The pyramids of Egypt were erected as tombs for the pharaohs to accompany them in the afterlife. The ancient Egyptians built them by cutting and transporting huge blocks of stone, stacking them methodically to form monumental structures.
The pyramids of Egypt were not just giant tombs to impress onlookers: they primarily embodied the divine power of the pharaohs. These great monuments symbolized, above all, a passage between Earth and the world of the gods, a sort of giant staircase to the afterlife. For the ancient Egyptians, a pyramid ensured the eternal rebirth of the king by allowing him to easily join the deities, notably the sun god Ra. Its pointed shape represented the rays of the sun descending to Earth, directly connecting the pharaoh to the divine. It is not surprising, then, that so much energy was devoted to building these structures: they were the pharaoh's ticket to eternal life.
The ancient Egyptians mainly used earth ramps to move the enormous stone blocks during construction. According to the most common theories, they created either a straight ramp or spiral ramps that wrapped around the growing pyramid. With these ramps, workers could safely drag the heavy stones to their final location. They also used wooden levers to adjust or precisely position the blocks. To check the perfect horizontality of the stones, they filled simple canals dug into the rock with water to serve as levels. They also employed an ingenious system with ropes to measure angles and ensure that the pyramid was symmetrical and regular.
The ancient Egyptians primarily used limestone extracted from nearby quarries, but also granite from Aswan, which was stronger and intended for key areas of the pyramids. To detach the enormous stone blocks, they used simple yet effective tools: copper chisels, hard stone hammers like dolerite, and wooden levers. Transport was ensured using wooden sledges, sliding on wet sand to facilitate traction. As for the precise and impeccable alignment of the stones, they relied on basic yet ingenious instruments: water levels, plumb lines, and taut strings to keep everything straight. No cranes or bulldozers, just ingenuity, craftsmanship, and patience!
To build a pyramid, it was not a matter of everyone going their own way; a solid social organization was essential. At the top, the pharaoh oversaw the construction site through his representatives, including scribes and architects. Just below, a rigorous administration managed supplies, teams, and daily logistics.
The guys working directly on the site formed specialized teams: stone cutters, laborers responsible for transporting blocks, ramps, and foundations. Generally, they were not slaves but rather recruited workers from all over the country, sometimes mobilized during the annual floods of the Nile when agriculture slowed down.
These teams lived in temporary villages near the construction site, with a solid internal structure: cooks, bakers, doctors, and even brewers to provide daily bread and beer. This efficient and hierarchical organization allowed thousands of men to work together over several years to accomplish a gigantic feat.
In recent years, scientists have used new technologies such as muon tomography, a kind of cosmic X-ray, to reveal previously unknown spaces within the pyramids. The Great Pyramid of Khufu, for example, conceals a massive empty chamber, discovered using this method in 2017, whose exact role is still not fully understood. Recent excavations near the pyramids have also uncovered ancient papyri, particularly at Wadi el-Jarf, confirming the intensive use of the Nile to transport enormous stone blocks from distant quarries. These discoveries enhance our understanding of the practical and logistical organization needed to erect these gigantic monuments. Similarly, the precise study of marks left by workers today provides new hypotheses about the teams and their working methods. This new information, derived directly from the field, gradually dismantles popular myths about the pyramids while providing more solid keys to understanding their true history.
The positioning of the pyramids precisely follows the cardinal points, demonstrating the advanced knowledge in astronomy and geometry of the ancient Egyptians.
Contrary to popular belief, the pyramids were not built by slaves but by thousands of skilled workers who were paid, housed, and fed by the Egyptian state.
Some blocks used in the construction of the Great Pyramid can weigh up to 80 tons, illustrating the exceptional logistical and construction precision achieved at the time.
The burial chamber of Pharaoh Khufu's pyramid contains a granite sarcophagus so massive that it would have had to be placed inside during the initial phase of construction.
Sure! Here’s the translation: "Yes, although much information is now known about the pyramids, some aspects remain mysterious. For example, the precise techniques used to lift the heavy blocks or the exact internal arrangement of certain pyramids continue to fascinate researchers and motivate archaeological investigations."
The Step Pyramid of Djoser, built at Saqqara around 2630 BC, is generally considered the oldest in Egypt. It was commissioned by Pharaoh Djoser under the advice of his famous vizier and architect, Imhotep.
Contrary to popular belief, historians now agree that the pyramids were mainly built by paid and skilled workers who held a relatively high social status for their time. Archaeological evidence, such as workers' tombs discovered near the pyramids, supports this hypothesis.
The pyramids were built near the Nile to facilitate the transportation of heavy stones and granite from distant quarries via river. Additionally, the Nile provided essential resources for the survival of the thousands of workers mobilized on the construction sites.
The time required varied according to the size and complexity of the pyramid. For example, the Great Pyramid of Khufu is believed to have taken about 20 to 30 years to build, involving thousands of workers and skilled artisans.
The practice of building pyramids gradually declined in favor of more discreet and hidden tombs, primarily due to their high cost, frequent theft of funerary treasures, and the evolution of Egyptian religious rites. This transition notably led to the rock-cut tombs in the Valley of the Kings.
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