The Pyramids of Ancient Egypt

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

By History.com, adapted by Newsela staff on 08.01.17

Word Count 901

Level 1060L

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Quiz

1 Which section highlights the idea that the Egyptian government changed from the style that the

early pharaohs had?

(A) "The Pharaoh in Egyptian Society"

(B) "The Great Pyramids of Giza"

(C) "The End of the Pyramid Era"

(D) "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) Known as the Step Pyramid, it was surrounded by a complex of courtyards,

temples and shrines where Djoser would enjoy his afterlife.

(B) 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.

(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.

(D) 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) It shows the builders were well-educated and were also tasked with being

historians.

(B) It shows what kind of stories were important for the builders to record about the

pharaohs.

(C) It shows these written texts were different than modern writing and were made

of symbols.

(D) It shows the symbols used by the builders are not easy for modern people to

understand.

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