The history of the pyramids. Egyptian pyramids: interesting facts, history and reviews Brief message about the Egyptian pyramids

Introduction

Almost five thousand years ago, the Egyptian pharaoh Djoser and his brilliant architect Imhotep decided to erect a structure that the world had never seen - a colossal mountain of stone, built according to strict mathematical calculations, so strong that it would stand until the end of centuries. The construction of this first pyramid in the world lasted more than two decades, and the number of workers - prisoners of war, slaves, volunteers - was in the tens of thousands. Over the next two centuries, the Egyptian pharaohs, following the example of the first builders of the pyramid, erected their own tombs. During this relatively short period of time, the great pyramids were built, which to this day amaze and delight crowds of people. But the construction of these grandiose man-made mountains stopped as suddenly as it began. The pharaohs, as before, were content with more modest tombs.

Despite all the apparent inviolability of the pyramids, ironically, they suffered not so much from the forces of nature as from the hands of man. The ancient Egyptians were the first vandals: they robbed their burial chambers and mercilessly tore off the limestone shell from them, using material for other buildings, etc. this barbarism continued into later times.

The father of history "Herodotus called the Egyptian pyramids" the first wonder of the world. " The past millennia not only confirm this name, but more and more force researchers to consider this "miracle" the greatest and most mysterious of all known to mankind.

The pyramids, discovered in different parts of the world, show that they are not only the prerogative of the Egyptians. The size, age and good preservation of the pyramids are simply amazing. Perhaps such architecture embodied knowledge unknown to us and had some special sacred meaning ... One thing can be said for sure: the pyramids of the world challenge time and traditional science.

The purpose of the work is to study the pyramids as an object of world historical cultural heritage.

· Study the history of the pyramids;

· Consider the location of the pyramids on the ground;

· Consider interesting facts and secrets of the pyramids;

· Consider the astronomical and mathematical riddles of the pyramids.

Pyramids of the world

The history of the pyramids

pyramid civilization astronomical

Ancient Egypt is the most ancient world civilization, which still remains largely mysterious and full of secrets, despite all the technical achievements of modern science. And one of these secrets is the history of the creation of the pyramids. Pyramids are majestic structures, a symbol of Ancient Egypt. The rulers of ancient Egypt, the pharaohs, needed to stand out among other mortals, to confirm their divine origin, therefore, after death, their mummies had to be not on the usual scale - tombs of a traditional form in the form of a truncated pyramid, but in more powerful structures - huge stone tombs of a pyramidal shape.

There are a number of versions about the origin of the pyramids. The official, or so to speak, the classic version says that the construction of the pyramids in Ancient Egypt began 4000 years before the beginning of our era. The very first pyramid was built by the ancient architect Imhotep for the dynasty of the pharaohs Djoser in Saqqara. It has been perfectly preserved to this day and is located 20 km from modern Cairo. It is a stepped pyramid with a rhombus at its base. Later, Imhotep, who did not come from the royal dynasty, received divine status for the construction of such a magnificent structure. History has preserved the name of this person to our times, which in itself is extraordinary. Among the so-called "seven wonders of the world" known in antiquity, which amazed the imagination of their contemporaries, one more pyramid of Ancient Egypt is called. This is the pyramid of Cheops. It, unlike other wonders of the world, exists to this day and still gives a grandiose impression of grandeur. Its height is 146 m and is on a par with the tallest buildings of our time. The pyramid of Cheops was built from 2.3 million limestone blocks, which, as it were, did not touch time.

Thousands of slaves were involved in the construction of these magnificent structures. They dragged huge stone blocks, cut with brass tools, along the ramps. In some pyramids, blocks reached a weight of two hundred tons, and it is incomprehensible for modern construction specialists how the ancient Egyptians raised such blocks to the tops of the pyramids. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, they used mechanical lifts, although even now in the 21st century there are not so many bridge crane designs on the globe that are able to move a load of such a weight. Therefore, the most fantastic theories of the appearance of pyramids in Ancient Egypt have arisen and are still emerging. The ideal processing of stone blocks, some of which have not just a smooth surface, but a mirror-like surface, suggests that special tools were used during their construction, which simply could not have existed in the Bronze Age. Hence the very widespread version of space aliens who are the true builders of the ancient Egyptian pyramids.

Another common version of the construction of the pyramids is that they were erected by the Atlanteans, giant creatures from the island of Plato. The authenticity of this hypothesis is confirmed by traces of erosion on the lower blocks of the pyramids, which may appear from a long stay of the structure in the water. In addition, they even find fossils of shells that are much older than the usual age of the Egyptian pyramids. There are other versions, which only adds mystery to these grandiose symbols of Ancient Egypt, and, at the same time, our contemporaries' curiosity and admiration for them.

The pyramids have stood on Earth for so long that it’s time to sort out all the riddles, right? However, things are still there! We bring to your attention the most interesting facts about the pyramids that Factrum managed to find.

1. The three most famous Egyptian pyramids are those found in the Necropolis of Giza, but in fact, approximately 140 pyramids have been discovered in the area of ​​ancient Egypt.

2. The most ancient Egyptian pyramid is considered to be the Pyramid of Djoser, which was built in the Necropolis of Sakkara in the 27th century BC.

3. While the Pyramid of Djoser is considered the oldest, the Pyramid of Cheops is the largest. The original height of the pyramid was 146.5 meters, and the current height is 138.8 meters.

4. Until the Lincoln Cathedral of the Virgin Mary was built in England in 1311, the Great Pyramid of Giza held the title of the tallest man-made structure in the world. She held the record for at least three thousand years!

5. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the last in existence.

6. 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.

7. 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 Pharaoh Khafre.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. The earliest known architect of 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.

11. 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.

12. Another, relatively obvious, is the fact that the methods used to build the pyramids have 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.

14. In the 12th century, an attempt was made to destroy the pyramids of Giza. Al-Azis, the Kurdish ruler and second sultan of the Ayyubid dynasty, tried to demolish them, but he had to surrender, as the task was too large-scale. However, he managed to damage the Pyramid of Mikerin, where, due to his attempts, a vertical gaping pit remained in its northern slope.

15. The three pyramids of Giza are precisely aligned in accordance with the constellation Orion, which could well have been the builders' idea, since the stars of Orion were associated with Osiris, the god of rebirth and the underworld in ancient Egyptian mythology.

16. It is estimated that the Great Pyramid of Giza is made up of 2,300,000 stone blocks that weigh between 2 and 30 tons, some even weighing more than 50 tons.

17. Initially, the pyramids were covered with highly polished white limestone facing stones. These stones reflected the light of the sun and made the pyramids shine like precious stones.

18. When the facing stones covered the pyramids, they could be seen from the mountains in Israel and maybe even from the moon.

19. Despite the wild heat around the pyramids, the temperature in the pyramids themselves actually remains relatively constant at around 20 degrees Celsius.

21. 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, the pyramid 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.

22. On average, it took 200 years to build each pyramid. This means that often several pyramids were built at once, rather than one pyramid.

23. One of the reasons why the pyramids have survived 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.

24. Contrary to popular belief, the pyramids were most likely not built by slaves or prisoners. They were built by ordinary workers who received wages.

25. Although many people associate pyramids with hieroglyphs, no records or hieroglyphs have been found in the Great Pyramid of Giza.

What are they, the Egyptian pyramids?

Perhaps the most famous form of late prehistoric art, the pyramids of Ancient Egypt are the world's largest burial structures or tombs. Created from the tomb of the mastaba, they are one of the most enduring symbols of Egyptian art in general and Egyptian architecture in particular. The ancient Egyptians believed in an eternal afterlife and the purpose of the pyramids was to protect the body of the pharaoh and all the things he would need after death to facilitate his transition to the afterlife. Thus, each pyramid usually contained many Egyptian sculptures, murals, jewelry, and other forms of ancient art necessary to sustain the deceased in their afterlife. To date, about 140 pyramids have been discovered in Egypt, most of which were built as tombs for the country's pharaohs and their spouses during the periods of the Old and Middle Kingdom (2650-1650). The oldest known Egyptian pyramids are at Saqqara, near Memphis, south of the Nile Delta. The earliest of these is Djoser's pyramid(built around 2630 in Saqqara), which was designed during the third dynasty by the famous architect Imhotep (active c. 2600-2610 BC). The highest was Great Pyramid of Giza(c. 2565), which Antipater of Sidon called one of the seven wonders of the world and is currently the only survivor of the "miracles". Exactly how many paid workers it took to cut, transport and erect the stone megaliths from which each pyramid was built is unknown, although estimates range from 30,000 to 300,000. However, the enormous resources required to create such colossal pieces of ancient architecture show how wealthy and well-organized Egyptian society was in the third millennium BC.

How did Egyptian architecture develop before the construction of the pyramids?

The architectural design of the pyramids was a reflection of both politics and religious customs. Until 3000 BC Ancient Egypt was actually two countries with two burial traditions. In Lower Egypt (in the north), the country was wet and level, and the dead were buried under their family home, which was usually built on a hill. In Upper Egypt (in the south), the dead were buried far from settlements, in dry sand at the edge of the desert. The mound was usually erected over the grave. When dwellings and burial places were closer, in the period from 3000 to 2700, noblemen were usually buried in a simple tomb called a mastaba. It was a simple tomb, consisting of a rectangular structure with a flat roof made of mud bricks, with slightly sloping walls, inside which a deep burial chamber was dug into the ground, lined with stone or brick. After some time, the flat roof of the above-ground building was replaced by a pyramidal structure. Finally, the idea came - conceived by Imhotep - to stack the mastabas one on top of the other, forming a series of "steps" that decreased in size towards the top, thus creating the familiar design of a stepped pyramid. Not all pyramid designs have been successful. Architects hired by King Snefru built three pyramids: the first one, pyramid in Meidum, collapsed in antiquity; second, curved pyramid, had a radically changed angle in the middle of its structure; only the third, red pyramid proved to be successful.

What is the history of the Egyptian pyramids?

The next phase of construction, which took place in the subsequent era of Egyptian New Kingdom architecture (1550-1069), focused on the construction of temples. Egyptian pharaohs were no longer buried in pyramids, but in burial temples located in the Valley of the Kings on the western bank of the Nile opposite Thebes. A revival of pyramid building occurred in the subsequent period of late Egyptian architecture (c. 664-30 BC). During the Napata era in neighboring Sudan (c. 700-661 BC), a number of pyramids were built under the influence of Egyptian architects. Later, during the time of the Sudanese Kingdom of Meroe (c. 300 BC - 300 AD), more than two hundred pyramidal burial structures were built. For more information on the Hellenistic period (323-27 BC) see: Greek art. For information on building methods in ancient Rome, please see: Roman Architecture (c. 400 BC - 400 AD).

What were the main characteristics of the pyramid?

The early pyramids were built differently from the later ones. For example, the monumental pyramids of the Old Kingdom were built from stone blocks, while the pyramids of the late Middle Kingdom were smaller and were generally made of mud bricks faced with limestone. Early structures usually had a core of local limestone, covered with an outer layer of better quality limestone or sometimes granite. Granite was also traditionally used for royal halls inside the pyramid. For the construction of one pyramid, up to 2.5 million limestone blocks and up to 50 thousand granite blocks could be used. The average weight can be up to 2.5 tons per block, and some very large megaliths weigh up to 200 tons. The keystone at the top of the structure was usually basalt or granite and, if plated with gold, silver, or electrum (a mixture of both), can dazzle observers with its reflection of the sun. Based on excavations of a number of workers' cemeteries discovered in the early 1990s, archaeologists now believe that the pyramids were built by tens of thousands of wage laborers and artisans who were housed in huge camps nearby.

Deep inside each pyramid was the main chamber, which contained the mummified body of the dead pharaoh, placed in a precious sarcophagus. In addition, as noted, a huge number of artifacts were buried with him to support him in the afterlife, as well as monuments to the dead man himself: for example, inside Pyramids of Khafre there were over 52 life-size statues. In addition, fictitious passages were dug to prevent the subsequent desecration of the tomb and theft of valuables.

All Egyptian pyramids were built on the western bank of the Nile, where the sun sets, in accordance with official religious doctrine regarding the kingdom of the dead. (The pharaoh's soul was supposedly connected to the sun during his descent, before continuing his eternal journey with him.) Most of the pyramids were lined with polished white limestone (much of which has now been stolen) to give them a shiny reflective look from a distance. Curved pyramid in Dahshur, one of the few that still retains some of its original limestone cover. They were located relatively close to the Nile, which facilitated the delivery of stone from the quarries near Heliopolis by river.

The pharaohs - along with their architects, engineers and construction supervisor - usually began to build their own pyramid as soon as they ascended the throne. The two main factors that determined the location of the pyramid during the Old Kingdom included its orientation to the western horizon (where the sun was setting) and its proximity to Memphis, the country's key city in the third millennium.

The most famous Egyptian pyramids

Pyramid of Djoser (about 2630) (Sakkara)
Built in the Sakkara necropolis, northwest of Memphis, it is the centerpiece of a huge complex, bordered on all sides by a 33-foot wall of light-colored Tours limestone. Marked as the first monumental structure of stone and the most famous "stepped" Egyptian pyramid, its original height was approximately 203 feet (62 meters). It was faced with polished white limestone.

Bent pyramid (c. 2600) (Dakhshur)
This peculiar structure, called the curved, blunt or diamond-shaped pyramid and formerly also known as the southern glowing pyramid, is located in the royal necropolis of Dakhshur, south of Cairo. Approximately 320 feet (98 meters) high, next to the second pyramid erected by the ruler of Snefru. A kind of flexible pyramid hybrid with stepped and smooth sides, the only one whose original polished limestone cladding remained intact.

Red Pyramid (c. 2600) (Dakhshur)
Named after a red-colored stone, 341 feet high, it is the largest of three important pyramids at the Dakhshur necropolis and the third largest after those at Khufu and Khafre at Giza. Experts also consider it the world's first "true" smooth pyramid. Ironically, it was not always red because - like almost all pyramids - it was originally faced with the white Tura limestone. It was the third pyramid built by Pharaoh Snefru and took 10 to 17 years to build.

Pyramid of Khufu / Cheops (about 2565) (Giza)
Built by Pharaoh Khufu, son of Pharaoh Snefru, the pyramid of Khufu (Greek: Cheops) is known as the Great Pyramid of Giza. It is the oldest and largest of the three tombs in the Giza necropolis. Approximately 4,806 feet (146 meters) high, it was the tallest man-made structure in the world for nearly four millennia. According to eminent Egyptologist Sir Flinders Petrie, it was built from approximately 2,400,000 limestone blocks, each weighing 2.5 tons. It took about 20 years to build it. Most of the rough interior blocks were quarried locally, but the granite for the Pharaoh's chambers came from quarries at Aswan, about 500 miles from Giza. In addition to about 6 million tons of limestone, the Khufu pyramid used 8,000 tons of granite and about 500,000 tons of mortar.

Pyramid of Djedefre (about 2555) (Abu Rawash)
Now in ruins, mostly (believed to be) because it was dismantled by Roman builders who wanted to use the stone for their own building projects elsewhere in Egypt, this pyramid at Abu Rawash was built by Jedefre, the son of Pharaoh Khufu. It is the northernmost pyramid of Egypt and is believed to have been similar in size to the Menkaur pyramid at Giza, although some evidence suggests it may have been the tallest of all. Originally known as the "Starry Sky of Djedefre", according to Egyptologists, its outer layer of polished granite and limestone made it one of the most beautiful pyramids.

Pyramid of Khafre (about 2545) (Giza)
Rising 448 feet, this pyramid, also called the Shefren pyramid, is the second largest structure in the Giza necropolis, and because it sits on a slightly elevated stone base, it looks like it is taller than the Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops). Also made of blocks of Tura limestone, the largest of which weighed an estimated 400 tons, its outer hull was dismantled during the Egyptian New Kingdom era by Ramses II to provide a supply of stone for the construction of the temple at Heliopolis. To the east of the pyramid is a conventional burial temple with an adjustable entrance hall, a columned courtyard, five rooms for a pharaoh statue, five storage chambers, and an inner sanctuary.

Menkaur pyramid (about 2520) (Giza)
It is the third and last of the famous pyramids at Giza, located southwest of Cairo. The smallest of the three, it originally stood at approximately 215 feet (65.5 meters), and like the others, it is made of limestone and granite. It served as the tomb of Pharaoh Menkaur, who, according to ancient historians such as Herodotus, was a kind and enlightened ruler. Inside the pyramid, archaeologists have discovered a large number of stone sculptures depicting the pharaoh in the traditional style of Egyptian naturalism, as well as a magnificent basalt sarcophagus that may have contained the remains of Menkaur. Unfortunately, the ship carrying him to England sank off the island of Malta.

Construction: how were the pyramids built?

Egyptologists remain unresolved as to the exact construction method used to create the pyramids. In particular, experts disagree on the method by which the stones were transported and placed (rollers, different types of ramps or leverage systems), as well as the type of labor used (slaves or paid workers, and if they were paid, they were given a salary or tax credit). Whatever the precise construction method, the results were extraordinary. For example, the Great Pyramid of Giza was built to extremely precise dimensions - a sheet of paper barely fits between the stones - and aligned to within a fraction of an inch across the entire 13-acre base. Latest construction techniques and laser alignment techniques could hardly be better. One of the reasons why the Egyptian pyramids are such an amazing example of megalithic art, and why they are among the greatest works in art history.

The 10-year-old obsession of the French architect made it possible to reveal a new, most realistic (true) theory of the construction of the Cheops pyramid. In the 2013 film, he shows how the outer ramp was arranged, along which the blocks were climbed, and proves its existence in place. This is one of the best pyramid building movies on Youtube.

How do I move heavy stone blocks?

One of the main difficulties faced by the early pyramid builders was how to move huge amounts of heavy stone blocks. It looks like this problem was solved using methods that included the following items. For starters, the stone blocks were oiled to facilitate movement. In addition, based on the excavation of artifacts from certain temples, it appears that the builders used a cradle-like machine to help roll the stones. This technique was validated in tests conducted by Obayashi Corporation using 2.5 tonne concrete blocks, which proved that 18 people could pull a block up an inclined plane at a 1/4 (height to length) ratio at a speed of approximately 60 feet in minute. However, this method does not work for heavier blocks in the 15-80 ton weight range. Greek architecture borrows heavily from Egyptian building technology.

What equipment was used to build the pyramids?

In 1997, experts joined forces to conduct an experiment to build a pyramid for a television program. In three weeks, they erected a pyramid 20 feet high and 30 feet wide using 186 stones, each weighing approximately 2.2 tons. The project required 44 people using iron hammers, chisels and levers. Note: Experiments with brass tools have shown that they are a viable alternative to iron tools, but would require an additional 20 people to maintain their sharpness. In addition to the "iron" tools, a forklift truck was used, but no other modern equipment was allowed. Levers were used to flip and roll stones weighing up to 1 ton, while large stones were hauled using wooden sleds by a crew of 12 to 20 people.

How many workers were used to build the Egyptian pyramids?

Consultants Daniel, Mann, Johnson & Mendenhall, in collaboration with Egyptologists, estimate that the Great Pyramid of Giza was built using an average workforce of approximately 14,500 - sometimes reaching a peak workforce of 40,000 - in about a decade without using iron tools, pulleys or wheels. They calculated that such a workforce could maintain a work rate of 180 blocks per hour with a 10-hour workday: calculations based on data taken from modern construction projects carried out in the third world, without modern equipment.

The Egyptian pyramids are some of the most mysterious and unusual structures ever created by man. The name "pyramid" is customary to refer to all Egyptian buildings that have a shape that resembles a pyramid. But only a few of them can be called pyramids from a geometric point of view. These include, in particular, the great pyramids at Giza.

These buildings have an ideal pyramidal shape. The biggest one is world famous pyramid of Cheops... She is one of the seven wonders of the world. But the pyramids are located not only in Giza, but also in other parts of Egypt. A large number of pyramids are found in Sakkara, Dakhshur, Meidum, Abusir. The Egyptian pyramids attract many scientists, archaeologists and historians, and some facts about them do not fit into the traditional history of the development of civilizations.
Interesting Egyptian Pyramids Facts:

The largest Egyptian pyramid is the Pyramid of Cheops at Giza. Its height is about 139 meters. Initially, its height was almost 10 meters higher, but after the destruction of the cladding, it decreased. Its base is a square with a side of 230 meters. It took the construction of such a pyramid over 2.5 million blocks... On average, each of the blocks weighs about 2-3 tons. It is the tomb of the great Pharaoh Cheops (Khufu).

Age of the pyramids

Many scientists date the age of the most ancient pyramids 2650-2600 BC... One of the very first is the Djoser pyramid. But some scientists believe the pyramids are much older. Using new advances in science, they suggest that some of the pyramids are over 10,000 years old. Thus, if we take this age into account, it turns out that the first pyramids were built at a time when mammoths still lived on the planet.

Dynasties and pyramids

Almost all the dynasties of the Egyptian kings left their mark on history in the form of pyramids. At present, no pyramids have been found belonging to the first and second dynasties. The predecessors of the pyramids are considered mastabas... These are ancient Egyptian trapezoidal structures, which are the tombs of kings. The beginning of the construction of the pyramids is associated with the third dynasty. The most famous and largest pyramids at Giza are from the fourth dynasty.

Pyramid device

Most of the pyramids are almost monolithic structures, with long corridors and small rooms. So, each pyramid has a main entrance. It leads to the main corridor, which forks in two, one going up and the other down. The lower one leads to underground chambers, which lie much deeper than the base of the pyramid. The upper one, in turn, expands and turns into a spacious gallery leading to the tomb of the king.

It used to be thought that thousands of slaves were used to build the pyramids. They were brought to the great construction site from all over the kingdom. But in the vicinity of the pyramids, no mass graves were found, confirming the large number of slaves who died at the construction site. Recently, archaeologists have found many household and residential buildings that refute slave labor in the construction of the pyramids. So the builders had granaries, hostels, places for healing, canteens and even a brewery. This suggests that the pyramid builders had a fairly high standard of living at that time.

Imhotep and the pyramid of Djoser

Before the appearance of the great pyramids at Gisea, the tombs of the kings had a different look. The pyramids of the third dynasty consisted of several volumetric trapezoids stacked on top of each other. At the base lay the largest trapezoid to the top, they decreased. The first of these pyramids is considered to be the pyramid of Djoser, built by Imhotep. It was he who invented this form for tombs. Imhotep also developed a special method of masonry from hewn stones. This method was later widely used in the construction of the pyramids.

The walls of galleries and tombs inside the pyramids are painted with various hieroglyphs and images. Moreover, each hieroglyph and image was not chosen by chance and carries a religious meaning. They usually depict the life accomplishments of the deceased, a kind of instruction for the transition to the afterlife, and more. Also, in one of the pyramids, images were found that looked like a tank, a helicopter and a flying machine.

The legend of the curse of the pyramids

In various films and stories, the legend of the curse of the pyramids is quite common. It says that everyone who entered the tomb and disturbed the peace of the pharaohs will be cursed and die soon. The basis for this opinion was an article in the 1920s in one of the newspapers, which said that all participants in the excavation of Tut's tomb died under mysterious circumstances.

In fact, many of the scientists were elderly people, which may explain their death within a few years after participating in the excavation. Some of the participants lived after the expedition for more than a dozen years.

One of the pyramids in Dakhshur has a broken shape. From the base to the middle, the angle of inclination of the sides is about 54 degrees, and from the middle to the top about 43 degrees. Some researchers believe that the pharaoh Snephr, for whom it was built, died prematurely and in order to speed up the construction, the angle of inclination was changed. Another version is that the facing on other pyramids with the same angle fell off and the angle was changed in order to avoid this.

Purpose of the pyramids

The pyramids are the tombs of the kings of Egypt. It is believed that it becomes the home of the pharaoh after death and therefore everything that will be useful to him in the afterlife was placed in it. His wives, concubines and slaves were also buried together with the pharaoh. According to another version, the pyramids are intended to go to another world. For this, according to archaeologists, a vertical shaft was made in the tomb.

The Pink Pyramid is located in Dahshur. It is the largest of the Egyptian pyramids apart from the great pyramids of Giza. This pyramid gets its name from the material from which it is made. This limestone in the rays of the setting sun gives it a pinkish hue.

Other pyramids

Pyramids exist not only in Egypt, but also in other parts of the world. For example, there are pyramids in Central and South America. They are slightly different from the Egyptian, but, nevertheless, have many similarities with them.

The following facts are interesting - during the construction of the pyramids in Giza, huge blocks weighing several tons were used, and inside the pyramid of Cheops there are blocks weighing up to 80 tons... Moreover, they are made with high precision. Questions arise: how did people process, deliver and lift them up? Indeed, even with modern technology and science, we cannot do much of this. There are several hypotheses: they possessed technologies unheard of for us, they were helped by some more advanced race (possibly alien), the builders possessed a magic crystal that helps in construction.

Facts about the great pyramids in Giza: they have a strict orientation to the cardinal points, the angle of inclination is 52 degrees, the deviation between the ribs is no more than 5 centimeters with a base side length of more than 200 meters.

An interesting video about the secrets of the pyramids:

Precursors of the pyramids

When mentioning the Egyptian pyramids, as a rule, they mean the Great Pyramids, located at Giza, not far from Cairo. But they are not the only pyramids in Egypt. Many other pyramids are much worse preserved and now resemble hills or heaps of stones.

During the period of the first dynasties, special "houses after life" appeared - mastabs - burial buildings, which consisted of an underground burial chamber and a stone structure above the surface of the earth. The term itself refers already to the Arabian time and is connected with the fact that the shape of these tombs, similar in section to a trapezoid, reminded the Arabs of large benches called "mastaba".

The first pharaohs also built mastabs for themselves. The most ancient royal mastabas, dating back to the 1st dynasty, were built from adoba - unbaked bricks from clay and / or river silt. They were built in Nagadeya Abydos in Upper Egypt | Upper Egypt, as well as in Saqqara, where the main necropolis of Memphis, the capital of the rulers of the first dynasties, was located. In the above-ground part of these buildings there were chapels and rooms with burial implements, and in the underground - the actual burial chambers.

The largest pyramids of Egypt

• Pyramid of Cheops (IV dynasty): base size - 230 m (height - 146.6 m);
• Pyramid of Khafre (IV dynasty): 215 m (143 m);
• Pink Pyramid, Sneferu (IV dynasty): 219 m (105 m);
• Broken pyramid, Sneferu (IV dynasty): 189 m (105 m);
• Pyramid in Meidum, Sneferu (IV dynasty): 144 m (94 m);
• Pyramid of Djoser (III dynasty): 121 × 109 m (62 m).

Dating of the building

Pharaohs of the III dynasty

Haba pyramid

In the central part of the pyramid in Zawiet el-Erian, the structure of the masonry is clearly visible - the layers of stone are slightly inclined towards the center and, as it were, rest on it (because of this, it is sometimes also called "Layered"). The building material is a small rough hewn stone and clay mortar. The technology of building the pyramid in Zawiet el-Erian is similar to that used in the construction of the Sekhemkhet pyramid and the Step pyramid in Saqqara.

Djoser's pyramid

This is the first step-type pyramid, called the Djoser pyramid. The building dates back to around 2670 BC and looks like several stacked mastabas of decreasing size. Most likely, this was exactly the idea of ​​the architect of this pyramid, Imhotep. Imhotep developed a method of masonry from hewn stone. Subsequently, the Egyptians deeply revered the architect of the first pyramid, and even deified him. He was considered the son of the god Ptah, the patron saint of arts and crafts.

The Pyramid of Djoser is located in Saqqara, northeast of ancient Memphis, 15 km from Giza. Its height is 62 m.

The pyramids of the pharaohs of the IV dynasty

Broken pyramid

The historical significance of the Pink Pyramid is that it is the first royal tomb of the correct pyramidal shape. Although the "pink" tomb is considered the first "true" pyramid, it is characterized by an extremely low slope of the walls (only 43 ° 36 "; the base is 218.5 × 221.5 m. At a height of 104.4 m.).

The name is due to the fact that the limestone blocks, of which the pyramid is built, acquire a pink color in the rays of the setting sun. An entrance via an inclined walkway on the north side descends into three adjoining chambers accessible to the public. This pyramid is attributed to Snefer because his name is inscribed in red paint on several blocks of sheathing.

Pyramid at Meidum

Great pyramids

Great Pyramids of Giza

The pyramids of the pharaohs Cheops, Khafren and Mikerin located in Giza are called the great pyramids. Unlike the Djoser pyramid, these pyramids have not a stepped, but a strictly geometric, pyramidal shape. These pyramids date back to the 4th dynasty. The walls of the pyramids rise at an angle from 51 ° (Menkaur's pyramid) to 53 ° (Khafre's pyramid) to the horizon. The edges are precisely oriented to the cardinal points. The Pyramid of Cheops was built on a massive natural rocky rise, which turned out to be in the very middle of the base of the pyramid. Its height is about 9 m.

The Pyramid of Cheops

The largest is the Cheops pyramid. Initially, its height was 146.6 m, but due to the fact that now there is no facing of the pyramid, its height has now decreased to 138.8 m. The length of the side of the pyramid is 230 m. The construction of the pyramid dates back to the XXVI century BC. e. Presumably, the construction took over 20 years.

The pyramid is composed of 2.3 million stone blocks; no cement or other binders were used. On average, the blocks weighed 2.5 tons, but the "Tsar's Chamber" contains granite blocks weighing up to 80 tons. The pyramid is practically a monolithic structure - with the exception of a few chambers and corridors leading to them.

Pyramids of Khafre and Mikerin

Later, the tradition of building pyramids was adopted by the rulers of ancient Sudan.

Userkaf pyramid

Pyramid of Sahur and Neferefra

Finishing

Some of the pyramids, which have retained their lining, allow us to see the quality of the surface treatment of the stone. In addition, large blocks are fitted so that there are no gaps between them, and the aligned outer surface often forms an ideal plane, despite the fact that this plane is at an angle to the base. A striking example of this is the facing of the Broken and Meidum pyramids.

When leveling the surface of the stones at the entrance to the Mikerin pyramid, the extreme stones were not completely aligned, and the edge of the alignment line runs continuously through all the masonry stones, which allows us to make the assumption that the surface of the blocks was leveled after the stones were laid. The same assumption is confirmed by the leveling of the floor, not far from the Userkaf pyramid. The lower surface of the floor stones is in the sand and has a natural rough shape; the stones are of different heights, but the upper part of the stones forms a single flat surface.

Cladding

In order for the surface of the pyramid to be even, it was lined with facing slabs (mainly of limestone).

• The pyramid in Meidum is faced with polished slabs of Tours limestone. In our time, the entire cladding and most of the outer layers have not survived.
• The pink pyramid was lined with white limestone, but over time the lining was removed by the local people and now blocks of pink limestone are visible.
• The pyramid of Khafre was covered with limestone, which was preserved only at the top.
• About a third of its height, the pyramid of Mikerin was faced with red Aswan granite, then it was replaced by white slabs of Tours limestone, and the top, in all likelihood, was also of red granite.

Pyramid builders

Discovered in early January 2010, new burials of the pyramid builders allowed scientists to confirm the theory that the pyramids were erected by civilian workers. It is also concluded that up to 10 thousand people were simultaneously employed at the construction site, while the workers worked in shifts of three months.

Burial of the pharaohs

Pyramid texts

Pyramid research

Preservation of the pyramids and restoration

Similarities with other monuments in Egypt and other countries

Egyptian pyramids in popular culture

The Egyptian pyramids have long been a source of folk tales (for example, among Christians they have long been considered the granaries of Joseph, who, according to the book of Genesis, accumulated grain in Egypt for seven hungry years), and with the growing interest in the East and the occult of the 19th-20th centuries. there were various representations connecting the pyramids with modern esotericism (books