There is an opinion that there are seven wonders on Earth, and the Egyptian pyramids are historically considered the first miracle.
The pyramids were built so that they could be seen from afar against the backdrop of the lifeless desert. It is difficult to imagine that these stone giants were made by a man who had neither modern tools, nor a machine for lifting stone slabs to considerable heights. But the most unique is that all the pyramids were built more than five thousand years BC …
The highest is the Pyramid of Cheops. Its original height was about one hundred and forty-seven meters. About two and a half million stones were brought to its construction, the weight of which reached about two tons. Legends and scriptures speak of a despot king who forces hundreds of thousands of people to build his tomb. Cheops completely ruined his country, the free inhabitants of Egypt and slaves died from hard labor and hunger. After the king died, his embalmed body was placed in a sarcophagus, which was inside the pyramid. The entrance to the pyramid was walled up, since according to ancient Egyptian legends, the Egyptian people believed that after that the Pharaoh would rise to the gods and rule the world with them.
pyramids in Egypt The pyramids attracted thousands of expeditions. Archaeologists, scientists, researchers and just amateurs came to the pyramids in order to feel all the mystery and horror of these structures.
In 1953, near the pyramid of Cheops, Egyptian archaeologists discovered two huge boats, about thirty-three meters long and about three meters wide. Wooden boats were located seventeen meters under the tomb. The boat dungeon was covered with heavy stone slabs, seventeen tons each. But why were the boats in the sarcophagus needed? Ancient Egyptian papyri and legends narrated that after death the pharaoh needed boats so that he could swim with the sun god on the two Niles. The Egyptian people believed that in the daytime the sun floats along the heavenly blue Nile, and at night the sun is not visible, as it floats along the dark underground Nile. The boats found were unique in that they were the only find made of wood, preserved almost in their original form, in a crypt, for more than five thousand years.
About a hundred pyramids have survived in Egypt to this day. The Pyramid of Cheops is the largest of the entire list of Egyptian pyramids, but, however, it is not the oldest.
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According to history, the first pyramid was a pyramid built by Pharaoh Djoser. It is believed that it was built four hundred and fifty years earlier than the Cheops pyramid. Until that time, the Egyptian pharaohs rested in underground crypts, over which a building was erected from homemade bricks with flat walls that were slightly sloped and a smooth top. The height of such a structure was approximately the height of a modern two-story house. Such posthumous structures were called mastaba, which in Arabic meant a bench. Such clay benches can still be found in Egyptian peasant houses.
However, Djoser was very scrupulous and held himself high. For him, such a tomb was too small and inconspicuous, because his nobles were buried in the same tombs. And he is not a nobleman! All Egypt was subject to Pharaoh! He was the most powerful king for that time. Then Pharaoh Djoser decided to build a tomb such as the light had never seen before. An order was given that the tomb should be built not of bricks, but of noble stone that was mined at the quarries of Tura. Limestone was considered a noble stone at that time.
Pharaoh entrusted this great-scale construction project to his vizier Imhotep. Initially, Imhotep built a large mastaba of stone blocks, then on a flat mastaba, Imhotep placed five more slabs, which were slightly smaller. This is how the first step pyramid appeared. Archaeologists called her the "mother of the pyramids". The pyramid was enclosed by a stone wall with ledges and small columns.
The shape of the pyramids has changed over the centuries. The steps were laid with stones and the resulting four even walls converged to the top. With each century, the pyramids "grew" higher and higher, each pharaoh invented his own unique designs. However, the name of the first builder of the pyramids, Imhotep, was not forgotten.
In 1951, one of the archaeological expeditions led by Goneim examined the tombs at Saqqara. Saqqara is located on the west coast of the Nile River, just south of Cairo. In the Sakkara region, many royal tombs of different eras and peoples have been discovered, and in particular many pyramids. Goneim's expedition was tasked with inspecting all tombs found. It was believed at that time that all the tombs in Saqqara had been found, and all their secrets had already been revealed. Most of all the burials turned out to be empty, they were robbed in ancient times. However, the attention of archaeologists was attracted by a smooth platform near the fence of the Djoser pyramid. The site was covered with chipped limestone and granite fragments. Such a site could not be called natural. And in the fall of one thousand nine hundred and fifty-one, the expedition began new excavations.
Just a few days later, a part of a wide stone slab appeared in front of the archaeologists, about five meters high and up to eighteen meters wide. This slab somewhat resembled the foundation of the fence of the pyramid of Djoser.
Archaeologists worked day and night. Tons of sand were rising to the surface. The results of the excavations were shocking every day. The underground galleries, part of the wall, in which there were ledges and niches, were freed from the sand. The walls were made of limestone slabs. Scientists have a new mystery. What was revealed? New pyramid, tomb?
The answer to the question was not long in coming. About a month later, the bottom of the step pyramid was found. The height of the first step was approximately seven meters. Exhausting painstaking work continued for four years. Excavations showed that this structure was indeed a pyramid, only unfinished. Underground galleries and small rooms were dug, one step was erected and construction was stopped there. The pyramid was specially covered with rubble and sand. And only in February one thousand nine hundred and fifty-four, archaeologists found the walled entrance. The brickwork of the door to the underground room was intact. This meant that the robbers had not yet gotten it. Through a minor hole in the wall, archaeologists and workers entered a long, downward corridor. It was dark in the tunnelbut the workers tried to carefully examine every part of the corridor and room. By complete coincidence, as always happens, gold items were found under a layer of clay and sand at the eastern wall of the corridor. Goneim's expedition found gold bracelets, a golden rod, a shell-shaped box, and small gold jewelry. But these were not all the mysteries of the lost pyramid.
In the burial chamber, there was a sarcophagus made of white stone. On the top of the sarcophagus there was a wreath of flowers in the form of a Roman numeral V. Carefully lifting the sarcophagus flap, archaeologists discovered that the sarcophagus was empty. But no one has penetrated the tomb since its construction. Who built the found tomb and for whom?
In one of the pyramid's galleries, archaeologists have found clay vessels with corks. Historically, it was customary to write the name of the "owner" of the tomb on such corks. After examining the hieroglyphs, the scientists read the inscription "Pharaoh Sekhemkhet". Not a single chronicle mentioned this name. The name "Imhotep" was found on one of the stones of the tomb. Consequently, this tomb was also built by Imhotep. There is speculation that Sechemhet was the ruler after the death of Djoser, and he was probably his son.
This hypothesis was confirmed very soon. Expeditions came to the Sinai mines from Egypt to extract copper. And according to custom, the names of the pharaohs for whom this copper was mined were to be written on the rocks of the peninsula. And after the name of Pharaoh Djoser, the names of the rulers were also carved, the first of which was the name Sechemhet.
Sechemhet took the throne after the death of his father. According to ancient customs, the Egyptian pharaohs, after gaining power, began the construction of their tomb. Most likely, Sekhemkhet did just that. But apparently, his reign was not long, and he died at a young age, never completing his pyramid. From what and how the pharaoh died in history is unknown. And where is the mummy of Pharaoh Sechemhat rests? Why is his name forgotten?