GREAT PYRAMID AT GIZA, EGYPT

THIS IS TE OLDEST PYRAMID OF THE ANCIENT WONDERS AND IS INTACT.  IT WAS BUILT IN 2584 ON A PLATEAU THAT IS 33 FEET TALL.  THE GREEK CONQUEST OF MUCH OF THE KNOWN WORLD IN THE 4TH CENTURY B.C. GAVE HELLENISTIC TRAVELERS ACCESS TO CIVILIZATIONS OF THE EGYPTIANS.

THIS PYRAMID IS THE OLDEST ON THE LIST AND IT IS THE TALLEST MAN MADE STRUCTURE IN THE FOR 3800 YEARS.  IT IS NOT ONLY A TESTIMENT TO DURABILITY, BUT TO A VERY REMARKABLE STRUCTURE BUILT.  THIS PYRAMID AT GIZA IS THE LARGEST EVER BUILT.  THE PYRAMID IS PRECISE AND A REQUIRED ORGANIZATION.

IN 2500 B.C.  PHAROAH KHIFU ORDERED THE CONSTRUCTION OF GIZA NEAR CAIRO.  IT WAS TO PROTECT HIS TOMB AND POSSESSIONS.  IT WOULD ENSURE HIS SAFE TRIP TO THE AFTERLIFE.  IT TOOK 30 YEARS TO BUILD.  IT HAS 2 MILLION LIMESTONE BLOCKS.  EACH WEIGHING 2 TO 15 TONS.  THE CORNERS ARE PLACED AT N,S,E,W.  IT IS 481 FEET TALL.  THERE ARE 3 SMALLER PYRAMIDS TO HOLD THE PHAROAH'S QUEENS.  THE SECOND LARGEST PYRAMID AND THE SPHINX ALSO BUILT BY KHUFU'S SON IN 2520 B.C.  INSIDE GIZA ARE THREE CHAMBERON THE NORTH FACE. HE PASSAGE GOES ABOUT 200 FEET TO AN UNDERGROUND CHAMBER WIDE ENOUGH FOR ONE MAN .  THERE IS ANOTHER CHAMBER THAT WAS ONCE BELIEVED TO BE THE LOCATION OF THE KING'S SPIRIT STATUE.  CONNECTED TO THIS PASSAGE IS AN ASCENDING PASSAGEWAY ONLY LARGE ENOUGH TO CRAWL THROUGH.  IT LEADS TO THE PHAROAH'S CHAMBER.  THE ROOM IS OF GRANITEAND HAS KAKHUF'S CHAMBER.  THE ROOM IS OF GRANITE AND HAS HIS SARCOPHAGUS.

THE EGYPTIANS HAD FEW TOOLS OR TECHNOLOGY TO MOVE THESE HEAVY BLOCKS.  NOONE KNOWS FOR SURE.  THEY COULD HAVE USED ROPES OR SLEDS  AND RAMPS.  THE NILE RIVER WAS ALSO USED.  MANY FOLKS CAME FROM NEARBY COMMUNITTIES ACROSS EGYPT TO HELP.  IN THE MIDDLE AGES THROUGH EROSION  GRAVE ROBBERS  AND TOURISTS HAVE DETERIORATED  THE PYRAMIDS.  THEY ARE SYMBOLS OF EGYPT AND ITS RICH HISTORY.  THESE THESE PYRAMIDS ARE GREAT FEATS OF ANCIENT EGYPT.

PERSONAL.PSU.EDU