The ancient Egyptians built the pyramids as tombs for pharaohs, their queens, and other important people from their society. They were also used for religious rituals to honor Ra (the sun god) and Osiris (the god who protected Egypt). In fact, some sources say that there are more than 100 pyramids throughout Egypt!
Anatomy
The pyramids of Giza are built of blocks of solid stone laid in courses, with the largest stones at the bottom and the smallest at the top. These blocks are fitted together so closely that a knife blade cannot be inserted between them. The stones were cut to a tolerance of 1/100th millimeter, which would be equivalent today to about a tenth of an inch (0.4 centimeters). In some cases, three or more stones are set into each joint.
The pyramids were built for pharaohs as tombs for their use after death and as monuments to their power during life. Those kings who were buried in other royal burial grounds had smaller tombs than those who were buried in Giza; these included pyramids with sides that measured 100 meters by 100 meters (328 feet by 328 feet) as well as smaller ones measuring about 20 meters by 20 meters (65 feet by 65 feet).
The pyramids were built as tombs for Egypt’s pharaohs, their queens, and other important royalty. The pharaoh’s body was mummified, a process that took 70 days to complete. Then the pharaoh’s body was placed inside a sarcophagus or casket. The pyramid was sealed shut with large blocks of stone called “casing stones.” This blocked off any access to the inside of the pyramid so no one could get in—or out—of it.
The Egyptian pyramids built for pharaohs were usually accompanied by massive temples built in front of the pyramid. The temple was where people could worship the pharaoh and ask him for help, as well as where his body would be mummified and buried if he died.
The temples were usually built by members of the pharaoh’s family or courtiers who wanted to please him, so they were often decorated with scenes depicting their relationship with the ruler.
The only surviving monument of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The Great Pyramid is the only surviving monument of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The other six have either been destroyed or are in a state of disrepair. It’s important to note that while they were called “wonders” by their contemporaries, they were not all built at the same time; some were even built long before others. For example, according to Herodotus, who wrote about them around 450 BC, both the Lighthouse of Alexandria and the Hanging Gardens were already in existence when he visited Egypt (that would put them at least 600 years old if Herodotus was correct).
The pyramids were built by thousands of workers over a period of 20 years. Some were paid in gold and precious stones, while others were paid with food and clothing. Workers were treated well and given days off to rest and enjoy themselves. They did not work on Sundays or Thursdays, which was considered their day off. The pharaoh wanted all his subjects to be happy in order for them to contribute positively to society as a whole – so he made sure that everyone who worked had enough food to eat!
There are many theories about how the pyramids were built, but there’s no one accepted explanation. The most likely is that they were constructed with ramps and levers, which allowed workers to position stones weighing as much as 70 tons (64 metric tons) into place.
One aspect of pyramid construction that has been widely debated is the question of transportation—how did all those massive stones get from quarries to their final destination? Some researchers think that boats carried them along the Nile River, while others argue that sledges were used to haul them overland. Still, other theories propose ancient airships or helicopters as possible means of moving these huge blocks around. This last idea is highly speculative but fun nonetheless!
This brings us back to our original question: Why are these pyramids so large? How did ancient Egyptians accomplish such a task? And who was involved in building them?
Building pyramids as a tourist attraction is hard work!
You may have heard that the pyramids were built by slaves, but you probably didn’t know that the workers who constructed them were actually paid wages.
In fact, most of those working on the pyramids were not slaves at all: they were skilled workers receiving payment in exchange for their labor. A select few members of Egyptian society also received wages to work on these massive structures, including artisans and craftsmen who specialized in carving stone, metalworking, and other trades related to construction projects like this one. Others were given food rations as payment in lieu of cash—but at least they still got something!
The pharaohs themselves often oversaw pyramid building projects; however, they did not participate directly in any manual labor themselves because it was considered beneath their station (as royalty). Instead, they would supervise teams consisting primarily of lower-class citizens who would carry out manual tasks such as digging or hauling materials across sites where construction occurred.”
I think that this is an excellent way for tourists to learn about ancient Egypt and the pyramids. If there are more people visiting and learning about these structures, then maybe we’ll be able to keep them preserved for future generations.
