The Pyramid of Giza, which was built centuries ago, is recognized as one of the 7 Wonders of the Old World. The Great Pyramid, which has endured long after its inhabitants, has taught us a lot about ancient Egypt, but it is not without unanswered questions. With the help of these Pyramid of Giza facts, you may learn about the fascinating wonders of this historic site.
1 - Grave robbers have taken advantage of the Pyramids of Giza.
Like many other royal tombs, the Pyramids of Giza have indeed been robbed numerous times over the years. Grave robbery was fairly common in ancient Egypt because it was believed that pharaohs were buried with wealth and jewelry. The pyramids are thought to have been robbed within five hundred years of their completion and sealed as a result.
2 - It Took Almost 20 Years to Build.
The construction of the Great Pyramid took around 20 years. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, the task required 100,000 workers, broken into five clans with 20,000 men each. Recent data, however, indicates that the task required a staff of 14,500–40,000 men. How well the pyramids were built, whether the laborers were slaves or competent workers, and how many were required for construction are all hotly contested topics. The idea that the laborers were probably paid skilled workers is one issue that seems to have been resolved in recent years.
3 - The Giza Pyramids Were Not the First to be Created.
The Pyramids of Giza were not the first structures to be erected, despite their age. The oldest pyramid in the world is thought to be Saqqara's Step Pyramid of Dsojer, which was constructed in 2630 BC. In 2560 BC, or 70 years after the Pyramid of Dsojer, the Great Pyramid of Giza was built.
4 - There used to be an invisible door in the Great Pyramid.
According to legend, the pyramid once had a nearly twenty-ton invisible swivel gate. It was interesting that you could only recognise it and open it from the inside. It should come as no surprise that the door was just so heavy that the opening mechanism wasn't found until researchers were examining the Great Pyramid. This useful feature's creation and management by the Egyptians remain a mystery to this day.
5 - The equivalent of an elephant's weight was in the pyramid stones.
If we told you that certain of the large stones used to construct the pyramids weigh more than 70 tonnes, would you believe us? Each of the 2.3 million stone pieces that make up the Great Pyramid weighs about 2.5 tonnes on average. But many of them weigh at least as much as an elephant on average. Even though we may never fully understand how well these rocks were carried, several wall murals and documents from the time of the ancient Egyptians do provide some information. For instance, it appears that stones were moved on sleds, perhaps across wet sand. Yet there is still a great deal to discover, and this field of experimental archaeology continues to be quite fascinating.
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Khufu, also known as Cheops in Greek, was the second pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty and the child of Sneferu and Hetepheres I. He most likely came to power while he was in his 20s. The competing tales of Khufu's reign were recorded decades after his death, notably in Herodotus' Histories, so very little knowledge about him has survived. The only statue of him known to exist is only three inches tall.
7 - The pyramids are safe with the sphinx.
The Sphinx is a mythological figure from ancient Egypt with a lion's body as well as a human head. At tombs and temples, as well as other locations where the Egyptians sought spiritual protection, the Sphinx was constructed. The Great Sphinx, which guards the Great Pyramid of Giza, is the most well-known sphinx. 20 meters high, six meters wide, and 73 meters long make up the Great Sphinx. The size of its eyes alone is two meters.
8 - Once, white limestone covered all three pyramids.
The three Pyramids of Giza were formerly shielded from the sun's rays by a white, polished limestone casing. These limestone casings, however, have vanished over time as a result of earthquakes or being used to construct new buildings. At the very top of the Pyramid of Khafre, though, you can still make out some of the ancient casing.
9 - There is a huge funeral complex at each pyramid.
There are several buildings all around the three pharaonic pyramids. Each features a number of satellite pyramids where the queens' remains were interred, a valley temple in which the pharaoh is prepared before burial, as well as a mortuary temple where priests performed rituals for the dead pharaohs. Mastabas and cemeteries, in which the king's officers and relatives were interred, were also built around the pyramids.
10 - There are almost 2 million stone blocks in the Great Pyramid.
Around 2.3 million stone blocks were used in the construction of the Great Pyramid of Khufu. 8,000 tonnes of granite and 5.5 million tonnes of limestone were included in this. Each stone, weighing between 25 and 80 tonnes, was either mined at Giza or transported by ship from far-off places like Tura and Aswan.