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07/09/2015 1 2 Pyramids First Pyramids • Constructed of Limestone • Called step pyramids • Most famous - Saqqara Step Pyramid, 3 km west of Memphis • Buried by sand • remained hidden until it’s discovery in the 1920’s – sand storm • only thing found burial chamber was a foot! 3 4 5 Smooth Sided Pyramids • Appeared after 2600 B.C. • The earliest ones started as step pyramids ▫ steps filled in with casing stones, to create sloping sides • Smaller pyramids, constructed for the queen, stood next to the king’s pyramid • King’s relatives and officials were buried in mastabas ▫ Have sloping sides and flat roofs • 6 7 8 The Great Pyramid • Built by King Khufu, in 2467 B.C. ▫ Took 20-30 years to build • Used 2.3 million limestone blocks, averaging 2.3 tonnes in weight • largest blocks weighing up to 15 tonnes • Approx. 147 metres high, 230.4 metres long • Covers an area of about 5 hectares • Finished in a casing stones of white, polished limestone ▫ Reflecting the rays of the sun off of it ▫ Fit so well, that when finished pyramid looked like a single white stone • Pyramidion/ Benbenet (aka. Capstone): topmost stone of pyramid (pyramid shaped) [same type of stone was placed on top of obelisks) ▫ Brought pyramid to a point ▫ Probably covered in gold would reflect the sun (symbolised pharaoh’s divine solar identification) ▫ Seen on all true pyramids • 9 10 11 12 Passage 1 • Passage leads down at 25° angle, cuts into the rock beneath the pyramid ▫ This passage point exactly north • Levels off and ends in uncompleted chamber ▫ Pyramids usually had the burial chamber beneath pyramid at end of entrance passage (like those seen in the other 2 pyramids) • Khufu changed his mind about where he wanted to spend his time • Has passage built inside the pyramid • Passage 2 1 07/09/2015 12 13 14 15 Passage 2 • Second passage cuts off from the main passage • Passage levels of and leads to a chamber right in the centre of the pyramid • Called the Queen’s chamber • Probably intended to be the King’s chamber • Contains 2 unfinished shafts ▫ The southern shaft once points towards the star Sirius, representing the goddess Isis Passage 3 • Seems Khufu changes his mind again • The final burial chamber is located at the end of the Grand Gallery ▫ continues on an upward angle from the second passage. • The gallery walls - faced with polished limestone • The walls are also corbelled (each stone juts out 7.5 cm beyond the stone beneath it) – forms a vaulted passage What they found at the end of the passage. King’s Chamber • Lined entirely with pink granite blocks • The walls are completely smooth ▫ no marking and no inscriptions are present • Two small openings lead to shafts that open to the outside ▫ Thought to be either for ventilation (unlikely), or provided a way out for the king’s soul; a conduit for the soul’s resurrection (since the soul was expected to join the stars) Southern shaft points directly to the brightest stars in the constellation Orion (on his belt) Northern shaft point directly to the star Thuban (the north star 4500 years ago – our current north star in Polaris) • 5 small chambers lie above the king’s chamber – absorb the weight of the tonnes of stone above • 16 17 18 Choosing an Appropriate Site • Site located on west bank of Nile R. ▫ Death was associated with the setting sun • had to be above flood level of river, but close enough to transport stone blocks • Also close to capital ▫ Allowed pharaoh to keep eye on progress 19 Prepping the Site • Removal of sand and gravel down to bedrock • Would then surround area with low mud wall and fill with water ▫ Depth measurements taken ▫ Markers placed • Water drained, rock leveled to where markers indicated 20 2 19 20 21 07/09/2015 • Water drained, rock leveled to where markers indicated • Area filled with rubble to complete base • Most pyramids had burial tunnels/chambers constructed before pyramid build on top. Measurements • Used specialized surveying tools (merkhet and bay) ▫ Allowed workers to lay out straight lines and right angles ▫ Also allowed them to lay out the sides and corners in accordance with astronomical alignments • Star Alignment • Pyramid is aligned to the stars in a ceremony called pedj shes • Used Great Bear and Orion constellations to align foundations with north, south, east and west ▫ Sides of the pyramids face these 4 directions with an error margin of less than half a degree ▫ Entrances face north within 1/10th of a degree Determined north by observing the movements of stars and the point around which those stars revolved • southern shaft of king’s chamber is directed exactly at brightest star (Al Nitak) on Orion’s belt (associated with Osiris) • Was believed the pharaoh’s soul would be transported into northern sky among the stars (symbolizing the gods), to become a celestial being itself ▫ Pyramid was supposed to enable that journey to be among the “Imperishable Ones” (stars that never rise or set bellow the horizon – called circumpolar) 22 23 24 Sun Alignment • East and West sides are aligned more precisely than those of north and south ▫ Could suggest solar alignment instead of celestial alignment • At time the pyramids were build Egyptians began to display a growing religious devotion to the sun ▫ Rising and setting seen as perpetual birth and death ▫ Perhaps this is why all the pyramids are built on the west bank of the Nile • Shape of pyramid often said to echo solar symbols (rays of sun) ▫ Perhaps functioning as ramps to the heavens • Two ships excavated in front of Great Pyramid ▫ Purpose of ships is unknown ▫ Could have been a means of transportation to next world Was believed the dead travel dangerous waters to reach their destination At night the dead pharaoh joins the sun god Ra in his boat to the underworld b/w sunset and sunrise • The Sphinx in front of the pyramids could show a solar connection ▫ The lion is traditionally seen as a sun symbol ▫ A human head on an animal symbolic of royal intelligence and power • During spring and fall equinox as the sun passes over the head of the Sphinx, it rests directly b/w the pyramids of Khufu and Khafre ▫ Creates an ahket which is a sun symbol representing the horizon from which the sun rises and sets • • Quarrying and Finishing the Stone 3 07/09/2015 24 25 Quarrying and Finishing the Stone • Limestone quarried from Giza or from Tura Quarries across Nile R. • Quartz from Aswan • Not much evidence of tools used ▫ Some form of tempered copper alloy pick, or axe used to quarry stone • method of stone finishing remains a mystery ▫ Possible that copper saws and drills were used Sand poured in between cutting edge and stone, to give necessary “bite” • Stones floated down Nile in boats Ramps • Original idea was of a single ramp that kept being built up as pyramid rose ▫ Ramp would need to maintain 7% incline to be functional ▫ ramp like this would have eventually been 1 mile long (highly improbable) • Another Possible Method: ▫ use of a linear ramp at the beginning of construction ▫ Then the use of exterior ramps as the sides of the pyramid get higher ▫ The exterior ramps were build along the sides of the pyramid, from step to step ▫ to move the blocks, sledges and rollers were used; water used to ease movement ▫ To position blocks, wood and bronze levers were used • Newest Method: ▫ Linear ramp used to about 1/3rd of pyramids height ▫ then spiral interior ramps were used ramps are still inside the walls of pyramid, unseen to human eyes • 26 27 28 Slave Labour • slave labour was not used in creation of the pyramids • Just think about it? ▫ Skilled labour would be essential ▫ precision of measurements, alignments and stone cutting could not have been done by unskilled labourers • Built out of loyalty to pharaohs • About 10,000 men used to build the Great Pyramid ▫ Had good housing at foot of pyramid during the build ▫ Received burials in stone tombs near pyramid as thanks for contribution 29 30 31 Tombs • By time of New Kingdom, pharaoh’s realized building a huge tomb was a mistake ▫ Why come to this realization? Basically a huge advertisement to grave robbers (Hey! Dead guy here with tons of expensive things) • Chose instead to build elaborate tombs cut into walls of secluded valley (Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens) • Tombs featured: ▫ High corridors with brightly painted inscriptions from religious texts ▫ Side burial chambers stuffed with elaborate royal grave goods 4 07/09/2015 ▫ Side burial chambers stuffed with elaborate royal grave goods ▫ Large burial chambers Walls covered in scenes from deceased persons life, to convince gods he/she lived a good life in accordance with Ma’at Ceiling often painted with map of the heavens ▫ Often topped with small brick pyramids • 32 5