The Egyptian pyramids are the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs. The largest of them - the pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Mikerin in El Giza in ancient times were considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The construction of the pyramid, in which the Greeks and Romans already saw a monument to the unprecedented pride of kings and cruelty, which doomed the entire Egyptian people to senseless construction, was the most important cult act and was supposed to express, apparently, the mystical identity of the country and its ruler.
The people worked on the construction of the pyramids in the part of the year free from agricultural work. Texts have survived that testify to the attention and care that the kings themselves (albeit of later times) paid to the construction of their tomb and its builders. It is also known about the special cult honors that were given to the pyramid itself.
Description of the most famous pyramids (briefly)
The Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu), the Great Pyramid is the face of the Egyptian pyramids and the largest building of antiquity, gives rise to many secrets and legends around itself. It took two decades to build the pyramid. Construction time IV dynasty 2600 BC. e. Located in Giza. The original height is 146.60 m, today it is 138.75 m. The dimensions of the base are 230 m. It was the largest building in the world for more than 4,000 years.
The pyramid has not one, but three funerary halls. One of them is located below ground level, and two are above the base line. Intertwining corridors lead to the burial chambers. It is possible to walk along them to the chamber of the pharaoh, to the chamber of his wife and to the lower hall. The chamber of the pharaoh is a chamber made of pink granite, 10 x 5 m in size. A granite sarcophagus without a lid is installed in it. Not a single report of the researchers mentioned the found mummies, therefore it is not known whether Cheops was buried here. It should be noted that the mummy of Cheops was not found in other tombs either.
After the Great Chinese wall it is she who is the largest structure that has ever been erected in the entire history of mankind.
The second most important is the pyramid of Khafre, the son of Cheops. It was found during archaeological excavations in 1860. The tomb of this ancient Egyptian king is “guarded” by the famous Sphinx, which looks like a lion lying on the sand, whose face may have been given the features of Khafre himself. Near the pyramid of Khafre there is a separate pyramid for his wife, a temple, a port and a wall of protection.
The estimated time of the construction of the pyramid is the middle of the 26th century BC. e. It was built on a 10-meter plateau, so it seems higher than the pyramid of Cheops, but this is not entirely true. The original height is 143.9 m, today it is 136.4 m. The dimensions of the base are 210.5 m. The pyramid was decorated with a pink granite pyramidion, which is now lost. We have no information about whether the granite was decorated with limestone, gypsum or gold.
The third great pyramid is the Pyramid of Menkaure (also known as the "Pyramid of Menkaure"). It is the smallest of them, and was built later than others. Construction time IV dynasty (approximately 2540-2520 BC) The original height is 65.55 m, today it is 62 m. The dimensions of the base are 102.2 × 104.6 m. According to eyewitnesses, the pyramid Menkaura was the most beautiful of all the pyramids. The works of sculpture during the reign of Menkaur were characterized by the highest quality of artistic performance. In addition, the pyramid of Menkaure marked the end of the era of the great pyramids. All subsequent buildings were small in size.
The Step Pyramid of Djoser is one of the largest in Egypt. Time of construction III Dynasty (approximately 2650 BC). It is located in the village of Sakkara, and was erected for Pharaoh Djoser by Imhotep himself. The original height is 62.5 m, today it is 62 m. The size of the pyramid is 125 m × 115 m. This is the first pyramid in Egypt, and it is very well preserved.
Initially, Imhotep was going to create an ordinary stone mastaba (rectangular tomb). Only in the process of construction did it turn into the first step pyramid. The meaning of the steps was, as it is believed, symbolic - the deceased pharaoh had to rise to heaven along them.
The burial complex included chapels, courtyards, storage. The base of the six-step pyramid itself is not square, but rectangular. Inside the building there are 12 burial chambers, where Djoser himself and members of his family could probably be buried. The mummy of the pharaoh was not found during the excavations. The entire territory of the complex of 15 hectares was surrounded by a 10-meter stone wall. Part of the wall and other buildings have now been restored.
The most unusual pyramid in Meidum. Construction time III Dynasty (approximately 2680 BC) Located 100 km south of the capital of Egypt, it was built for Pharaoh Huni, the last ruler of the III dynasty, but completed by his son Sneferu. It originally had eight steps, but today only the last three are visible. The original height is 93.5 m, today it is 65 m. The base is 144 m.
Its unusual forms were first reported by Al-Maqrizi in the 15th century. The pyramid had a stepped shape. In his essays, Al-Maqrizi described a pyramid consisting of 5 steps, and also that it was seriously damaged from erosion and from pulling away the masonry by local residents.
Pink Pyramid or Northern Pyramid. Construction time IV dynasty (from about 2640 to 2620 BC) The original height is 109.5 m, today it is 104 m. The base is 220 m. The northern pyramid of Pharaoh Snefru in Dahshur, at the time its construction in the XXVI century BC. e. was the tallest building in the world. It is now the third tallest pyramid in Egypt, after Khufu and Khafre at Giza.
It is unusual in that it has a pink tint due to the special stone that was used in construction. Researchers believe that this pyramid was erected by the pharaoh Sneferu, already mentioned above. The "Pink" pyramid was not always pink. Previously, its walls were covered with white limestone. However, in our time, white limestone is almost completely absent, since even in the Middle Ages a significant part of it was removed for the construction of houses in Cairo, as a result of which pinkish limestone was exposed.
Not far from the Pink one is a Broken ("cut" or "diamond-shaped") pyramid. Construction time IV dynasty (XXVI century BC) The original height is 104.7 m, today it is 101.1 m. The base is 189.4 m. It got its name because of its irregular shape. It was built in three stages, at each of which it was given different angles of inclination. It differs from other Egyptian pyramids in that the pyramid has an entrance not only on the north side, which was the standard, but also a second entrance, which is open higher, on the west side.
Explaining the non-standard shape of the pyramid, the German Egyptologist Ludwig Borchardt (1863-1938) put forward his “increment theory”. According to it, the king died suddenly and the angle of inclination of the pyramid's faces was sharply changed from 54° 31 min. up to 43° 21 min., for the fastest completion of work.
What is known about the Egyptian pyramids
pyramid building
Slabs weighing at least 2.5 tons, from which the pyramids were built, were cut out of stone in a nearby quarry and dragged to the construction site using ramps, blocks and levers. There is an opinion, recognized by the scientific community as marginal, that concrete was used in the construction of the pyramid, that is, the slabs were made directly at the construction site. At the top of the pyramids, to this day, traces of wooden forms have been preserved, erased at the base by numerous sandstorms. To prevent the walls of the pyramids from cracking as a result of the compression-expansion process, the individual blocks were separated by thin layers of mortar. The slope of the outer walls is exactly 45°. The surface was covered with blocks of polished white limestone. After the fall, the limestone was stretched by local residents for their needs.
What is encrypted in the pyramids
What is the secret Egyptian pyramids? Why, for almost 5 millennia, they do not cease to excite the imagination of everyone who has seen them? What assumptions were not put forward about this: they were built by aliens, they encoded astronomical, magical knowledge of the ancient priests, they contain a prediction of the future. The digital magic of the great was so popular that by measuring it in all directions and adding up the results, amateurs could predict anything.
Why were the pyramids built?
Even the debate about whether the pyramids are actually the tombs of the pharaohs does not stop today. Some of the researchers believe that these are temples where the sun god Amon-Ra was ordained to the cult, others that the pyramid is a huge scientific laboratory of the ancients. Someone argues that the pyramids are huge natural generators of earthly energy, in which the pharaohs were “charged” with this energy for a long time, even rejuvenated and prepared for state activity. And then they were buried near the pyramids, in small rooms, perhaps near the funeral temples.
The pyramids admired many greats of this world:, Cleopatra,. The latter, to inspire his grenadiers during the Egyptian campaign, he first exclaimed: “The pyramids are looking at you,” and then instantly calculated in his mind that from the two and a half million stone blocks of the pyramid of Cheops it would be possible to build a wall around France three meters high.
Interesting facts about the Egyptian pyramids
All Egyptian pyramids were built on the western bank of the Nile River, which is the place where the sun sets and is associated with the realm of the dead in Egyptian mythology.
The sides of the pyramids are curved by one meter so that they can accumulate solar energy. Thanks to this, the pyramids could reach thousands of degrees and emit an incomprehensible rumble from such heat.
Despite the intense heat that reigns around the pyramids, the temperature in them actually remains relatively constant and stays around 20 ° C.
The Egyptian pyramids also have this feature. The stone blocks are arranged in such a way that there are no gaps between them at all, even the thinnest blade will not fit through.
The Great Pyramid consists of 2.3 million blocks, perfectly aligned and matching each other. The blocks weigh from 2 to 30 tons, and some of them even reach a weight of more than 50 tons.
Although many people associate pyramids with hieroglyphs, no inscriptions or hieroglyphs have been found in the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Estimates of the number of workers involved in the construction of the pyramids vary greatly, however, it is quite possible that they were erected by at least 100 thousand people.
Three large pyramids on the Giza Plateau copy the "Belt of Orion" from the constellation Orion on Earth. The Pyramid of Cheops and the similarly sized Pyramid of Khafre occupy the places of the two brightest stars in the Orion belt, Al-Nitak and Al-Nilam, while the smaller pyramid of Menkaur is offset from the axis of the two neighbors, just like the third and smallest star of the belt, Mintaka.
Buildings similar to the Egyptian pyramids can also be found in Sudan, where the tradition was later picked up.
Each side of the pyramid is located in the direction of one side of the world.
It has been estimated that large necropolises at that level of technology should have been built in at least a century. How, for example, the pyramid of Cheops was built in just 20 years?
In the 12th century, an attempt was made to destroy the pyramids of Giza. Al-Azis, the Kurdish ruler and second sultan of the Ayyubid dynasty, tried to demolish them, but he was forced to retreat, as this task was too large-scale. And yet, he was able to damage the Pyramid of Menkaure, where, due to his attempts, a vertical gaping hole was left in its northern slope.
Pyramids are one of the many evidences in favor of the existence of some advanced civilization in those ancient times. Meanwhile, that era fits into the time frame of the existence of the legendary Atlantis, although no one undertakes to assert that the civilization that built the early pyramids was in fact the civilization of the Atlanteans.
Information for tourists
The Great Pyramid Complex at Giza is open to the public from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm every day, except during the winter months (open until 4:30 pm) and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when access is closed at 3:00 pm.
Some of the travelers believe that if the pyramids are under open sky and are not a museum in the truest sense of the word, then here you can behave freely, climb these structures. It should be remembered: it is strictly forbidden to do this - in the interests of your own safety!
Before you enter the pyramids, you need to objectively assess your psychological state and physical health. For those who are afraid of closed spaces (claustrophobia), it is better to skip this part of the tour. Due to the fact that inside the tombs it is usually dry, hot and a little dusty, asthmatics, hypertensive patients and those suffering from other diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous system are not recommended to come here.
How much can an excursion to the area of the Egyptian pyramids cost a tourist? Cost has several components. Admission ticket it will cost you 60 Egyptian pounds, which is approximately 8 euros. Would you like to visit the pyramid of Cheops? For this you will have to pay 100 pounds or 13 euros. Inspection from the inside of the pyramid of Khafre is largely cheaper - 20 pounds or 2.60 euros.
You will have to pay separately for visiting the Solar Boat Museum, which is located south of the Cheops Pyramid (40 pounds or 5 euros). Taking pictures in the pyramid zone is allowed, but you will have to pay 1 euro for the right to take pictures. Visiting other pyramids in Giza - for example, the mother and wife of Pharaoh Khafre - is not paid.
Long gone are the days when the Egyptian pyramids amazed the observer with their unprecedented grandeur and unsurpassed monumentality. Approximately one thousand three hundred years ago, mankind learned to build more, higher, more massively and faster than the ancient Egyptians did. But still, for four thousand years, leadership in the field of construction was retained by a long-disappeared people...
Who, how and when built the Egyptian pyramids? Interest in the pyramids of Giza has not faded for five millennia in a row. Egyptologists know the answers to most questions.
How and from what the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids - in many cases we only assume, and among the hypotheses promoted there is a lot of outright fantasy. Let's try to understand the history of the Egyptian pyramids without prejudice, mysticism and mock mystery.
How many pyramids are there in Egypt?
The question is far from idle, given the length of the period of construction of the pyramids, the variety of materials used, the features of architecture - and, of course, safety. According to various sources, the total number of Egyptian pyramids reaches 140, but many of them are difficult to identify.And if the pyramids of Giza are famous for their impressive size, perfect shape and good preservation, the pyramids of other ancient Egyptian tombs were less fortunate. Many of them - due to the fragility of the mud-bricks common at that time or the urgent need for building materials - have collapsed completely or partially, and are more reminiscent of hills than pyramids.
So, in 2013, the American archaeologist Angela Micol, examining photo maps high resolution, suggested that several hills on the territory of modern Egypt are nothing more than ancient pyramids, partly eroded under the influence of climatic factors, partly covered with sand and dust.
Inspired by a clue from across the ocean, Egyptian archaeologists undertook an expedition to indicated heights. Cautious statements have appeared in the press regarding the fairness of the judgments of the American scientist, however, Angela Mikol's finds have not yet been included in the official register of the Egyptian pyramids - as well as the remains of 17 more pyramids similarly discovered by Sarah Parkak from the University of Birmingham, Alabama.
Mastaba - a modest tomb of the pharaoh
The tradition of building pyramids as pharaoh's tombs was not born suddenly. The burials of the pharaohs of the first dynasty (there are more than 30 dynasties in total) were arranged in relatively small buildings, resembling a cut hill or a tetrahedral pyramid with a cut top and a rectangular base.The imperfection of the then building technologies forced the Egyptians to create buildings with sloping edges of the outer walls. The intuitive assimilation of the artificial structure of a natural mound of stone ensured the stability of the erected structure no worse than that of a conical pile of fragments of various sizes at the foot of the mountain.
In Arabic Egypt, the first tombs of the pharaohs were called "mastaba", which means "stool" in Arabic.
In terms of architectural appearance, the mastaba repeats a slightly grown ancient Egyptian residential building, and there is not a drop of holiness in a purely utilitarian building. So there is nothing surprising in the fact that every new ruler sought to build his mastaba above any buildings in the area, and most importantly - above the tomb of his predecessor. Delusions of grandeur are so characteristic of leaders!
The logical result of the growth of the mastaba was a geometrically correct pyramid, but it was not possible to achieve the desired shape immediately.
Tomb of Djoser - the first Egyptian pyramid
Thirty kilometers south of Cairo is the village of Saqqara. Saqqara is the resting place of the pharaohs of the III-IV dynasty. Here is the oldest surviving Egyptian pyramid - the Pyramid of Djoser.Imhotep is a brave innovator
According to information collected by historians, Imhotep, the chief architect of the project, originally planned to build a conventional mastaba. However, the idea of building a multi-tiered tomb seemed to both the architect and the customer to be much more fruitful. Therefore, already in the process of construction, the project was changed. A three-fold superstructure of a smaller mastaba over a larger one resulted in a forty-meter four-tiered pyramid with a rectangular base.Understanding that raw clay bricks (in the Russian tradition the material is known as "adobe") is not strong enough to create a high-rise structure, Imhotep ordered limestone blocks to be used to build the body of the tomb.
The ingenious technology of building the pyramid of Djoser
for construction was mined in a quarry nearby. The dimensions and shape of the stone blocks were not strictly observed, but they made it possible to make masonry with dressing: three longitudinally oriented blocks were replaced by two transverse ones, and so on. The mass of a single block did not exceed the "carrying capacity" of a strong porter.A thick clay composition was used as a binder solution, designed not only to hold the blocks together, but to fill the voids. The idea of such a building material could have been suggested to Imhotep by nature itself. The Egyptians traveling around the surrounding world must have come across, formed by mudflows and quickly turning into a dense and durable material.
Clay was dug in the Nile valley, soaked and mixed with some sand (to prevent cracking during the drying process). The wall stone was laid with an inclination inside the building so that the line of the wall deviated from the vertical by 15˚. Thus, the walls of each of the tiers of the tomb formed an angle of 75˚ with the conditional plane of the earth's firmament.
The critical components of the internal structures of the pyramid of Djoser were made of two-ton blocks delivered from afar by water, and coarsely hewn limestone. The cementing gypsum mortar, used by the Egyptians more often than lime, held the elements together only in some places. In particular, the blue tiles in the lining of the interior of the tomb were kept on the walls thanks to gypsum binders.
Imhotep - the deified pioneer of perestroika
Having erected a four-tier pyramid, inspired by the success of Imhotep, he proposed not to stop construction and bring the number of tiers to six with a simultaneous increase total area pyramids. For the outer cladding of the building, it was supposed to use white limestone from the Tours quarry on the east bank of the Nile.The consent of the pharaoh was not long in coming. The uninterrupted continuation of work allowed the outstanding architect of Ancient Egypt to increase the height of the pyramid to 62 meters. Having become six-tiered in 2649 BC, the pyramid of Djoser crowned huge complex ritual buildings and for a long time became a record building in Egypt and the whole world of that time.
It is estimated that 850 thousand tons of limestone were spent on the construction of the pyramid of Djoser. According to the unanimous opinion of the builders of our time, there are no technological mysteries in the construction of the first Egyptian pyramid. However, Imhotep's contemporaries treated the outstanding architect with much more reverence. After his death, the architect, engineer and scientist Imhotep was deified, and the Egyptian pyramids, according to the behest of the founder, were built stepwise for a long time.
Pyramids in Giza - the focus of secrets and mysteries
There are quite a lot of stepped and multi-tiered pyramids and pyramids built according to the precepts of the great Imhotep in Egypt. But the Egyptian pyramids are classified as wonders of the world only in the correct tetrahedral shape, and not all, but only those that stand in Giza.The pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Menkaure are the pinnacle of the building art of Ancient Egypt. The conducted studies did not give a clear and reliable picture of the stages and methods of construction. Of the historical documents, the description of Herodotus is considered the most detailed - however, it must be remembered that Herodotus made his notes 2000 years after the construction of the Cheops pyramid ...
Hemiun - the hero of pyramid-building work
The task assigned to Hemiun, a relative of the pharaoh and, concurrently, the chief administrator of the state, was difficult. On a rocky square base, a pyramid of regular geometric shape and standard aesthetic merit should have been built. The construction, of course, had to be higher than the pyramids of the former pharaohs and, preferably, remain unsurpassed in the future. 
Perhaps the task was set somehow differently - but it does not matter. Hemiun managed to create a pyramid that contained millions of tons of natural stone, rose almost to the sky (147 meters high), hid several secret rooms, amazed (and amazed) the observer with the perfection of forms and the grandeur of the idea.
The first secret plus the main secret
How the construction was carried out is not described anywhere. Not a single papyrus has been found that not only reveals the construction technology of Hemiun, but even simply mentions the pyramid of Cheops!This is the first mystery of the main of the Egyptian pyramids. However, there are several clues:
- a) researchers were just unlucky to find desired document;
- b) there was a ban on documenting and disclosing the methods of erecting the pyramid;
- c) project documentation was not drawn up, construction records were not carried out - as unnecessary.
How was the largest of the Egyptian pyramids built?
Most of the pyramid of Cheops is made of blocks of yellow-gray limestone, a material that is relatively loose, but strong enough. Since the blocks were cut down in different sizes, it would be logical, when preparing materials at the construction site, to arrange the stone so that the largest and heaviest of their bottoms were spent on the construction of the lower tiers of the masonry, and less massive stones were intended for the upper tiers. 
The Egyptian builders did just that. The limestone blocks of the pyramid are the smaller, the closer they lie to the top. Which, by the way, refutes the fashionable theory about the construction of a structure from concrete blocks.
Is the concrete idea false?
It is really easier to transport buckets of thick mortar to the upper floors of the construction site, but why change the formwork standard from tier to tier? Artificial building stone, as a rule, has standardized dimensions, while the blocks of the Cheops pyramid are far from standard.The time factor is also important. The curing of concrete requires a long rest of the cast part. Primary setting is not equivalent to full strength gain. On a freshly cast and already hardened stone, you can’t immediately pile up a multi-ton load like that. You can speed up the hardening of the casting with organic additives - even with egg white - but then the mountain of the shell will exceed the size of the pyramid. Is such a monument pleasing to the pharaoh?
The production of a binder for making concrete requires high-temperature dehydration of the feedstock - in the case of Ancient Egypt. A certain amount of gypsum mortar, the country's resources allowed to produce painlessly, but not the millions of cubic meters required for a complete transition to artificial building stone! There was simply no such amount of firewood in the state!
Concrete is not only a binding solution, it is also a mineral filler of several fractions. Modern concrete is created from cement mortar, sand and crushed granite. The blocks of the Egyptian pyramids are entirely limestone. You can, of course, imagine how thousands of slaves have been crushing natural limestone for years to get crumbs, thousands more dragging stretchers with limestone chips to a construction site, others carry water in waterskins, and still others trample wet concrete - because without compaction it will turn out to be fragile.
But isn't it easier to carve ready-made blocks out of stone? Moreover, all qualified mineralogists are unanimous in their assessment of the main material of the Cheops pyramid and consider it to be natural limestone.
However, individual elements of the pyramids could indeed be made of artificial stone. But only not the most responsible and loaded with astronomical masses of overlying materials.
The Granite Mystery of the Pyramid of Cheops
Adepts of secret knowledge talk about the impossibility of manufacturing, processing and delivering granite construction parts without using a tool made of steel and abrasives of a hardness level.Meanwhile, granite columns, obelisks and other "megaliths" in ancient Egypt were produced without much difficulty. Our French contemporaries have reproduced all the stages of mining and processing of granite, and are quite satisfied with the experience gained.
The following method was used to break off a large workpiece from a natural massif.
- 1. A low hearth was built along the contour of the proposed clay brick blank.
- 2. Firewood was loaded into the hearth, a fire was made. Hot coals heated the underlying granite to a shallow depth.
- 3. Water poured onto the heated granite. The stone cracked.
- 4. After the removal of bricks, ash and exfoliated rock, the heating zone was subjected to impact treatment with dolerite (dolerite - a variety) hammers. As a result, a groove 10–15 cm deep was formed in the monolithic granite massif.
- 5. To deepen the contour groove, the operation was repeated.
Handmade technique with a rounded dolerite hammer suggests endurance and perseverance of the performer. Hourly (even not too dexterous) beating with dolerite on granite allows you to remove a layer 6-8 mm thick over an area of several square decimeters.
A dolerite concretion split in half served as the main tool for grinding granite. The abundance of dolerite in the eastern regions of Egypt allowed the masters of antiquity to use this hard stone in unlimited quantities.
Lifting weights without a crane
Herodotus writes that the stone was lifted up by simple wooden devices such as a well crane. The carrying capacity of such devices is sufficient for two-ton loads (the average volume of the limestone block of the Cheops pyramid is 850 - 1000 liters, the limestone density is 2000 kg per cubic meter). But how were the much more massive structural elements installed? In particular, a pyramidion, a monolithic top of a pyramid weighing 15 tons?Modern inventors talk about the possibility of sheathing a stone product with voluminous wooden structures that bring the shape of the packaged part closer to a cylinder. Such a container does facilitate transportation, but requires a solid road.
Sloped ramp or spiral road?
How is a waste heap constructed - a cone-shaped dump of waste rock? First, props are installed, an inclined rail track is erected on them. Wagons with loose mass are driven onto the rails and unloaded to the side. As the dump grows, the road lengthens. In the end, an artificial mountain is formed with steep slopes and a long, gentle embankment with rails from a flat sole to the very top. 
Approximately so, the researchers believe, were built and access roads to the Egyptian pyramids. A stackable ramp (7˚-8˚) made of bulk materials, compacted and strengthened with imported timber, could really help in the delivery of massive stone blocks to the place of their installation.
However, the volume of earthworks in this case turns out to be comparable to the volume of the entire construction, and the pace of work is limited by the frequency of reconstructions. transport route. The bulk spiral road laid around the pyramid makes it impossible to check the geometry of the edges and faces of the entire structure.
Another thing, suggested the French architect Jean-Pierre Houdin, if a spiral road is laid in the body of the pyramid along its outer edges. On such a road, you can walk like a gentle staircase, dragging limestone blocks up along the way. True, this path is replete with turns at right angles. But if at the places of turns to make open areas with the simplest forklifts, the difficulties will disappear.
Houdin's hypothesis is flawed in many respects. Nevertheless, turntables in the corners of the building were found, as well as some inclined passages along the perimeter of the pyramid. However, the Egyptian authorities have not yet given permission for a large-scale instrumental study of the historical structure.
Final reconstruction of the process
A generalized reconstructed picture of the construction of the Cheops pyramid looks like this:- - the most massive parts of the base of the pyramid and the interior of the tomb were delivered to the place of installation along surface roads and a low bulk ramp;
- - the blocks that make up the body of the pyramid climbed the spiral scaffolding attached outside;
- - white limestone top - pyramidion - was installed immediately after the masonry was completed;
- - facing blocks of white limestone, in cross-section representing a right-angled triangle, were laid from top to bottom, flush with the faces of the pyramidion.
And although the individual details of the construction have not been clarified to the end, the overall picture is quite clear and plausible. However, the secrets of the Egyptian pyramids were not only in the design and construction of cyclopean structures.
"Unsolved" secrets of the Egyptian pyramids
Exploration of the pyramid of Cheops, undertaken by humanity greedy for treasures over the past two thousand years, turned out to be very traumatic for the historical structure. Partly for this reason, and partly because of the high tourist potential, it is very difficult to obtain permission for scientific research in Giza.As a result, today scientists do not have a complete plan of the cavities and rooms of the Cheops pyramid - which is why assumptions about the purpose of rooms, corridors and channels are based on insufficient information.
This situation gives food for idle thought about the presence of secret treasures under the Egyptian pyramids and the Sphinx. The yellow press is exaggerating with might and main the idea of the secrecy of samples of ancient knowledge, stored either under the paws of the Sphinx, or under the burial chamber of Khufu, or even deeper.
However, historians and archaeologists do not expect special revelations from hypothetical treasuries. Yes, upon discovery of repositories that have not been plundered in the past, the museum collections of the world will be fairly replenished with works of ancient Egyptian art - but one cannot expect advanced technologies among the surviving artifacts. Alas…
Pyramid - a working device?
The idea that each individual pyramid, and especially the largest and most beautiful pyramid of Cheops, is not just a monument and a tomb, but a kind of tool for interacting with secret forces, has been tormenting mankind for four and a half thousand years.Echoes of the excitement that arose during the years of perestroika and concerning the miraculous properties of pyramidal structures are still alive. Allegedly, the blades in them are self-sharpening, bacteria are self-destructing, water is self-sanctifying - and in large pyramids, plus, time slows down, organisms become younger and fools grow smarter.
Experiments are still ongoing, but the statistics of the results are disappointing. Neither in the pyramids of ancient Egyptian work, nor in their modern counterparts, nothing special happens.
“Besides,” the esotericists object, “that contact is being made with the higher mind!”
The influence of the Egyptian pyramids on the mind
The initiates write: whoever lies in the sarcophagus of the pyramid of Cheops and concentrates, voices are heard, colorful pictures are seen, the complexities of the universe are understood - and the future is still revealed. So Napolen, as he spent the night in a sarcophagus, came out pale, was silent about his experiences, and only in exile on the island of St. Helena hinted that he had a chance to see his own fall ...True, psychiatrists, having learned about the voices and visions, begin to nervously trample and stroke the bags of medicines. Psychologists also talk about the similarity of individual reactions to darkness, silence and complete solitude. To save money, they say, instead of a sarcophagus, you can lie down in a wooden box with a lid, and instead of an Egyptian pyramid, use any dungeon - even a shallow hole.
The sum of sensations and thoughts that arise in the subjects is typical. In such solitude, every person thinks about the transience of life, the futility of all things and the inevitability of the end. The pyramids are here!
Astronomical factor
The Belgian Robert Buvel, who was born and lived for a long time in Egyptian Alexandria, was not the first person to notice the similarity in the location of the pyramids in Giza and the stars in Orion's Belt. However, he was the first to speak loudly and publicly about the likeness.The check showed that the coincidence of directions and proportions is very conditional. Defending his point of view, Buvel suggested that the position of the pyramids corresponds to the picture of the starry sky of the time of the third dynasty of the pharaohs.
The development of computer technology has made it possible to restore the position of the stars in the past. A simulated starry sky pattern from 2500 BC turned out to be close to the location of the Giza pyramids, but only approximately ...
Further research led astronomers to the conclusion: the relative position of the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaur (Cheops, Khafre and Mykerin) fully corresponds to the location of Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintak (the stars of the Orion's Belt asterism) in 10500 BC.
Idle thinkers immediately came to the conclusion that the initial marking of the construction site was completed in 10500, and the actual construction was decided to be postponed for 8 thousand years.
Moreover! At the beginning of the beginning, namely, 14 thousand years before the birth of Christ, on the site of the future Giza and all its tombs, there was a pyramid - for all the pyramids, a pyramid, the size of a real mountain! True, the progenitor of the pyramids was monolithic and cracked during the earthquake. It was decided to demolish the hulk, and in its place, after cleaning up the debris, to build a new pyramidal complex.
Who and why made such unexpected decisions, the thinkers do not say.
Numerological heresy of the pyramid of Cheops
Heading to Egypt, Napoleon, as you know, included more than one and a half hundred scientists in the detachment. Having missed the time of transitions, inquisitive scientists pounced on the Egyptian pyramids like a hungry dog on a bone. All available space was subjected to measurements and measurements, including each of the pyramids and the Sphinx.The data obtained became the subject of scientific discussions that continue to this day. For two hundred years of thinking, especially advanced experts have established a relationship between the linear parameters of the Cheops pyramid and:
- - the size of the Earth and the solar system;
- - the number "pi";
- - past and future events;
- - physical constants that determine the balance of interaction of forces in the Universe.
Hey psychiatrists!
So, there are no secrets in the Egyptian pyramids?
There are many more secrets in Egyptology. However, the Egyptian pyramids have been studied very thoroughly, although not completely. In the unhurried existence of the pyramids, there are a number of ambiguities that are visible to specialists. For example, did the visible deflection of the Cheops pyramid faces result from an unforeseen deformation of materials or as a result of architectural calculation?So far, there is no unambiguous picture of the complex of technologies used almost 5,000 years ago. It is not clear why the pyramid of Cheops, the most monumental of all the monuments of Ancient Egypt, is devoid of wall inscriptions and images. There is no certainty in understanding the purpose of the discovered objects, premises, buildings ...
It is important, however, that only those studies of the Egyptian pyramids that are carried out within the framework of materialistic theory become fruitful. The search for the extraordinary forces involved in the creation of the Egyptian pyramids is fantastically fun - and nothing more.
Pyramids to this day keep many secrets and mysteries. Some of them, of course, have already been disclosed, but there are questions that still disturb the minds of scientists and historians. How and by whom were these monuments created? What technologies were used in construction? How did the builders manage to move stone blocks of enormous weight? Why did the pharaohs need this kind of tombs? You will learn all this and many other interesting facts from the article and become a little closer to understanding the secrets of the pyramids and knowing their power and greatness.
Interesting facts about the Egyptian pyramids
These ancient building structures have been occupying their places of honor for more than one century and glorify the talent of their creators, thanks to whom they managed to make eternal monuments. Until now, scientists have not been able to reliably determine how the pyramids were made and what technologies were used. Only some data is known, but most of the technologies used remain secret.
Just tombs?
There are about 118 pyramids in Egypt, created in different periods, of various sizes and types. There are two varieties of pyramids, the older step ones, one of the earliest surviving examples is the Pyramid of Djoser, circa 2650 BC. e.
In fact, these pyramids are graves, and their clusters are a cemetery. In ancient times, it was believed that wealthy people should be buried with everything that they might need in afterlife, so the pharaohs found their last refuge in the luxurious pyramids, which they began to build long before their death.
The robbers of the tombs of the pharaohs
The horrors that take place about the Egyptian pyramids are directly related to the robbers who so love to visit them under the cover of night and take away their last property from the deceased. However, not only for the sake of the jewels hidden in the tombs, marauders visit the monuments.
Local residents spoiled the appearance of some pyramids a lot. For example, the two pyramids at Dahshur do not look at all like they used to, all the limestone they were covered with was stolen to build houses in the nearest city. Also, stone blocks and other building materials are often stolen, which leads to incredible destruction.
Secrets and myths
The horrors of the Egyptian pyramids also lie in the fact that many legends reign around them. The reason for the emergence of such a myth was the fictional curse of the most famous tomb in the world - the tomb of Tutankhamun. It was discovered in 1922 by a group of explorers, most of whom died within the next seven years. At the time, many believed it was related to the curse of the tomb or some mysterious poison, although most still believe so.
But it all became one huge delusion. Immediately after the tomb was opened, it made a splash. In one of the newspapers, in the name of raising ratings, it was indicated that in front of the entrance to the tomb there was a warning sign that anyone who entered here would die. However, this turned out to be just a newspaper duck, but after the researchers began to die one after another, the article gained popularity, and since then there has been a similar myth. It is worth noting that most of these scientists were of advanced age. This is how easy some of the mysteries of the Egyptian pyramids are solved.
The device of the pyramids
The burial complex of the pharaohs consists not only of the pyramid itself, but also of two temples: one next to the pyramid, one should be washed by the waters of the Nile. Pyramids and temples, which were not far from each other, were connected by alleys. Some have partially survived to this day, for example, the alleys between Luxor and Between the pyramids of Giza, unfortunately, no such alleys have been preserved.
Inside the pyramid
Egyptian pyramids, interesting facts about them, and ancient myths - all this is in direct connection with the internal structure. Inside the pyramid there is a chamber with a burial, to which passages lead from different sides. The walls of the aisles were usually painted with religious texts. The walls of the pyramid in Saqqara, a village near Cairo, were painted with the oldest funeral texts that have survived to this day. Next to the pyramids of Giza is also the famous figure of the sphinx, which, according to legend, should protect the peace of the deceased. Unfortunately, the original name of this building has not survived to our time, it is only known that in the Middle Ages the Arabs called the monument "the father of horror"
Types of pyramids
Many mysteries of the Egyptian pyramids are directly related to their creation. Until now, no one has been able to reliably determine how the ancient Egyptians managed to create such monumental buildings, which are still preserved to this day.
Scientists believe that the construction was carried out in several stages, during which the size of the pyramid could increase significantly compared to the original. Construction began long before the death of the pharaoh and could take several decades. Just to create a suitable site for construction and leveling the soil, it took about a dozen years. It took two decades to create the largest pyramid to date.
Who built the pyramids
There is an opinion that the pyramids were built by slaves who were starved and whipped for poorly done work, but this is not true. showed that the people who built the pyramids were kept in good conditions they were well fed. However, no one has yet been able to figure out for certain how the heaviest stone blocks rose up, because human strength is incapable of such a thing.
However, archaeologists believe that over time, the construction technique changed, and the Egyptian pyramids themselves changed. Interesting Facts in mathematics, too, relate to the construction of pyramids. So, scientists managed to determine that the pyramids have mathematically correct proportions. How the ancient Egyptians managed to do this remains a mystery.
Egyptian pyramids - wonder of the world
- The Pyramid of Cheops is the only surviving wonder of the world.
- There are several theories about the construction of the pyramids. According to one of them, the construction took place on the principle of leverage, but taking into account this, it would take no less than a century and a half, and the pyramid was erected in two decades. That's what remains a mystery.
- Some lovers of the mystical consider these buildings to be powerful energy sources and believe that the pharaohs spent time in them during their lifetime in order to receive new vitality.
- There are also quite incredible theories. For example, some believe that the pyramids were built by aliens, while others believe that the blocks were moved by people who own a magic crystal.
- There are still some questions regarding the construction. For example, it has not yet been clarified why the pyramids were built in two stages and why breaks were needed.
- The pyramids were built for two centuries and were built several at a time.
- Now, according to the studies of various scientists, their age is from 4 to 10 thousand years.
- In addition to the exact mathematical proportions, the pyramids have another feature in this area. The stone blocks are arranged in such a way that there are no gaps between them at all, even the thinnest blade will not fit through.
- Each side of the pyramid is located in the direction of one side of the world.
- The Pyramid of Cheops, the largest in the world, reaches a height of 146 meters, and its weight is more than six million tons.
- If you want to know how the Egyptian pyramids were built, you can learn interesting facts about the construction from the pyramids themselves. Construction scenes are depicted on the walls of the aisles.
- The sides of the pyramids are curved by one meter so that they can accumulate solar energy. Thanks to this, the pyramids could reach thousands of degrees and emit an incomprehensible rumble from such incandescence.
- An ideally straight foundation was made for, so the faces differ from each other by only five centimeters.
- The first pyramid built is dated 2670 BC. e. In appearance, it resembles several pyramids located next to each other. The architect created a type of masonry that helped achieve this effect.
- The pyramid of Cheops was created from 2.3 million blocks, perfectly even and matching each other.
- Structures similar to the Egyptian pyramids are also found in Sudan, where the tradition was later picked up.
- Archaeologists managed to find the village where the pyramid builders lived. A brewery and a bakery were discovered there.
- Many secrets hide the Egyptian pyramids. Interesting facts relate, for example, on the basis of which the pyramid is made. The walls are at an angle of 52 degrees, which makes the ratio of height and perimeter equal to the ratio of length.
Power and greatness
Why were the Egyptian pyramids built? Interesting facts about the construction do not give an idea of what they served for. And pyramids were created to praise the power and greatness of their owners. Lush tombs were a significant part of the entire burial complex. They were filled with things that the pharaohs might need after death. There you could find literally everything that a person might need. Any clothes, jewelry, utensils - all this and many other things were sent along with the pharaohs to their tombs. These riches, buried with the owners, are often the reason for the appearance of robbers who want to get jewelry. All these mysteries and myths that envelop the pyramids, starting from the very creation, have remained unsolved for many centuries, and no one knows if they will ever be revealed.
The only 7 wonders of the world that have survived to this day is the pyramid of Cheops, or the pyramid of Khufu, as the Egyptians themselves call it, unlike the rest of the world, which uses the Greek pronunciation of the name of the pharaoh.
In order to fully realize how far from us those times when the Cheops pyramid was built, one has only to think that for the contemporaries of the other six wonders of the world, the Great Pyramid at Giza was so old that they no longer knew the solution to its secret.
Despite the fact that the most great pyramid in the world has an age of more than four thousand years, it is quite well preserved to our times. Today, excursions to the Egyptian pyramids can be ordered from almost any hotel in Cairo.
History and construction of the Great Pyramid of Cheops
It is believed that a certain Hemion, the nephew and vizier of the pharaoh, and, by compatibility, also a court architect, was engaged in the embodiment of royal ambitions. The pyramid of Cheops was built around 2540 BC, and its construction began twenty years earlier - somewhere in 2560 BC.
More than two million huge stones were needed to build the Great Pyramid of Giza. The largest blocks weighed several tens of tons. For the construction weighing 6.4 million tons, so that it does not go underground under its own weight, solid rocky soil was chosen. Granite blocks were delivered from a quarry, which was located at a distance of 1000 km. Scientists still cannot find an answer to the question of how these stones were transported and how the Cheops pyramid was built.
The purpose of the tallest pyramid in ancient Egypt also causes a lot of controversy. According to the most common opinion, this is indeed the tomb of Cheops (the second pharaoh of the IV dynasty of rulers) and members of his family. Nevertheless, discussions around the riddle of the pyramid do not subside. For example, from the point of view of some astronomers, a kind of observatory was equipped here, since the ventilation ducts and corridors point to the stars Sirius, Tuban, and Alnitak with amazing accuracy. It is also interesting that during the construction of the pyramid of Cheops, the coordinates of the Earth's magnetic poles were also taken into account.
Geometry and description of Khufu's pyramid
The dimensions of the Cheops pyramid surprise even modern man. Its base occupies a huge area of 53 thousand square meters, which is proportional to ten football fields. Other parameters are no less striking: the length of the base is 230 m, the length of the side rib is the same, and the area of the side surface is 85.5 thousand square meters.
Now the height of the pyramid of Cheops is 138 meters, but initially it reached 147 meters, which can be compared with a fifty-story skyscraper. The years have left their mark on the safety of the pyramid. Numerous earthquakes over thousands of years brought down the stone top of the structure, and the smooth stone that lined the outer walls crumbled. Nevertheless, the interior of the attraction, despite the many robbery and vandal invasions, remained almost unchanged.
The entrance to the pyramid, located from the north, was originally at a height of almost 16 meters and was sealed with a granite plug. Now tourists get inside through a huge gap made ten meters below, left in 1820 by the Arabs, led by Caliph Abdullah al-Mamun, who attempted to find the treasures supposedly hidden here.
Inside the pyramid of Cheops there are three tombs located one above the other. The lowest, unfinished underground chamber is located at the base of the rock. Above it are the burial chambers of the queen and the pharaoh, to which the ascending Grand gallery. Those who built the pyramid created a complex system of corridors and shafts, the plan of which is still being studied by scientists. Egyptologists put forward a whole theory of understanding the afterlife of people of that time. These arguments explain the secret doors and other design features.
For how many years the Pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops in Giza, as well as Great Sphinx, in no hurry to reveal all its secrets. For tourists, it remains the most striking attraction of Egypt. It is impossible to fully comprehend the secrets of its corridors, shafts and ventilation ducts. Only one thing is clear: the Great Pyramid is the fruit of a brilliant design idea.
- There are many opinions about when the Cheops pyramid was built and who did it. The most original assumptions are various versions about the construction completed long before the Flood by civilizations that did not survive it, as well as hypotheses about alien creators.
- Despite the fact that no one knows the exact time when the Cheops pyramid was built, in Egypt, the date of the start of its construction is celebrated at the official level - August 23, 2560 BC.
- Recent excavations carried out at the beginning of the 21st century show that the work of the pyramid builders was hard, but at the same time they were well taken care of. They had a high-calorie diet of meat and fish and comfortable sleeping places. Many Egyptologists are of the opinion that they were not even slaves.
- Studying the ideal proportions Great Pyramid in Giza, scientists came to the conclusion that already in those days the ancient Egyptians knew very well what the golden ratio was, and actively used its principle when creating a drawing.
- Inside the pyramid of Cheops there are no decorative paintings and historical inscriptions, except for a small portrait in the passage to the queen's chamber. There is not even any evidence that the pyramid belonged to Pharaoh Khufu at all.
- Until 1300, for three millennia, the Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure on the planet, until they built one that exceeded it. Cathedral in Lincoln.
- The heaviest stone block used in the construction of the pyramid weighs 35 tons and is placed above the entrance to the pharaoh's burial chamber.
- Before the Arab vandal invasion of Egypt, the outer slabs of the Cairo pyramid were so carefully polished that they radiated a mysterious shimmer in the light of the moon, and in the rays of the sun their lining shone with a soft peach light.
- To study rooms that are difficult for a person to reach, scientists used a special robot.
- From 6 to 10 thousand tourists visit the pyramids daily, and about 3 million a year.
Useful information for tourists
Currently, in the museum on the south side of the pyramid, you can get acquainted with the exhibits that were found during excavations and in the pyramid itself. There is an opportunity to see the restored unique cedar boat (Sun Boat), which was built by the ancient Egyptians. You can also buy souvenirs here. And the next point of view on the territory will be the Great Sphinx.
In the evenings, a light and sound show is shown in Giza: alternate floodlighting of local attractions is accompanied by a fascinating story, including in Russian and in English.
Opening hours of the museum complex in Giza
- daily from 8.00 to 17.00;
- in winter - until 16.30;
- during Ramadan - until 15.00.
Ticket prices
- entrance ticket to the Giza zone for foreigners - $ 8;
- entrance to the pyramid of Cheops - $16;
- inspection of the Solar Boat - $ 7.
For children and students, prices are usually two times lower.
- To visit the pyramid of Cheops, only 300 tickets are sold per day: 150 at 8.00 and 150 at 13.00.
- It is best to go to the pyramids in the morning in order to grab a ticket and protect yourself from the midday heat.
- The entrance to the pyramid is very low, you have to walk 100 meters bent over, besides, it is very dry, hot and slightly dusty inside. People suffering from claustrophobia, diseases of the respiratory tract and heart of the waters are undesirable.
- Photo and video shooting is prohibited inside. As for photographs against the background of the Great Pyramid, it is better not to give your camera into the wrong hands, as there are frequent cases of theft.
- It is better to take a photo of the Cheops pyramid (as well as other pyramids) in the morning or in the evening, when the sun does not shine too brightly, otherwise the image will turn out to be flat.
- Climbing the pyramid is strictly prohibited.
- For local residents tourists are the main and often the only source of income, so you will constantly be offered something to buy. Therefore, think carefully whether you need certain offers, and in any case, be sure to bargain. Tipping is given only to those who really deserve it.
- Be careful: there are a lot of pickpockets around.
How to get to the pyramid of Cheops
Address: Egypt, Cairo, El Giza District, El Haram Street
Arriving from Cairo:
- By metro (line number 2) - to Giza station. Then transfer to bus number 900 or number 997 and drive along Al-Haram avenue for 15-20 minutes.
- By bus number 355 and number 357 from the airport and Heliopolis. Runs every 20 minutes.
- By taxi to Al Haram.
From Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh: on tourist bus or taxi.
Pyramids of Ancient Egypt for more than one millennium they have been admiring, surprising, exciting the imagination. Heated disputes do not subside about when his ancient pyramids were built in Egypt, who built them, and why they were built. Each arguing party has its own weighty arguments. This article provides a largely undisputed official point of view on these issues.
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The history of the construction of the tombs of the pharaohs |
| History of the Pyramids of Egypt |
| Meidum Pyramid |
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| Great Pyramids at Giza |
| The Pyramid of Cheops |
| Pyramid of Khafre |
| Pyramid of Menkaure |
| Pyramids of the 5th and 6th dynasties |
| Pyramids of the Middle Kingdom |
| Later life of the pyramids |
History of the Pyramids of Egypt
The history of the pyramids of Egypt from the construction of the first pyramid of Ancient Egypt - the step pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser. It was built in Saqqara around 2600 BC. This was the pharaoh of the third dynasty.
Before him, the tombs of the pharaohs were built from dried bricks. Subsequently, they received the name - mastaba. This mastaba was also built for Djoser.
But the pharaoh did not use this tomb, and together with his most talented architect Imhotep undertook a grandiose construction of a mastaba in Saqqara, which is now called the pyramid of Djoser or the "step pyramid". Above this lower mastaba, five more mastabas were built, each smaller and smaller. Construction took place in six stages, according to the number of steps. The base of the pyramid as a result of the add-ons reached the size of 125x115 meters, and the height - 61 meters (the height of a modern twenty-story building).
Here, for the first time, not burnt brick, but stone was used as a building material. The Pyramid of Djoser is considered the world's first stone architectural structure.
Undoubtedly, these small pyramids that adorned the upper part of the tomb were associated with the cult of the sun god. On the eastern slope of the pyramid, a small niche was arranged, in which there was a cult statue of the inhabitant of the tomb. She looks away rising sun. Above the burial chamber, carved into the rock, there was a small courtyard. It was surrounded by a stone wall. In its western part, a small chapel was built in the form of a terrace with columns. Above all this towered a small pyramid with a base of 3X3 m, a height of 4 m. The angle of inclination to the horizon plane was much more vertical than that of the huge pyramids of the Ancient and Middle Kingdom, it reached 68 °.
The pyramids were revived in the VIII-VII centuries BC. e., but not in Egypt, but on the territory of the Nubian kingdom of Napata and in the 4th century BC. e. in Meroe. None of these pyramids had a base length of more than 12-13 m and a height of more than 15-16 m. They were built mainly of stone, only the latest ones were built of bricks.
