Pyramids of Egypt
According to sources, there are at least 118 identified "Egyptian" pyramids. The Kingdom of Kush, which is now Sudan, built approximately 80 pyramids. The majority of those in modern Egypt were built as tombs for the country's pharaohs and consorts during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods.
The earliest known Egyptian pyramids are found at Saqqara, northwest of Memphis, although at least one step-pyramid-like structure dating to the First Dynasty has been discovered at Saqqara: Mastaba 3808, which has been attributed to the reign of Pharaoh Anedjib, with inscriptions and other archaeological remains of the period, implying that others may have existed. The Pyramid of Djoser, erected between 2630 and 2610 BCE during the Third Dynasty, is the earliest of these. This pyramid and its surrounding complex are widely regarded as the world's oldest monumental constructions made of dressed masonry.
Pyramids are referred to in Egyptian as myr, represented by the symbol 𓉴 (O24 in the Gardner Sign List). Myr is preceded by three phonetic signs. The definition of myr is uncertain because it only refers to the created object itself. In comparison, certain related architectural phrases become compound words, such as the word for 'temple' (per-ka), which is a composite of the words for 'home' and ' soul'. By graphical analysis, myr has the same sign, O24, as Benben. The been is a mound of being that sprang from the abyss, also known as a nun in Egyptian creation myths.
The association between Myr and Benben is further strengthened by the capstone architectural element of pyramids and obelisks, known as Benbenet, the feminine version of Benben.
Tumuli with megalithic monuments appeared in the Saharan region of Niger as early as 4700 BCE, predating assumed earlier sites in the Eastern Sahara.According to Fekri Hassan (2002), megalithic monuments in the Saharan region of Niger and the Eastern Sahara may have functioned as forerunners to the mastabas and pyramids of ancient Egypt.During Predynastic Egypt, tumuli were located in numerous
Egyptians with adequate means were buried in bench-like constructions known as mastabas beginning in the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3150–2686 BCE). At Saqqara, Mastaba 3808, from the late 1st Dynasty, was revealed to feature a massive, separately built step-pyramid-like structure encased within the outer palace facade mastaba. Archaeological relics and inscriptions indicate that there may have been other comparable structures dating from this period.
Though more pyramids were tried in the third Dynasty after Djoser, it was the fourth Dynasty, which transitioned from the step pyramid to the genuine pyramid design, that produced the great pyramids of Meidum, Dahshur, and Giza. Shepseskaf, the last pharaoh of the 4th Dynasty, did not build a pyramid, and beginning in the 5th Dynasty, the immense scale and precision of building reduced drastically, resulting in smaller, less well-built, and frequently hastily made pyramids. By the end of the 6th Dynasty, pyramid building had completely halted, and it was not until the Middle Kingdom that massive pyramids were rebuilt, however instead of stone, mudbrick was the primary construction material.
Long after Egypt's own pyramid-building period had ended, a boom of pyramid-building happened in what is now Sudan, after most of Egypt fell under the control of the Kingdom of Kush, which was located at Napata. Napatan rule, also known as the 25th Dynasty, lasted from 750 BCE until 664 BCE.
The second Ayyubid Sultan of Egypt, Al-Aziz Uthman (1171-1198), attempted to destroy the Giza Pyramid complex. He gave up after only destroying the Pyramid of Menkaure because the undertaking became too daunting.
The shape of Egyptian pyramids is said to depict the primordial mound from which the Egyptians believed the earth originated. The design of a pyramid is considered to represent the sun's descending rays, and most pyramids were faced with polished, highly reflective white limestone to give them a spectacular appearance from a distance. Pyramids were frequently given names based on solar luminescence.
While it is generally accepted that pyramids were funeral monuments, there is ongoing debate about the specific theological beliefs that may have given rise to them. One theory is that they were created as a sort of "resurrection machine."
The Egyptians believed that the dark patch of the night sky around which the stars appear to rotate was a physical portal into the heavens. One of the tiny shafts that runs from the main burial chamber through the Great Pyramid points directly to the middle of the sky. This argues that the pyramid was intended to magically transport the deceased pharaoh's spirit directly into the home of the gods.
All Egyptian pyramids were built on the west bank of the Nile, which, being the location of the sinking sun, was associated with the realm of the dead in Egyptian mythology.
Many pyramids are in bad condition or have been buried in desert sand. If visible at all, they may appear to be little more than piles of rubble. As a result, archaeologists continue to discover and investigate newly unknown pyramid constructions.
The most recently unearthed pyramid was that of Neith, Teti's wife. Except for the modest Third Dynasty pyramid at Zawyet el-Maiyitin, all of Egypt's pyramids are located on the Nile's west bank, with the majority clustered in pyramid fields. The most important are mentioned geographically, north to south, below.
Abu Rawash is the location of Egypt's most northerly pyramid (apart from the ruins of Lepsius pyramid number one), the mostly wrecked Pyramid of Djedefre, Khufu's son and successor. Originally, it was thought that this pyramid had never been completed, but the current archaeological consensus is that it was not only completed but that it was about the same size as the Pyramid of Menkaure, putting it among Egypt's top half-dozen pyramids.
Its proximity to a major crossroads made it a convenient source of stone. Quarrying, which began in Roman times, has left nothing more than around fifteen courses of stone overlaid on the natural mound that comprised part of the pyramid's center. A little neighboring satellite pyramid is better preserved.
The Giza Plateau contains the Pyramid of Khufu (also known as the "Great Pyramid" and the "Pyramid of Cheops"), the slightly smaller Pyramid of Khafre (or Chephren), the relatively modest-sized Pyramid of Menkaure (or Mykerinus), as well as several smaller satellite edifices known as "Queen's pyramids" and the Great Sphinx of Giza. Only Khafre's pyramid has some of its original polished limestone casing near the peak. This pyramid appears larger than the adjacent Khufu pyramid by its more elevated location, and the steeper angle of inclination of its construction—it is, in fact, smaller in both height and volume.
This site, halfway between Giza and Abusir, is home to two incomplete Old Kingdom pyramids. The northern edifice is thought to have been owned by pharaoh Nebka, and the southern structure, known as the Layer Pyramid, could have been built by Third Dynasty pharaoh Khaba, a near successor of Sekhemkhet. If this attribution is genuine, Khaba's brief reign could explain why the step pyramid appears unfinished. It is currently roughly 17 m (56 ft) tall; if completed, it would most likely have been over 40 m (130 ft).
This site contains fourteen pyramids, which served as the principal royal necropolis throughout the Fifth Dynasty. The Abusir pyramids are of lower quality than those built during the Fourth Dynasty, possibly indicating a decline in royal power or a less robust economy. They are smaller than their predecessors and made of low-grade local limestone.
Saqqara
South of Saqqara's main pyramid field is a second group of smaller pyramids, including those of Pepi I, Djedkare Isesi, Merenre, Pepi II, and Ibi. The majority of these are in poor preservation.
The Fourth Dynasty pharaoh Shepseskaf either lacked interest in or the ability to build pyramids like his predecessors. His tomb, which is also located in southern Saqqara, was designed as an extremely large mastaba and offering temple complex.
Dahshur
This is likely Egypt's most important pyramid field outside of Giza and Saqqara, yet until 1996, the site was inaccessible due to its position within a military base and was relatively unknown outside of archeological circles. The southern Pyramid of Sneferu, also known as the Bent Pyramid, is thought to be the first Egyptian pyramid intended by its builders to be a "true" smooth-sided pyramid from the start; the earlier pyramid at Meidum had smooth sides in its finished state, but it was designed and built as a step pyramid, with its steps filled in and concealed beneath a smooth outer casing of dressed stone. As such, it is the best current example of how the ancient Egyptians envisioned their pyramids to look. The Red Pyramid, located several miles north of the Bent Pyramid, is the last—and most successful—of the three pyramids built under Sneferu's reign; it is the world's first completed smooth-sided pyramid. The construction is also Egypt's third-largest pyramid, behind the Khufu and Khafra pyramids at Giza.
Also at Dahshur is one of two pyramids built by Amenemhat III, known as the Black Pyramid, as well as several small, mostly ruined subsidiary pyramids.
Mazghuna
Located south of Dahshur, several mudbrick pyramids were constructed in this area during the late Middle Kingdom, possibly for Amenemhat IV and Sobekneferu.
Lisht
Lisht is known to have had two huge pyramids built by Amenemhat I and his son Senusret I. The latter is encircled by the remains of ten smaller subsidiary pyramids. One of these secondary pyramids is believed to be that of Amenemhat's cousin, Khaba II. The site which is in the vicinity of the oasis of the Faiyum, midway between Dahshur and Meidum, and about 100 kilometers south of Cairo.
Medium
The pyramid at Meidum is one of three built during Sneferu's reign, and some believe it was started by Huni, the pharaoh's father and predecessor. However, this attribution is questionable because no record of Huni's name has been discovered at the location. It was built as a step pyramid and later turned into the first "true" smooth-sided pyramid by filling in the steps and adding an outer casing. Throughout ancient and medieval periods, the pyramid saw multiple catastrophic collapses. According to medieval Arab literature, it had seven steps, but only the three uppermost ones remain now, giving the structure an unusual, tower-like look. The hill where the pyramid is located is not a natural geographic feature.
El Lahun
Its builders decreased the amount of work required to build it by employing a 12-meter-high natural limestone slope as the foundation and core.
El-Kurru
Piye, the monarch of Kush and the first ruler of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty, constructed a pyramid at El-Kurru. He was the first Egyptian king to be interred in a pyramid in centuries.
Nuri
Taharqa, a Kushite ruler from the Twenty-fifth Dynasty, built his pyramid in Nuri. It was the largest in the region (North Sudan).
Positioned at an elevation surrounded by sand hills, one can easily understand why the pyramids found in Egypt are one of the most recognizable structures quite literally in the whole world. It is perhaps impossible to get a person who has traveled, read, or even watched a documentary and not be captivated by these towering structures that have stood the test of time for centuries. Their beauty and how they were constructed leave no one indifferent and is the primary reason historians, regardless of age, travel to ancient countries. With that being said, let us go back in time to study the greatness of the pyramids in Egypt, why they matter historically, and what impact, if any, they made for future generations.
A Glimpse into Ancient Egypt’s Architectural Genius
From a historical perspective, the magnificence of the pyramids reveals the creativity and architectural skills of the ancient Egyptians. These great edifices, built as shrines for the kings and emperors to symbolize their godly power, display the heightened level of engineering, mathematics, and astronomy acquired by the Egyptians.
These pyramids were not simply built to contain and protect the preserved corpses of kings and queens. They were designed along the lines of doorways or rather turned off to be concerned with the interior, the beyond. The ancients believed that their kings would not only reign over them in this world but also in the next, and so the pyramids were constructed to provide fit accommodations for their wandering spirits. So too with the physical body of the pharaoh, riches, provisions, and ritual items were interred to assist the person’s transition to everlasting life.
The Great Pyramid of Khufu
Due to several centuries of exposure, the pyramid stands at only about 138 m in height, which is still considerable.
The Great Pyramid is estimated to have contained more than 2.3 million stone blocks, with several characters feasible weighing one hundred tons, and considering this, it could be said that the pyramid strategies are among the engineering marvels of the ancient world. Even how the Egyptians would have managed to cut, transport, and assemble the huge blocks remains a mystery—some say that ramps or even cranes had been employed, yet others say that only brute strength sufficed; others propose the use of intellect.
The Pyramid of Khafre
Khafre’s Pyramid, also known as the tomb of Khafre the Son of Pharaoh Khufu, is one of the many structures situated in the Giza plateau region. Even though Khafre's pyramid is shorter than his father's, he seems to dwarf his father’s pyramid because of its placement on higher ground and, more importantly, a large part of the upper part of the pyramid, which has the original smooth casing stones that have survived the weather elements, giving the impression of a much bigger structure. All the pyramids had this layer, made of glossy Tura limestone that was so well polished it was almost glass; hence all of them glittered in the sun.
In addition, the Pyramid of Khafre features the Great Sphinx of Giza, found at the front of the pyramid. The Great Sphinx, which possesses the head of a man and the body of a lion, is carved from a singular piece of limestone and is largely assumed to symbolize Khafre. This giant figure, which is positioned at the front of the pyramids, piques curiosity towards the Giza complex even more.
The Pyramid of Menkaure
Out of the three pyramids in Giza, the smallest is undoubtedly the Pyramid of Menkaure, erected for Khafre’s son, Pharaoh Menkaure. However, this pyramid stands out because part of its casing is made of granite instead of the common limestone used for most well-known pyramids. This material, coupled with the pitch and height of the pyramid, suggests that Menkaure had ambitions of being remembered with the other great kings of Egypt.
Although the Pyramids of Giza are perhaps the most well-known, they are by no means the only pyramids in Egypt. Pyramids were built throughout the Nile Valley at various stages of Egyptian history and in different architectural styles, as well as for different purposes.
The Pyramid of Djoser
The Pyramid of Djoser is considered to be one of the oldest pyramids ever made and can be located in the Saqqara region with its necropolis. This step-designed tomb was built for Pharaoh Djoser by his architect Imhotep, who is mostly regarded as one of the creators of all pyramids to come. Rather than a smooth-sided infinite tower, Djoser’s pyramid is made of six terraced levels with an interesting layered look. This was a great milestone in the age of building pyramids, and it is still one of the most frequent places in Egypt.
The Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid
Another well-known location for pyramids is Dahshur, which features the Bent and Red Pyramids, both constructed by Pharaoh Sneferu. The Bent Pyramid stands out due to its unique design since the angles of the sides bend in the middle of the pyramid. This shaped more than a simple pyramid, and it was probably because of some problems encountered while building the pyramid. Nevertheless, it was not much later that Sneferu attempted to build his second pyramid, now called the Red Pyramid, and this one was much more successful than the first, for it became the first true pyramidal structure on a smooth surface within the territory of Egypt.
The massive blocks were maneuvered using ramps, sleds, and some levers. But there are other theories regarding the construction of the great pyramids that are more advanced than this; for instance, aliens coming to earth and building the pyramids, but so-called ‘crazy’ theories are generally not accepted by scholars.
There have been new studies that have come up with such things as the discovery of the workers’ villages and the tools, which also assist in helping people understand the construction of the great pyramids much more than before. Evidence goes against the perception of slavery, for it appears that pyramid builders were given food and shelter, and their work was appreciated.
The geometric understanding of a pyramid, characterized by a wider base that tapers to a point at the top, was designed to represent the rays emitted by the sun as the dead pharaoh was believed to rise and join the sun god, Ra, in death. The position of the pyramids north and south of the equator as well as their alignment with the constellations embodies the Egyptians’ firm belief in the connection between the sky and the land of the living.
Inside the pyramids, spaces, and corridors were typically built with the purpose of housing the pharaoh’s body while also serving as a means to help the spirit cross over. The insides of many pyramids were embellished with inscriptions called Pyramid Texts that consisted of spells for helping the hereafter of the pharaoh. Even though most of the valuables and objects that were kept in these pyramids have been taken away or destroyed over the years, the pyramids themselves are forever embodiments of the Egyptian faith of existence after death.
The Legacy of the Pyramids
The pyramids of Egypt have had a lasting impact on the course of history, in as much as they can be compared to any other structure. The dimensions of the pyramids, their architectural intricacy, together with the enigma surrounding the periods of their construction have motivated several generations of humankind. In the present, those structures attract awe to innumerable people every year who want to see with their own eyes one of the most magnificent monuments created in ancient history.
Besides the appreciation of the pyramids as significant cultural and historical treasures, these structures have also become icons of human determination and creativity. Their position on the skyline of the desert of Egypt evokes memories of a culture that, many millennia ago, was capable of creating marvels that still amaze people today.
