Ancient Egypt – Unshrouding the Mystery of the Pyramids
A deep-rooted fascination with the Egyptian pyramids started at a young age for many of us; in school, we absorbed how they were built by Pharaohs, contained mummies, and had depictions of the ancient Egyptian lifestyle drawn on their walls.
We poured over textbook images of the Sphinx, as well as ones of slaves being tied and whipped while transporting immense stone blocks.
This portrayal of how the pyramids were constructed is repeatedly compounded by film and media, but how true is it that they were built from forced labour? Perhaps it’s time to unshroud some of the mysteries of the Pyramids at Giza.
Why were the pyramids built?
Constructed approximately 4,500 years ago, the pyramids at Giza are considered to be one of the greatest architectural achievements of the ancient world.
Although more is being discovered about them with every passing year, scientists are still unsure about the specifics of how they were built.
However, we do know why; due to advanced engineering skills, as well as a healthy dose of mythology, the Pharaohs had the incredible structures constructed as a massive tomb to themselves, as they expected to become gods in the afterlife. They also filled each one with all the treasures and riches that they could possibly need in the next world.
The embalming procedure used by the ancient Egyptians is called mummification. During the embalming procedure, Egyptians removed all moisture from the body deliberately drying or embalming flesh in order to preserve the body after death. (Dada - Wikipedia)
The symbolism of the pyramids
The pyramids were symbols of power and the Egyptian’s strong religious beliefs. Their shapes are believed to represent both the primordial mound from which the ancient Egyptians thought that earth was created and the descending rays of the sun.
In fact, many of the pyramids are named in ways that pay homage to the sun – such as the Senusret Shines and the Bent Pyramid’s original name The Southern Shining Pyramid. For this reason, many of the pyramids were once faced with limestone that was polished to a highly reflective sheen so as to make them glow, even when observed from a distance.
Which is the most famous pyramid?
Pharaoh Khufu had the Great Pyramid built, and it is undoubtedly the most famous of the Egyptian pyramids. Of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid is the only one that remains. It is the largest pyramid in Egypt and is known by a number of different names, including the Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Cheops.
Construction took place in 2560 BC and is thought to have taken approximately 20 years – a frenetic process for a structure of that size and era. It consists of over two million blocks that weigh between two and fifteen tons and had to be transported from local quarries.
The Great Pyramid, or Khufu's Pyramid, was built on the Giza plateau in Egypt during the fourth dynasty by the pharaoh Khufu (Cheops). [Nina -Wikipedia]
Pharaoh Khafre, Khufu’s son, built the second pyramid, whereas it might not have been as grand as the Great Pyramid, Khafre’s legacy also includes the Sphinx - the Pyramids at Giza’s imposing sentinel.
Arguably the most famous sculpture in the world, the limestone monument consists of the body of a lion and the head of a pharaoh.
The third pyramid was built by Pharaoh Menkaure, and although it is much smaller than the others, it has a considerably more advanced mortuary. Even though the Menkaure Pyramid is considered to be the “small” pyramid, it is only because the other structures are so mammoth. For this reason, the slaves that built them were widely pitied for their toiled efforts under the hot desert sun awaiting their inevitable death. Yet new evidence suggests that our sympathies were unfounded, as the pyramids may not have been built by slaves after all.
Who really built the pyramids?
In 1990, a horse stumbled over a brick structure mere yards away from the necropolis in the complex on which the pyramids stand. This structure turned out to be worker tombs, which flipped the belief that the pyramids were built by slaves on its head.
Not only were the tombs constructed in close proximity to the pyramids, indicating that the workers were regarded enough to be buried close to the Pharaohs, but the tombs were prepared for the afterlife, suggesting that the workers came through families that paid taxes. Even the Wadi al-Jarf papyrus tells us that the pyramids were built by well-paid workers.
What’s more, according to Zahi Hawass, Egyptian archaeologist and former minister of state for Antiquities Affairs, whereas slave labour was often used to create large buildings, they weren’t skilled enough to create structures as technical and creative as the pyramids.
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