The Great Pyramid of Giza (also known as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact. Egyptologists believe that the pyramid was built as a tomb for fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu
(Cheops in Greek) over a 10 to 20-year period concluding around 2560
BCE. Initially at 146.5 metres (481 feet), the Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure
in the world for over 3,800 years. Originally, the Great Pyramid was
covered by casing stones that formed a smooth outer surface; what is
seen today is the underlying core structure. Some of the casing stones
that once covered the structure can still be seen around the base. There
have been varying scientific and alternative theories about the Great
Pyramid's construction techniques. Most accepted construction hypotheses
are based on the idea that it was built by moving huge stones from a
quarry and dragging and lifting them into place.
There are three known chambers inside the Great Pyramid. The lowest
chamber is cut into the bedrock upon which the pyramid was built and was
unfinished. The so-called
Queen's Chamber and King's Chamber are higher up within the pyramid
structure. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only pyramid in Egypt known
to contain both ascending and descending passages. The main part of the
Giza complex is a setting of buildings that included two mortuary temples
in honor of Khufu (one close to the pyramid and one near the Nile),
three smaller pyramids for Khufu's wives, an even smaller "satellite"
pyramid, a raised causeway connecting the two temples, and small mastaba tombs surrounding the pyramid for nobles.
For more info click the link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza
Comments
Post a Comment