The Great Pyramid - General Description
Pyramids in general were built to safeguard the afterlife of the pharaohs. Ancient Egyptians believed that when a pharaoh died, he became king of the dead. Because of this they wanted to take proper care of the pharaoh even after death to ensure he was able to carry out his duties accordingly. The Great Pyramid was estimated to have been built around circa 2550 B.C. and it was built to shelter Pharaoh Khufu. The Great Pyramid is located in Giza , now modern-day Cairo . This wonder of the world is the largest pyramid ever built and took about 2.3 million stone blocks that weighed 2.0 to 2.5 tons each. The pyramid houses three burial chambers, the first which is located underground, the second to house a sacred statue of the king, and the third which is the king’s chamber.
The Great Pyramid - Architectural Design
A common inaccuracy made during this time was that pyramids were built by slaves or foreigners. Research done on skeletons from this era show that the builders were actually Egyptians who lived in villages under the pharaoh’s supervisors. Among these communities there were bakers, butchers, brewers, houses, cemeteries, and even healthcare facilities. The Great Pyramid was constructed by using a total of 2.3 million blocks of limestone and granite. Each block weighed anywhere between 2-2.5 tons. The construction time was estimated to have begun somewhere from 2550 B.C. to 2589 B.C and it’s said to have taken about 20 years to finish. The estimate weight of the Great Pyramid is 6.5 million tons. The base of the pyramid covers 13 acres and the original length of each side was 754 feet. The original height was 481 feet tall. The Great Pyramid boasts many architectural designs used in the 20th century. One of those would be cornerstones which are used in modern day bridge designs. The Great Pyramid’s cornerstones have balls and sockets built into them to keep the monument safe from natural disasters such as earthquakes and other natural events. Without these cornerstones in place the Great Pyramid would have sustained great losses to its outer core.
The Great Pyramid - Harmony with Nature
The Great Pyramid’s features are so large they can be seen from space. Even more magnificent is the fact that the Great Pyramid was built upon a flat solid granite mountain, which is the only surface known to withstand the weight of the Great Pyramid. This structure was built facing exactly north and is located at the exact center of the Earth’s land mass.
The Great Pyramid - Symbolism and Sacred Objects
Ancient Egyptians believed that when the pharaoh died, he would become Osiris, king of the dead. The one whose place he took would become Horus, god of the heavens and protector of the sun god. The rising and setting of the sun is what they believed symbolized this ritual. Because of this ritual the Ancient Egyptians took special care to house the dead spirits of their pharaohs to make sure each pharaoh could carry out his new post. If they prevented him from his duties, the rising and setting of the sun would be broken, thus causing chaos among Egypt . Some built massive tombs while others built pyramids to safeguard their presence. The Egyptian Pyramids were modeled on a sacred, pointed stone called the benben. The benben symbolized the rays of the sun; the claim was that the pharaohs would reach the heavens from these sunbeams. One of the most significant things about the Great Pyramid is that it does not house the remains of Pharaoh Khufu. The Great Pyramid has three burial chambers. The inside of the chamber is thought to belong to the King. There is a red granite sarcophagus placed exactly at the center of the pyramid, but this sarcophagus does not contain the remains of Pharaoh Khufu.
The Great Pyramid - How it is used by worshippers
The earlier pyramids were used by worshippers in a sense to house the remains of pharaohs and preserve their afterlife. This cannot be said for The Great Pyramid because when explorers journeyed to the different chambers they were not able to locate any treasures or even the mummified remains of a pharaoh. Even more surprising is the fact that many of the outer case stones were removed from the Great Pyramid by the Arab community about 600 years ago. Studies show they removed these stones to assist with building the surrounding city of Cairo . By the time Arabs invaded Egypt during the 17th century, there was no connection made to the religious relevance and therefore they removed pieces of the Great Pyramid for other projects. At one point and time tourists scaled and tunneled through the Great Pyramid, helping to destroy the outer core. Zahi Hawass, a longtime investigator at Giza and now the Chairman of the SCA ( Egypt 's Supreme Council of Antiquities), can be credited for bringing these exhibitions to a halt. As of now people are no longer allowed to ascend and explore within the tomb because it’s non-intrusive, neither are planes allowed to fly above it for it has received national protection.
Sources
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pyramids/khufu.html
http://www.europa.com/~edge/pyramid.html
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pyramids/khufu.html
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