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Pyramids

The document summarizes key information about Egyptian pyramids. It describes how the pyramids were built over 5000 years ago as tombs for pharaohs and were among the largest structures in the world. It explains the multi-step process of quarrying and transporting stone blocks weighing up to 15 tons and constructing the pyramids, which required teams of up to 100,000 workers over 20 years. Later, pharaohs were buried in the Valley of the Kings to prevent robbery of treasures from their tombs.

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KalangiIrushika
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204 views26 pages

Pyramids

The document summarizes key information about Egyptian pyramids. It describes how the pyramids were built over 5000 years ago as tombs for pharaohs and were among the largest structures in the world. It explains the multi-step process of quarrying and transporting stone blocks weighing up to 15 tons and constructing the pyramids, which required teams of up to 100,000 workers over 20 years. Later, pharaohs were buried in the Valley of the Kings to prevent robbery of treasures from their tombs.

Uploaded by

KalangiIrushika
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS

The Pyramids of Egypt

Egypt’s pyramids are the oldest stone buildings in the


world.

They were built nearly 5000 years ago.

These ancient tombs are among the world’s largest


structures. The biggest is taller than a 40-story building
and covers an area greater than that of ten football
fields.

Sometimes up to 100,000 men worked for 20 seasons


on one pyramid.
The Pyramids of Egypt
More than 80 pyramids still stand today.

There are secret passageways, hidden rooms, ramps, bridges,


and false doors.

The pyramids were built for kings, or pharaohs, to protect their


bodies for the after death. Egyptians believed that a pharaoh
buried in grand style would continue to bless his people.

The average weight of a pyramid’s stone block was 2½ tons!


That’s the weight of 2 medium-sized cars. Some blocks weigh
up to 15 tons!
Let’s Compare! Take a guess!
How tall is the Eiffel Tower in Paris,
France?
984 feet
How tall is the
Leaning Tower of Piza in Italy?
179 feet
What about the
Statue of Liberty?
305 feet
Now... The Great Pyramid of Giza,
the largest of the three Giza pyramids?
480 feet
Earliest times
The first Egyptians were buried in the desert in
shallow pits. The desert’s hot sand preserved the
body, naturally mummifying it.
The dead were buried under a pile of rocks. Bodies
were wrapped in goatskin or reed mats.
Personal goods were placed around the body.
MASTABA TOMBS

Around 3000 B.C., kings and high officials began to build large,
flat-topped tombs we call mastabas.

Each mastaba contained a burial chamber and rooms filled with


goods.

Mastaba tombs were made of sunbaked mud bricks, which gave


protection against the harmful effects of nature.

On the walls of mastabas were carved painted scenes called


reliefs. Some reliefs showed rows of people bringing offerings.
Stairway to Heaven
The first pyramid was built out of stone around 2700 B.C. It is known
as the Step Pyramid and consisted of six steps.

Imhotep is credited with the invention of the Step Pyramid. He built it


for King Zoser so that he could climb the stairs to reach the gods when
he died.

It served two purposes: it was a royal tomb and a temple for


worshipping the spirit of the dead king.
Building a Pyramid
The Great Pyramid of Giza was built for Pharaoah Khufu. It was
originally 480 feet high and its base covers approximately 13
acres. The pyramid contained over two million blocks of
limestone.

To complete the Great Pyramid of Giza, one huge stone block


must have been quarried, shaped, and smoothed every 2 minutes
for 23 years! Two kinds of rocks were used – limestone and
granite.

Building plans showing how the pyramids were built have never
been found. However, experts use present knowledge about
construction to make intelligent guesses.

Building a pyramid was difficult and dangerous. It required a


Steps to Building a Pyramid

Step One:
The enormous limestone blocks were taken
off the boats near the pyramid site. If one
block accidentally fell, it could crush to
death hundreds of people.
Step Two:

Once unloaded, the limestone


blocks were hauled on sledges
over wooden rollers by gangs
of men. Water or milk was
poured around the sledges to
help them slide.
Step Three:

Ramps, built of mud brick, were used


to haul the heavy stones to the level
where building was going on. To
raise the stones higher, spiraling
ramps were probably put against the
pyramid sides.
Step Four:
A causeway connected each pyramid
to the Nile River. Built as a highway
for the sledges, it eventually served as
a corridor for the funeral procession.
Location of the Pyramids
Religious and practical reasons controlled where the pyramids were built.

1. Pyramids had to be on the west side of the Nile River, where the sun
set.

2. They had to be built close to the Nile so boats could carry the stones to
the construction site.

3. They had to be built high above the level of the river so no damage
would occur during the flood season.

4. Each side of the pyramid had to face one of the four cardinal points –
north, south, east, and west.

5. A pyramid had to be close to the pharaoh’s palace so he could keep any


eye on his “castle of eternity”.
Valley of the kings
By 1600 B.C., robbers had ransacked, or taken the treasures, from
most of the pyramids. Later pharaohs decided that their bodies
would be safer in hidden tombs cut from solid rock. Many of these
pharaohs are buried in the Valley of the Kings.

King Tut was buried in the Valley of the Kings. Practically


untouched by robbers, his tomb contained weapons, furniture,
jewelry, musical instruments, clothing, model boats – many made
of solid gold.

These isolated tombs were built near the isolated cliffs near
Thebes.

62 tombs have been found there. However, even these tombs were
robbed.
Pyramids Around the World
The pyramids of Egypt were built over a span of one
thousand years. The most splendid ones date from about
2700 B.C. to 2200 B.C.

Pyramids, however, have been built in many parts of the


world at various times. All of these pyramids contain
certain essential elements.

* They are enormous.

* They have rectangular bases.

* Most are made of stone or brick.

* Most have four sloping sides that meet at a point.


The Castillo
Located in Chichen Itza, Mexico, this pyramid is known as the great pyramid. It
was probably built between A.D. 900 and A.D. 1200.
The pyramid at the Louvre
This pyramid is located in Paris, France, and is a transparent
glass pyramid that rises to 71 feet. It was designed by an
architecture firm and serves as an entrance to the museum.
Great American Pyramid
This pyramid opened in 1991 and overlooks the Mississippi River
in Memphis, Tennessee. It is 321 feet high and covers about 6.8
acres. It is a monument to American music.
The glory of the King is in the sky,

His power is in the horizon...


-from the oldest collection of religious texts of
Ancient Egypt, THE PYRAMID TEXTS

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