The Pyramids - Free Essay Sample

Introduction

Egyptian pyramids are ancient Egypt's most iconic forms of architects, built at the time where Egyptian were among the most civilized and wealthiest people in the world; the pyramids are a great attraction to tourists to this day. The pyramids are considered to be one of the most magnificent structures ever made by man. The massive size of the pyramids mirrors the important and particular role the Egyptian pharaohs played in society. However, the triangular structure did not just appear one day; rather, the pyramids' design evolved from a thousand years of different architectural structures and styles across Egypt. This paper discusses the transformation of the step pyramids in the reign of King Djoser to the smooth-sided version of the pyramids in the reign of King Khafra.

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The construction of pyramids was at its peak during the 3rd and 4thdynasties of ancient Egypt and continued to the sixth dynasty. During this period, Egypt enjoyed great economic growth and prosperity. Kings were viewed as being somewhere between human and divine. The people believed that the kings were mediators for the gods. Because of this belief, it was necessary to maintain the king's majesty undamaged long after his demise. Egyptians belief was that a portion of the spirit of the king remained with his body after the king died; thus, they had to take care of the spirit by burying the pharaoh with all that he would require in the afterlife. The pyramids were the subject of the dead king's cults, which were supposed to continue long after the pharaoh's death.

Oldest Pyramid

The world's oldest pyramid was constructed at Saqqara in around 2630 b.c for King Djoser, called the step pyramid. It was first a normal mastaba then became something more aspiring. In the 20 reigns of the king, Djoser builders assembled stepped layers of stone. The stepped layers of stone were said to be 62 meters tall. Temples, courtyards, and shrines built around the pyramid where Djoser would settle in his afterlife. Following the death of the Djoser, the building of the pyramid became the norm for his successors. The pyramids by his successors were mostly used as royal burial places.

The first smooth-sided pyramid, which was not a stepped pyramid, was constructed at Dashur and was called the red pyramid. It was one of three pyramids constructed as a burial place for Sneferu, the first king of the fourth dynasty (2613-2589 B.C). However, the great pyramids of Giza are the most celebrated and famous pyramids across the globe. The pyramids were constructed for Pharaoh Khufu, who ruled for 23 years (2589-2566 B.C) and are located on the river Nile's west bank just a few kilometers from modern Cairo. The great pyramid is 147 meters tall and a base of 230 meters, making it the world's greatest pyramid. Three other pyramids are built near the great pyramid belonging to his queen. Other pyramids also surround the great pyramid and are said to be of his relative and officials who accompany him in the afterlife.

Middle Pyramid

Giza's middle pyramid was constructed for pharaoh Khafra, the son of Khufu, and it is the second-largest pyramid in Giza. A rare feature constructed inside Khafra’s pyramid was a sphinx. A statue crafted in limestone with a body of a lion and head of a man and was regarded as the world's largest statue, with a measurement of 240 m wide and 66 m high. The sphinx would come to be worshipped in 1500b.c. Khafra’s son Menkaura pyramid is the southernmost in Giza, and it's shorter (213 feet) than the other two pyramids. The Menkaura pyramid is the precursor of the smaller pyramids built during the fifth and sixth dynasties.

Conclusion

To conclude, due to the king’s wealth and power decreasing, it became impossible to construct pyramids the size of the Great pyramids of Giza or the pyramids constructed for king Djoser. The last of the pyramids' builder was King Pepy, who reigned for 94 years; the old kingdom almost collapsed by the end of his reign. The king lost most of his godlike position as the power of executive officers who were not part of the royal family grew. Though kings from the 12 dynasties would return to build pyramids later, they were no match for Giza's great pyramids.

References

Jones, C. (2020). History.com. Retrieved 13 September 2020, from
https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/the-egyptian-pyramids

Shaw, G. (2020). The art of building pyramids in ancient Egypt | Apollo Magazine. Apollo Magazine. Retrieved 14 September 2020, from
https://www.apollo-magazine.com/ancient-egypt-pyramids-shapes/

Breeders, B., (2020). The Evolution of The Egyptian Pyramids. Beebreeders.com. Retrieved 13 September 2020, from https://beebreeders.com/the-evolution-of-the-egyptian-pyramids.