Great Egyptian Pyramids at Giza. Wonders of the world

The Great Pyramids are the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that has survived to this day. Ancient Egypt - one of the earliest states in the world - arose in the valley itself long river our planet Nile, around 3000 BC. e., when the legendary Pharaoh Mena united the country and became the ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt. This state existed for more than two and a half thousand years, it was replaced by 30 dynasties before it fell under the attacks of the Persians.

History Ancient Egypt scientists divide into the following eras: First (beginning of 4 thousand BC) and Second (mid 4 thousand BC) predynastic periods; Early Kingdom (XXXII-XXIX centuries BC); Ancient Kingdom (XXIX-XXIII centuries BC); First transition period(XXIII-XXI centuries BC); Middle Kingdom (XXI-XVIII centuries BC); Second transitional period (late 18th - mid 16th centuries BC); New Kingdom (XVI-XI centuries BC); Third transition period (XI-X centuries BC); Late Kingdom (IX-VII centuries BC); era of Persian rule (late VI-IV centuries BC). And only a few centuries of the Old Kingdom fell on the era of the pyramid builders.

High Priest holy city Annu, which the Greeks called Heliopolis, the astronomer Imhotep connected the pyramids with the sky. Previously, kings were buried in mastabas, which consisted of an underground burial chamber and a rectangular stone structure above the ground. But Imhotep ordered the construction of five more similar buildings above the mastaba, and received a step pyramid for his pharaoh Djoser. The pharaoh had to ascend to the sky along these steps.

The pyramids of the pharaohs Cheops, Khafre and Mikerin located in Giza are called the Great Pyramids. They belong to the period of the IV dynasty. They were not stepped, but smooth pyramidal in shape, lined with white limestone and sparkled in the sun. The Cheops pyramid is made up of 2 million 300 thousand stone blocks, precisely fitted to each other, without any binding substances. The weight of each block is approximately from 2 to 14 tons. Herodotus, an ancient Greek historian who visited Egypt two millennia after the construction of the Great Pyramids, wrote that the blocks were lifted using wooden levers from tier to tier along special ramps, and not far from the Cheops pyramid was found An ancient quarry and the remains of a ramp. The remains of a harbor were discovered, where stones were delivered from afar.

Who built the pyramids? According to Herodotus, these were slaves. Moreover, their work was so exhausting that 100 thousand slaves changed there every three months. However, recent archaeological studies refute this claim: the remains of a builders' camp and their burials were found. These were most likely free people who performed labor duties and received payment for their work. The workers were divided into teams, and there were even competitions between the teams! However, it is difficult to imagine that construction was abandoned during the Nile flood, when the suffering began - after all, most Egyptians were engaged in agriculture. Most likely, some specialists lived near the pyramids permanently. These people were taken care of and treated well. One construction worker had a craniotomy and another had his leg amputated, but lived for many years after that. After all, building pyramids was not an easy task and required great precision and knowledge.

The pyramids themselves and their structure are fraught with many mysteries. Remains of ditches were found near the pyramids. Probably, the ditches were filled with water and the stone was chipped off, focusing on its level, so that the site became level. The ditches were dug so that the structure was located exactly along the cardinal points. The average deviation from the exact direction is only slightly greater than 3°. The architects navigated by the stars, and probably did this with the help of reflections in the water. A thin rope was pulled over a ditch filled with water and moved until its reflection on the surface of the water coincided with the reflection of the star. Researcher Kate Spence thinks these were the stars Mizar and Kohab in the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Perhaps the pyramids were a kind of observatory calendars, because the Egyptians used the stars to determine the beginning of the Nile flood, or the stars simply had a sacred meaning - after all, the Egyptians believed that after death a pharaoh becomes a star in the northern sky. “Star” hypotheses haunt researchers. Robert Bauval, for example, believes that the system of corridors and chambers in the Great Pyramid corresponds to the pattern of the constellation Orion, and even the location of the pyramids at Giza also depicts this constellation. Whether this is a coincidence or not is unknown.

It is interesting that the length of the base of the Cheops pyramid is 230 m, its height was originally 146.7 m. Half the perimeter of the base, divided by the height, will give the number 3.137, close to the number π (3.1415). How did the Egyptians know the number pi? This question led to numerous hypotheses, including the existence of an unknown high civilization. In the 20th century discovered new riddle pyramids, when the structure of the DNA molecule was deciphered. It turned out that it is a double helix, reminiscent of a ladder of sugar (deoxyribose) and phosphoric acid. The “steps” of this ladder are nitrogenous bases. And they attach to the “sides” of DNA precisely at angles from 50° to 54°, with an average angle of 51°45′. In the Cheops pyramid the angle of inclination of the faces is 51°51′! Did the Egyptians really know the structure of DNA? The answer may be much simpler. This structure is the most durable and it was developed precisely in the process of evolution. The structure of the pyramids is just as strong. The ancient builders, from their own experience and thanks to the calculations available to them, came to the conclusion that it was precisely this tilt that would make the pyramids stable. And they were not mistaken - the ancient pyramids have survived to this day, leaving researchers with a wide field for work.

A story about the pyramids would be incomplete without mentioning the Sphinx. The word is Greek, but what the Egyptians called it is unknown. The Sphinx - a reclining lion with a human head - is the oldest monumental sculpture on earth. The face of the sphinx is believed to represent Pharaoh Khafre (c. 2575-2465 BC), whose pyramid is nearby. But the Sphinx has Negroid features, and other images of Khafre do not confirm this. The date of creation of this sculpture is also unknown. The traces of erosion found on it make us wonder: what if the Sphinx is much older, because heavy rains fell in Egypt 10 thousand years ago. True, erosion can also be explained by the usual destruction of the limestone from which the statue is made. Interestingly, the sphinx's nose is broken off. According to one version, this was done by a Sufi fanatic in 1378, when he saw that peasants were bringing gifts to the sphinx in the hope of a good harvest. He became angry and struck the statue, for which he was torn to pieces by the crowd. This story confirms that even in the era of Islam, the Egyptians continued to worship the ancient deity. This means that the ancient civilization continued to live in the memory of the people, and not just in historical works.

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Long ago, sages and travelers compiled a list of 7 wonders of the world, the list included the most beautiful and, in their opinion, most majestic buildings in the whole world.

Initially, in the 5th century BC. There were only 3 wonders of the world on the list. After this, in the 3rd century BC, thanks to the poem of Antipater from Sidon, 4 more wonders of the world were added to the list and so the list received the name 7 wonders of the world.

Add to list seven ancient wonders of the world includes the most famous art monuments Ancient world. For their beauty, uniqueness and technical complexity they were called miracles.

The list has changed over time, but the number of miracles included in it has remained unchanged. According to some versions, the author of the classical version of the list is considered to be the ancient Greek engineer and mathematician Philo of Byzantium, who lived in the 3rd century BC. e.

1. Egyptian pyramids

Topping the list are the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World, which is not surprising, since they are the only one of the wonders of the world that have survived to this day.

These stone structures became the greatest monuments of ancient Egyptian architecture. They served as tombs for the Egyptian pharaohs and were supposed to provide eternal housing for the immortal spirit of the rulers. The period of construction of the pyramids dates back to the 2nd-3rd millennia BC.

During this time, more than a hundred of these structures were built. The largest of them is the Cheops pyramid. Its original height was 146.6 m, and the length of the side face was 230.33 m. However, time and earthquakes have somewhat changed its appearance, and to date, the height of this majestic structure reaches only 138.8 m, and the length of the side face is ~ 225 m The rest of the Egyptian pyramids are significantly smaller in size.

Hanging Gardens were built in 600 BC. by order of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II. It is believed that this was done to entertain his wife, who was yearning for the greenery of her homeland in dusty Babylon. The Hanging Gardens were a four-tiered pyramid that looked like a flowering hill. The lower tier was an irregular quadrangle, the smallest side of which was 34 m, the largest - 42 m. The tiers were supported by columns whose height reached 25 m. Each tier was covered with a layer of fertile soil on which various plants could be planted.

Although the wife of the Babylonian king was named Amitas, the name of the Hanging Gardens is traditionally associated with the name of the legendary Assyrian ruler Semiramis.

The famous statue of Zeus, the supreme god of the ancient Greek pantheon, was created by the great sculptor and architect Phidias. It was intended for the Temple of Zeus, located in Olympia, the city where the Olympic Games were held. The frame of the statue was made of wood, onto which ivory plates were glued, imitating naked skin. The hair, beard, wreath, clothes and shoes were made of gold, and the eyes were made of precious stones. In his right hand Zeus held the goddess of victory Nike, also made of ivory and gold.

In 393, Roman Emperor Theodosius I banned the Olympic Games as a pagan event. At the beginning of the 5th century, the statue of Zeus was transported to Constantinople, where some time later it died in a fire.

4. Temple of Artemis in Ephesus

In 550 BC, in the city of Ephesus, located in Asia Minor, the construction of a temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis was completed. It was a large white stone building, but history has not preserved it detailed description. In 356 BC a resident of Ephesus named Herostratus burned it in order to glorify his name. However, by the beginning of the 3rd century AD. e. A new one was built on the site of the burnt temple. The second temple of Artemis was larger than the previous one. Its width was 51 m and its length was 105 m. The roof of the temple was supported by 127 18-meter columns installed in 8 rows. Statues of its builders, Praxiteles and Scopas, were installed inside the temple.

At the end of the 4th century AD, the temple was closed by order of the Roman Emperor Theodosius I, and then partially dismantled for new buildings.

This tomb was built in the middle of the 4th century BC. e. in the city of Halicarnassus, located on the territory of modern Turkey. It became a tomb for King Mausolus, the ruler of one of the regions of Asia Minor, and was named a mausoleum after him. The Tomb of Mausolus is a brick building faced with white marble. The Roman writer and historian Pliny the Elder claimed that the length of this structure was 60 m and the height was 46 m.

This mausoleum existed for almost two thousand years and was finally destroyed only in the 16th century, when the Knights of St. John dismantled its remains to build a fortress.

In the 3rd century BC this giant statue was installed on greek island Rhodes. Work on it continued for about 20 years. The result was a clay statue with a metal frame, trimmed with bronze sheets and depicting the sun god Helios. The height of this colossus, standing on a white marble pedestal, almost reached 36 m. About 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron were spent on its manufacture.

The Colossus of Rhodes stood in its place for only 56 years. As a result of what happened in 222 BC. earthquake, he broke at the knees and fell. This is where the expression “colossus with feet of clay” comes from. In 977 AD e. what was left of the statue was sold to merchants. According to the chronicles, there was enough debris to load 900 camels with it. The ancient Greek author Philo of Byzantium was first mentioned as one of the Colossae of Rhodes.

7.

Around 280 BC, the world's first lighthouse was completed on the small Mediterranean island of Pharos, located near the port of Alexandria. This work took about 20 years. Height Alexandria lighthouse was equal to 135 m, and the light from it was visible at a distance exceeding 60 km. A fire was constantly burning at the top of the lighthouse, the light from which was directed out to the sea using polished bronze plates. During the day, a column of smoke served as a guide for sailors.

In the 12th century AD e. Alexandria Bay ceased to be used due to filling with silt, and Faros lighthouse has lost its meaning. In the 14th century, it was damaged by an earthquake and then dismantled by Muslims to build a fortress.

Pyramid of Cheops - a legacy of the ancient Egyptian civilization, all tourists coming to Egypt try to see it. It amazes the imagination with its grandiose size. The weight of the pyramid is about 4 million tons, its height is 139 meters, and its age is 4.5 thousand years. It still remains a mystery how people built the pyramids in those ancient times. It is not known for certain why these majestic structures were erected.

Legends of the Cheops Pyramid

Shrouded in mystery, ancient Egypt was once the most powerful country on Earth. Perhaps his people knew secrets that are still inaccessible to modern humanity. Looking at the huge stone blocks of the pyramid, which are laid with perfect precision, you begin to believe in miracles.

According to one legend, the pyramid served as a grain storage facility during the great famine. These events are described in the Bible (Book of Exodus). Pharaoh had a prophetic dream, warning of a series of lean years. Joseph, the son of Jacob, sold into slavery by his brothers, managed to unravel Pharaoh's dream. The ruler of Egypt instructed Joseph to organize the procurement of grain, appointing him as his first adviser. The storage facilities must have been huge, given that they fed many nations for seven years when there was famine on Earth. The slight discrepancy in dates - about 1 thousand years old - is explained by adherents of this theory by the inaccuracy of carbon analysis, through which archaeologists determine the age of ancient buildings.

According to another legend, the pyramid served to transfer the material body of the pharaoh into upper world Gods. Amazing fact is that inside the pyramid where the sarcophagus for the body is located, the mummy of the pharaoh was not found, which the robbers could not take. Why did the rulers of Egypt build such huge tombs for themselves? Was their goal really to build a beautiful mausoleum that testified to greatness and power? If the construction process took several decades and required enormous amounts of labor, it means that the ultimate goal of constructing the pyramid was vitally important to the pharaoh. Some researchers believe that we know very little about the level of development ancient civilization, the mysteries of which are yet to be discovered. The Egyptians knew the secret of eternal life. It was acquired by the pharaohs after death, thanks to technology that was hidden inside the pyramids.

Some researchers believe that the Cheops pyramid was built by a great civilization even more ancient than the Egyptian one, about which we know nothing. And the Egyptians only restored existing ancient buildings and used them at their own discretion. They themselves did not know the intention of the forerunners who built the pyramids. The Forerunners could be giants of the Antediluvian civilization or inhabitants of other planets who flew to Earth in search of a new homeland. The gigantic size of the blocks from which the pyramid is built is easier to imagine as a convenient building material for ten-meter giants than for ordinary people.

One more interesting legend I would like to mention the Cheops pyramid. They say that inside the monolithic structure there is a secret room in which there is a portal that opens paths to other dimensions. Thanks to the portal, you can instantly find yourself at a selected point in time or on another inhabited planet of the Universe. It was carefully hidden by the builders for the benefit of people, but will soon be found. The question remains whether modern scientists will understand the ancient technologies to take advantage of the discovery. In the meantime, archaeological research in the pyramid continues.

In the era of antiquity, when the Greco-Roman civilization began to flourish, ancient philosophers compiled a description of the most outstanding architectural monuments on Earth. They were called the "Seven Wonders of the World." These included the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Colossus of Rhodes and other majestic buildings built before our era. The Pyramid of Cheops, as the oldest, is in first place on this list. This wonder of the world is the only one that has survived to this day; all the others were destroyed many centuries ago.

According to the descriptions of ancient Greek historians great pyramid shone in the rays of the sun, shimmering with a warm golden shine. It was lined with meter-thick limestone slabs. The smooth white limestone, decorated with hieroglyphs and designs, reflected the sands of the surrounding desert. Later, local residents dismantled the cladding for their homes, which they lost as a result of the devastating fires. Perhaps the top of the pyramid was decorated with a special triangular block made of precious material.

Around the Cheops pyramid in the valley there is a whole City of dead. Dilapidated buildings of mortuary temples, two other large pyramids and several smaller tombs. A huge statue of a sphinx with a broken nose, which was recently restored, is carved from a monolithic block of gigantic proportions. It was taken from the same quarry as the stones used to build the tombs. Once upon a time, ten meters from the pyramid there was a three-meter thick wall. Perhaps it was intended to protect the royal treasures, but it could not stop the robbers.

History of construction

Scientists still cannot come to a consensus on how ancient people built the Cheops pyramid from huge blocks of stone. Based on the drawings found on the walls of others, it was assumed that workers cut each block into the rocks and then dragged it to the construction site along a ramp made of cedar. History does not have a consensus on who was involved in the work - peasants for whom there was no other work during the Nile flood, slaves of the pharaoh or hired workers.

The difficulty is that the blocks had to not only be delivered to the construction site, but also raised to a great height. Before its construction, the Cheops Pyramid was the tallest structure on Earth. Modern architects see the solution to this problem differently. By official version Primitive mechanical blocks were used for lifting. It’s scary to imagine how many people died during construction using this method. When the ropes and straps holding the block broke, it could crush dozens of people with its weight. It was especially difficult to install the upper block of the building at a height of 140 meters above the ground.

Some scientists suggest that ancient people had the technology to control Earth's gravity. The blocks weighing more than 2 tons, from which the Cheops pyramid was built, could be moved with ease using this method. The construction was carried out by hired workers who knew all the secrets of the craft, under the leadership of the nephew of Pharaoh Cheops. There were no human sacrifices, backbreaking labor of slaves, only building art, which has achieved the highest technologies that are inaccessible to our civilization.

The pyramid has the same base on each side. Its length is 230 meters and 40 centimeters. Amazing accuracy for ancient uneducated builders. The density of the stones is so great that it is impossible to insert a razor blade between them. An area of ​​five hectares is occupied by one monolithic structure, the blocks of which are connected with a special solution. There are several passages and chambers inside the pyramid. There are ventilation holes facing different directions of the world. The purpose of many interior spaces remains a mystery. The robbers took away everything valuable long before the first archaeologists entered the tomb.

The pyramid is currently listed cultural heritage UNESCO. Her photo adorns many Egyptian tourist brochures. In the 19th century, Egyptian authorities wanted to dismantle the huge monolithic blocks of ancient structures to build dams on the Nile River. But the labor costs far outweighed the benefits of the work, which is why the monuments of ancient architecture still stand to this day, delighting pilgrims in the Giza Valley.

Egyptian pyramids

One of the most mysterious and carefully studied wonders of the world that has survived to this day is the Egyptian pyramids.

Huge man-made mountains, created according to the calculations of famous and respected architects in Egypt using technologies amazing for the Ancient World, became the tombs of the rulers of Ancient Egypt - the pharaohs. The oldest is the step pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser, who ruled Egypt about 5,000 years ago. Before him, the rulers of Egypt limited themselves to funerary monuments of a simpler design. Djoser turned to the architect Imhotep with the wish that his tomb would surpass all those built so far, providing him with a peaceful and restful afterlife. This is how the first pyramid was built, reaching a height of 60 m.

A pyramid, in which all geometric parameters are carefully calculated, the edges of which are oriented to the cardinal directions and polished, creates a favorable environment in a certain place in its internal space that facilitates the preservation of the body of a deceased person.

The most famous throughout the world are the pyramids at Giza, intended for the pharaohs Cheops, Khafre and Mikerin. The Pyramid of Cheops is huge, it is simply overwhelming in its size - 147 m in height, the length of each side is 233 m, the occupied area is almost 50,000 sq.m. In this case, the sides of the pyramid are oriented to the cardinal points with an accuracy of 4 arc minutes. The pyramids are made of solid masonry. The stone blocks from which they are made weigh from 2.5 to 15 tons. How did the ancient masters manage to build such a miracle?

There are many hypotheses about how the pyramids were built. American engineer John Bush, for example, put forward a hypothesis according to which huge blocks were rolled over long distances using large round blocks. He conducted successful tests of such devices. The limestone blocks used to build the pyramids were mined on the opposite bank of the Nile and transported by boat.

There are also more unusual assumptions about the construction of the pyramids. According to them, the pyramids are the work of the cosmic ancestors of humanity or the inhabitants of the sunken Atlantis, who hid information about secret knowledge under the pyramids.

The ancient Egyptians believed that the deceased, buried according to all the rules, would be resurrected in a special the afterlife. The tomb becomes his home, in which his mummy (a carefully embalmed incorruptible body) is preserved, as well as many double sculptures and images of objects, animals and people that may be useful to him in the afterlife.

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“Everything in the world is afraid of time, and time is afraid of the pyramids.”

Arabic proverb

The greatest architectural monuments

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 Khafre and Mikerin. They were erected in the period from 2540 BC. e. to 2450 BC e. on the left western bank of the Nile in the city of El Giza. To this day, these pyramids amaze with their magnificence, power, and are a reflection of human strength and courage.

The first pyramid builder

The pyramids were built as tombs for Egyptian pharaohs. They were supposed to testify to the power and greatness of the country and the ruler. The rulers condemned the people of Egypt to grueling construction, which entailed many casualties and claimed thousands of lives. Around 2600 BC. e. The architect Imhotep designed a step pyramid for the burial of Pharaoh Djoser, founder of the Third Dynasty. This pyramid is considered the oldest. Initially, Imhotep planned to build an ordinary mastaba, but 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 El Giza, large and small pyramids rise out of the desert.
The Sphinx is located there.

The solar boat was built from cedar without a single nail.

This pyramid also differed from previous tombs in its construction material - stone was used for the first time. After his death, Pharaoh Djoser was placed in a tomb built for him, but his mummy was later stolen.

Solar boat

In 1954, archaeologist Kamal al-Malakh 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, it floated along the Nile. According to Egyptian beliefs, on such a boat, after death, the pharaoh could travel across 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 so that after death they could ascend to heaven and gain eternal life. They believed that their souls would rush to the top of the pyramid, where the god Ra would be waiting for them on his solar ship.

Tutankhamun's funeral mask 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 Khafre, 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 and is one of the seven wonders of the world.

Research by 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 regulations, is located on the north side.

Great Pyramid of Cheops

The Great Pyramid of Cheops is an almost monolithic structure, with the exception of the burial chambers, corridors and narrow ventilation shafts leading to them, as well as unloading chambers above the so-called “king's chamber”. Its length is 10.5 m, width - 5.3 m and height - 5.8 m. It is laid out of granite and has no decorations. This chamber houses a huge empty granite sarcophagus without a lid. The other burial chamber, located below, is traditionally called the "queen's chamber."

1. Pyramidon
2. Air duct
3. Unloading chambers
4. "The King's Chamber"
5. "Queen's Chamber"
6. Large gallery
7. Entrance to the pyramid
8. Granite blocks
9. Road made of beams
10. Block cladding

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 the flood period, when the water extended to the edge of the desert. Heavy stones unloaded onto the pier were transferred to wooden sleds, which were pulled by numerous workers using ropes to the construction site. To move one medium-sized block (weighing up to 2.5 tons) in this way required about 50 people. The main construction device was the ramp, an inclined plane that lined up on different sides of the pyramids. With the help of such ramps the blocks were lifted.

Masonry

Stonemasons made blocks from 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 even a knife blade could not pass between them. Initially, the pyramid was lined with white limestone, which was harder than the main blocks. The top of the pyramid was crowned with a gilded stone - a pyramidon. In the 12th century, Cairo was sacked; city residents removed the cladding from the pyramid in order to build new houses for themselves.

Temple of the Lost

The Temple of the Dead was located east of the main pyramid.
It consisted of two parts: an external one (with an entrance gate and a courtyard surrounded by columns) and an internal one (with niches for statues of the pharaoh).
From the temple of the dead, a long road led to the Nile.
Here on the river bank there was a temple with a pier for ships, where the deceased was embalmed.
The ruins of the Temple of the Dead 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. That's why great importance they attached to the preservation of the body after death - mummification. After death, the ruler’s body was carefully embalmed, preparing him for life in the afterlife; his entrails and brain were removed and wrapped in linen bandages.

The entrails of the deceased were placed in tightly sealed vessels (canopic jars).

SARCOPHAGUS

This is a coffin-shaped stone box in which the mummy was placed. 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 ruling on earth he would return to the gods. Power belonged entirely to the pharaoh. He conducted state affairs, resolved military issues, managed the state treasury, was the chief priest, the Supreme Judge. The Egyptians believed that the pharaoh was responsible even for the fertility of the land, so the pharaoh was always sent to collect the first harvest. Egyptian pharaoh crowned with a crown, which symbolized the strength and power of the ruler.

Who built the pyramids?

The pyramids were built by Egyptian peasants who were free from agricultural work during the annual floods of the Nile. They worked in quarries and took part in moving stones. For their labor, the peasants received housing, clothing, food and a modest salary. Qualified craftsmen (architects, masons) 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 to build the pyramid.

The Sphinx was built by Pharaoh Khafre. This monumental sculpture represents a lion with a human head lying on the sand. The Sphinx's task 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 pharaonic beard.

FACTS and VOCABULARY

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 shafts 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 large area a foundation that could easily accommodate five of the world's largest cathedrals simultaneously: St. Peter's in Rome, St. Paul's and Westminster Abbey in London, as well as the Cathedrals of Florence and Milan.

Mastaba- a rectangular burial building with sloping walls and a flat top with an underground burial chamber. Mastabas appeared during the first dynasties as special “houses after life.”

Dolerite- volcanic rock.

Pharaoh's crown. After the unification, Egypt was considered a dual 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 special 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 mystery of the pyramid

For more than 3,500 years, no one penetrated the Great Pyramid of Cheops: all 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 treasure in this pyramid. However, he did not take into account the warnings local residents, who claimed 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.