pyramids of Giza were built in 2500 BC for the burials of the pharaohs. Together they make up the only thing ancient miracle light still in existence today. Many tourists are attracted by Egypt (Hurghada). They can see the pyramids of Giza in half an hour, which will be required on the road. You can admire this wonderful ancient sacred place to your heart's content.
The Great Pyramid of Khufu, or Cheops, as the Greeks called it (is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids at Giza), and the necropolis bordering Cairo, remained virtually untouched by time. It is believed that the pyramid was built as a tomb for the fourth dynasty of the Egyptian pharaohs Khufu. The Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years. It was originally covered with facing stones that created a smooth outer surface. Some of them can be seen around the base and at the very top. There are various scientific and alternative theories about how the pyramids of Ancient Egypt were built, and about the methods of building the Great One itself. Most of the accepted construction theories are based on the idea that it was built by moving huge rocks out of the quarry and lifting them into place. It covers an area of just over 5 hectares. The original height was 146 m in height, but the pyramid is still an impressive 137 m. The main losses are associated with the destruction of the smooth limestone surface.
Herodotus about Egypt
When the Greek historian Herodotus visited Giza, around 450 BC, he described the pyramids in Egypt. He learned from the Egyptian priests that the Great Pyramid was built for Pharaoh Khufu, who was the second king of the fourth dynasty (c. 2575-2465 BC). The priests told Herodotus that it was built by 400,000 people over 20 years. The construction site employed 100,000 people to move the blocks at a time. But archaeologists find this implausible and tend to think that the labor force was more limited. Perhaps 20,000 workers with an accompanying support staff of bakers, doctors, priests and others would be enough to carry out this task.
The most famous pyramid was neatly laid out using 2.3 million cut stone blocks. These blocks had an impressive weight of two to fifteen tons. After the completion of construction, the burial structure was striking in weight, which was approximately 6 million tons. This is the weight of all famous cathedrals in Europe taken together! The Pyramid of Cheops has been registered for thousands of years as the tallest structure in the world.
Only the graceful spiers of the extraordinarily majestic Lincoln Cathedral, built in England, with a height of 160 m, were able to break the record, but collapsed in 1549.
Pyramid of Khafre
Among the pyramids of Giza, the second largest is the structure built for the afterlife journey of Khafr (Khafren), the son of Pharaoh Khufu. He inherited power after the death of his older brother and was the fourth ruler in the fourth dynasty. Of his noble relatives and predecessors on the throne, many were buried in penny tombs. But the grandeur of the Khafre pyramid is striking in almost the same way as the "last house" of his father.
The Khafre pyramid visually stretches to the sky and seems higher than the first pyramid of Giza - the burial building of Cheops, because it stands on the higher part of the plateau. It is characterized by a steeper slope with a preserved smooth limestone cover. At the second pyramid, each side was 216 m and was originally 143 m high. Its limestone and granite blocks weigh about 2.5 tons each.
The ancient pyramids of Egypt, for example Cheops, like the construction of Khafre, include five burial pits, connected by passages. Together with the morgue, the Valley of the Temples and the connecting dam, it is 430 meters long carved into the rock. The burial chamber, which is located underground, preserved a red granite sarcophagus with a lid. Nearby is a square cavity where the chest with the Pharaoh's entrails was located. The Great Sphinx near the pyramid of Khafre is considered his royal portrait.
Pyramid of Mikerin
The last of the pyramids of Giza is the Pyramid of Mikerin, located to the south. It was intended for the son of Khafre, the fifth king of the fourth dynasty. Either side is 109 m, and the height of the structure is 66 m. In addition to these three monuments, small pyramids were built for Khufu's three wives and a series of flat-topped pyramids for the remains of his beloved children. At the end of the long dam were small tombs of courtiers, the temple and morgue were built only to mummify the body of the pharaoh.
Like all the pyramids of Egypt, created for the pharaohs, the burial chambers of these buildings were filled with everything necessary for the next life: furniture, statues of slaves, niches for canopics.
Theories about the construction of Egyptian giants
Many mysteries are hidden in the centuries-old history of Egypt. The pyramids, built without modern gadgets, only increase the curiosity about these places. Herodotus assumed that the foundation was made of huge blocks weighing about seven tons. And then, like from children's blocks, all 203 layers were lifted up step by step. But this cannot be done, as evidenced by the Japanese attempt in the 1980s to duplicate the actions of Egyptian builders. The most plausible explanation is that the Egyptians used inclined ones, along which they towed stone blocks along a ladder using sleds, rollers and levers. And the base was a natural plateau. The majestic structures have withstood not only the crushing work of time, but also numerous attacks by grave robbers. They robbed the pyramids in ancient times. Opened by the Italians in 1818, Chephren's burial chamber was empty, there was no longer any gold and other treasures.
There is a possibility that the pyramids of Egypt are still undiscovered or are now completely destroyed. Many express fantastic theories about the extraterrestrial interference of another civilization, for which such construction is child's play. The Egyptians are only proud of the perfect knowledge of their ancestors in the field of mechanics, dynamics, thanks to which the construction business developed.