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Ancient Egyptians started building pyramids around 5000 years ago. They were built as tombs for pharaohs. There were around 80 pyramids, all built near the Nile River. The pyramids were built near the Nile River because of the damp area. The Egyptians made bricks with the clay. A big pyramid base was several city blocks. The Egyptians thought the sloping sides were the stairway to the sun. The great step pyramid for the pharaoh Zoser was built around 4700 years ago. It is the oldest large stone building. The tomb is buried over 80 feet under the pyramid. There is a wall protecting the tomb, it is a mile long. It has 14 doors but only one led to the tomb. When the tomb was opened in 1925 all the treasures were gone except the foot of the mummy. A life size statue of Zoser was found in a closed room in the pyramid. He is wearing a head cloth that means royalty. His eyes were rock crystals, but were stolen by robbers. You can still see his expression after 4700 years!

4500 years ago three buildings were built in Giza, they were the tallest buildings in the world until in 1887 the Eiffel Tower was built and then it took its title. The pyramids are as tall as a 40 story building, 480 feet in the air! There are more than 2 million stones in the pyramids and the square base is 756 feet on each side! 756 feet is about 7 city blocks! It probably took them less than 30 years to build one of the whole pyramid! When the pyramids were first built they were covered in limestone. Now all the limestone was stolen or destroyed. The next largest pyramid was made 70 years later for the pharaoh Khafre. It is ten feet shorter but it looks taller because it was built on taller ground. The smallest pyramid was built for Pharaoh Menkaure, its 217 feet high. The pyramid burial chamber was made first when it was below ground or at ground level. The pharaoh’s sarcophagus was built and put inside the burial chamber because it’s so big because it would not fit later when the pyramid was complete. Egyptians did not use any gears or vehicles to move the stones, they used ramps that were against the side of the pyramids.

The pharaoh’s sarcophagus was built and put inside the burial chamber because it’s so big because it would not fit later when the pyramid was complete. Egyptians did not use any gears or vehicles to move the stones, they used ramps that were against the side of the pyramids. Most of the people who built the pyramids were ordinary peasant farmers. The farmers built pyramids because for several months of the year were the Nile River flooded and no farm work could be done. Also craftsman worked on the pyramids all year long and lived in barracks close to the pyramid, they were in charge of the tools that could cut the stones into exactly the right size and shape. The quarrymen would work in gangs and they painted the name of their gang on the stones, some of these gang names are found on stones on the pyramid.

These people hepled me!

Heather

Wendy

Clair

Pyramids & Mummies, by Seymour Simon

AN EGYPTIAN PYRAMID, by Jacqueline Morley, Mark Bergin and Jhon James