An Overview of The Great Pyramids of Giza

The Great Pyramid of Giza: A Timeless Wonder

The Great Pyramid of Giza is one of the world’s most famous wonders. It’s a real miracle that more than 4,000 years after it saw the light of day, it still stands in the sands of Egypt. This architectural masterpiece was constructed around 2560 BCE on the Giza Plateau, located in the suburbs of modern-day Cairo. It was the first of three pyramids built in the area, forming part of the necropolis of ancient pharaohs.

Historical Context and Construction

The Great Pyramid was conceived as a tomb for Khufu, whom you may know as Cheops. He was the second monarch of the Fourth Dynasty, which reigned in Egypt during the Old Kingdom. Before that, locals buried their royals in special vaults called mastabas. However, it was only in the 27th century BCE that the concept of a pyramid with smooth, evenly tilted sides was introduced, and Khufu was the one who commissioned the largest in the country. Originally, it rose about 480 feet above the ground, with sides of its base over 750 feet long. To put it in perspective, the pyramid of Khufu remained the tallest human-made structure in the world for more than 3,800 years (Lehner, 1997).

The Monumental Construction Effort

The size of the pyramid was not its only remarkable feature. This monumental structure resulted from enormous work over approximately 20 years, comprising about 2.3 million stone blocks, each averaging over 2 tons in weight. The slabs varied in size and material. The king’s chamber, for instance, was constructed with massive blocks of red granite, some weighing up to 80 tons, to withstand the pressure of the upper compartments. This chamber housed the sarcophagus of Pharaoh Khufu, also made of this remarkably solid rock (Hawass, 2006).

Materials and Techniques

The primary materials used in the construction were various types of limestone. The exterior covering seen today was built from dark limestone, which looked rusty brown and was considered lower in quality. The inner core, however, was lined with sparkling white limestone, creating a mesmerizingly white appearance in ancient times. These casing stones were precisely cut to give the pyramid a smooth surface, inclined at an angle of about 52 degrees. Polished to shimmer in sunlight or moonlight, the shrine could be seen from miles away.

In 1303 CE, a major earthquake struck Crete, affecting regions as far as modern Turkey, Cyprus, and Egypt. The Great Pyramid suffered similar damage to the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Fortunately, it didn’t completely collapse, but many casing stones fell and were later used for construction in Cairo, including the Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan. In the 19th century, remaining limestone pieces were repurposed for the Alabaster Mosque (Arnold, 1991).

Transportation and Labor

One mystery surrounding the pyramid is how the precious materials reached Giza. While the yellowish limestone for internal structures was mined locally, the fine white stones came from Tura, 8 miles away, and the granite from Aswan, over 500 miles away. Ancient Egyptians likely used wooden sleds to move stones closer to the construction site, pouring water on sand to reduce friction (Lehner, 1997). The stones were shipped across the Nile by boats, with canals connecting the river to the plateau. Evidence of an ancient port near the necropolis suggests skilled, well-paid workers built the pyramids, enjoying a good diet and health care (Hawass, 2006).

The Legacy of the Great Pyramid

The Egyptians spared no effort or expense in paying tribute to their ruler, using approximately 8,000 tons of granite and 5.5 million tons of limestone. The total weight of the edifice was about 6 million tons, with 500,000 tons of mortar holding the stones together. This unique compound, likely made of gypsum mineral, remains a mystery as researchers have yet to fully recreate it, but it continues to fulfill its task thousands of years later (Arnold, 1991).

References:

• Arnold, D. (1991). Building in Egypt: Pharaonic Stone Masonry. Oxford University Press.
• Hawass, Z. (2006). The Pyramids: The Mystery, Culture, and Science of Egypt’s Great Monuments. American University in Cairo Press.
• Lehner, M. (1997). The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries. Thames & Hudson.