Saturday, August 30, 2008

Giza Pyramids

The Giza pyramids are made up of three main pyramids. The biggest pyramid is The Great Pyramid of Khufu. The Center pyramid is called the pyramid of Khafre which is the middle of height of the three. The smallest and last pyramid is The Pyramid of Menkaura.
Unfortunately, like many of the great kings of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, the Pyramids of Menkaura, Khufu, and Kafhre were not finished by the end of each respective king's reign. As an example: in the case of Menkaura, the king died before its construction was completed. The monuments of Giza and the entire Giza Valley stand as a marvelous reminder of the skill executed in the creation of the pyramids, and are truly fabulous to see.
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These pyramids that were built for the great kings of Egypt were not built by slaves, but by people who lived in villages around Egypt. These builders were payed to build these pyramids. With only rope and wood to help lever blocks that could weigh up to 9 tons. Each pyramid weighed approx. six and a half million tons. These pyramids in the past 4,500 years arose such interest and curiosity that ranged from worship to robbery of the smooth limestone that use to completely cover the pyramid.
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The Pyramids that were built for the pharaohs of Egypt were mummified before being able to be put into the sarcophagus(tomb). They believed that if having their wives, slaves, and money if they passed the test they would be able to bring all their valuables with them. They thought they would follow Osirus(king of the dead) by being resurrected as he did.(Hafner)

When the Greek historian Herodotus visited Egypt in the fifth century B.C., he was told by his guides that 100,000 workers had labored for 20 years to build Khufu's pyramid.
Even 20,000 workers, a number closer to recent estimates, is comparable to the populations of large cities in the Near East during the third millennium B.C.
An enormous support system must have existed at Giza for at least 67 years, the combined minimum lengths of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure's reigns. such support would have included production facilities for food, ceramics and building materials (gypsum mortar, stone, wood and metal tools); storage facilities for food, fuel and other supplies, housing for workmen, their families and priests responsible for services in pyramid temples that remained in use long after the main building phase was completed, and a cemetery for workers who died in the employ of the royal necropolis.
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Some even believe that aliens built the pyramids (which is absurd) because of the way the pyramids were placed. For example the fact that the sun rises exactly in between The Great Pyramid of Khufu and The Pyramid of Khafre. Also one of the pyramids built to where the corners stretch out diagonally around the delta of the Nile river. Second Khufu's pyramid is lined up with the north poles magnetic force perfectly.

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No one knows for sure how they were built some believe they had a ramp that went out into the dessert which they dragged the stones on to the place they were building at that time. others believed it wrapped around the pyramid to the spot they were at. archaeologists still have not found any evidence of either one. (Gahlin 50-51)


Gahlin,Lucia and Oakes, Lorna; "Ancient Egypt"
Barnes and Noble Publishing, Inc. 2003

Haffner, Craig and Donna E. Lusitana. Mummies and the Wonders of Ancient Egypt. A&E Television Network: New York, 1996.