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The pyramids are some of the most magnificent man-made structures in history, having been built when Egypt was one of the richest and most powerful civilizations in the world. The king, or pharaoh, played a special role in ancient Egyptian society, which is reflected in their enormous scale.
See the fact file below for more information on Ancient Pyramids, or you can download our 24-page Ancient Pyramids worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
KEY FACTS & INFORMATION
PYRAMIDS ORIGIN
- In Egyptian, a pyramid is referred to as a myr. Three other signs that are employed as phonetics come before Myr. Myr merely self-references the thing itself; hence, its meaning is ambiguous.
- Contrarily, a building with a comparable purpose, such as a “temple,” is called per-ka, which is a combination of “home” and “soul.” Myr is thought to be a member of a group of words, along with djed and ankh, that relates to things that already existed when the Egyptian language diverged from Afroasiatic. Myr is typically translated as “high place” in the dictionary.
- Although Egypt has more than 100 pyramids, the earliest one to be built is known to have been a sizable mausoleum built for Pharaoh Djoser during his reign (2630 B.C. to 2611 B.C.).
- Prior pharaohs’ tombs were flat-topped mounds mostly constructed of mud, but Imhotep, Djoser’s chief architect, came up with a more attractive and long-lasting design: a “step pyramid” made up of six progressively smaller layers of carved limestone reaching to a height of roughly 200 feet.
- Imhotep, who was also reputed to be a healer, later gained adoration as a healing deity in Greco-Roman culture.
- Egyptologists had previously proposed that the majority of those who built the pyramids were seasonal farmers who had reached the period in the year when there was little agricultural labor left to be done.
- The deciphering and analysis of the papyri describing the histories of the pyramids are still ongoing, but the findings show that the Merer-led gang contributed significantly more than just labor to its construction.
THE PYRAMID CAPITAL
- Pyramids held the record for world height for many years. The approximately 4,000-year-old Pyramids of Giza are still visible above a flat, sandy plain.
- Pyramids were constructed for cultic reasons. One of the earliest civilizations to have this belief was Egypt. They held that every person had a second self, known as the ka.
- The ka experienced endless existence after the death of the physical body. Those who were lucky enough to pass Osiris’ test desired comfort in their afterlife. Simply said, the Great Pyramids were the opulent graves of strong pharaohs.
- On the other hand, three pyramids were built at Giza, while numerous smaller ones were created all along the Nile Valley. The largest and tallest of the Great Pyramids is almost 500 feet high and more than 13 acres in size.
- In the area, the Great Sphinx was built to guard the pyramids. It has a human head on top of a lion’s body and is 65 feet tall.
THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZA
- The Pharaoh Khufu constructed Giza’s first and greatest pyramid. Ancient scribes regarded his pyramid, now known as the “Great Pyramid,” as one of the seven wonders of the world.
- Around 2550 B.C., Pharaoh Khufu started construction on the first Giza pyramid. The tallest structure in Giza, His Great Pyramid, rises 481 feet above the plateau.
- Each of its 2.3 million stone blocks is expected to weigh 2.5 to 15 tons.
- Around 2520 B.C., Pharaoh Khafre, the son of Khufu, constructed the second pyramid at Giza.
- The Sphinx, a strange limestone structure with a lion’s body and a pharaoh’s head, was also part of his necropolis.
- The Sphinx might watch over the entire complex of the pharaoh’s tombs.
- Compared to the first two Giza Pyramids, the third one is significantly smaller. It was constructed by Pharaoh Menkaure in 2490 B.C. and had a far more intricate mortuary temple.
ANCIENT PYRAMIDS OUTSIDE EGYPT
Outside Egypt, the pyramids were not only used as rulers’ tombs, but they also served other purposes. Pyramids were utilized for worship, sacrifices, ceremonies, and as observatories of the heavenly bodies (early astronomy was largely used for prophecy and devotion).
Nubian Pyramids, Meroe, Sudan
On the east bank of the Nile river, close to a collection of villages known as Bagrawiyah, are the Nubian Meroe pyramids, which are considerably smaller than the more well-known Egyptian ones but just as impressive.
The ancient city of Meroe, which served as the capital of the ancient African kingdom of Kush, located in what is now the Republic of Sudan, gave rise to the pyramids.
The Nubian pyramids were constructed over a few hundred years to serve as tombs for the kings, queens, and affluent residents of Napata and Mero. In Lower Nubia, close to the contemporary settlement of Karima, are the first three sites.
Great Pyramid of Cholula, Puebla, Mexico
The Great Pyramid of Tepanapa, also known as the Great Pyramid of Cholula, was built more than 2000 years ago and has a larger volume than any other ancient man-made construction, including the Egyptian pyramids.
According to historians, Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god of knowledge and the wind who is credited with creating mankind, was the main reason the temple complex was constructed. The final pre-Columbian inhabitants of the site, the ancient Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, and Cholula had an unhappy partnership.
Pyramids of Tikal, Peten, Guatemala
Deep within the northern Guatemala rainforests sits the Mayan ruins complex known as the Pyramids of Tikal. More than 3,000 structures are thought to represent the remnants of Yax Mutal, a Mayan city that served as the center of one of the most potent kingdoms of the ancient empire.
Although it’s possible that the pyramid was constructed as a funeral temple after Yik’in Chan K’awiil’s death, it was constructed to commemorate his rule as the 27th monarch of the Tikal dynasty.
Teotihuacan, Mexico
The greatest and most significant metropolis of pre-Aztec central Mexico, Teotihuacán, or the “The City of the Gods,” is situated about 30 miles northeast of present-day Mexico City.
At its peak, about 500 CE, it covered around 8 square miles and housed between 125,000 and 200,000 people, making it one of the biggest cities in the world at the time.
Based mostly on documents from the colonial era, researchers previously thought the enormous city might have been constructed by the ancient Toltec civilization. But hundreds of years after Teotihuacan reached its pinnacle, the Toltec culture (900–1150) flourished.
Ziggurat of Ur, Iraq
The Ziggurat of Ur was a step pyramid, a place of worship in Mesopotamia. Built for the Sumerian king Ur-Nammu in the middle of the 21st century BCE, it was rebuilt by King Nebuchadnezzar in the 6th century BCE and, much later on, by archaeologists in the 20th century.
Pyramid of Cestius, Rome, Italy
The Pyramid of Cestius was built for the Roman magistrate Gaius Cestius Epulo in 12 BCE. It is one of the best-preserved buildings from the Imperial Period.
Pyramid of China’s First Emperor, China
The pyramid complex of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, is laden with traps and was said to have been fitted with a moat of mercury. Not much is known about this one, as excavations have been minimal due to the high mercury level of the place.
Ancient Pyramids Worksheets
This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Ancient Pyramids across 24 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Ancient Pyramids. The pyramids are some of the most magnificent man-made structures in history, having been built when Egypt was one of the richest and most powerful civilizations in the world.
Download includes the following worksheets:
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Ancient Pyramids Facts
- Why Pyramids?
- The Great Pyramid
- Pyramids Outside Giza
- The Pyramid
- Pyramids Beyond
- Modern Pyramids
- Come and See!
- Ancient Wonders
- Saving the Last
- Find my Way In
Frequently Asked Questions
Where were the ancient pyramids built?
Ancient pyramids were built in Egypt and various regions of Mexico, Central America, and South America.
What was the purpose of the pyramids in ancient times?
The pyramids served as tombs for pharaohs and their consorts in ancient Egypt and for the leaders of certain Mayan city-states in ancient America.
How were the ancient pyramids constructed?
The ancient pyramids were constructed using large stone blocks that were cut, transported, and positioned with great precision. Workers used simple tools and techniques, such as ramps and pulleys, to build the pyramids.
Who was responsible for building the pyramids?
The construction of the pyramids was directed and financed by the pharaohs, with the work carried out by skilled laborers, including farmers who worked on the pyramids during the flooding of the Nile.
How long did it take to build a pyramid?
The construction of a pyramid took many years and involved the labor of thousands of workers. The exact amount of time it took to build a pyramid is not known, but it is estimated that the Great Pyramid of Giza, for example, took 20 years to build.
How were they constructed?
The pyramids were constructed using large blocks of stone, many of which weighed several tons. The blocks were transported from quarry sites, often located miles away, and put into place using ramps and sleds. The exact methods used to construct the pyramids are still unknown, but they required a high degree of planning, organization, and manpower.
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