The Egyptian pyramids are one of the defining architectural achievements of the ancient world. Discovering incredible engineering advances, Egyptologists learn more about these structures every year. The pyramid complex in Giza has attracted fans from all over the world since its discovery, and many, studying the secrets of ancient Egypt, cannot associate the pyramids with the Egyptian pharaohs of past years.
Still shrouded in mystery, the pyramids do not easily reveal their secrets, but over time, scientists began to learn through them many unfamiliar facts about ancient Egypt. Technical prowess, combined with mythology and superstition, led the pharaohs to create such mighty structures that turned out to be some of the most indestructible pieces of architecture ever created by man.
It seems to many of us that over a hundred years of studying the Egyptian pyramids, we have understood these mysterious structures. However, recent years of research have hinted that there is a good store of mystery ahead from ancient civilizations. Let's take a look at some interesting facts behind the pyramids that you might have missed.
Most likely, a certain amount of the charm of the pyramids, praised by mythology with ancient aliens and other paraphernalia of aliens, will dissipate after reading. But the pyramids themselves and their wonders of antiquity will remain, right?
Unique projects of the past
In a number of hypotheses, the pyramids of Egypt are called a kind of typical project, and they are sure to point to something. In fact, as with many types of buildings, there are different phases of building structures. The earliest pyramids are not spiky structures, as we usually think, they were flat tops.
Many examples can be found in the vast Saqqara burial ground located in the capital of Ancient Egypt, Memphis. The pyramids here are the earliest known and include the pyramid of Djoser. Built during the Third Dynasty by the architect Imhotep, it was built between 2630 BC. and 2611 BC One of the world's oldest monuments made of cut masonry does not indicate anything mysterious or sacred-astral.
Promotional video:
In the stepped pyramid of Imhotep's project, mastabs (Egyptian tombs) of decreasing size are stacked on top of each other. A similar typology is found in many cultures, from the Borobudur temple in Indonesia to the El Castillo pyramid built by the Maya at Chichen Itza.
Most of the pyramids were built west of the Nile
Ancient Egyptian culture is full of symbolism and superstition that guided decision-making. It is therefore not surprising that even the arrangement of the pyramids as tombs was based on mythology. Most of the structures were built on the west bank of the Nile for a specific reason. Since the pyramids were the last resting places of the pharaohs, it makes sense to be where their souls can begin their journey into the afterlife.
For the ancient Egyptians, the afterlife and the Sun were deeply intertwined. Osiris, an Egyptian god closely associated with the afterlife, represented the power of new life. Over time, it also became associated with the solar cycle and the way it gave new growth from dormant seeds.
Thanks to this association, the setting sun unexpectedly became a symbol of death for us, because the luminary "died" in the west every night. The pharaohs' souls had to connect with the setting sun before getting up again in the morning. This served as a symbol and thirst for eternal life. By placing the pyramids to the west of the Nile, the great kings "lived" right in the area that metaphorically meant death and the subsequent path to life.
We still don't know how the pyramids were built
One of the biggest mysteries of the Egyptian pyramids lies in the construction methods used to erect them. The incredible feat of the Egyptians is all the more impressive when you consider that more than 2 million limestone and granite blocks were used to build the Great Pyramid at Giza. Each block of masonry weighed about 2.5 tons, and ufology attributes this feat to the participation of ancient astronauts who built the marvelous structure.
So how did these giant blocks move? Unfortunately, the Egyptians left no written records, and many theories have been proposed over the years. A 2014 study suggested that this could be done by pouring a generous amount of water over the sand.
The mural, dating from 1900 BC, shows a procession of men pulling a large statue on a sleigh, with one man pouring water onto the sand.
Although the gesture was originally thought to be purely ceremonial, scientific evidence has emerged that this painting holds the key to unlocking the mystery of how the blocks move.
The researchers experimented with moving large weights on the sled across the sand and found that when they added just the right amount of water, the job went much easier. The moisture content of the sand significantly reduced friction by up to 50%, which greatly facilitated the dragging of heavy stones.
All this fits perfectly into the accepted version of building pyramids using block structures, wood and ropes.
Yes, there are really few records about the construction of the pyramids. However, the perceived lack of information may indicate that for the Egyptians this was an ordinary construction that did not make sense to describe step by step. We just like to think about the legendary Atlanteans who supposedly built pyramids with magical technologies.
The Egyptians used astronomy to build the pyramids
According to the British Egyptologist, the stars were the guiding force for the alignment of the pyramids. Keith Spence of the University of Cambridge published a study in 2000 that shows how the Ursa Major and Ursa Minor participated in the north-south orientation of the pyramids. Moreover, the measurements were so accurate that the permissible error was only 0.05 degrees.
Interestingly, with this information, you can date the pyramids using astronomical records. However, it should be noted that astronomy was not a unique subject. The Sumerians and Babylonians knew this, they built their observatories for space observations.
The pyramids were not built by slaves
A long-standing theory reports that the pyramids were built by slaves, but this may not be true. The Greek historian Herodotus helped to spread the idea that slaves built pyramids. Then the concept was taken up by Hollywood, but in the 1990s the graves of the pyramid builders were discovered and the legend collapsed.
Egyptologists are quite sure that people were not slaves. They were just builders from low-income families. Burying people in a grave shows that the role in building the pyramids was an honor and certainly not slavery. The builders were buried with a visible respect that was not inherent in slaves.
The Great Pyramid of Giza is not only the most famous of the Egyptian pyramids, but also the only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world that still survives. She's impressive for many reasons. But one of the most interesting characteristics of this famous monument is that it can show the time.
The structure actually acts like a huge sundial. The shadow of the pyramid falling on the markers made in stone indicates the time. Of course, being the Great Pyramid, it cannot be just an ancient sundial. The high level of difficulty meant that it not only showed the time, but also reported the solstices and equinoxes, helping the Egyptians to determine the solar year.
Researchers are using state-of-the-art technology to answer many mysteries that remain to be solved. There are many versions and theories behind the artifacts and monuments of ancient civilizations. However, one thing is absolutely certain about the ancient world of our planet; we still cannot deal with the great heritage of our ancestors.
