12 Facts About Egyptian Pyramids

You must have seen the Egyptian pyramids in certain cartoons and movies, and the mummies they keep very safely. A pyramid is a solid figure whose base is in the shape of a Polygon and whose sides meet at a common point called the vertex or apex of the pyramid. As the name suggests Egyptian pyramids are located in Egypt and are made up of stones or bricks. Sources have found at least 130 Egyptian pyramids out of which 80 Were built within the Kingdom of Kush, which is now converted into the city of Sudan. In this article, we will see more about the Egyptian Pyramids Facts. Here are 12 facts about Egyptian pyramids.

Interesting Facts About Pyramids

History of Pyramids

Ancient Egyptian pyramids are one of the most well-known Pyramids structures known to us. Pyramids have been discovered more than 4650 years ago. The earliest known pyramid structures are found at Saqqara, which lies northwest of Memphis. The pyramid of Djoser and its surrounding complex are considered to be one of the oldest pyramids built around 4650 years ago. Over 130 pyramids have been found in Egypt and they are known worldwide and are a great source of tourist attraction. 

Why Were Pyramids Built?

Most of the Egyptian pyramids were built to be used as tombs for Pharaohs and their families. Pharaoh was a ruler in ancient Egypt. It is said that these pyramids are made for pharaohs Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure housed the royal mummies and their worldly effects were thought to protect and be used by the kings in their afterlife.

The Great Sphinx Pyramid 

The Gold Mask of Tutankhamun

The bodies in tombs are preserved by mummification. Egyptians buried the Dead bodies with Burial goods which included all sorts of items from items of daily use to earthly possessions.  It was believed that these items helped the dead soul in their afterlife. Due to this many robberies happened at these pyramids and most of the robbers would target royal tombs.

One tomb that was left largely intact was that of Tutankhamun who was a pharaoh from 1332 BC to 1323 BC. The tomb was rediscovered in 1922 by Howard Carter, this famous tomb is best known for the solid gold funerary mask of Tutankhamun.

Mask of Tutankhamun

12 Interesting Facts About The Pyramids of Giza

• The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest pyramid in the Giza pyramid complex. 

• It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact.

• The 3 pyramids of Giza are the oldest and largest stone structures on Earth.

• It is located in Cairo, Egypt on an island right next to the Nile River that had been the site of human settlement at least since 3000 BC.

• The pyramid of Giza is also known as the Pyramid of Khufu. The entrance of the parameter of Giza is about 59 seats above the ground level.

• The original height of the pyramid was about 146 meters (481 feet). But due to certain changes due to weathering, harsh climate, etc . the height of the pyramids was reduced to 138.5 meters (454.4 ft).

The Pyramids of Giza

• The pyramid of Djoser, The Bent pyramid, The Red Pyramid, and The pyramid of Sahure are some other important Pyramids.

• The Pyramid of Djoser and its surrounding complex are considered to be one of the oldest pyramids built around 4650 years ago.

• These pyramids contain more than 2 million blocks and were built with extreme precision in a time when there were no measuring devices.

• The Pyramids of Giza were originally covered with limestone but all of it has eroded.

• The pyramids are built with limestone quarried from local sources. The stones were lifted by a ramp that was as much as 10 meters high or could have been slid on logs. 

• Nearly all the Egyptian pyramids are located to the left of the river Nile as the west was where the sunset and where the dead were thought to enter the underworld.

Egyptian Mummy

Summary

In this article, we have seen some amazing Egyptian Pyramids Facts. We also discussed the history of pyramids, the golden mask of Tutankhamun and much more. We also learned some fun facts about the The Great Pyramid of Giza which was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3800 years. Lastly we discussed some important historical facts about pyramids as well why were the built. In case of any other doubts feel free to ask in the comments.