Great Pyramid of Gizeh

Great Pyramid and Sphinx

The Great Pyramid of Giza, also called Khufu's Pyramid or the Pyramid of Khufu, and Pyramid of Cheops, is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now Cairo, Egypt, and is the only remaining member of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It is believed the pyramid was built as a tomb for Fourth dynasty Egyptian King Khufu (Cheops in Greek) and constructed over a 20 year period concluding around 2560 BC. The Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years. Originally the Great Pyramid was covered by casing stones that formed a smooth outer surface, and what is seen today is the underlying core structure. Some of the casing stones that once covered the structure can still be seen around the base. There have been varying scientific and alternative theories regarding the Great Pyramid's construction techniques. Most accepted construction theories are based on the idea that it was built by moving huge stones from a quarry and dragging and lifting them into place.

There are three known chambers inside the Great Pyramid. The lowest chamber is cut into the bedrock upon which the pyramid was built and was unfinished. The so-called Queen's Chamber and King's Chamber are higher up within the pyramid structure. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the main part of a complex setting of buildings that included two mortuary temples in honor of Khufu (one close to the pyramid and one near the Nile), three smaller pyramids for Khufu's wives, an even smaller "satellite" pyramid, a raised causeway connecting the two temples, and small mastaba tombs surrounding the pyramid for nobles.

Construction theories

There have been varying alternative theories proposed regarding the Pyramid's construction techniques. Most accepted construction theories are based on the idea that it was built by moving huge stones from a quarry and dragging and lifting them into place. The disagreements center on the method by which the stones were conveyed and placed. In addition to the many theories as to the techniques involved, there are also disagreements as to the kind of workforce that was used. One theory, suggested by the Greeks, posits that slaves were forced to work until the pyramid was done. This theory is no longer accepted in the modern era, however. Egyptologists believe that the Great Pyramid was built by tens of thousands of skilled workers who camped near the pyramids and worked for a salary or as a form of paying taxes until the construction was completed. The worker's cemeteries were discovered in 1990 by archaeologists Zahi Hawass and Mark Lehner. Verner posited that the labor was organized into a hierarchy, consisting of two gangs of 100,000 men, divided into five zaa or phyle of 20,000 men each, which may have been further divided according to the skills of the workers.

One of the mysteries of the pyramid's construction is how they planned its construction. John Romer suggests that they used the same method that had been used for earlier and later constructions, laying out parts of the plan on the ground at a 1 to 1 scale. He writes that "such a working diagram would also serve to generate the architecture of the pyramid with a precision unmatched by any other means." He devotes a chapter of his book to the physical evidence that there was such a plan.

Notes

1. John Romer, in his The Great Pyramid: Ancient Egypt Revisited notes "By themselves, of course, none of these modern labels define the ancient purposes of the architecture they describe." p. 8
2. The Egyptian Pyramids: A Comprehensive, Illustrated Reference by J.P. Lepre [pg.65]
3. Petrie (1883).
4. Verner (2001) pp.75-82.
5. Romer, John, The Great Pyramid: Ancient Egypt Revisited, p. 327, pp. 329-337
6. Oakes & Gahlin (2002) p.66.
7. Calter (2008) pp. 156-171, 548-551.
8. Oakes & Gahlin (2002) p.67.
9. Scarre (1999)
10. Romer (2007) pp.187-195
11. Gupton, Nancy (2003-04-04). "Ancient Egyptian Chambers Explored". National Geographic. Retrieved on 2008-08-11.
12. "Third "Door" Found in Great Pyramid". National Geographic (2002-09-23). Retrieved on 2008-08-11.
13. "Unfinished Chamber". Public Broadcasting System. Retrieved on 2008-08-11.
14. Clayton (1994) pp.48-49.
15. Brier 1999, p. 164 [1]
16. Cremin 2007 p.96.[2]
17. Tyldesley, 2007 p.38

References

• Keeper of Genesis, ISBN 0-7493-2196-2
• Daily Life of the Ancient Egyptians, ISBN 978-0313303135
• Squaring the Circle: Geometry in Art and Architecture, ISBN 1-930190-82-4
• Chronicle of the Pharaohs, ISBN 0-500-05074-0
• The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, ISBN 9780195102345
• Archaeologica, ISBN 978-0711228221
• Mathematics and Measurement, ISBN 0520060725
• Myths and Mythology of Ancient Egypt, ISBN 1-84215-831-7
• The Great Pyramid of Giza: Measuring Length, Area, Volume, and Angles, ISBN 1404260595
• Ancient Egypt, ISBN 1-84309-429-0}}
• The Pyramids and Temples of Gizeh ISBN 0710307098
• The Great Pyramid: Ancient Egypt Revisited, ISBN 978-0-521-87166-2
• The Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World, ISBN 978-0500050965
• Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac, ISBN 0-935702-68-7
• The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, ISBN 0198150342
• The Great Pyramid, ISBN 0-517-26403-X
• Egypt:How a lost civilization was rediscovered, ISBN 978-0563522577
• The Pyramids: The Mystery, Culture, and Science of Egypt's Great Monuments, ISBN 0-8021-1703-1
• The Pyramids|first=Miroslav, ISBN 1843541718
• The Egyptian Pyramids: A Comprehensive, Illustrated Reference, ISBN 0899504612

External links

• https://www.cheops.org/ The Upuaut Project Homepage
• https://pr.caltech.edu/periodicals/CaltechNews/articles/v35/obelisk.html How Many Caltechers Does It Take to Raise An Egyptian Obelisk?
• https://oi.uchicago.edu/research/projects/giz The Giza Mapping Project
• https://www.aeraweb.org/how_old.asp How Old are the Pyramids?