The Egyptian pyramids are known by many people as being impressive features which are big and were built several years ago. It is also a known fact that, the pyramids were built to serve as monumental sites which served as burial places for the Pharaohs, who were the Egyptians ancient Kings. There are other things about these pyramids that are little known to the general world.
Here are the top 20 interesting facts about Egyptian pyramids
20. The 140 Pyramids Existed in Ancient Egypt
Though the most well known pyramids in Egypt are pyramids in Giza, there are over 140 pyramids which have been discovered in the Egyptian ancient area.
19. DJoser The Oldest Pyramid
It is believed that the Djoser is the oldest pyramid in ancient Egypt, which was built during the 27th century BC by the Saqqara Necropolis.
18. Khufu – The Largest Pyramid In Egypt
While Djoser is considered the oldest pyramid in Egypt, Khufu pyramid is considered the largest, with the original height having been estimated at 146.5 meters. The current height is at 138.8 meters.
17. Great Pyramid of Giza
Before the cathedral of Lincoln was constructed in 1311, for 3871 years, the Giza pyramids held was the world’s tallest man made structure.
16. Wonders of Ancient World
This record is held by the pyramids of Giza – being the oldest and only existing of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
15. 100,000 People – The Number of Workers
It is approximated that, over 100,000 people were used when the pyramids were being constructed
14. Giza Pyramids Guarded By Great Sphinx
The pyramids are guarded by great sphinx with the face of the sphinx representing the face of the Pharaoh Khafra.
13. Why The Pyramids in Egypt Are Found on The West Bank of The Nile
You will notice that, the pyramids of the ancient Egypt were built on the west bank of the Nile. This is the site where the sun sets and it was associated with the dead in the mythology of the Egyptians.
12. Ancient Egyptians Burials
Studies carried out on the ancient Egyptian burials reveal that, the nobles were buried with goods which ranged from the day to day objects to the most sophisticated and other precious gifts which included jewelry. The dead were believed to be able to use it in the afterlife.
11. Imhotep, The First Known Pyramid Architect
Imhotep was the first ancient Egyptian engineer, physician, and polymath. He is believed to be behind the scene in the construction of the Djoser pyramid, the oldest pyramid in Egypt.
10. Methodology of Stone Placement During Construction of the Pyramids
Experts agree that the pyramids were built from large stones which were carved with copper chisels from stone quarries. What still remains a mystery is the method which was used to move and place the stones during the construction.
9. The Pyramid Techniques
The techniques which were used during the Ancient Egypt pyramid construction evolved over time. Later, pyramids were built differently as compared to ancient times.
8. The End in Egypt, The Beginning in Sudan
After what seems to be an end to pyramid building in Egypt, Sudan started building pyramids and they can be found all over the modern Sudan.
7. The Attempted Destruction of Giza Pyramids
During the 12th century, Giza Pyramids were almost destroyed by Al Aziz, who was a Kurdish ruler, who was the second Ayyubid Sultan of Egypt. He tried, but the task was too big for him. He only succeeded in damaging the Menkaure’s Pyramid, where on its north face, a large vertical gash was formed
6. The Alignment of The Three Giza Pyramids
They are aligned to the Constellation of Orion. This could have been done intentionally by the builders as the star of Orion is associated with Osiris, who, according to the Egyptians, is the god of rebirth and the afterlife.
5. Blocks for The Great Pyramids of Giza – 2,300,000
It is believed that, the great pyramids of Giza consist of 2,300,000 stone of blocks which weigh between 2 to 3 tons with some of the blocks weighing as high as 50 tons.
4. The Original Coat of the Pyramids
Originally, the pyramids were covered with casing stones which were made of highly polished white limestones. This made the stones to reflect the sun’s light, making the pyramids to shine like jewels.
3. The Inside Temperature of the Pyramids
Even when the heat outside is enormous, the temperature inside the pyramids normally stays relatively constant at around 20 Celsius.
2. Cheops Pyramid – 6,000,000 tons
Though hard to determine the exact number, the weight of the Cheops pyramids is estimated at 6 million tons.
1. Pyramids of Cheops on The North Alignment
The Cheops pyramids were built to face true north and it is the only structure on earth, which is most accurately aligned to the north. Even though it was constructed many years ago, the pyramid still faces the north, with minimal error. This could be attributed to the north pole shifting over time, which means, at one time, the Cheops pyramid was on the spot.
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Santosh Kumar is a Professional SEO and Blogger, With the help of this blog he is trying to share top 10 lists, facts, entertainment news from India and all around the world.