The History of Pyramids - Term Paper Example

Teacher 22nd November The History of Pyramids Among the Seven Wonders of the World, the most ancient and oldest wonder is the pyramids of Egypt. We the people normally think of pharaohs when pyramids come into discussion. However the complete history contains other factors too that are responsible for the creation of these structures. These are one of the most brilliant man-made structures. Under the topic of pyramids, Egyptian pyramids are not the only one. Pyramids are also found in other parts of the world like. But the fame that pyramids of Giza (Egyptian pyramids) enjoy is much different from the other out there. These structures very prominently reflect wealth and status of the Kings of that time. “Man fears time but the time fears pyramids”. [Arab saying]. The history of pyramids stretches 4000 years back. Around 3000 B.C, an era began which is normally called the dynastic era. An era in which the greatest kings ruled different parts of the world. Especially the history of Egypt tells that Kings were praised like they are being appointed by God. People wanted to keep the king’s dead body in some special safe and conditions because it was their belief that there king has not completely died and they have to keep it intact. “Believed to be gods, the royal family lived amid colossal palaces and temples built to honor them and their deified ancestors” (Hawaas). The word Mummy came from this practice of the people of that time. These structures were to provide a safe and strong shelter for the dead bodies of their kings. However this culture of building pyramids was definitely started by their kings. Pyramids are not the part of Egyptian civilization only. There are others also like Mesopotamian and Mayan. As described earlier, pyramids are so old that “from the heights of these pyramids, forty centuries look down on us”. (Bonaparte). To shelter and safeguard the part of a pharaoh's soul that remained with his corpse, Egyptians built massive tombs but not always pyramids. Before the pyramids, tombs were carved into bedrock and topped by flat-roofed structures called mastabas. Mounds of dirt, in turn, sometimes topped the structures. The pyramid shape of later tombs could have come from these mounds.” More likely, Egyptian pyramids were modeled on a sacred, pointed stone called the benben. The benben symbolized the rays of the sun; ancient texts claimed that pharaohs reached the heavens via sunbeams”. (National Geographic) For a long period, archeologists and historians presented their theories regarding pyramids that how and why are these structures built? This is a question that kept everyone in a state of severe confusion for a very long period of time. The information related to such confusing questions was provided by the pyramids itself. The inside of these pyramids is so well designed and managed by the ancient people that it provided loads of information and history of these structures. The concept or the culture of picture writing was introduced by Egyptians. They were really good at that and this mean of communication is very affective and understandable. The interior of Egyptian pyramids contains such picture writings on the walls describing the happenings and other processing of those old Kingdoms. In such picture writings that were found, some were showing the construction of these pyramids. These embedded pictures were of labors and mechanism technique they used to build these structures. These were so clear that people got the idea and the mystery of process of creating the pyramids didn’t remain a mystery anymore. One of such writing which was commonly found on the inside walls of most of the pyramids was “HRAM” (haram). “This name (haram) signifies the holy place, the edifice consecrated in a particular manner, it may be some divinity, or some religious usage” (Silvestre De Sacy). From these wall prints, it was also concluded that the process of making these pyramids was not easy. In fact these projects were running on cruelty and harshness. King didn’t tolerate any kind of delay or any mistake. They punished the labors out there so that they could achieve what they wanted them to build. On the other side they were rewarded too. “Giza plateau revealed that the workers ate a large amount of beef, a prized and expensive food item in ancient Egypt” (Mark Lehner). Also from the technology perspective, it was nearly impossible for the people of that time to build a structure like that. One thing that is still a mystery is that how and by whom the construction plan was made. The jobs are specified nowadays but it was not there 3000 years back. The tasks of construction and design were not that much separate as they are now. Definitely it requires great talents and originality. These are the largest stone structures till now. It’s still a mystery that what were the ambitions and timetable of the pyramid makers. It is found by research that hundreds of labors died during the construction due to different reasons. Each pyramid took a decade or two to be built. Definitely the workers were forced to go for and stick to the project for a very long period of time. “The builders worked from a single construction plan, a ‘hidden logic’” (John Romer). Coming to the topic that who built the pyramids, there are some popular depictions. The people who participated in this construction were not professional. They were normal people living in villages. No one from outside was invited for this. Some of them were permanently employed by the pharaoh. Others were just hired for limited time just to assist the construction of these pyramids. The fossils and remains found there tells that there were villages in which bakers, butchers, brewers and doctors who provided some health facilities were living. Some female skeletons found show that they also helped in and labored with heavy stones for long period of time. Archeologists say that much of the work was done when river Nile was flooded. Limestone deposits were carried by that water to the base of pyramids as it was situated at some distance from the bank of river Nile. The oldest pyramid built was built around 2630 B.C. This was known as step pyramid. As the story goes, the pyramid’s architect “Imhotep” who was a priest and a healer who some 1,400 years later would be defined as the patron of Physicians and scribes. (history.com). It took over 20 years for pyramid builders to assemble this six stepped pyramid. The height of this pyramid is 62 meters. This pyramid had temples, shrines and courtyards where King would enjoy his afterlife. Burial chambers in this pyramid were underground and in the form of maze of tunnels. This was to protect the mummies form being stolen. After this, the stepped pyramid became a norm for royal burials. Many of other successors couldn’t complete the planned structures because of their short reign. Stones in this pyramid were carved so to resemble wood and other softer materials. This made the tomb more durable than mud-bricks structures. The credit again goes to the architect of the project Imhotep. (National Geographic) The bigger attempt was then made by a pharaoh named snefru. A 4th dynasty king. Inspired by the previous attempt, snefru wanted to build a bigger seven stepped pyramid. This pyramid was built south to Saqqara. His workers were when working on fourth step he decided to increase the size to eight steps. Burial chambers in this pyramid were above ground so that the mummified body remains closer to the sun god (National geographic). Pyramids that today are among the Seven Wonders of the World are pyramids of Giza. And surely they deserve to be. It’s the only left wonder of the ancient world. Built for snefru’s successor, named Khufu (reign 2589-2566 B.C). He was also a king of fourth dynasty. The biggest of these three pyramids is 147 meters high. The three small pyramids near to the biggest one are of the Khufu’s queens. The second pyramid was for Khufu’s son named khafre. It’s different from others in a means that it has a statue with a head of a human and body of a lion. Afterwards that statue was also being praised. The third pyramid at Giza was built for Menkaure (Khafre’s son). It is shortest of the three pyramids (history.com). It is said that around 2.3 million blocks of stone were cut and moved to the site of construction. Ancient Greek historians wrote that it took 20 years to build and required around 100,000 men to work. “These magnificent pyramids attest not only the supreme power, but also the engineering expertise and architectural sophistication that flourished under their rule. The only one of the Seven Wonders of the World still standing, were built by skilled craftsmen who took great pride in their work” (Zahi a Hawaas). It is said that “the pyramid's smooth, angled sides symbolized the rays of the sun and were designed to help the king's soul ascend to heaven and join the gods, particularly the sun god” (history.com). The obvious thing about these three pyramids is that the last of the three pyramids is much smaller than the ones built before. May be the cost of construction and the time it requires was so big in numbers that every pharaoh was not completely able to build such wonders one after the other. It took whole life of pharaohs and also the workers doing the hardest job in the history of mankind. In fact the Mankaure who was Khufu’s grandson died in between the period of construction of his pyramid. Due to which the construction was abandoned. “While remarkably well constructed, the pyramids are not unaccountably perfect. The sides are only approximately aligned and are of different lengths. They are extraordinarily precise, given the rudimentary technology of time, but are not beyond it” (Lacovara). Pyramids continued to build afterwards but the scale and quality was declined over the period. The king’s power also declined. The last of these great pyramids was built in the reign of Pepy II(2278-2184 B.C). This king came to power as a young boy and ruled for 94 years. By the time of his rule, the old kingdom’s power and status kept declining and also pharaoh’s image was fainted by non-royals. Such officials grew in these last reigns. Afterwards the kingdom clashed and Egypt went into intermediate period. This phase was also turbulent and did not last as old kingdom. Pyramids were also built in this era but were much smaller and never on the scale of great pyramids (history.com). It is accepted by everyone that science has changed the world. We talk different, we eat different and we wear different. Just because of science. The wonders that the people of Egypt and different parts of the world built 4000 years ago are extraordinary. Science was there. Its just wasn’t named. “When Moses was alive, these pyramids were a thousand years old. There began the history of architecture. There people learned to measure time by a calendar, to plot the stars by astronomy and chart the earth by geometry. And there they developed that most awesome of all ideas, the idea of eternity” (Cronkite). Well it’s true that “The great pyramids of Giza which remain among the most mysterious architectural and archeological achievements have fascinated the scientists and historians from antiquity to the present”. (Pierre). The research on pyramids started in 440 B.C. Many archeologists till now have visited the site and gave their leanings and views on these pyramids. Around 80 pyramids are there in Egypt. During these researches, there were also found some incomplete structures. In many of them the upper most block (top stone). The research is still on and is being carried out by archeologists, engineers, mathematicians, architects and scholars from different disciplines. It is one of the greatest mysteries of all time. (“The Great Pyramids of Giza”). “Perhaps the most famous emblems of Ancient Egypt, to this day the Pyramids of Giza continue to confound and seduce visitors and scientists alike” (Pierre). “Building the Great Pyramid brings the world of Fourth Dynasty Egypt to life and shows how and why this most extraordinary of all human monuments was built” (Jackson). Very few people know about the complete history behind these monuments. It’s kind of a shocking fact that the oldest wonder is still not completely identified and understood. “Only now, at the beginning of the twenty first century, is it possible to provide answers” (Stamp). Either the science has not paid that much attention to these pyramids or this wonder carries a separate world of mysteries that will take a lot more time to be completely revealed. Many of scientists have been able to find passages to chambers inside these pyramids. Mummies of many pharaohs have been found. Facts and information related to these structures is so huge and vast those scientists have allotted it a separate name of “pyramidology”. Many books have been published in which pyramidologists continue to revise and update the timelines and studies of the great pyramid. Some of the more interesting research consists in searching for undiscovered chambers and passages using high tech equipment. What may be discovered is an exciting thought (“The Great Pyramids of Giza”) Works Cited Edward I.E.S. The Pyramids of Egypt. Penguin Publishers, 1986. Print. Varner, Miroslav. The Pyramids: their archeology and history. Atlantic, 2003. Print. “National Geographic News”. nationalgeographic.com. National Geographic. n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2011. Pritchett, Terry. Pyramids (Disc World Novel 7). HarperTorch, 2001. Print. Bodden, Valerie. Pyramids. The Creative Company, 2008. Print. “History”. History.com. History.com. n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2011. “The Great Pyramids of Giza”. gizapyramid.com. GizaPyramid. n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2011. Hawaas, Zahi, A. Mountains of the Pharaohs. Doubleday Religion, 2006. Print. “Quotes”. thinexist.com. ThinkExist, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2011. Hellum, Jenifer. The pyramids. California: Greenwood Press, 2007. Print. Hyman, Teresa, L. Pyramids of Giza. KidsHaven Press; 1 edition, 2004. Print. Michael O’Neal. Great mysteries…the pyramids. Greenhaven Pr, 1995. Print. Corteggiani, Jean Pierre. The great pyramids. Harry N. Abrams, 2007. Print. Romer, John. The Great Pyramid: Ancient Egypt revisited. Cambridge University Press; 1 edition, 2007. Print. Jackson, Kevin. Stamp, Jonathan. Building the great pyramid”. Firefly Books; First Edition, 2003. Print. Read More