Which pharaoh built the first pyramid. Pyramid of Cheops - the largest pyramid in Egypt

Several thousand years ago, when the ancient Egyptians built the three pyramids of Giza, there were no sight cameras or anything like that for each of the three pharaohs Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. And so scientists had to get together to solve great secret like these huge historical monuments were built.

Over the past two decades, a series of new discoveries and studies have allowed scientists to paint a clearer picture of these feats.

Pyramids of Giza

The first and largest pyramid at Giza was built by Pharaoh Khufu (his reign began around 2551 BC). His 455 feet (138 meters) tall pyramid, which today is known as " Great Pyramid"and is considered one of the wonders of the world.

The pyramid of Khafre (his reign began around 2520 BC) was only slightly smaller than Khufu's, but stood on higher ground. Many scholars believe that the Sphinx monument, located near Khafre's pyramid, was built by Khafre and that the Sphinx's face was modeled on him.

The third pharaoh responsible for the pyramid at Giza was Menkaure (whose reign began around 2490 BC), and he built a smaller pyramid 215 feet (65 m) high.

Over the past two decades, researchers have made a number of discoveries related to the pyramids, including a city built near the pyramid of Menkaure. A study showing how water can facilitate the movement of blocks and papyrus found in the Red Sea. This allowed researchers to better understand how the Pyramids of Giza were built. New discoveries complement old knowledge gained over the past two centuries.

Development of methods for constructing a pyramid

The methods used to create the Pyramids of Giza were developed over several centuries, going through all the problems and failures that any modern scientist or engineer might encounter.

The pyramids arose from simple rectangular tombs that were built in Egypt more than 5,000 years ago, and according to the findings, they were made by archaeologist Sir Flinders Petrie.

Great progress occurred during the reign of Pharaoh Djoser (reign began around 2630 BC). His tomb at Saqqara began as a simple rectangular tomb before becoming a six-layered step pyramid with underground tunnels and chambers.

Another leap in pyramid building technique occurred during the reign of Pharaoh Shefru (his reign began around 2575 BC), who built at least three pyramids. The architects of Chefru, instead of building step pyramids, developed techniques to design smooth, true pyramids.

It appears that Chefru's architects have run into problems. One of the pyramids they built on the site of Dahshur is known today as the "bent pyramid" because the angle of the pyramid changes slightly, giving the structure a bent appearance.

Scientists typically view a bent corner as the result of a design defect.

The architects of Chefru would have corrected the defect; the second pyramid at Dahshur, known today as the "red pyramid", named after the color of its stones, has a regular angle, making it a true pyramid.

Snefru's son, Khufu, took lessons from his father and previous predecessors to build the "Great Pyramid", the largest pyramid in the world.

Construction of the pyramids

The pharaohs appointed high-ranking officials to supervise the construction of the pyramids.

In 2010, a team of archaeologists discovered papyri dating to the reign of Khufu at the site of Wadi al-Jarf on the Red Sea coast.

The text of the papyrus said that in the 27th year of Khufu’s reign, his half-brother Anhaf was the vizier (the highest official, adviser to the pharaoh in ) and “the head of all the affairs of the pharaoh,” as archaeologists Pierre Tallet and Gregory Maruard wrote in the journal “Near Eastern Archeology.” .

At the time, the papyri said Anhaf was in charge of the pharaoh, and many scholars believe that there may have been another person, perhaps the vizier Hemiunu, responsible for the construction of the pyramid during Khufu's early reign.

Researchers are still working to understand the complex planning that would have been involved in the construction of the pyramid, and that would have been required to build not only the pyramids, but also the temples, boats and cemeteries located near the huge structures.

The researchers noted that the Egyptians were able to precisely coordinate construction with the cardinal directions, which could help in planning the construction of the pyramids.

Glen Dash, an engineer studying the pyramids at Giza with the Ancient Egyptian Research Association (AERA), noted that Khufu's pyramid is aligned precisely to the north, within one tenth of a degree.

How the ancient Egyptians did this is not entirely clear. In a report published in the AERA newsletter, Dash writes that the construction method used was the North Star and a piece of rope.

Construction materials and food

Over the past few years, AERA archaeologists have excavated and studied the port at Giza, which was used for shipping building materials, food and labor transportation.

Papyri found at Wadi al-Jarf refer to the importance of Giza's ports, stating that the limestone blocks used in the outer body of the pyramid were transported from the quarries to the pyramid's construction site by boats.

The port found by AERA archaeologists is located in a city built near the Pyramid of Menkaure.

There were in this city big houses for high-ranking officials, a barracks complex that likely housed troops and buildings where it was discovered a large number of clay tablets (used in record keeping).

Ordinary workers probably slept in simple dwellings near the pyramid.

Estimates given by various archaeologists for the size of the Giza workforce tend to hover around 10,000 for all three pyramids.

These people were well-fed; In a study published in 2013, Richard Redding, chief scientist at AERA, and colleagues found that sufficient amounts of coarse cattle, sheep and goats were killed every day, to produce an average of 4,000 pounds of meat to feed the pyramid builders.

The conclusion was described in detail in the book “Proceedings of the 10th meeting Working group ICAZ "Archaeozoology of South-West Asia and adjacent areas".

Redding discovered that the animals were brought from sites in the Nile Delta and kept in pens until they were killed and fed to the workers.

Redding concluded that the workers' diet, which was rich in meat, may have served as an incentive for people to work on the pyramids. They probably got a lot Better conditions and food than in my village,” Redding wrote in Live Science in 2013.

Mining blocks

Many of the stones used to build Khufu's pyramids came from a quarry located south of the pyramid, wrote Mark Lechner, an Egyptologist who heads AERA, and engineer David Goodman.

They published their findings back in 1985 in the journal Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts. According to the researchers, the builders used blocks from a quarry located southeast of the Pyramid of Menkaure.

However, it is not clear which quarry was used for Khafre's pyramid.

When completed, each of the Giza pyramids was given a smooth outer shell of limestone. Not only that, but the outer shell was reused for other construction projects in Egypt for thousands of years.

A papyrus found at Wadi el-Jarf tells that the limestone used in the body was taken from a quarry located in Tura, near modern Cairo, and was sent to Giza by boat along the Nile River. Papyre said that one boat trip took four days.

Moving Blocks

To move stones overland, the Egyptians used large sleds that could be pushed or pulled by teams of workers.

The sand in front of the sleds was likely moistened with water to reduce friction, thereby making the sleds easier to move, according to a team of physicists from the University of Amsterdam, found in a study published in 2014 in the journal Physical Review Letters.

“It turns out that wetting Egyptian desert sand could significantly reduce friction, causing only half the number of people needed to pull a sled onto wet sand compared to dry sand,” says Daniel Bonn, a professor of physics at the University of Amsterdam.

Scientists have noted that there is an ancient Egyptian painting depicting water spilled in front of a sleigh.

Most Egyptologists agree that when the stones were brought to the pyramids, a system of ramps was used to lift the stones. However, Egyptologists did not know how these ramps were developed.

Little evidence has survived for the construction of ramps, but several hypothetical designs have been proposed over the past few decades.

The scientists of this project are in the process of studying and reconstructing the Pyramids of Giza using various technologies. In addition to learning more about the construction of the pyramids, the project may also reveal whether there are any other chambers built inside.

general information

Among the Egyptian pyramids there are huge and smaller ones, with a smooth surface and stepped ones, very well preserved and reminiscent of a pile of ruins. They can be observed in Saqqara and Memphis, Hawar and Upper Egypt, Medum and Abusir, El Lahun and Abu Rawash. However, the main tourist sites Only a few are considered, namely the pyramids in Giza, a suburb of the Egyptian capital, erected, as is commonly believed, during the reign of the IV-VI dynasties of the pharaohs, which occurred in the XXVI-XXIII centuries BC. e.

Looking at these grandiose creations of human hands, you can’t help but wonder: how much effort and time was spent on the construction of such structures that seem, at least in their scale, to be absolutely useless. Either the pharaohs who ruled 45 centuries ago thereby wanted to emphasize their own divinity and the greatness of their era, or these buildings contain a certain hidden meaning, is still inaccessible to our understanding. But it is difficult to comprehend it, because the secrets are securely hidden under a layer of millennia, and we have no choice but to make guesses and versions, hoping that sooner or later everything secret will definitely become clear...

Secrets of the Egyptian pyramids

Egyptian pyramids shrouded in an aura of myths and secrets, and with the passage of time and the development of science, there are still more questions than answers. As the proverb says: “Everything in the world is afraid of time, but time itself is afraid of the pyramids.” Interest is also fueled by various theories about the appearance of these majestic monuments. Lovers of the mystical consider pyramids to be powerful sources of energy and believe that the pharaohs spent time in them not only after death, but also during life, in order to draw strength. There are also completely incredible ideas: for example, some believe that the Egyptian pyramids were built by aliens, and others that the blocks were moved by people who owned a magic crystal. Let's look at the generally accepted and most likely scenario.

Religion in life Ancient Egypt occupied a dominant position. It shaped both the worldview of the people and their entire culture. Death was perceived only as a transition to another world, so preparation for it had to take place in advance, even during earthly life. However, the privilege of remaining “immortal” was, as it was believed, only with the pharaoh and his family members. And he, at his discretion, could bestow it on those around him. Commoners were deprived of the right to afterlife, with the exception of servants and slaves, whom the powerful ruler “took” with him. Nothing should have interfered with the comfortable “existence” of a high-ranking deceased, so he was provided with everything necessary - food supplies, household utensils, weapons, servants.

At first, rulers were buried in special “afterlife houses”, and in order for the pharaoh’s body to be preserved for centuries, it was embalmed. These early funerary buildings - mastabas - appeared during the period of the first dynasties. They consisted of an underground burial chamber and an above-ground part in the form of a stone structure, where prayer rooms were equipped and burial goods were located. In cross-section, these tombs resembled a trapezoid. They were built in Abydos, Nagadea, and Upper Egypt. The main necropolis of the then capital of the first dynasties - the city of Memphis - was located in Saqqara.

Actually, pyramid-shaped tombs began to be built about 5 thousand years ago. The initiator of their construction was Pharaoh Djoser (or Necherikhet), the first in the III dynasty of the Old Kingdom. The construction of the necropolis named after this ruler was led by the supreme dignitary and famous architect of his time, Imhotep, who was almost equated to a deity. If we discard all the fantastic versions about the contacts of the then rulers with aliens and proceed from the fact that these structures were built by people on their own, then the scale of the work and their labor intensity cannot but impress. Experts tried to establish their chronology and nature, and this is the results they came to. Since the pyramids are made of stone blocks, the question immediately arose: where and how were they mined? It turned out to be in the rocks...

Having marked in rock shape and hollowed out grooves, they inserted dry trees into them and watered them with water. They expanded from moisture and created cracks in the rock, facilitating the process of extracting blocks. Then they were immediately processed on the spot with tools and, having been given the desired shape, were sent by river to the construction site. But how did the Egyptians lift these heavy masses to the top? First, they were loaded onto wooden sleds and pulled along gentle embankments. By modern standards, such technologies look backward. However, the quality of work is top level! The megaliths are so closely adjacent to each other that there are practically no discrepancies.

The Pyramid of Djoser, located in Saqqara, is considered the very first pyramid in Egypt and the oldest surviving such large stone structure in the world (its size is 125 by 115 meters with a height of 62 meters). It was built in 2670 BC. e. and has the appearance of a structure with six huge tiled steps. Because of such an unusual shape, in those distant times it was called a “false pyramid.” The pyramid of Djoser began to attract the attention of travelers since the Middle Ages, and this interest has not dried up to this day.

The architect did not initially plan to build such a pyramid. The tomb became stepped during construction. The presence of steps clearly reveals a symbolic meaning: it was along them that the deceased pharaoh had to ascend to heaven. This structure also differed from previous necropolises in that it was built of stone rather than brick. And one more feature: the presence of a very wide and deep vertical shaft, covered with a dome on top. There is nothing like this in the pyramids built later. Of no less interest to archaeologists and Egyptologists are the marble fragments under the sarcophagus, on which carved images resembling stars can be seen. These are clearly fragments of some unknown structure, but no one knows which one.

The pyramid of Djoser was not intended only for himself, and this also differs from other similar structures. The ruler and members of his family were buried in the burial chambers, 12 in total. Archaeologists have discovered the mummy of an 8-9-year-old boy, apparently a son. But the body of the pharaoh himself could not be found. Perhaps the mummified heel found here belonged to him. Even in ancient times, it is believed that robbers entered the tomb, probably kidnapping its dead “owner.”

However, the version of the robbery does not seem so clear. When examining the internal galleries, gold jewelry, porphyry bowls, clay and stone jugs and other valuables were discovered. Why didn't the thieves take away all this wealth? Historians were also interested in the seals affixed to small clay vessels. The name “Sekemhet” was inscribed on them, translated as “mighty in body.” It clearly belonged to an unknown pharaoh of one of the powerful dynasties. Everything indicated that in ancient times the construction of another pyramid had begun here, but for some reason it was not completed. They even discovered an empty sarcophagus, the internal state of which led to the conclusion that no one was buried here...

As for the Pyramid of Djoser itself, the attraction has been well preserved to this day and is open to tourists. The entrance to it, like to other buildings on the territory, is located on the north side. A tunnel equipped with columns leads inside. The northern temple, the location of which is clear from the name itself, forms a single architectural ensemble with the pyramid. Funeral services were held there and sacrifices were made in the name of the pharaoh.

Egyptian pyramids in Giza

The most famous among all the Egyptian pyramids are the so-called great pyramids located in Giza - the third largest city in the modern Arab Republic of Egypt, with a population of almost 3 million people. The metropolis is located on the western bank of the Nile, about 20 km from Cairo and is a virtual suburb of the capital.

The Great Pyramids of Giza are today the most popular ancient monuments in the country. Over the years, visiting them has become almost a ritual for tourists. Fly to Egypt and not see these majestic buildings with your own eyes? This is impossible to imagine! Many travelers even consider this place to be spiritual, connected to space, and visiting here becomes akin to some kind of healing. Recent studies have shown that the builders of the necropolises surprisingly accurately directed them to the belt of the constellation Orion, which has an as yet unsolved meaning. It is also interesting that their edges are oriented to the sides of the sun, and this is done with the same precision.

The Egyptian pyramids at Giza are undoubtedly an extremely impressive sight. Their sandstone facades reflect sunlight: They are pink in the morning, golden during the day and turn dark purple at dusk. It is impossible not to admire the feat of engineering and organization that resulted in millions of stone blocks being transported from one location to another and precisely stacked on top of each other without power plants or lifting equipment.

The complex of the great pyramids consists of the tombs of three ancient rulers - Cheops, Khafre and Mikerin. Unlike the previous “houses after life” (macabs), these necropolises have a strict pyramidal shape. Moreover, the first of them is the only one of the seven wonders of the world that has survived to this day.

Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu)

You can talk about the pyramid of Cheops (or Khufu) for a long time and a lot, but the story in any case will be incomplete, because it continues to contain many unsolved secrets. One of them is the focus on North Pole exactly along the meridian: with its top, the monumental structure “looks” at the North Star. It is amazing how ancient architects could make such accurate calculations without having modern astronomical instruments in their hands. This accuracy has even less error than the famous Paris Observatory.

Cheops, the second pharaoh of the fourth dynasty of Ancient Egypt, who reigned for 27 years, has the reputation of a cruel and despotic ruler. He literally exhausted the resources of his kingdom, directing them to the construction of the pyramid. He was also merciless to his people, forcing them to do back-breaking work to build their posthumous “dwelling.” The Great Pyramid was built in three stages, as evidenced by the corresponding number of chambers. The first, its area is 8 by 14 meters, was carved deep into the rock, the second (5.7 x 5.2 m) - under the top of the pyramid. The third chamber - it is the only one of them completed - became the tomb of the pharaoh. Special mention should be made about her. It stretches 10.4 m from west to east, and 5.2 m from south to north. The granite slabs that line the room fit together flawlessly. Nine monolithic blocks form the ceiling, their total weight is 400 tons.

Each cell has its own “hallway”, connected to neighboring corridors-shafts. At first, the entrance to the tomb was on the north side and was located above the base at a height of 25 meters. Currently, you can enter the pyramid from another place, and this entrance is not so high. The builders could hardly have imagined that after several thousand years their creation would become a tourist attraction, so the 40-meter corridor was made not only narrow, but also low. Numerous tourists have to cross it crouching down. The corridor ends wooden stairs. It leads to the same low room, which is the center of the entire necropolis.

The height of the Cheops pyramid is more than 146 meters - this is the “height” of a 50-story skyscraper. After the Great Wall of China, it is the largest structure ever erected in human history. The attraction is not “alone”; there are several other buildings around it. Of these, only three companion pyramids and the ruins of a mortuary temple have survived to this day. It is obvious that no less effort was put into their construction. According to the most common version, the companion pyramids were intended for the wives of the ruler.

Pyramid of Khafre (Khafre)

A pharaoh named Khafre was either the son or brother of Cheops and reigned after him. His pyramid, located nearby, is somewhat smaller, however, at first glance, it is perceived as more significant. And all because it stands on some elevation. The Pyramid of Khafre was found during archaeological excavations in 1860. The tomb of this ancient Egyptian ruler 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. Being the oldest monumental sculpture preserved on our planet (its length is 72 m, height is 20 m), it is interesting in itself. Egyptologists are inclined to think that the tombs of the two pharaohs, together with the sphinx, constitute a single burial complex. Slaves, it is believed, were not involved in the construction of this pyramid: free workers were hired for this purpose...

Top of Khafre's pyramid

Pyramid of Mikerin (Menkaure)

And finally, the Pyramid of Mikerin is the third in the complex of great monuments of Giza. It is also known as the Pyramid of Menkaure, named after the fifth pharaoh of the fourth ancient Egyptian dynasty. Little is known about this ruler - only that he was the son of Cheops (at least, this is what the ancient Greek historian Herodotus claimed). This necropolis is called the “younger brother” of the two above-mentioned tombs: it was built later than the others and the lowest of them, its height is just over 65 meters. Such modest sizes indicate the decline of the ancient kingdom and the lack of resources necessary for construction.

However, the monumentality of the structure as such did not suffer from this. For example, the weight of one of the blocks used in the construction of the mortuary temple exceeds 200 tons, making it the heaviest on the Giza plateau. Just imagine what superhuman efforts had to be made to hoist this colossus into place. And the majestic statue of the pharaoh himself, seated inside the temple! It is one of the largest sculptures that personify that mysterious era... The pyramid of Mykerinus, as the smallest one, could have begun the destruction of the entire historical and architectural complex in Giza, conceived by Sultan al-Malik al-Aziza, who ruled at the end of the 12th century. Work to dismantle the necropolis lasted about a year, but the practical result was minimal. The Sultan was ultimately forced to curtail them, since his, frankly speaking, stupid and unjustified undertaking entailed exorbitant expenses.

Sphinx

At the base of the sacred causeway that once connected the pyramid of Khafre with the Nile, there is the Sphinx - a mysterious sculpture with the head of Khafre attached to the body of a lion. In Egyptian mythology, sphinxes were guardian deities, and this sculpture is a protective monument 73 m long and 20 m high. After the death of the pharaoh, the body of the Sphinx was gradually covered by the desert sands. Thutmose IV believed that the statue spoke to him and told him that he would become pharaoh if he cleared the sand, which he hastened to do. Since then, the ancient Egyptians believed that the monument had prophetic powers.

Solar Boat Museum

Behind the Pyramid of Cheops is the Museum of the Solar Boat, where a beautifully restored cedar boat is kept, on which dead body The pharaoh was transported from the east to the west bank of the Nile.

Useful information for tourists

The Great Pyramid complex of Giza is open to the public from 8:00 to 17:00 daily. The exception is winter months(opening hours until 16:30) and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when access closes at 15:00.

Some travelers believe that if the pyramids are located under open air and are not a museum in the literal sense of the word, then here you can feel free to climb and climb onto these structures. Remember: doing this is strictly prohibited - in the interests of your own safety!

Before you agree to enter the pyramids, objectively assess your psychological state and physical health. People who have a fear of closed spaces (claustrophobia) should skip this part of the tour. Due to the fact that the inside of the tombs is usually dry, hot and a little dusty, it is not recommended for asthmatics, hypertensive patients and those suffering from other diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous system to enter here.

How much will an excursion to the area of ​​the Egyptian pyramids cost a tourist? Cost has several components. The entrance ticket will cost you 60 Egyptian pounds, which is equivalent to about 8 euros. Do you want to go to the Cheops pyramid? For this you will have to pay 100 pounds or 13 euros. A tour from the inside of the Pyramid of Khafre is much cheaper - £20 or €2.60.

A visit to the Solar Boat Museum, which is located south of the Cheops Pyramid, is also paid separately (40 pounds or 5 euros). Photography is allowed in the pyramid area, 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.

Many tourists admit that, after getting to know the main attractions, they leave it amazing place, literally imbued with the spirit of antiquity, I don’t want it at all. In such cases, you can rent camels for leisurely walks. Their owners wait for clients right at the foot of the pyramids. They may charge an inflated price for their services. Don’t agree to it right away, bargain and you’ll get a discount.

• The Pyramid of Cheops is the only surviving wonder of the world.
• The pyramids took two centuries to build and were erected several at a time. Now, according to research by various scientists, their age ranges from 4 to 10 thousand years.
• In addition to precise mathematical proportions, pyramids have another feature in this area. The stone blocks are arranged in such a way that there are no gaps between them; even the thinnest blade will not fit through there.
• Each side of the pyramid is located in the direction of one side of the world.
• The Cheops Pyramid, the largest in the world, reaches a height of 146 meters and weighs more than six million tons.
• If you want to know how the Egyptian pyramids were created, Interesting Facts You can learn about construction from the pyramids themselves. Construction scenes are depicted on the walls of the passages. The edges 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 hum from such heat.
• A perfectly straight foundation was made for the Cheops pyramid, so the edges differ from each other by only five centimeters.
• The first pyramid built dates back to 2670 BC. e. In appearance, it resembles several pyramids located next to each other. The architect created the type of masonry that helped achieve this effect.
• The Cheops Pyramid is made of 2.3 million blocks, perfectly aligned and suitable friend to friend.
• 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 bakery were discovered there.

Camels against the backdrop of the Giza pyramids

How to get there

Tourists from Russia and the CIS countries usually prefer to spend their holidays in Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurghada and often want to combine a holiday with magnificent beaches with a visit to the pyramid complex at Giza. Since the resorts are located quite far from the named city, you can only get there as part of an excursion group. If you go by bus, you will have to spend 6 to 8 hours on the road. It's faster by plane: you'll get there in just 60 minutes. You can also get there by car with a driver. This is much more comfortable, but it will take a significant hit on your wallet.

Those who are on vacation in Cairo or are in the Egyptian capital on a business trip are in a more advantageous position. They can take the bus (routes no. 900 and 997) or the metro (yellow line no. 2, exit at Giza station). Alternatively, you can call a taxi or catch one in Tahrir Square. The trip will cost more than using public transport, but you will get there faster, in just half an hour. You can go back and forth with the same car, but you will have to pay a little more.

You can get to Giza from the capital by taking a bus in the New Cairo area (aka Heliopolis), which follows one of two routes: No. 355 or No. 357. These comfortable vehicles, running every 20 minutes, are marked with the letters CTA, by which they are easy to recognize. The final stop is located just before the entrance to the pyramid zone, at the intersection.

There are fewer and fewer unsolved mysteries on our planet every year. Constant improvement of technology, collaboration of scientists various areas science reveals to us the secrets and mysteries of history. But the secrets of the pyramids still defy understanding - all discoveries give scientists only tentative answers to many questions. Who built the Egyptian pyramids, what was the construction technology, is there a curse of the pharaohs - these and many other questions still remain without an exact answer.

Description of the Egyptian pyramids

Archaeologists talk about 118 pyramids in Egypt, partially or completely preserved to this day. Their age ranges from 4 to 10 thousand years. One of them - Cheops - is the only surviving “miracle” from the “Seven Wonders of the World”. The complex called the “Great Pyramids of Giza”, which includes and, was also considered as a participant in the “New Seven Wonders of the World” competition, but was withdrawn from participation, since these majestic structures are actually a “wonder of the world” on the ancient list.

These pyramids have become the most visited excursion sites in Egypt. They are perfectly preserved, which cannot be said about many other buildings - time has not been kind to them. And local residents contributed to the destruction of the majestic necropolises, removing the cladding and breaking out stones from the walls to build their houses.

Egyptian pyramids were built by pharaohs who ruled from the 27th century BC. e. and later. They were intended for the repose of rulers. The enormous scale of the tombs (some reaching almost 150 m in height) was supposed to testify to the greatness of the buried pharaohs; things that the ruler loved during his life and that would be useful to him in the afterlife were also placed here.

For construction, stone blocks of various sizes were used, which were hollowed out of the rocks, and later brick began to serve as material for the walls. The stone blocks were ground and adjusted so that a knife blade could not slip between them. The blocks were stacked on top of each other with an offset of several centimeters, which formed a stepped surface of the structure. Almost all Egyptian pyramids have a square base, the sides of which are oriented strictly to the cardinal points.

Since the pyramids performed the same function, that is, they served as the burial place of the pharaohs, their structure and decoration are similar inside. The main component is the burial hall, where the sarcophagus of the ruler was installed. The entrance was not located at ground level, but several meters higher, and was masked with facing slabs. Stairs and passages-corridors led from the entrance to the inner hall, which sometimes narrowed so much that they could only be walked on squatting or crawling.

In most necropolises, burial halls (chambers) are located below ground level. Ventilation was carried out through narrow shaft-channels that penetrated the walls. Rock paintings and ancient religious texts are found on the walls of many pyramids - in fact, from them scientists draw some of the information about the construction and owners of burials.

The main mysteries of the pyramids

The list of unsolved mysteries begins with the shape of the necropolises. Why was the pyramid shape chosen, which is translated from Greek as “polyhedron”? Why were the edges located clearly in the cardinal directions? How were huge stone blocks moved from the excavation site and how were they raised to great heights? Were the buildings built by aliens or people in possession of a magic crystal?

Scientists even argue over the question of who built such tall monumental structures that stood for thousands of years. Some believe that they were built by slaves, who died by the hundreds of thousands during the construction of each. However, new discoveries by archaeologists and anthropologists convince us that the builders were free people who received good food And medical care. They made such conclusions based on the composition of the bones, the structure of the skeletons and the treated injuries of the buried builders.

Mystical coincidences were attributed to all the deaths and deaths of people involved in the exploration of the Egyptian pyramids, which provoked rumors and talk about the curse of the pharaohs. There is no scientific evidence for this. Perhaps the rumors were started to scare away thieves and looters who wanted to find valuables and jewelry in the graves.

Mysterious interesting facts include the short time frame for the construction of the Egyptian pyramids. According to calculations, large necropolises with that level of technology should have been built in no less than a century. How, for example, was the Cheops pyramid built in just 20 years?

Great Pyramids

This is the name of the funeral complex near the city of Giza, consisting of three large pyramids, a huge statue of the Sphinx and small satellite pyramids, probably intended for the wives of rulers.

The original height of the Cheops pyramid was 146 m, the side length was 230 m. It was built in 20 years in the 26th century BC. e. The largest of Egypt's landmarks has not one, but three burial chambers. One of them is below ground level, and two are above the base line. Intertwining corridors lead to the burial chambers. Along them you can go to the chamber of the pharaoh (king), to the queen's chamber and to the lower hall. The Pharaoh's Chamber is a chamber made of pink granite, measuring 10x5 m. It contains a granite sarcophagus without a lid. Not a single report by scientists contained information about the mummies found, so it is unknown whether Cheops was buried here. By the way, the mummy of Cheops was not found in other tombs.

It still remains a mystery whether the Cheops pyramid was used for its intended purpose, and if so, then apparently it was plundered by looters in past centuries. The name of the ruler, by whose order and design this tomb was built, was learned from the drawings and hieroglyphs above the burial chamber. All other Egyptian pyramids, with the exception of Djoser, have a simpler engineering design.

Two other necropolises in Giza, built for the heirs of Cheops, are somewhat more modest in size:

Tourists travel to Giza from all over Egypt, because this city is actually a suburb of Cairo, and all transport interchanges lead to it. Travelers from Russia usually travel to Giza as part of excursion groups from Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada. The trip is long, 6-8 hours one way, so the excursion usually lasts 2 days.

Great structures can only be visited in work time, usually until 5 p.m., in the month of Ramadan - until 3 p.m. It is not recommended for asthmatics, as well as people suffering from claustrophobia, nervous and cardiovascular diseases, to enter inside. Be sure to take drinking water and hats with you on the excursion. The excursion fee consists of several parts:

1. Entrance to the complex.
2. Entrance inside the pyramid of Cheops or Khafre.
3. Entrance to the Museum of the Solar Boat, on which the body of the pharaoh was transported across the Nile.

With the Egyptian pyramids in the background, many people like to take photos while sitting on camels. You can bargain with camel owners.

Pyramid of Djoser

The first pyramid in the world is located in Saqqara, near Memphis - former capital Ancient Egypt. Today, the pyramid of Djoser is not as attractive to tourists as the necropolis of Cheops, but at one time it was the largest in the country and the most complex in engineering design.

The funeral complex included chapels, courtyards, and storage facilities. The six-step pyramid itself does not have a square base, but a rectangular one, with sides 125x110 m. The height of the structure itself is 60 m, inside it there are 12 burial chambers, where Djoser himself and members of his family were supposedly buried. The pharaoh's mummy was not found during excavations. The entire territory of the complex, 15 hectares in size, was surrounded by a 10 m high stone wall. Currently, part of the wall and other buildings have been restored, and the pyramid, which is approximately 4700 years old, has been preserved quite well.

architectural monuments of Ancient Egypt, including one of the “seven wonders of the world” - the Pyramid of Cheops and an honorary candidate for the “new seven wonders of the world” - the Pyramids of Giza. Pyramids are huge pyramid-shaped stone structures that were used as tombs for the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. The word "pyramid" is Greek and means polyhedron. According to some researchers, a large pile of wheat became the prototype of the pyramid. According to other scientists, this word comes from the name of a pyramid-shaped funeral cake. A total of 118 pyramids have been discovered in Egypt (as of November 2008).

Predecessors of the pyramids

When mentioning the Egyptian pyramids, they usually mean the Great Pyramids located in Giza, not far from Cairo. But they are not the only pyramids in Egypt. Many other pyramids are much less well preserved and now resemble hills or piles of stones.

During the period of the first dynasties, special “houses after life” appeared - mastabas - funeral buildings, consisting of an underground burial chamber and a stone structure above the surface of the earth. The term itself dates back to Arab times and is due to the fact that the shape of these tombs, similar in section to a trapezoid, reminded the Arabs of large benches called “mastaba”.

The first pharaohs also built mastabas for themselves. The most ancient royal mastabas, dating back to the First Dynasty, were built from adobes - unfired bricks made of clay and/or river silt. They were built in Nagadei Abydos in Upper Egypt|Upper Egypt, as well as in Saqqara, where the main necropolis of Memphis, the capital of the rulers of the first dynasties, was located. In the above-ground part of these buildings there were chapels and rooms with burial goods, and in the underground part there were the burial chambers themselves.

The largest pyramids in Egypt

• Pyramid of Cheops (IV dynasty): base size - 230 m (height - 146.6 m);
• Pyramid of Khafre (IV Dynasty): 215 m (143 m);
• Pink Pyramid, Snefru (IV Dynasty): 219 m (105 m);
• Bent Pyramid, Sneferu (IV Dynasty): 189 m (105 m);
• Pyramid at Meidum, Sneferu (IV Dynasty): 144 m (94 m);
• Pyramid of Djoser (III Dynasty): 121 × 109 m (62 m).

Dating of the building

Pharaoh	Approximate dates	Location
Djoser	OK. 2630-2612 BC e.	Saqqara
Sneferu	OK. 2612-2589 BC e.	2 pyramids in Dahshur and one in Meidum
Khufu	OK. 2589-2566 BC e.	Giza
Djedefra	OK. 2566-2558 BC e.	Abu Rawash
Khafre	OK. 2558-2532 BC e.	Giza
Mikerin (Menkaura)	OK. 2532-2504 BC e.	Giza
Sahura	OK. 2487-2477 BC e.	Abusir
Neferirkara Kakai	OK. 2477-2467 BC e.	Abusir
Niuserra Isi	OK. 2416-2392 BC e.	Abusir
Amenemhet I	OK. 1991-1962 BC e.	El Lisht
Senusret I	OK. 1971-1926 BC e.	El Lisht
Senusret II	OK. 1898-1877 BC e.	El Lahun
Amenemhet III	OK. 1861-1814 BC e.	Hawara

Pyramids of the 3rd dynasty pharaohs

Pyramid Hubs

In the central part of the pyramid in Zawiet el-Erian, the structure of the masonry is clearly visible - the layers of stone are slightly inclined towards the center and seem to rest on it (for this reason it is sometimes also called “Layer”). The construction material is small rough-hewn stone and clay mortar. The technology used to build the pyramid at Zawiyet el-Erian is similar to that used to build the pyramid of Sekhemkhet and the Step Pyramid at Saqqara.

Pyramid of Djoser

This is the first step-type pyramid, called the Pyramid of Djoser. The building dates back to approximately 2670 BC, and in appearance resembles several mastabas of decreasing size stacked on top of each other. Most likely, this was exactly the intention of the architect of this pyramid, Imhotep. Imhotep developed a method of masonry using cut stone. Subsequently, the Egyptians deeply revered the architect of the first pyramid, and even deified him. He was considered the son of the god Ptah, patron of arts and crafts.

The Pyramid of Djoser is located at Saqqara, northeast of ancient Memphis, 15 km from Giza. Its height is 62 m.

Pyramids of the IV Dynasty pharaohs

Bent pyramid

The historical significance of the Pink Pyramid is that it is the first royal tomb with a regular pyramidal shape. Although the “pink” tomb is considered the first “true” pyramid, it is characterized by an extremely low slope of the walls (only 43°36"; base 218.5 × 221.5 m with a height of 104.4 m).

The name is due to the fact that the limestone blocks that make up the pyramid take on a pink color in the rays of the setting sun. Entrance through a sloping passage on the north side descends into three adjacent chambers accessible to the public. This pyramid is attributed to Snefru because his name is inscribed in red paint on several blocks of the casing.

Pyramid at Meidum

Great Pyramids

Great Pyramids of Giza

The Great Pyramids are the pyramids of the pharaohs Cheops, Khafre and Mikerin located in Giza. Unlike the pyramid of Djoser, these pyramids do not have a stepped, but a strictly geometric, pyramidal shape. These pyramids date back to the IV Dynasty. The walls of the pyramids rise at an angle from 51° (Pyramid of Menkaure) to 53° (Pyramid of Khafre) to the horizon. The edges are precisely oriented to the cardinal points. The Pyramid of Cheops was built on a massive natural rock elevation, which was located in the very middle of the base of the pyramid. Its height is about 9 m.

The Pyramid of Cheops

The largest pyramid is the Cheops pyramid. Initially, its height was 146.6 m, but due to the fact that the cladding of the pyramid is now missing, its height has now decreased to 138.8 m. The length of the side of the pyramid is 230 m. The construction of the pyramid dates back to the 26th century BC. e. Presumably, construction lasted more than 20 years.

The pyramid is made of 2.3 million stone blocks; no cement or other binders were used. On average the blocks weighed 2.5 tons, but in the King's Chamber there are granite blocks weighing up to 80 tons. The pyramid is an almost monolithic structure - with the exception of several chambers and corridors leading to them.

Pyramids of Khafre and Mikerin

Later, the tradition of building pyramids was adopted by the rulers of ancient Sudan.

Pyramid of Userkaf

Pyramid of Sahur and Neferefre

Finishing

Block Alignment

Some pyramids that have preserved their cladding allow one to see the quality of the surface treatment of the stone. In addition, large blocks are fitted so that there are no gaps between them, and the leveled outer surface often forms an ideal plane, despite the fact that this plane is at an angle to the base. A striking example of this is the cladding of the Broken and Meidum pyramids.

When leveling the surface of the stones at the entrance to the Mikerinus pyramid, the outer stones were not completely leveled, and the edge of the alignment line runs continuously through all the stones of the masonry, which allows us to make the assumption that the surface of the blocks was leveled after laying the stones. The same assumption is confirmed by the leveling of the floor, not far from the pyramid of Userkaf. The lower surface of the floor stones is in sand and has natural, uncut shapes; the stones are of different heights, however top part stones form a single, flat surface.

Facing

In order for the surface of the pyramid to be smooth, it was lined with cladding slabs (mainly limestone).

• The pyramid at Meidum is faced with polished slabs of Tura limestone. Nowadays, all the cladding and most of the outer layers have not been preserved.
• The pink pyramid was faced with white limestone, but over time the lining was removed by the local population and blocks of pink limestone are now visible.
• The Pyramid of Khafre was covered with limestone, which was preserved only at the top.
• The pyramid of Mykerinus was faced with red Aswan granite for about a third of its height, then it was replaced by white slabs of Tura limestone, and the top, in all likelihood, was also made of red granite.

Pyramid Builders

New burials of pyramid builders discovered in early January 2010 allowed scientists to confirm the theory that the pyramids were built by civilian workers. It is also concluded that up to 10 thousand people were simultaneously employed at the construction site, with workers working in shifts of three months.

Burials of the pharaohs

Pyramid Texts

Pyramid Research

Preservation of the pyramids and restoration

Similarities with other monuments of Egypt and other countries

Egyptian pyramids in popular culture

Egyptian pyramids have long been a source of folklore legends (for example, among Christians they were long considered the granaries of Joseph, who, according to the book of Genesis, accumulated grain in Egypt for seven famine years), and with the growing interest in the East and

The Pyramid of Cheops

The largest pyramid of Ancient Egypt is the Pyramid of Cheops. The volume of this pyramid is approximately 2,521,000 cubic meters. Its base area is 53,000 square meters. The weight of the pyramid is 6,400,000 tons.

Initially, the height of the pyramid was 146.6 meters, but due to the loss of the crowning granite block - the pyramidion - as a result of an earthquake, its height has now decreased by 9.8 meters and is now 137.2 meters. The length of the side of the pyramid is 230 meters. It is made up of approximately 2.3 million stone cubes, stacked in 203 tiers (originally 210). Average weight stone - 2.5 tons, but there are also larger ones, whose weight reached 15 tons.

The pyramid was built in the 26th century BC. e. Pharaoh Khufu (2590-2568 BC), in Greek his name sounded like “Cheops”. Thus, for more than three thousand years (until the construction of the cathedral in Lincoln, England, around 1300), the pyramid was the tallest building on Earth. The volume of this pyramid is approximately 2,521,000 cubic meters. Its base area is 53,000 square meters (the area of ​​10 football fields). The weight of the pyramid is 6,400,000 tons. Its base rests on a natural rocky elevation about 9 m high in the center. The architect of the pyramid is considered to be Hemiun, a vizier and relative of Cheops.

One of the wonders of the world

Already in ancient times, the pyramids of Giza were considered one of the seven “wonders of the world.” The largest of the pyramids was built by Pharaoh Khufu (2590 - 2568 BC), in Greek his name was Cheops. Currently, the height of the pyramid is 138 m, although originally it was 147 m: the top stones fell during earthquakes. The pyramid is made up of 2.5 million limestone blocks of different sizes, weighing an average of 2.5 tons. Initially, it was lined with white sandstone, which was harder than the main blocks, but the lining has not been preserved. At the base of the pyramid lies a square with a side of 230 m, oriented to the cardinal points. According to some legends, the corners of the square symbolize Truth, Reason, Silence and Depth; according to others, the pyramid is based on the four material substances from which the human body is created.

There are no inscriptions or decorations inside the Cheops pyramid, with the exception of a small portrait in the passage leading to the Queen's chamber. This image resembles a photograph on a stone. On the outer walls of the pyramid there are numerous curvilinear grooves of large and small sizes, in which, at a certain lighting angle, one can discern an image 150 meters high - a portrait of a man, apparently one of the deities of Ancient Egypt. This image is surrounded by other images (the trident of the Atlanteans and Scythians, a bird-plane, plans of stone buildings, pyramid rooms), texts, individual letters, large signs resembling a flower bud, etc. On the northern side of the pyramid there is a portrait of a man and a woman with their heads bowed towards each other. These huge images were painted just a few years before the main pyramid was completed and installed in 2630 BC. top stone.

Inside the Cheops pyramid there are three burial chambers, located one above the other. The construction of the first chamber was not completed. It is carved into the bedrock. To get into it, you need to overcome 120 m of a narrow descending corridor. The first burial chamber is connected to the second by a horizontal corridor 35 m long and 1.75 m high. The second chamber is called the “queen’s chamber,” although according to the ritual the wives of the pharaohs were buried in separate small pyramids.

Pyramid of Khafre

The second largest pyramid of Giza belongs to Pharaoh Khafre.

It was built 40 years later than the first. Sometimes it seems that the pyramid of Khafre is even larger than Cheops. It's actually a little smaller. The side of the square base of the Khafre pyramid is 215 meters. Height - 136 meters.

The ensemble of the great pyramids of Giza is completed by the pyramid of Mikerin. Its construction was completed in 2505 BC. This pyramid is significantly smaller than its predecessors. The base side is 108 meters, the original height is 66.5 meters (today - 62).

The burial chamber of the pyramid is carved into its rocky base. The Pyramid of Mikerin emphasizes the greatness of the pyramids of Cheops and Khafre. The latter are not difficult to distinguish from each other: the Pyramid of Khafre has partially preserved white basalt cladding near the top

Many years of research by scientists have shown how the pyramids were created. Stone blocks were cut down in Mount Muqattam on the other side of the Nile. The ancient quarries are still clearly visible. They were then transported by ship to Giza along a canal specially dug for this purpose. Recently, archaeologists found a pier next to the pyramids. The blocks were dragged onto the pyramid along an inclined earthen embankment.

The Great Pyramids are part of the vast necropolis of Giza. Next to them are several small pyramids, where the wives of the pharaohs, tombs of priests and major officials are buried.

Great Sphinx

Not far from the pyramids of Giza there is another famous monument of Ancient Egypt - the Great Sphinx.

Near the lower granite temple, devoid of a roof, lie the ruins of the Sphinx temple. And behind them, the ancient guardian of the pyramids, the Sphinx, a resting lion with the head of a man (Mamluk soldiers shot off his nose), turned his gaze to the east.

Great Sphinx - mysterious creature with the body of a lion and the head of a man, carved from solid stone. The length of the Sphinx from the tip of its paws to its tail is 57.3 meters, its height is 20 m. It is believed that the Sphinx was cut down during the construction of the Pyramid of Khafre, and its face bears the features of this pharaoh. According to one version, the Sphinx was fired upon by Napoleon's artillerymen in the last century. According to another, the Mamelukes, who ruled Egypt at one time, fired at the Sphinx from cannons.

In Egypt, during the Middle and New Kingdoms, sphinxes were often depicted with the head of a ram or falcon. For example, in the Karnak Temple a whole alley of ram-headed sphinxes has been preserved. However, the Great Sphinx of Giza is the most ancient of the Egyptian sphinxes. Apparently, the sphinxes played the role of guardians of sacred places. It’s hard to even imagine how many centuries have flown past this proud guardian of antiquity. And each generation settled only as dust from the sands at his paws. How many different faces and peoples he saw! Entire civilizations buried in the sands of oblivion.

Egypt is a country of ancient secrets, still protected by its sphinxes from overly curious eyes, but revealing its secrets to those who seek knowledge.