The Pyramids of Ancient Egypt By History.com, adapted by Newsela staff on 08.01.17 Word Count 901 Level 1060L The Great Pyramid of Giza, also called the Pyramid of Khufu or Cheops, is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now Cairo, Egypt. The Great Pyramid was originally covered by casing stones that formed a smooth outer surface. Photo: Jerome Bon/Wikimedia Commons Pyramids stand today as some of the most magnificent man-made structures in history. The peak of pyramid building began with the late third dynasty. It continued until about the sixth, around 2325 B.C. In ancient Egypt, a dynasty was a period where all rulers were from a single family. More than 4,000 years later, the Egyptian pyramids still retain much of their majesty, providing a glimpse into the country s rich and glorious past. The Pharaoh in Egyptian Society During the third and fourth dynasties, Egypt prospered greatly. Kings, or pharaohs, held a unique position in Egyptian society. Somewhere in between human and divine, they were believed to have been chosen by the gods. Ancient Egyptians believed that when the pharaoh This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 1
died, part of his spirit remained with his body. To properly care for his spirit, his body was mummified, and everything the king would need in the afterlife was buried with him, including gold bowls and cups, food, furniture and other offerings. The Early Pyramids Starting in about 2950 B.C., royal tombs were carved into rock. They were then covered with flat-roofed rectangular structures known as mastabas. The pyramids we know developed from these mastabas. The oldest known pyramid in Egypt was built around 2630 B.C. for King Djoser at Saqqara. Known as the Step Pyramid, it was surrounded by a complex of courtyards, temples and shrines where Djoser would enjoy his afterlife. The earliest tomb constructed as a true (smooth-sided, not stepped) pyramid was the Red Pyramid at Dahshur. This was one of three burial structures built for the first king of the fourth dynasty, Sneferu, who ruled from 2613 B.C. to 2589 B.C. It was named for the color of the limestone blocks used to construct the pyramid s core. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 2
The Great Pyramids of Giza No pyramids are more famous than the Great Pyramids of Giza. These three pyramids are located on a plateau on the west bank of the Nile River near Cairo. The oldest of these is called the Great Pyramid. It was built for Khufu, the second of the eight kings of the fourth dynasty. The sides of the pyramid s base average 755 feet, and its original height was just over 481 feet. This makes it the largest pyramid in the world. Three small pyramids built for Khufu s queens are lined up next to the Great Pyramid. A tomb was found nearby containing the empty sarcophagus of his mother, Queen Hetepheres. Like other pyramids, Khufu s is surrounded by rows of mastabas, where relatives or officials of the king were buried to accompany and support him in the afterlife. The middle pyramid at Giza was built for Khufu s son Khafre, who ruled from about 2558 B.C. to 2532 B.C. One feature of Khafre s pyramid complex was the Great Sphinx. This guardian statue was carved in limestone with the head of a man and the body of a lion. It was the largest statue in the ancient world, measuring 240 feet long and 66 feet high. The southernmost pyramid at Giza was built for Khafre s son Menkaure, who ruled from 2532 B.C. to 2503 B.C. It is the shortest of the three pyramids at 218 feet and was the first of the smaller pyramids that would be constructed during the fifth and sixth dynasties. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 3
Approximately 2.3 million blocks of stone that weighed about 2.5 tons each had to be cut, transported and assembled to build Khufu s Great Pyramid. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus wrote that it took 20 years and 100,000 men to build. Later evidence suggests that closer to 20,000 laborers worked on it. Skeletons found near the area show that the workers were probably native Egyptian agricultural laborers. These men worked on the pyramids during the time of year when the Nile River flooded much of the land nearby. The End of the Pyramid Era Pyramids continued to be built throughout the fifth and sixth dynasties. Sadly, the quality and scale of their construction declined over this period. In the later pyramids, builders began to write accounts of events in the king s reign on the walls of the burial chamber and the rest of the pyramid s interior. Known as the pyramid texts, these are the earliest significant religious writings known from ancient Egypt. The last of the great pyramid builders was Pepy II, the second king of the sixth dynasty. He ruled from 2278 B.C. to 2184 B.C. His pyramid was much shorter at 172 feet than those built before him. With Pepy II s death, the kingdom and strong central government collapsed. Later kings would return to pyramid building, but never on the same scale as the Great Pyramids. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 4
The Pyramids Today Tomb robbers in both ancient and modern times removed most of the bodies and funeral goods from Egypt s pyramids. They plundered the outsides of the pyramids as well, stripping off most of their smooth white limestone coverings. Still, millions of people continue to visit the pyramids each year. They are drawn by their towering greatness and the enduring appeal of Egypt s rich and glorious past. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 5
Quiz 1 Which section highlights the idea that the Egyptian government changed from the style that the early pharaohs had? (A) (B) (C) (D) "The Pharaoh in Egyptian Society" "The Great Pyramids of Giza" "The End of the Pyramid Era" "The Pyramids Today" 2 Select the paragraph from the article that shows Egyptians believed physical objects could be used by the dead. 3 Which sentence from the article is BEST supported by the diagram in the section "The Great Pyramids of Giza"? (A) (B) (C) (D) Known as the Step Pyramid, it was surrounded by a complex of courtyards, temples and shrines where Djoser would enjoy his afterlife. Like other pyramids, Khufu s is surrounded by rows of mastabas, where relatives or officials of the king were buried to accompany and support him in the afterlife. It is the shortest of the three pyramids at 218 feet and was the first of the smaller pyramids that would be constructed during the fifth and sixth dynasties. In the later pyramids, builders began to write accounts of events in the king s reign on the walls of the burial chamber and the rest of the pyramid s interior. 4 Examine the image in the section "The End of the Pyramid Era." How does this image contribute to the reader's understanding of the pyramid texts? (A) (B) (C) (D) It shows the builders were well-educated and were also tasked with being historians. It shows what kind of stories were important for the builders to record about the pharaohs. It shows these written texts were different than modern writing and were made of symbols. It shows the symbols used by the builders are not easy for modern people to understand. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 6