The Pyramid of Cheops. Seven wonders of the world: Egyptian pyramids Pyramids are one of the 7 wonders of the world
The only one of the "Seven Wonders of the World" that has survived to this day is the Egyptian pyramids. Ancient Egyptian architecture, even today, amazes with the power of its huge stone structures. One can get lost among the huge columns of ancient temples, rising to the sky and standing often like trees in a forest. At the entrance to these temples, like a formidable guard, there are huge statues of the pharaohs, stone sphinxes lie. The Sphinx - in Ancient Egypt - the embodiment of royal power, a statue depicting a fantastic creature with the body of a lion and the head of a man or a sacred animal.
About 5 thousand years ago, the first small slave states appeared in the valley along the lower course of the Nile. At the end of the IV millennium BC. NS. the rulers of one of them subjugated the whole country, creating a single kingdom with the center in the city of Memphis, located on the left bank of the Nile, - to the south of the place where the city of Cairo is now located. Around 2800 BC NS. Pharaoh Khufu became the ruler of this state. Subsequently, Greek historians changed his name into Cheops. So they call him in our time. In the hands of the pharaohs enormous wealth and unlimited power were concentrated.
The grandfather and father of Cheops spent their wealth not only on court luxury and majestic tombs - pyramids, which were supposed to perpetuate the names of formidable rulers. Their slaves erected dams, dug canals, arranged sluices to evenly distribute the waters of the Nile for irrigating fields. Thanks to this, high harvests were removed from the fields of Egypt, which brought more and more profits to the pharaohs.
Cheops thought only about glorifying himself. Flattering and cunning priests told him: “Earthly life is short. The houses we live in are hotels. Man's true dwelling is a tomb, a house of eternity, where he will dwell for millions of years. If you want to be immortal, take care of your tomb. " And Cheops decided to cut government spending as much as possible, and spend most of his income on creating a tomb that would be higher and more majestic than all the previous royal tombs.
There were not enough foreign slaves, and farmers, the Egyptians, began to be involved in the work. Pharaoh ordered to choose the strongest and hardiest for work. Each farmer had to work on the construction of the pyramid for a third of the year. To the capital Memphis, according to the Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century. BC e., drove up to 100 thousand people. They fed them stale flat cakes, dried fish, garlic and radish. Many died, but more and more were driven to replace them ...
The first ten years were spent on preparatory work. They laid a convenient path to the construction site chosen on the western bank of the Nile (near the outskirts of the modern city of Cairo - Giza), dug underground caches and laid the foundation. And in quarries, about 600 miles east of the Nile, chunks of limestone were chipped off and transported to the west bank. After that, a giant stone pyramid was built for 20 years. Its construction was completed in the 31st year of the king's reign.
2 million 300 thousand stone blocks weighing 2.5 tons each were smoothly hewn with copper tools (there were no iron tools at that time) and tightly fitted to each other. The height of the pyramid was 280 cubits (about 147 m), that is, it approximately reached the height of a modern forty-story building. The side of the base of the pyramid reaches 230 meters. It takes up more area than 9 football fields. The hewn slabs were laid with such perfection that even a needle could not be inserted into the seam between them. The entrance to the pyramid was on the north side. A narrow corridor led through a large gallery to a burial chamber (10x5x5 m.), In which a royal coffin - a sarcophagus - was installed. Unfortunately, it has not survived to our time, but it is believed that it was carved out of stone. A side corridor led to the tomb of the queen.
Cheops achieved his goal, although the working people grumbled and even the slave-owning nobility was unhappy with the excessive costs that drained the country.
After the death of the king, the faithful servants did everything that was prescribed by ancient customs. They opened the king's corpse, removed the brain and entrails, kept the body for 70 days in salt water, doused it with fragrant resin and wrapped the finished mummy in burial shroud. The Egyptians believed that the resurrection of the dead was possible. They believed that the soul of the deceased, as long as his body is preserved, can return to it. At first, only the bodies of kings were turned into mummies, and later all noble slave owners. Around the pyramid of the pharaoh there were tombs of nobles and officials. The owners of wealthy estates and luxurious houses wanted to be different from ordinary people even after death. The poor were simply wrapped in a mat and buried.
The sarcophagus with the king's mummy was placed on a huge sled, the bulls were harnessed and driven to the west, where, according to the teachings of the priests, was the entrance to the afterlife. Mourners and mourners filled the air with wild screams. The priests killed bulls and geese as a sacrifice to the soul of the deceased. The royal mummy was placed inside the pyramid and the entrance to the tomb was walled up.
During one of the uprisings, the details of which are unknown to us, the mummy was thrown out of the crypt and disappeared without a trace.
Not a trace remains of the sovereign who built himself the greatest pyramid, which in ancient times was considered to be the "seven wonders of the world", but the grandiose building created by the Egyptian people with such labor and suffering has been standing for the fifth millennium and has changed little over time. Only the cracked outer cladding was broken off and plundered into new buildings, so that the pyramid was lowered by 9 m.
In 1953, two Egyptian archaeologists dug up a cache at a depth of 17 m, covered with stone blocks, among the sands not far from the pyramid. Inside was a huge wooden boat of the Pharaoh, 35 meters long, with two rows of oars. The Egyptian priests made this boat so that the royal deceased could sail in it after death along the heavenly waves to the distant kingdom of the dead.
The next year, another Egyptian archaeologist found a new pyramid in the sands - Pharaoh Hesemkhet, who lived a hundred years before Cheops. The pyramid was fortunately intact! Not a single robber entered it. The inner chamber contained an alabaster coffin, very well preserved, but, to the disillusionment of the scientist, it turned out to be empty. The ancient Egyptians had a custom of building false tombs (cenotaphs). It is believed that the empty coffin was a spare, in case the soul of the deceased wants to leave the permanent tomb and move to another.
The ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife. The priests inspired the people that even after death the pharaoh would remain the ruler and that crowds of servants would work for him. The Egyptian religion taught that the poor and slaves have no hope of a happy life even in the afterlife. Only pharaohs and nobles will be blessed after death as well as during life. In the afterlife, according to the Egyptians, there is the same inequality as on earth: some work, while others enjoy power and wealth.
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - a list of famous ancient monuments compiled by ancient historians and travelers, including the "father of history" Herodotus.
The list was edited several times, and its classic version was formed 2.2 thousand years ago thanks to the efforts of Philo of Byzantium. The list of "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World" includes: the pyramid of Cheops, the "Hanging Gardens" of Babylon, the statue of Olympian Zeus, the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, the mausoleum in Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the lighthouse on the island. Pharos in Alexandria.
Pyramid of Cheops, Egypt
The Pyramid of Cheops, or the Great Pyramid, is the only one of the 7 wonders of the world that have survived to this day. The structure is 4500 years old. 120 thousand Egyptians for 20 years in the sweat of their brow erected a grandiose Pharaoh's tomb. The Pyramid of Cheops is composed of 2.5 million blocks weighing 2.5 tons each. Without the use of cement and other bonding agents, the blocks are so tightly fitted to each other that the gap between them does not exceed 0.5 mm.
Initially, the pyramid had a height of 147 meters, but even today, when its top is destroyed, and the highest point is at around 138 meters, the tomb of Cheops still makes a majestic impression. Almost 4000 years, until the XIV century AD, the Pyramid of Cheops bore the title of the tallest structure in the world.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Asia
Around 600 BC in the territory of modern Iraq ancient Babylon was making noise. The city reached its highest prosperity during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II, who entered into a military alliance with his main enemy, Assyria, and became related to the Median king Cyaxar by marrying his daughter Amitis (Semiramis). For his wife, the tsar ordered the famous "Hanging Gardens" to be laid out. The gardens were located on a four-tiered area resembling an ever-flowering green hill. The base of the terraces was made of stone blocks covered with a layer of reeds and filled with asphalt. Then there was a double layer of brick, even higher - lead plates, preventing the seepage of irrigation water. A fertile soil layer was laid on top of this structure, on which trees, palms and flowers were grown. The magnificent gardens, raised to a great height, seemed to be a real wonder of the world in sultry, dusty Babylonia.
Statue of Zeus, Olympia, Greece
In 435 BC. NS. in Olympia, one of the sanctuaries of Ancient Greece, a majestic temple was built in honor of the sovereign of the gods - Zeus. Inside the temple was a huge 20-meter statue of the Olympian god, seated on a throne. The sculpture was made of wood, on top of which were glued ivory plates, imitating the upper naked part of Zeus's body. The god's clothes and shoes are plated with gold. In his left hand, Zeus held a scepter with an eagle, and in his right hand, a statue of the goddess of victory.
Temple of Artemis, Ephesus, Turkey
The Temple of Artemis was built in 560 BC. King of Lydia Croesus in the city of Ephesus on the coast of Asia Minor. The huge white marble temple was framed by 127 columns 18 meters high. Inside was a statue of Artemis, the goddess of fertility, made of gold and ivory. In 356 BC. one vain inhabitant of Ephesus - Herostratus set fire to the temple, thus deciding to become famous and perpetuate his name. The Sanctuary of Artemis was rebuilt, but in 263 it was destroyed and plundered by the Goths.
Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Turkey
The ruler of Caria Mavsol during his lifetime in 353 BC. began construction of his own tomb in Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum, Turkey). The grandiose burial structure 46 meters high, girded with 36 columns and crowned with a chariot statue, made such a strong impression on contemporaries that since then all the monumental tombs have been called mausoleums after the name of King Mavsol.
Colossus of Rhodes, Greece
A giant statue of the ancient Greek sun god Helios was erected at the entrance to the port of Rhodes in 292-280. BC e .. A slender youth-god, sculptured in full growth, held a torch in his hand. Ships floated between the legs of the statue. For only 65 years, the Colossus of Rhodes stood in its place: in 222 BC. it was destroyed by an earthquake. The fragments of the sculpture were transported on 900 camels.
Lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt
In all centuries, people were proud and carefully guarded the achievements of their civilizations. The memory of these achievements has survived to this day, becoming the property of the world. The Seven Wonders of the World is a classic list of outstanding human creations.
An interesting fact is that he was well known even before our era. In ancient schools, children were taught different sciences, and knowledge of the 7 wonders of the world was a must.
In this article, we will provide you with not only a list of 7 wonders of the world, but we will also make a short description of each of them.
List of 7 wonders of the world
Well, now a photo and description of the masterpieces of antiquity, which we call nothing else but seven wonders of the world.
1 wonder of the world - Pyramid of Cheops
The exact date of the construction of this grandiose structure is unknown. However, scholars speculate that this is around 2600 BC.
The original height of the Cheops pyramid was 146 meters (this is like 5 nine-storey houses), while now it is about 138 m.The angle of inclination of the walls is from 51 ° to 53 °. The average weight of the blocks from which the pyramid is built is 2.5 tons, although some blocks reach 80 tons.
No cement or other binder was used in the construction. The stone blocks of the first wonder of the world are simply stacked on top of each other. The surface of the pyramid was lined with limestone slabs. To date, the coating has been almost completely destroyed.
There are three chambers inside the pyramid: underground, "Queen's Chamber" and "Pharaoh's Chamber". There was only one entrance inside this structure, and it was located at a height of 15 meters from the ground. But in 820 another, artificial entrance to the Cheops pyramid was made.
The purpose of this stunning building is still unknown. Previously, it was believed that the pyramids played the role of tombs for the pharaohs. However, such a simplistic view of such a majestic and complex structure has not been taken seriously for a long time.
There are also suggestions that the Cheops pyramid was an ancient space observatory, or was a powerful generator of energy.
2 wonder of the world - Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are considered 2 wonders of the world. This amazing structure was built in 605 BC, but already in 562 BC. it collapsed due to flooding.
Despite the fact that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are named after the Assyrian queen Semiramis (800 BC), Nebuchadnezzar II built them in honor of his wife Amitis.
But the Hanging Gardens were included in the list of 7 wonders of the world with the name of Babylon.
The structure consisted of four floors. All of them were equipped with cool rooms for royal walks. Columns 25 m high supported each tier.
Terraces were covered with special lead leaves and poured with asphalt so that water for irrigation of plants would not seep. From above, all this was sprinkled with earth of such a thickness that trees could grow there freely. One can only imagine how much weight the columns of the lower tier could withstand.
Irrigation water was pumped up from the Euphrates River using a clever system. Slaves constantly turned the wheel to supply water, as the stately structure with stunning gardens required a lot of moisture.
To see the place where 2 wonders of the world were located - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, you will have to go to Iraq, since the ruins of ancient Babylon were found there.
3 wonder of the world - Statue of Zeus at Olympia
By the name of the 3 wonders of the world - the statue of Zeus, it is easy to guess to whom this architectural masterpiece was dedicated. The fact is that the Greeks built a temple to the pagan god Zeus in 465 BC, but the statue of Zeus, which is considered one of the 7 wonders of the world, appeared there only 30 years later.
The statue of Zeus itself was made of ivory and reached a height of 17 meters (like a five-story house). At the base of the monument was a square slab, 6 m wide and 1 m high.
The effect of the third wonder of the world on the Greeks was amazing. The fact is that the ratios of the sizes of the temple itself and the statue of Zeus inside it were such that it seemed as if Zeus would now rise and break through the roof of the temple, since otherwise he would simply not be able to straighten up.
The statue of Zeus has stood in Olympia for about 800 years. At the beginning of the 5th century AD, the temple was destroyed, and the statue was transported to Constantinople in order to preserve the cultural heritage. In 425, she died in a fire.
4 wonder of the world - Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
In the ancient Greek city of Ephesus in 560 BC. the temple of Artemis of Ephesus was erected, which later became one of the 7 wonders of the world.
The height of the temple was 18 m, width - 52 m, length - 105 m. The roof was supported by 127 columns.
Some of the best masters of antiquity worked on the creation of this architectural masterpiece. The statue of Artemis itself was made of gold and ivory.
The temple was not only of religious importance, but was also a cultural and economic center.
Who burned the temple of Artemis of Ephesus?
In the summer of 356 BC. NS. the temple of Artemis, which is one of the 7 wonders of the world, was burned by a resident of the city of Ephesus. The name of the arsonist of the temple is Herostratus.
You ask, why did Herostratus need to destroy such a unique architectural monument?
By his own admission, he did this in order to go down in history and immortalize his name forever. Despite the fact that he was executed for this atrocity, the name of Herostratus has indeed survived to this day.
However, the great commander Alexander the Great restored the temple of Artemis of Ephesus in its former form, having allocated colossal funds for this business.
In 263, the fourth wonder of the world was plundered and destroyed by the Goths.
The remains of the Temple of Artemis from Ephesus can be found in Turkey, in the city of Selcuk, Izmir province.
5 wonder of the world - Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
The Halicarnassus mausoleum, included in the list of 7 wonders of the world, appeared in 351 BC. The author of the idea is the king of Caria named Mavsol, together with his wife, Queen Artemisia.
Thus, they decided to immortalize their name following the example of the Egyptian pharaohs. I must say that his venture was successful, since the fifth wonder of the world is still associated with his name.
The building of the mausoleum was three-tiered.
The first tier was a massive plinth, surrounded by statues of ancient Greek heroes along the perimeter. Inside, after the death of Mavsol and his wife, their tombs were to be placed.
The second floor was used as a temple to serve pagan cults. It had 36 columns that held the upper, main part of the Halicarnassus mausoleum.
The third tier looked like a pyramid with 24 steps. At the very top, the main value of the mausoleum was installed: a majestic statue, which was a chariot with King Mavsol and his wife Artemisia.
It seems incredible, but in the Museum of Britain you can see statues of both royal spouses, well preserved to this day.
The mausoleum at Halicarnassus, which became one of the seven wonders of the world, was destroyed in the 13th century by a large-scale earthquake.
In the Turkish resort town of Bodrum, you can find the place where the Halicarnassus mausoleum once stood.
6 wonder of the world - Colossus of Rhodes
The Colossus of Rhodes entered the classic list of the seven wonders of the world almost immediately after its creation in 280 BC.
But first, let's tell the background of the appearance of the sixth wonder of the world. Demetrius I almost immediately after the death of Alexander the Great attacked Rhodes, one of the largest port cities.
Having held the siege of the city for more than a year, for some unknown reason, he abandoned everything he had there and left with his army.
As a token of gratitude, the inhabitants of Rhodes decided to sell the huge property that fell in their hands and use the proceeds to build a monument to Helios, the sun god.
Jerez was the chief architect and sculptor of this masterpiece. The original idea of the inhabitants of Rhodes was to build a statue that would be 10 times the average height of a person, that is, 18 meters.
But then they decided to double the height, for which they allocated an even larger amount of money to Jerez. But they were not enough to continue construction. However, Jerez could no longer stop.
He borrowed colossal money from wealthy friends and relatives and continued to work tirelessly to create a monument that would later add to the seven wonders of the world.
Ultimately, after 12 years of titanic labor, the world saw the 36-meter Colossus of Rhodes. It consisted of an iron frame, finished with clay, and was faced with bronze. The Colossus was located right at the entrance to the harbor, and was visible from all nearby islands.
It is interesting to note that the fate of the sculptor Jerez himself was tragic. After completing his masterpiece, he was harassed by creditors. Ultimately, he committed suicide.
In total, 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron were used for the construction of the Colossus of Rhodes. However, 65 years after its appearance, around 225 BC. The Colossus of Rhodes collapsed into the sea, breaking in the knee area. By the way, the expression "a colossus with feet of clay" appeared just after that.
Eyewitnesses left information that only one finger of the statue was so thick that two adults could barely grasp it.
The colossus was approximately 60 m high (like an eighteen-story house). In a reclining position, the Rhodes statue has lain for almost 900 years. Then it was dismantled and sold by the Arabs, who had captured Rhodes by that time.
In the end, it should only be noted that there is no exact data on how the Colossus of Rhodes actually looked, included in the seven wonders of the world.
7 wonder of the world - the lighthouse of Alexandria
The last, seventh wonder of the world is the Lighthouse of Alexandria, built in the 3rd century BC. In another way, it is also called the Pharos lighthouse.
The idea of creating this lighthouse was quite practical. The fact is that not far from Alexandria was the Pharos island with an important bay. She at that time was of great importance for the passing merchant ships.
Probably Sostratus of Cnidus (the chief architect of the lighthouse) dreamed that his brainchild would enter the seven wonders of the world and glorify his name for centuries.
The project was implemented during the reign of the Egyptian Ptolemy II. The construction took 20 years, but Sostrat completed the work in just 5.
An interesting fact is that when Sostratus was asked to capture the name of Ptolemy on the Alexandria lighthouse, he acted very cunningly. First, he carved his name on the stone, and on top of the plaster he laid out the name of the ruler.
After a few decades, the plaster collapsed, and the residents were presented with the name of the true master and author of the seventh wonder of the world.
The Alexandria lighthouse consisted of three towers.
The lowest part was the technical floor, where workers and soldiers lived, and all the equipment for the maintenance of the lighthouse was kept.
The second part looked like an octagonal tower with a ramp around it. Fuel for the fire was fed through it.
The uppermost, key tower of the lighthouse was equipped with a complex system of mirrors, thanks to which the light from the fire could be seen so far.
The total height of the Pharos lighthouse was about 140 meters. At the very top was a statue of the god of the seas - Poseidon.
It is worth mentioning the reviews of contemporaries who saw the Alexandria lighthouse in person. So some travelers talked about the amazing statues that were located at the lighthouse.
The first of them raised her hand at sunrise, pointed at it throughout the day, and after sunset, the hand dropped.
The second - made a sound 24 times a day with the last second of each hour that passed.
The third indicated the direction of the wind.
The Alexandria lighthouse at night illuminated the water surface for a distance of over 60 km. During the day, a column of smoke rose from it, which also served as an important indicator for ships.
In 796, after standing for almost 1000 years, the seventh wonder of the world, the Pharos lighthouse, was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake. In the 15th century, Sultan Kait-bey founded a fortress on its foundation, which still exists today.
An interesting fact is that in 2015, the Egyptian authorities approved a project to build the lighthouse again.
Well, here it is all seven wonders of the world... Of course, this list at various times was disputed by certain figures, but it is still considered classic.
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"Everything in the world is afraid of time, and time is afraid of pyramids."
Arabic proverb
The greatest monuments of architecture
The most famous architectural wonder of the world is the Giza pyramid complex in Egypt. The largest pyramids of this complex are the Great Pyramid of Cheops, the pyramids of Khephren and Mikerin. They were erected in the period from 2540 BC. NS. to 2450 BC NS. on the left western bank of the Nile in the city of El Giza. To this day, these pyramids amaze with their magnificence, power, are a reflection of human strength and courage.
First Pyramid Builder
The pyramids were built as the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs. They were supposed to testify to the power and greatness of the country and the ruler. The rulers doomed the people of Egypt to grueling construction, which entailed many sacrifices, which claimed thousands of lives. Around 2600 BC NS. the architect Imhotep designed the stepped pyramid for the burial of Pharaoh Djoser, the founder of the III dynasty. This pyramid is considered to be the oldest. Initially, Imhotep planned to build an ordinary mastaba, but already during the construction process, it turned into a six-step pyramid.
El Giza is located 8 km from Cairo on the west bank of the Nile. On the outskirts of Giza, large and small pyramids grow out of the desert.
The Sphinx is located there.
The sun boat was built from cedar without a single nail.
This pyramid also differed from previous tombs in its building material - stone was used for the first time. After his death, Pharaoh Djoser was placed in a tomb built for him, but later his mummy was stolen.
Solar boat
In 1954, archaeologist Kamal al-Malach found a wooden solar boat on the southern side of the Great Pyramid of Cheops. Why it was created is unknown. Judging by the traces of silt found on it, shortly before the death of the pharaoh, she swam along the Nile. According to the beliefs of the Egyptians, on such a boat, after death, the pharaoh could travel through the sky together with the sun god Ra, which is why the boat is called "solar".
Sacred pyramid
The supreme deity of the ancient Egyptians was the sun god Ra, he was revered as the king and father of the gods. The pharaohs who worshiped him built pyramids in order to ascend to heaven after death and gain eternal life. They believed that their souls would rush to the top of the pyramid, where the god Ra would await them on his solar ship.
The burial mask of Tutankhamun is made of pure gold, decorated with lapis lazuli and colored faience.
The vulture and cobra crowning the headdress are considered symbols of Upper and Lower Egypt.
The pyramid of Mikerin, the grandson of Cheops, is 66 m high. Three small pyramids next to it were erected for three women - members of the pharaoh's family.
Pyramid of Khephren, the son of Cheops. The pyramid is several meters lower than the Cheops pyramid, but due to its location it seems higher.
The Great Pyramid of Cheops is one of the oldest architectural treasures, one of the seven wonders of the world.
Research scientists
Based on research by astronomers, the location of the pyramids corresponds to the position of the stars in the sky. Some scientists note the similarity of their location with the constellation Orion. The four corners of the Great Pyramid of Cheops are called the four cardinal directions. The entrance to it, in accordance with religious prescriptions, is located on the north side.
Great pyramid of Cheops
The Great Pyramid of Cheops is practically a monolithic structure, with the exception of burial chambers, corridors leading to them and narrow ventilation shafts, as well as discharge chambers above the so-called "king's chamber". It is 10.5 m long, 5.3 m wide and 5.8 m high. It is made of granite and does not have any decorations. This chamber contains a huge empty granite sarcophagus without a lid. Another burial chamber, located below, is traditionally called the "queen's chamber".
- Pyramidon
- Air duct
- Discharge chambers
- "The King's Chamber"
- "Queen's Chamber"
- Large gallery
- Entrance to the pyramid
- Granite blocks
- Beam road
- Facing blocks
Moving stones
During the construction of the Great Pyramid of Cheops, granite monoliths and limestone blocks were used. Most of the stone was mined in quarries near Cairo and floated on barges during floods when the water extended to the edge of the desert. The heavy stones, unloaded onto the pier, were transferred to wooden sledges, which, with the help of ropes, were dragged to the construction site by numerous workers. To move one medium-sized block (weighing up to 2.5 tons) in this way, about 50 people were required. The main building device was a ramp, an inclined plane that lined up on opposite sides of the pyramids. With the help of such ramps, the blocks were lifted.
Masonry
The masons made blocks of hard rocks using bronze or copper saws, heavy hammers and dolerite balls. Using quartz sand, the sides of the blocks were polished. The stone blocks were adjusted so that not even a knife blade could pass between them. The pyramid was originally faced with a harder white limestone than the main blocks. The top of the pyramid was crowned with a gilded stone - the pyramidon. In the XII century, Cairo was plundered, the inhabitants of the city removed the lining from the pyramid in order to build new houses for themselves.
Temple of the dead
The Temple of the Dead was located east of the main pyramid.
It consisted of two parts: external (with an entrance gate and a courtyard surrounded by columns) and internal (with niches for statues of the pharaoh).
From the temple of the dead, a long road led to the Nile.
Here, on the banks of the river, there was a temple with a pier for ships, in which the deceased was embalmed.
The ruins of the temple of the departed were discovered in 1939.
Life after death
The Egyptians believed that the soul after the death of the body continues to live as long as it is in its "home" - in the body. Therefore, they attached great importance to the preservation of the body after death - mummification. After death, the body of the ruler was carefully embalmed, preparing it for life in the afterlife, the entrails and the brain were removed and wrapped in linen bandages.
The entrails of the deceased were placed in tightly sealed vessels (canopic tubes).
SARCOPHAGUS
This is a stone box in the shape of a coffin, in which the mummy was laid. The covering of the sarcophagus, made of plaster, repeated the figure of the deceased.
Who are the pharaohs?
Pharaoh in earthly existence personified the god Horus. It was believed that after reigning on earth, he would return to the gods. Power belonged entirely to the pharaoh. He was in charge of state affairs, resolved military issues, disposed of the state treasury, was the chief priest, the Chief Justice. The Egyptians believed that the pharaoh was responsible even for the fertility of the land, so the pharaoh always went to collect the first crop. The Egyptian pharaoh was crowned with a crown, which symbolized the strength and power of the ruler.
Who Built the Pyramids?
The pyramids were built by the peasants of Egypt, who were free from agricultural work during the annual floods of the Nile. They worked in quarries, participated in the movement of stones. For their labor, the peasants received housing, clothing, food and a modest salary. Skilled craftsmen (architects, bricklayers) worked on the construction site throughout the year. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus claimed that the construction of the Great Pyramid of Cheops lasted 20 years, however, according to modern scientists, less than 10 years was enough for the construction of the pyramid.
The Sphinx was built by Pharaoh Khafren. This monumental sculpture depicts a lion with the head of a man lying on the sand. The task of the Sphinx is to guard the burial place of the pharaoh. The headdress of the Sphinx is similar to the headdress of the pharaohs. Once upon a time, the Sphinx even wore a regal Pharaoh's beard.
FACTS & GLOSSARY
The rulers of Ancient Egypt built about 60 pyramids. The most famous of them are the pyramids of Giza: the Great Pyramid of Cheops, the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Mikerin.
The largest of them is the Great Pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops.
Its height: 137 m (originally 146 m).
Side edge length: 230.4 m.
Volume of stone mass: 2.5 million m³.
Weight: approx. 7 million tons
Number of stone blocks: 2.3 million
Average weight of a stone block: 2.5 tons (there are blocks weighing 15 tons).
The exits from the mines of the Great Pyramid of Cheops are oriented towards the constellations Orion, Sirius, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, which undoubtedly has a secret meaning.
The Great Pyramid of Cheops has a large base area, which could easily accommodate the five largest cathedrals in the world at the same time: St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome, St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey in London, as well as the Florentine and Milan cathedrals.
Mastaba- a rectangular burial building with sloping walls and a flat top with an underground burial chamber. Mastabas appeared in the period of the first dynasties as special "houses after life".
Dolerite- volcanic rock.
Pharaoh's crown. After the unification, Egypt was considered a double kingdom, it had two crowns: White - a symbol of power over Upper Egypt, Red - a symbol of power over Lower Egypt. As rulers of "both countries," the pharaohs wore a double crown on solemn occasions.
On the inner walls of the pyramid, you can see images of gods and Egyptian hieroglyphs.
In addition, the tomb contained a collection of religious texts "The Book of the Dead".
The riddle of the pyramid
For more than 3500 years, no one penetrated into the Great Pyramid of Cheops: all the entrances to it were carefully walled up. The first to enter the pyramid in 831 was the Baghdad caliph al-Mamun. He decided to look for treasures in this pyramid. At the same time, he did not take into account the warnings of local residents, who argued that "the pyramid is guarded by spirits" who kill the robbers. However, the Caliph never found any treasures in the Great Pyramid of Cheops, perhaps because the tomb of Cheops was plundered even before him by the ancient Egyptians.
Moreover, it is the only one that has survived to this day. A lot of facts have been written about this unique building, and you can read all of them on Wikipedia. We want to outline the general concepts of the pyramid, and interesting facts about it.
First of all, you should know that it is the largest pyramid in Egypt. Previously, its height was about 146 meters, and today it is about 138 meters. The date of the beginning of construction dates back to around 2600 BC, although this is inaccurate, and is disputed by many scientists.
Pyramid of Cheops - the first wonder of the world
Today, this stunning building surprises with its size and incredible precision of engineering calculations. It seems that the ancient Egyptians perfectly knew the principle of the golden ratio, possessed the secret of the number Pi and other scientific knowledge that were discovered much later.
There is speculation that these stone giants are space observatories. After all, the shape of the location of the pyramids exactly repeats the contours of "Orion".
Others believe that these buildings used to play the role of powerful energy generators. They were originally covered in limestone, and shone like supernatural beacons.
Fragments of cladding, with which the pyramid was initially completely covered Inside the first wonder of the world - the pyramids of Cheops, you will find three chambers: underground, "Queen's Chamber" and "Pharaoh's Chamber". You can get inside the artificial mountain through a natural entrance located at a height of about 15 meters (somewhere like a 5-storey building) or through an artificial one, which was pierced in 820.
If you have ever been to the Giza plateau and saw the described facts with your own eyes, then you are unlikely to soon forget the unique wonder of the world - the Cheops pyramid.
Sectional view of the Cheops pyramid On our website you can find another interesting article about how the largest Egyptian pyramid was opened. I must say that many secrets become clear only upon closer examination.
