The mystery of the Egyptian pyramids. Secrets and legends of the Egyptian pyramids

The magic of mysterious countries still exists. Palm trees sway in the warm wind, the Nile floats through the desert, surrounded by a green valley, the sun illuminates the Karnak temple and mysterious pyramids Egypt, and bright schools of fish flash in the Red Sea.

Funerary culture of Ancient Egypt

Pyramids are grandiose structures in the form of a regular geometric polyhedron. In the construction of funerary buildings or mastabas, this form, according to Egyptologists, began to be used because of its resemblance to a funeral pie. If you ask about how many pyramids there are in Egypt, you can hear the answer that to date about 120 buildings have been found and described, which are located in different areas along the banks of the Nile.

The first mastabas can be seen in Saqqara, Upper Egypt, Memphis, Abusir, El Lahun, Giza, Hawar, Abu Rawash, Meidum. They were built from clay bricks with river silt - adobe, in a traditional architectural form. The pyramid housed a prayer room and a funeral “dowry” for traveling in the afterlife. The underground part stored the remains. The pyramids had different appearances. They evolved from a stepped form to a true, geometrically correct form.

Evolution of the shape of the pyramids

Tourists are often interested in how to see all the pyramids of Egypt and in which city they are located. There are many such places. For example, Meiduma is the most mysterious point, where the oldest of all the great funerary buildings are located. When Sneferu came to the throne (c. 2575 BC), Saqqara had the only large, fully completed royal pyramid of Djoser.

The ancient locals called it "el-haram-el-kaddab", meaning "false pyramid". Because of its shape, it attracted the attention of travelers back in the Middle Ages.

The step pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara is known as the earliest form of funerary building in Egypt. Its appearance dates back to the period of the third dynasty. Narrowing passages from the north lead to the burial chamber. Underground galleries surround the pyramid on all sides except the south. This is the only completed building with huge steps that were lined with stone. But her form was different from the ideal. First regular pyramids appeared at the beginning of the reign of the 4th dynasty of the pharaohs. The true form arose as a result of the natural development and improvement of the architectural design of the stepped building. The structure of a real pyramid is almost the same. The building blocks were laid to the required shapes and sizes of the object, and then they were finished with limestone or stone.

Pyramids of Dahshur

Dahshur forms the southern area of the Memphis necropolis and contains a number of pyramidal complexes and monuments. Dahshur has only recently been opened to the public. In the Nile Valley, south of Cairo, alone on the edge of the Western Desert, above the lush green fields of Meidum, lies a remarkable area where the transition from a stepped to a regular pyramid shape can be seen. The transformation occurred during the change from the third dynasty of pharaohs to the fourth. During the reign of the 3rd Dynasty, Pharaoh Huni organized the construction of the first regular pyramid in Egypt, using the stepped structures from Meidum as a base for construction. The funerary structure was intended for the son of Huni, the first pharaoh of the fourth dynasty, Snefru (2613-2589 BC). The heir completed work on his father's pyramids, then built his own - a stepped one. But the pharaoh's construction plans were scrapped because construction did not go according to plan. Reducing the angle of the side plane resulted in a diamond-shaped curved silhouette. This structure is called the Bent Pyramid, but it still has its outer shell intact.

Oldest pyramids at Saqqara

Saqqara is one of the huge necropolises ancient city, which is known today as Memphis. The ancient Egyptians called this place "White Walls". The pyramids of Egypt at Saqqara are represented by the first oldest step pyramid, Djosera. It was here that the history of the construction of these burial structures began. The first writing on the walls, known as the Pyramid Texts, was found in Saqqara. The architect of these projects is called Imhotep, who invented hewn stone masonry. Thanks to construction developments, the ancient architect was considered a deity. Imhotep is considered the son of the patron of crafts, Ptah. Saqqara is home to many tombs belonging to important ancient Egyptian officials.

A true gem represents the great pyramids of Egypt in the Sneferu complex. Dissatisfied with the Bent Pyramid, which did not allow him to go to heaven with dignity, he began construction about two kilometers to the north. This was the famous Pink Pyramid, so named because of the red limestone used in its construction. This is one of the oldest buildings in Egypt, which is created in the correct form. It has an inclination angle of 43 degrees and is the second largest, second only to the Great Pyramid of Giza. It was built by Sneferu's son in Khufu. In fact, the Great Pyramid is only 10 meters from the Pink Pyramid. Other major monuments at Dahshur date from the 12th and 13th dynasties and are not comparable in scale to the work of Huni and Sneferu.

Late pyramids in the Sneferu complex

There are later pyramids at Meidum. In Egypt, where the White Pyramid of Amenemhat II, the Black Pyramid of Amenemhat III and the structure of Senusret III are located, smaller monuments for funerary purposes for minor rulers, nobles and officials dominate.

They talk about a fairly stable and peaceful period in Egyptian history. Interestingly, the Black Pyramid and the structure of Senwosret III were built not of stone, but of brick. Why this material was used is unknown, but in those days new methods of construction penetrated into Egypt from other countries, thanks to trade and international relations. Unfortunately, although brick was much easier to work with, compared to granite blocks, which weighed many tons, this material did not stand the test of time. Although the Black Pyramid is quite well preserved, the White Pyramid is very damaged. Tourists who are little aware of the huge number of pyramidal burials are confused. They ask: "Where are the pyramids in Egypt?" While everyone knows about the great funerary structures of Egypt, there are many lesser examples of similar structures. Scattered along the Nile from Selium on the edge of the oasis to the island of Elephantine in Aswan, in the village of Naga el-Khalifa, about five miles south of Abydos, in the city of Minya and many other unexplored places.

Pyramids of Giza and necropolis

For all tourists who come to Egypt, an excursion to the pyramids becomes almost a ritual. The buildings of Giza are the only surviving ones of the Seven Wonders Ancient World and the most famous attractions. This sacred place impresses with its antiquity, the scale of the necropolis, the unreality of the structures and the Great Sphinx. The mysteries of the construction and supposed symbolism of the Giza pyramids only add to the appeal of these ancient wonders. Many modern people Giza is still considered a spiritual place. A number of fascinating theories have been proposed to explain the "mystery of the pyramids." The author of the project of the Great Pyramid in Egypt is called the adviser of Cheops and his relative - Hemiun. Giza is the most important place on earth for many researchers who are trying to unravel the geometric perfection of funerary structures in ancient sources. But even great skeptics are in awe of the great antiquity, scale and absolute harmony of the Giza pyramids.

History of the Pyramids of Giza

Situated on the west bank of the Nile River, approximately 12 miles southwest of downtown Cairo, Giza (el-Gizah in Arabic) is the third largest city in Egypt with a population of nearly 3 million. It is a famous necropolis on the Giza plateau and contains the most popular monuments in Egypt. The Great Pyramids of Giza were built in 2500 BC as burial grounds for the pharaohs. Together they constitute the only ancient wonder of the world still in existence today. Many tourists are attracted by Egypt (Hurghada). They can see the Pyramids of Giza in half an hour, which it takes to travel. You can admire this wonderful ancient sacred place to your heart's content.

The Great Pyramid of Khufu, or Cheops as the Greeks called it (it is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids at Giza), and the necropolis bordering Cairo have remained virtually untouched by time. It is believed that the pyramid was built as a tomb for the fourth dynasty of Egyptian pharaohs Khufu. The Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years. It was originally covered with casing stones, which created a smooth outer surface. Some of them can be seen around the base and at the very top. There are various scientific and alternative theories about how the pyramids of Ancient Egypt were built, and about the construction methods of the Great Pyramid itself. Most accepted theories of construction are based on the idea that it was built by moving huge stones from a quarry and lifting them into place. It covers an area of just over 5 hectares. The original height was 146 m in height, but the pyramid is still an impressive 137 m high. The main losses are due to the destruction of the smooth limestone surface.

Herodotus on Egypt

When the Greek historian Herodotus visited Giza, around 450 BC, he described the pyramids in Egypt. He learned from Egyptian priests that the Great Pyramid was built for Pharaoh Khufu, who was the second king of the Fourth Dynasty (c. 2575-2465 BC). The priests told Herodotus that it was built by 400,000 people over 20 years. During construction, 100,000 people were employed at a time to move the blocks. But archaeologists consider this implausible and tend to think that work force was more limited. Perhaps 20,000 workers with accompanying support staff of bakers, doctors, priests and others would be sufficient to complete this task.

The most famous pyramid was carefully laid out using 2.3 million processed stone blocks. These blocks had an impressive weight from two to fifteen tons. After completion of construction, the burial structure was amazing in weight, which was approximately 6 million tons. All the famous cathedrals in Europe combined have this weight! The Pyramid of Cheops has been recorded for thousands of years as the tallest structure in the world.

Only the graceful spiers of the unusually majestic Lincoln Cathedral, built in England, 160 m high, were able to break the record, but they collapsed in 1549.

Pyramid of Khafre

Among the pyramids of Giza, the second largest is the structure built for the afterlife journey of Khafre (Khefre), the son of Pharaoh Khufu. He inherited power after the death of his elder brother and was the fourth ruler in the fourth dynasty. Of his high-born relatives and predecessors on the throne, many were buried in penny tombs. But the grandeur of Khafre’s pyramid is almost as striking as the “last house” of his father.

The Pyramid of Khafre visually reaches to the sky and seems higher than the first pyramid of Giza - the funerary building of Cheops, because it stands on a higher part of the plateau. It is characterized by a steeper slope with a preserved smooth limestone surface. The second pyramid had each side measuring 216 m and was originally 143 m high. Its limestone and granite blocks weigh about 2.5 tons each.

The ancient pyramids of Egypt, for example Cheops, like the building of Khafre, each include five burial pits connected by passages. Together with the mortuary, the Valley of the Temples and the connecting causeway, it is 430 meters long, carved into the rock. The burial chamber, which is located underground, contained a red granite sarcophagus with a lid. Nearby is a square cavity where there was a chest with the entrails of the pharaoh. The Great Sphinx near Khafre's pyramid is considered to be his royal portrait.

Pyramid of Mikerin

The last of the pyramids of Giza is the pyramid of Mikerin, located to the south. It was intended for the son of Khafre, the fifth king of the fourth dynasty. Each side measures 109 m, and the height of the structure is 66 m. In addition to these three monuments, small pyramids were built for Khufu's three wives and a series of flat-topped pyramids for the remains of his beloved children. At the end of the long causeway, small tombs of the courtiers were lined up, the temple and morgue were built only for the mummification of the pharaoh's body.

Like all the pyramids of Egypt, created for the pharaohs, the burial chambers of these buildings were filled with everything necessary for the next life: furniture, statues of slaves, niches for canopic jars.

Theories about the construction of the Egyptian giants

There are many mysteries hidden centuries-old history Egypt. The pyramids, built without modern devices, only increase curiosity about these places. Herodotus assumed that the foundation was laid from huge blocks weighing about seven tons. And then, like children’s cubes, all 203 layers were lifted up step by step. But this cannot be done, as evidenced by the Japanese attempt in the 1980s to duplicate the actions of Egyptian builders. The most plausible explanation is that the Egyptians used ramps to tow stone blocks down a ramp using sleds, rollers, and levers. And the base was a natural plateau. The majestic structures withstood not only the crushing work of time, but also numerous attacks by grave robbers. They robbed the pyramids in ancient times. The burial chamber of Khafre, discovered by the Italians in 1818, was empty; there was no longer any gold or other treasures there.

There is a possibility that there are still undiscovered pyramids of Egypt or are now completely destroyed. Many people express fantastic theories about the extraterrestrial intervention of another civilization, for which such construction is child's play. The Egyptians are only proud of the perfect knowledge of their ancestors in the field of mechanics and dynamics, thanks to which the construction business developed.

11.12.2015

There is hardly anything in the world more mysterious and enigmatic than the history of the Egyptian pyramids. These powerful centuries-old buildings attract millions of tourists and scientists every year. They are fanned legendary stories and fascinating myths. Countless archaeologists and adventurers have sacrificed their lives on the altar of excavation and exploration. And this is all in order to at least slightly lift the veil of the true origin of these powerful artifacts!

The extraordinary size and huge empty halls are clear evidence for us of the special significance of the pyramids in the life of the ancient Egyptians. Their wall inscriptions and drawings seem to speak to us through the centuries. Pharaohs and kings ordered to capture all the events of the royal court and the country on the walls of these giants. Thus, they served not only as the tombs of priests and rulers, but also as encrypted messages to us, the modern world.

Thanks to the wall inscriptions on the pyramids, we know more information today than ever before. Now we know that those who wrote them were educated people, knowledgeable in mathematics, medicine and philosophy. The priests passed on knowledge strictly to their students, leaving it secret for ordinary people. These were real rituals that were carried out in underground caves right under the pyramids. Only a few knew about what actually happened there.

A special point in the construction of the Egyptian pyramids was that each of them was oriented to all four cardinal directions, due to which on the days of the autumn and spring solstice at noon, the sun stopped at the very top of the pyramid, thus crowning the majestic temple. A truly unforgettable sight! The questions of who built the pyramids, and, most importantly, why, still remain a mystery. Some are deeply convinced that the pyramids were built with divine help, others consider them to be the work of the human mind.

Unfortunately, not a hint of a truthful answer has been preserved anywhere. What is known is that the tallest and most famous pyramid was built by a pharaoh named Cheops. He belonged to the fifth dynasty and was the second in line. He built a truly amazing structure. The world has never seen a more grandiose and monumental pyramid. The perfection of lines, shapes and proportions speak of precise and complex mathematical calculations.

The height of this priceless artifact reached almost one hundred and fifty meters, and the length of each side was two hundred and thirty! Unfortunately, today, the actual height of the pyramid is about one hundred and thirty-seven meters. The reason is that the upper edge of the pyramid was irretrievably lost along with the original cladding. Carrying out careful research, some scientists noticed certain patterns in the aspect ratios and internal corridors.

Numerologists assumed that the Egyptian priests had or tried to establish contact with cosmic forces, the existence of which has not been proven to this day. Perhaps in this way they tried to improve their knowledge of the existing civilization or look into the future. One way or another, excavations have shown that some pyramids were used for magical rituals or even sacrifices. But one should not rush to conclusions that the history of the Egyptian pyramids is half saturated with myths and fairy tales.

Thanks to the diligence of archaeologists and historians, today a huge number of mathematical, physical and geodetic mysteries related to the pyramids have been solved. The fact that we can admire these majestic structures has contributed to durable materials, which were used by craftsmen during construction. Not far from Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt, on the right bank of the Nile, thousands of workers in quarries extracted stone for the construction of the pyramids. Today, we can’t even imagine how hard this work was.

Huge blocks of stone had to be crushed in a special way and pulled to the surface using thick ropes woven from papyrus fibers. Already on the surface, the craftsmen trimmed and shaped them. To do this, they had a whole arsenal of tools made of stone, copper and iron. After the stonemasons completed their painstaking work, the stone blocks were loaded onto merchant ships and transported to the pyramid construction site.

The narratives of the Greek historian Herodotus shed more light on the events taking place at that time. The workers worked in shifts of one hundred thousand people! Each shift lasted an average of three months. Indeed, the pyramids can confidently be called the greatest buildings in history! It is difficult to imagine how enormous the work was done. It would be right for us to look not only at the external greatness of these buildings, but also to remember those who sacrificed their lives for their construction.

Secrets of the Egyptian pyramids [VIDEO]

The pyramids still keep many secrets and mysteries. Some of them, of course, have already been revealed, but questions remain that still trouble the minds of scientists and historians. How and by whom were these monuments created? What technologies were used during construction? How did builders manage to move huge stone blocks? Why did the pharaohs need this kind of tomb? You will learn all this and many other interesting facts from the article and will become a little closer to understanding the secrets of the pyramids and knowing their power and greatness.

Interesting facts about Egyptian pyramids

These ancient building structures have been occupying their places of honor for centuries and glorifying the talent of their creators, thanks to whom it was possible to make eternal monuments. Until now, scientists have not been able to reliably determine how the pyramids were made and what technologies were used. Only some data is known, but most of the technologies used remain secret.

Just tombs?

There are about 118 pyramids in Egypt, created in different periods, various sizes and types. There are two types of pyramids, the older step pyramids, one of the first surviving examples is the pyramid of Djoser, around 2650 BC. e.

In reality, these pyramids are graves, and their clusters are a cemetery. In ancient times, it was believed that wealthy people should be buried with everything they might need in the afterlife, so the pharaohs found their final resting place in luxurious pyramids, which they began to build long before their death.

Robbers of the tombs of the pharaohs

The horrors that take place about the Egyptian pyramids are directly related to the robbers who love to visit them under the cover of darkness and take away their last property from the deceased. However, looters visit monuments not only for the sake of jewelry hidden in tombs.

Local residents have spoiled the appearance of some of the pyramids. For example, the two pyramids at Dahshur look completely different from what they used to be; all the limestone with which they were covered was stolen to build houses in the nearby city. Stone blocks and other building materials are also often stolen, causing incredible destruction.

Secrets and myths

The horrors of the Egyptian pyramids also lie in the fact that many legends reign around them. The reason for the emergence of such a myth was the fictitious curse of the most famous tomb in the world - the tomb of Tutankhamun. It was discovered in 1922 by a group of researchers, most of whom died within the next seven years. At the time, many believed it was due to the curse of the tomb or some mysterious poison, although most still believe this.

But it all became one huge misconception. Immediately after the tomb was opened, it created a real sensation. In one of the newspapers, in the name of raising ratings, it was stated that in front of the entrance to the tomb there was a sign warning that anyone who entered here would die. However, this turned out to be just a newspaper duck, but after the researchers began to die one after another, the article gained popularity, and since then a similar myth has existed. It is worth noting that most of these scientists were elderly. This is how some of the riddles of the Egyptian pyramids are easily solved.

Pyramid structure

The funerary complex of the pharaohs consists not only of the pyramid itself, but also of two temples: one next to the pyramid, one should be washed by the waters of the Nile. The pyramids and temples, which were located not far from each other, were connected by alleys. Some have partially survived to this day, for example, the alleys between Luxor and Between the Pyramids of Giza, such alleys, unfortunately, have not survived.

Inside the pyramid

Egyptian pyramids, interesting facts relating to them, and ancient myths - all this is directly related to internal structure. Inside the pyramid there is a burial chamber, to which different sides are making moves. The walls of the passages were usually painted with religious texts. The walls of the pyramid at Saqqara, a village near Cairo, were painted with the oldest mortuary texts that have survived to this day. Near the pyramids of Giza there is also the famous figure of the sphinx, which, according to legend, should guard the peace of the deceased. Unfortunately, the original name of this structure has not reached our time; it is only known that during the Middle Ages the Arabs called the monument “the father of horror”

Types of pyramids

Many mysteries of the Egyptian pyramids are directly related to their creation. Until now, no one has been able to reliably determine how the ancient Egyptians were able to create such monumental structures that are still intact to this day.

Scientists believe that construction was carried out in several stages, during which the dimensions of the pyramid could have increased significantly compared to the original ones. Construction began long before the death of the pharaoh and could take several decades. It took about a dozen years just to create a suitable site for construction and level the soil. It took two decades to create the largest pyramid to date.

Who built the pyramids

There is an opinion that the pyramids were built by slaves who were starved and whipped for poorly done work, but this is not so. showed that the people who built the pyramids were kept in good conditions, they were well fed. However, no one has yet been able to unravel for certain how the heaviest stone blocks rose to the top, because human power is incapable of this.

However, archaeologists believe that over time, construction techniques changed, and the Egyptian pyramids themselves changed. Interesting Facts in mathematics they also relate to the construction of pyramids. Thus, scientists were able to determine that the pyramids have mathematically correct proportions. How the ancient Egyptians managed to do this remains a mystery.

Egyptian pyramids - a wonder of the world

The Pyramid of Cheops is the only surviving wonder of the world.
There are several theories about the construction of the pyramids. According to one of them, construction took place according to the principle of leverage, but if this were taken into account, it would have taken no less than a century and a half, and the pyramid was erected in two decades. That's what remains a mystery.

Some lovers of the mystical consider these buildings to be powerful energy sources and believe that the pharaohs spent time in them during their lifetimes in order to receive new vitality.
There are some completely incredible theories. For example, some believe that the pyramids were built by aliens, while others believe that the blocks were moved by people who owned a magic crystal.
There are still some questions regarding the construction. For example, it has not yet been clarified why the pyramids were built in two stages and why breaks were needed.
The pyramids took two centuries to build and were erected several at a time.
Now, according to research by various scientists, their age ranges from 4 to 10 thousand years.
In addition to precise mathematical proportions, pyramids have another feature in this area. The stone blocks are arranged in such a way that there are no gaps between them; even the thinnest blade will not fit through there.
Each side of the pyramid is located in the direction of one side of the world.
The Cheops Pyramid, the largest in the world, reaches a height of 146 meters and weighs more than six million tons.
If you want to know how the Egyptian pyramids were created, you can learn interesting facts about construction from the pyramids themselves. Construction scenes are depicted on the walls of the passages.
The edges of the pyramids are curved by one meter so that they can accumulate solar energy. Thanks to this, the pyramids could reach thousands of degrees and emit an incomprehensible hum from such heat.
A perfectly straight foundation was made, so the edges differ from each other by only five centimeters.
The first pyramid built dates back to 2670 BC. e. In appearance, it resembles several pyramids located next to each other. The architect created the type of masonry that helped achieve this effect.
The Cheops Pyramid is made of 2.3 million blocks, perfectly aligned and suitable friend to friend.
Structures similar to the Egyptian pyramids are also found in Sudan, where the tradition was later picked up.
Archaeologists managed to find the village where the pyramid builders lived. A brewery and bakery were discovered there.

The Egyptian pyramids hide many secrets. Interesting facts concern, for example, the principle by which the pyramid is made. The walls are at an angle of 52 degrees, which makes the ratio of height and perimeter equal to the ratio of length.

Power and greatness

Why were the Egyptian pyramids created? Interesting facts about construction do not give an idea of what they served. And the pyramids were created to praise the power and greatness of their owners. Magnificent tombs were a significant part of the entire funerary complex. They were filled with things that the pharaohs might need after death. There you could find literally everything a person might need. Any clothes, jewelry, dishes - all this and many other things were sent along with the pharaohs to their tombs. These riches, buried with their owners, are often the reason for the appearance of robbers who want to get the jewelry. All these mysteries and myths that shroud the pyramids, starting from their very creation, have remained unsolved for many centuries, and no one knows whether they will ever be revealed.

For many centuries, the Egyptian pyramids have evoked awe in everyone who sees them for the first time. Century after century they reliably keep their secrets. Even the method of their construction is still the subject of fierce debate among historians and engineers. After all, the construction of such objects even with the help of the most powerful modern mechanisms remains extremely challenging task. And the ancient Egyptians had never heard of any cranes or excavators. Why, they didn’t even have the usual steel chisel or hammer for us! How did these grandiose man-made mountains, perfect in their proportions, grow?

To imagine their scale, let's give this example: the Cheops pyramid alone consists of carefully polished stone blocks weighing about six and a half million tons! Napoleon, about whose meeting with the pyramids we will also tell in this book, having seen these stone masses, immediately calculated (and he was a good mathematician) that if only the Great Pyramid was dismantled, then from this stone it would be possible to build a wall a foot thick and ten feet high around the whole of France! But it’s not just a matter of volume: all these giant stone blocks had to be precisely oriented during installation, and before that simply delivered to the site! How did this happen?

And why was it necessary to build such huge structures? Is it really all about the vanity of the pharaohs who wanted to perpetuate their rule?

Every second work on Egyptology reports that the main purpose of the pyramids is to serve as tombs for the pharaohs. But, even if we take into account that the pharaohs called themselves living embodiments of the gods, why did they so thoughtlessly waste the labor and lives of slaves and free Egyptians, essentially walling up dozens of years and thousands of lives in the foundations of one hundred and fifty-meter “coffins”? Maybe the pyramids were built for some other purpose?

In April 1993, news of a sensational discovery spread across newspapers, and then television and radio stations around the world. Robotics engineer Rudolf Gantenbrink, who was using radio-controlled robots to explore the ventilation system in the Great Pyramid, saw on his monitor a video image of a slightly open door with a mysterious void behind it...

It is also known that from its chambers, called the tombs of the king and queen, there are channels directed strictly to certain constellations - to the belt of Orion, which was associated with the god Osiris, and strictly to Sirius, the star of the goddess Isis. How could distant constellations be connected to the Pyramid of Giza? Riddles, riddles, riddles...

It is also strange that even the Egyptians themselves seemed to try to avoid any written mention of the pyramids, therefore, already by the time of the reign of Tutankhamun, when, according to generally accepted dating, the age of the pyramids was only about a thousand years, the memory of the real purpose of their construction, as well as of themselves creators, was most likely lost.

The Greeks and Romans who subsequently conquered Egypt also did not show much attention to the secrets of the pyramids, as if the dust of the desert had covered a thick layer of interest in one of the greatest wonders of the world. We find one of the stories about the pyramids from the father of history, Herodotus, who traveled through Egypt in the 5th century BC. e. But much of what is given in his work “History” today raises surprises and doubts. It seems that he relied not so much on reliable facts as on traditions and legends.

The first active attempts to penetrate the secrets of the pyramids were made only around the 7th century AD. e., when the Arabs invaded Egypt. They tried to find the treasures hidden in the pyramids. The logic of the conquerors is absolutely clear: why was it necessary to build such mountains if not to reliably hide gold and precious stones in them?

In 820, the peace of the Great Pyramid was disturbed by order of Caliph Abdullah al-Mamun, son of Harun al-Rashid. For several weeks his people made their way through the solid limestone into the depths of the pyramid until they found themselves in a dark, straight corridor. It led to other corridors, one of which opened into a gallery.

Exploring the intricate system of passages, the Arabs found three spacious halls. But they turned out to be completely empty. Only one also contained an empty granite sarcophagus.

Are the treasures of the Egyptian pharaohs just a mirage? The Arab historian al-Makrishi wrote in his book “Khitat” that when Caliph al-Mamun discovered that there were no piles of gold in the Great Pyramid, he secretly ordered several gold items from his personal reserves to be placed in the sarcophagus. He felt sorry for the work of all those people who, on his orders, made their way inside the pyramid and found nothing there.

Apparently, other ancient seekers unknown to us, penetrating into the pyramids, remained disappointed, because for a long time interest in the pyramids faded. And only in the 17th–18th centuries did Europeans begin to study the great Egyptian pyramids. They were driven not so much by the desire to find treasures as to penetrate the secrets of world history and the history of religions. In particular, some of them hoped to find factual confirmation of biblical texts inside the pyramids.

And most of all, those who dared to disturb the peace of the pyramids were attracted by the Great Pyramid, or the Pyramid of Cheops: numerous legends and traditions said that inside this pyramid there was a secret chamber that kept a great secret, by opening which, a person would become equal to the gods or gain their power. But neither pickaxe, nor dynamite, nor X-rays have so far helped to reveal the secret of the location of this camera.

Despite all the possibilities of modern technology, despite the fact that numerous archaeological studies annually bring a huge number of finds, the pyramids still keep many secrets and mysteries, and touching them is amazing. Perhaps, in the thick layers of stone, in the dark depths of corridors and shafts, Knowledge that is still inaccessible to us is really walled up. We will tell you about our attempts to find it.

Chapter 1. From the Ice Age...

The history of Egypt should begin from afar, with the end of the Ice Age. The retreat of glaciers and the disappearance of ice cover in Europe has caused North Africa significant climate changes. It was then that the huge inland lake began to transform into the river we know today as the Nile, and deserts began to grow on the continent. Primitive nomads were forced to settle on the banks of the Nile in search of water, but they did not quickly change hunting to agriculture.

Hunting and fishing were quite easy in this area. The annual floods of the Nile left a lot of fish in small swamps and lakes, and it was possible to take them almost with bare hands. Wild donkeys and Barbary sheep were hidden in the low bushes and groves along the banks, and antelope grazed in the meadows.

It is believed that immigrants from Palestine brought agriculture to the banks of the Nile: the lands to which, during the annual flood, the river brought a lot of silt - a natural fertilizer, were good for growing cereals. Thus, farmers also settled on the lands stretching along the Nile. A socially divided society began to take shape: some hunted game, some raised grain, and some began to master crafts. It was not far before the advent of the arts. Gradually, farmers began to try to direct the waters of the flooded Nile to the territories they needed. This not only increased productivity, but also gave the people who settled here their first experience of collective work.

For the public organization of work, which would later glorify Egypt, certain public institutions were necessary. It was to this time that the emergence of public and religious communities can be attributed. And many excavations carried out on Egyptian territory made it possible to trace the development of local civilization.

Towards the end of the Predynastic period, that is, around 3600 BC. e., life on the banks of the Nile differed little from what we can find among the tribes still living in the upper reaches of the Nile today. They were already growing barley and wheat, storing the crop in pits lined with mats, weaving baskets, and weaving linen. The clothing, however, was mainly made from tanned animal skins, sewn with bone needles. Everything was quite simple. But already in those days there was a “cosmetic industry”: eye paint was made here by mixing green malachite dust and wild castor bean oil. Jewelry was also produced: ivory bracelets, amulets made of shells and pebbles, and bone combs decorated with animal figures have reached us. Weapons and tools were still made of stone.

The first wonder of the world of all time, one of the main structures of our planet, a place full of secrets and mysteries, a point of constant pilgrimage for tourists - the Egyptian pyramids and in particular the Cheops pyramid.

The construction of giant pyramids, of course, was far from easy. Huge effort large number people were exerted to deliver stone blocks to the Giza or Saqqara plateau, and later to the Valley of the Kings, which became the new necropolis of the pharaohs.

At the moment, there are about a hundred discovered pyramids in Egypt, but discoveries continue, and their number is constantly increasing. IN different times one of the 7 wonders of the world meant different pyramids. Some meant all the pyramids of Egypt as a whole, some the pyramids near Memphis, some the three large pyramids of Giza, and most critics recognized exclusively the largest pyramid of Cheops.

Afterlife of Ancient Egypt

One of the central moments in the life of the ancient Egyptians was religion, which shaped the entire culture as a whole. Special attention was given to the afterlife, perceived as a clear continuation of earthly life. That is why preparation for life after death began long before death and was set as one of the main life tasks.

According to ancient Egyptian belief, man had several souls. The soul of Ka acted as a double of the Egyptian, whom he was to meet in the afterlife. The soul of Ba contacted the person himself and left his body after death.

Religious life of the Egyptians and the god Anubis

At first, it was believed that only the pharaoh had the right to life after death, but he could bestow this “immortality” on his entourage, who were usually buried next to the tomb of the ruler. Ordinary people were not destined to enter the world of the dead, the only exceptions being slaves and servants, whom the pharaoh “took” with him, and who were depicted on the walls of the great tomb.

But for comfortable life after the death of the deceased, it was necessary to provide everything necessary: food, household utensils, servants, slaves and much more necessary for the average pharaoh. They also tried to preserve the person’s body so that Ba’s soul could later connect with him again. Therefore, in matters of body preservation, embalming and the creation of complex pyramid tombs were born.

The first pyramid in Egypt. Pyramid of Djoser

Speaking about the construction of pyramids in Ancient Egypt in general, it is worth mentioning the beginning of their history. The very first pyramid in Egypt was built about five thousand years ago on the initiative of Pharaoh Djoser. It is in these 5 thousand years that the age of the pyramids in Egypt is estimated. The construction of the Pyramid of Djoser was led by the famous and legendary Imhotep, who was even deified in later centuries.

Pyramid of Djoser

The entire complex of the building being erected occupied an area of 545 by 278 meters. The perimeter was surrounded by a 10-meter wall with 14 gates, only one of which was real. In the center of the complex was the pyramid of Djoser with sides 118 by 140 meters. The height of the Djoser pyramid is 60 meters. Almost at a depth of 30 meters there was a burial chamber, to which corridors with many branches led. The branch rooms contained utensils and sacrifices. Here archaeologists found three bas-reliefs of Pharaoh Djoser himself. Near the eastern wall of Djoser's pyramid, 11 small burial chambers were discovered, intended for the royal family.

Unlike the famous large pyramids of Giza, Djoser's pyramid had a stepped shape, as if intended for the pharaoh's ascension to heaven. Of course, this pyramid is inferior in popularity and size to the Cheops pyramid, but still the contribution of the very first stone pyramid to the culture of Egypt is difficult to overestimate.

The Pyramid of Cheops. History and Brief Description

But still, the most famous for the ordinary population of our planet are the three nearby pyramids of Egypt - Khafre, Mekerin and the largest and tallest pyramid in Egypt - Cheops (Khufu)

Pyramids of Giza

The pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops was built near the city of Giza, currently a suburb of Cairo. At present, it is impossible to say for sure when the Cheops pyramid was built, and research gives a strong scatter. In Egypt, for example, the date of the start of construction of this pyramid is officially celebrated - August 23, 2480 BC.

Pyramid of Cheops and Sphinx

About 100,000 people were simultaneously involved in the construction of the wonder of the world, the Pyramid of Cheops. During the first ten years of work, a road was built along which huge stone blocks were delivered to the river and the underground structures of the pyramid. Work on the construction of the monument itself continued for about 20 years.

The size of the Cheops Pyramid in Giza is amazing. The height of the Cheops pyramid initially reached 147 meters. Over time, due to sand filling and loss of lining, it decreased to 137 meters. But even this figure allowed her to remain the most tall building person in the world. The pyramid has a square base with a side of 147 meters. To build this giant, it is estimated that 2,300,000 limestone blocks were required, weighing an average of 2.5 tons.

How were the pyramids built in Egypt?

The technology of building pyramids is still controversial in our time. Versions vary from the invention of concrete in Ancient Egypt to the construction of pyramids by aliens. But it is still believed that the pyramids were built by man solely by his own strength. So, to extract stone blocks, they first marked out a shape in the rock, hollowed out grooves and inserted dry wood into them. Later, the tree was doused with water, it expanded, a crack formed in the rock, and the block was separated. Then it was processed into the desired shape with tools and sent along the river to the construction site.

To lift the blocks up, the Egyptians used gently sloping embankments, along which these megaliths were dragged on wooden sleds. But even with such a backward technology by our standards, the quality of work is surprising - the blocks fit tightly to each other with minimal mismatches.

We can talk for a long time about the pyramids shrouded in myths and legends, their labyrinths and traps, mummies and treasures, but we’ll leave that to Egyptologists. For us, the Cheops Pyramid is one of the greatest structures of mankind throughout its existence and, of course, the only First Wonder of the World that has survived to this day from the depths of centuries.