The oldest and largest of the three pyramids at Giza, known as the Great Pyramid, is the only surviving structure out of the famed Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. No pyramids are more celebrated than the Great Pyramids of Giza, located on a plateau on the west bank of the Nile River, on the outskirts of modern-day Cairo. Massive Stones Moved to Build Monuments The Great Pyramids of Giza The earliest tomb constructed as a “true” (smooth-sided, not stepped) pyramid was the Red Pyramid at Dahshur, one of three burial structures built for the first king of the fourth dynasty, Sneferu (2613-2589 B.C.) It was named for the color of the limestone blocks used to construct the pyramid’s core. The Step Pyramid was surrounded by a complex of courtyards, temples and shrines where Djoser could enjoy his afterlife.Īfter Djoser, the stepped pyramid became the norm for royal burials, although none of those planned by his dynastic successors were completed (probably due to their relatively short reigns). Over the course of Djoser’s nearly 20-year reign, pyramid builders assembled six stepped layers of stone (as opposed to mud-brick, like most earlier tombs) that eventually reached a height of 204 feet (62 meters) it was the tallest building of its time. As the story goes, the pyramid’s architect was Imhotep, a priest and healer who some 1,400 years later would be deified as the patron saint of scribes and physicians. Known as the Step Pyramid, it began as a traditional mastaba but grew into something much more ambitious. at Saqqara, for the third dynasty’s King Djoser. The oldest known pyramid in Egypt was built around 2630 B.C. The Early Pyramidsįrom the beginning of the Dynastic Era (2950 B.C.), royal tombs were carved into rock and covered with flat-roofed rectangular structures known as “mastabas,” which were precursors to the pyramids. Their riches would provide not only for him, but also for the relatives, officials and priests who were buried near him.ĮXPLORE THE MYSTERIES OF ANCIENT EGYPT WITH HISTORY TRAVEL™. The pyramids became the focus of a cult of the dead king that was supposed to continue well after his death. To properly care for his spirit, the corpse was mummified, and everything the king would need in the afterlife was buried with him, including gold vessels, food, furniture and other offerings. The new pharaoh, in turn, became Horus, the falcon-god who served as protector of the sun god, Ra.ĭid you know? The pyramid's smooth, angled sides symbolized the rays of the sun and were designed to help the king's soul ascend to heaven and join the gods, particularly the sun god Ra.Īncient Egyptians believed that when the king died, part of his spirit (known as “ka”) remained with his body. Because of this, it was in everyone’s interest to keep the king’s majesty intact even after his death, when he was believed to become Osiris, god of the dead. Somewhere in between human and divine, they were believed to have been chosen by the gods themselves to serve as their mediators on earth. Kings held a unique position in Egyptian society. Building Egypt's Largest Pyramids The Pharaoh in Egyptian Societyĭuring the third and fourth dynasties of the Old Kingdom, Egypt enjoyed tremendous economic prosperity and stability.
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