A Children's Pyramid Book Filled With Pictures And Facts!Pyramids FactsYou've probably heard about pyramids, but do you know how they were built? Do you know that Giza's pyramids were the only Ancient Seven Wonders of the World to be built by slaves? Or that they were erected on high ground? Here are some Pyramids Facts to make you more curious. Keeping these Pyramids Facts in mind can help you learn more about these enigmatic structures.
Ancient Egyptians built the Giza pyramidsThe Egyptians constructed these monumental structures on the slopes of the plateau where they stood. The pyramids are aligned on the southeast corner and began at the same elevation. The Egyptians may have constructed the pyramids using ramps to level the perimeter and the stone from the Mokattam formation quarries were used to build the inner walls. Archaeologists have discovered a 4,600 year-old papyrus scroll that explains the construction of the pyramids.
The building of these monuments required skilled workers. The stone used to construct these monuments was quarried locally, with limestone casing imported from Tura. Some rooms were cased with Aswan granite. Some stone blocks bear marks of quarry workers. Part-time crews probably supplemented the year-round skilled workers. It is estimated that at least 100,000 men were employed to construct the pyramids. The construction took twenty years and required more than 2 million stone blocks.
They are the only one of the Ancient Seven Wonders of the WorldThe Great Pyramid at Giza is one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. It is one of a group of three pyramids that were constructed by the Egyptians 4,000 years ago. They were constructed to honor the deceased pharaoh Khufu, and their wives, Khafra and Menkaura. The Great Pyramid is one of the largest structures in the world, occupying 13 acres of land. It contains about two million stone blocks weighing two to thirty tons each.
The list was first used by the Hellenic travelers who travelled through Egypt and the Persian lands, recording the wonders they found there in their travel journals and artwork. The poet Antipater of Sidon also celebrated these ancient engineering feats with poetry and songs. The list does not include any of the wonders from other parts of the world, including Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
They were built on high groundEarly builders had to figure out the best way to move stone. One example is the tomb of Djehutihotep in the Twelfth Dynasty, where 172 men pulled a sixty-ton statue onto the top of the pyramid. Another example comes from Denys Stocks' calculation that it would take forty-five men to move a sixteen-ton block of stone. But as archaeologists have demonstrated, this isn't always possible. Instead, Dr. R. H. G. Parry suggested a new method: rolling stones. He also suggested using a cradle-like machine to roll the stones up.
The Great Pyramid contains two separate tunnel systems. One corresponds to earlier monuments, while the upper was secreted and hid for much longer. The lower tunnel begins on the north side, with a hidden entrance 56 feet above ground. It then leads to the Subterranean Chamber, where the king's burial chamber was located. It is inaccessible to visitors today, but there is a pit that was dug into its floor.
