Pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops and the history of the Egyptian pyramids. Who built the Cheops pyramid and when? What was the height of the Cheops pyramid before?

Continuing the series of stories about the wonders of antiquity on LifeGlobe, I will tell you about the largest of the Egyptian pyramids - the Pyramid of Cheops, located in Giza. It is also called the Pyramid of Khufu, or simply the Great Pyramid.

This is the oldest of the seven wonders of the world, moreover, perfectly preserved to our times, unlike the Colossus of Rhodes or the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Egyptologists believe the pyramid was built as a tomb for the Fourth Dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Cheops. Construction of the pyramid lasted about 20 years and was completed in 2560 BC. Giant pyramid with a height of 146.5 meters, it was the largest structure in the world for more than 4 millennia, which is an absolute record that is unlikely to ever be broken. Initially, it was completely covered with smooth stone, which crumbled over time. There are many scientific and alternative theories about the methods of building the great pyramid, from alien intervention to generally accepted ones, based on the fact that huge blocks of stone were moved from quarries by special mechanisms

Inside the Cheops pyramid there are three chambers - tombs. The lowest one is carved into the base of the rock on which the pyramid is built. For unknown reasons, its construction was not completed. Above it are the Queen's chamber and the Pharaoh's chamber. The Great Pyramid is the only one in Egypt that has both ascending and descending corridors. It is the central key element of the Giza complex, around which several more pyramids were built for the pharaoh's wives, as well as other temples and tombs


The Great Pyramid consists of approximately 2.3 million stone blocks. The largest stones were found in the Pharaoh's chamber, and weigh 25-80 tons each. These granite blocks were delivered from a quarry almost 1000 kilometers away. According to general estimates, 5.5 million tons of limestone and 8,000 tons of granite were spent on the construction of the pyramid.
Let us turn to the theories of pyramid construction, many of which often contradict each other. Scientists cannot agree on whether the blocks were pulled, rolled, or even transported. The Greeks believed that the slave labor of millions of Egyptians was used, while modern research has proven that the construction employed several tens of thousands of skilled workers, divided into teams according to their qualifications and skills.

Initially, the entrance to the pyramid was at a height of 15.63 meters (#1 in the diagram below), on the north side, assembled from stone slabs in the form of arches. Later it was sealed with granite blocks, making a new passage 17 meters high (#2 on the diagram). This passage was carved out in 820 by Caliph Abu Ja'far in an attempt to plunder the pyramid (it is worth noting that he never found any treasure). Currently, it is through it that tourists get inside the pyramid.

Below is a cross-sectional diagram of the pyramid, where all the corridors and chambers are marked:

Immediately after entering the pyramid, a descending corridor 105 meters long begins (No. 4 on the diagram above), flowing into a small horizontal corridor leading to the lower chamber (No. 5 on the map). A narrow passage leading from the chamber ends in a dead end. as well as a small well 3 meters deep. As mentioned above, for some reason this chamber was abandoned unfinished, and the main chambers were later built higher, in the very center of the pyramid

From the descending corridor there is an ascending passage, at the same angle of 26.5°. Its length is 40 meters and it leads to the Great Gallery (No. 9 on the diagram), from where there are passages to the Pharaoh's chamber (No. 10) and the Queen's chamber (No. 7).
At the very beginning of the large gallery, a narrow, almost vertical chamber is hollowed out, with a small extension in the middle, which is called the Grotto (No. 12). Presumably, the grotto already existed before the construction of the pyramid, as a separate structure

From the Chamber of the Pharaoh and the Chamber of the Queen, ventilation ducts 20 centimeters wide diverge evenly, in the direction of north and south. The purpose of these channels is unknown - either they were used specifically for ventilation, or traditional Egyptian ideas about the afterlife are associated with them

There is an opinion that the ancient Egyptians were fluent in geometry, and knew about the “number Pi” and the “Golden Ratio”, which was reflected in the proportions of the Cheops pyramid and the angle of inclination. The same angle of inclination was used for the pyramid at Meidum. But it is possible that this is a simple accident, since this angle was not repeated anywhere else; all subsequent pyramids had different angles of inclination. Particularly fanatical supporters of mystical theories suggest that this particular pyramid was built by representatives of alien civilizations, and the rest were actually built by the Egyptians, trying to copy it

According to some astronomers, the Great Pyramid is an astronomical observatory of the ancient Egyptians, as the corridors and ventilation ducts accurately point to the stars Thuban, Sirius and Alnitak. Opponents of this theory claim that this is a mere coincidence. During excavations near the pyramid, pits were discovered with ancient Egyptian boats made of cedar without the use of nails or fasteners. This boat was dismantled into 1,224 parts, which were assembled by restorer Ahmed Yussuf Mustafa, which took him 14 years. Currently, a museum is open on the southern side of the pyramid, where you can see this boat (the museum building itself in the photo below looks quite original, it’s worth noting), as well as buy a lot of souvenirs

Currently, it is the most visited tourist attraction in Egypt. You can read more about other ancient wonders in the article "Seven Ancient Wonders of the World"

One of the greatest buildings ancient world is located in Egypt. This structure, since its completion, has amazed us with its grandeur and impeccable geometry. It was not for nothing that the ancient Greeks included the Cheops pyramid in their list of seven wonders of the world. This the only miracle has survived to this day.

The Pyramid of Cheops has become a real masterpiece. Modern researchers are amazed at the rigor of proportions and accuracy of geometric dimensions, which the ancient Egyptians handled brilliantly. Some Egyptologists seriously believe that the builders of the 26th century BC could not have built such a structure in 22 years. They adhere to the theory of the extraterrestrial origin of the pyramids.

The point of view of these researchers has a right to exist, especially since the arguments they present sometimes baffle their opponents. The location of the pyramid and its proportions are so precise that to position it in accordance with the cardinal directions would require modern builders to use the most accurate geodetic instruments. If the exact location of the Cheops pyramid on the cardinal points is an accident, then the accident is very happy.

The current proportions of the pyramid of Cheops, or Khufu, are not what they were originally. Scientists were able to determine that maximum height pyramid in 2568 BC was 146.6 meters. The ratio of height and base is thus 3.14..., that is, the number “Pi” from geometry. The point is the accuracy in which the ratio repeats the number “Pi”. This precision is six decimal places. Archimedes did not know this meaning; he would have envied such accuracy, no doubt.

On the day of completion of construction, the Cheops pyramid was 146.6 meters high. However, now its height is much less than its original height. There are two reasons for this decrease. One of a natural nature is erosion. The second reason is artificial. Her name is human...

In 1301, Cairo experienced an earthquake. Most of the houses have turned into piles of rubbish. The same fate befell mosques with elaborate minarets. After the first shock, the Cairo authorities turned to a real treasure trove of building materials - the pagan pyramids. They were seduced by the polished limestone slabs that lined the pyramids. Following the path of least resistance, by reducing overhead costs, the Arabs began to remove the outer cladding of the pyramids. Now only part of the cladding on the upper tiers of the Pyramid of Khafre has been preserved. There is no outer cladding left on the Cheops pyramid.

As a result of barbaric dismantling, the height of the high pyramid in Egypt decreased by more than eight meters. Today's sources talking about the height of the Cheops pyramid do not shine with uniformity. The difference is 10-20 centimeters. On the one hand, such a discrepancy in data outrages pedants and lovers of accuracy. On the other hand, 10-20 centimeters do not determine anything now. After all, the original proportions are broken irrevocably and forever.

The Arabs who dismantled the pyramids did not ask themselves subtle scientific questions. They were not interested in the theories put forward by modern scientists. They were interested in immediate solutions to everyday problems. They did not hesitate to damage one of the seven wonders of the world. We can complain for a long time about the Arabs of the early 14th century. We can complain about the inaccuracies in determining the real height of the pyramid. We can make hypotheses regarding the creators of the pyramids. But the pyramids don't care. They continue to exist and will outlive us with our emotions. They will continue to delight and awe visitors who will disturb their centuries-old peace.

Pyramid of Cheops (Egypt) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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There is probably not a person who does not know the main Egyptian attraction - the Pyramid of Cheops. And the number of tourists who have visited Egypt and not visited the only surviving Seven Wonders of the World can only be counted on one hand.

Despite numerous studies, the Cheops pyramid keeps many secrets. The pharaoh's sarcophagus has not yet been found.

The height of the largest pyramid in Egypt today is 140 meters, and total area more than 5 hectares. The Pyramid of Cheops is made up of - attention - 2.5 million stone blocks! To deliver these blocks to the construction site, the ancient Egyptians had to travel hundreds of kilometers! It took 20 years to build the Cheops pyramid.

Millennia have passed, but the pyramid is still highly revered in Egypt. Every year in August, Egyptians celebrate the day its construction began.

True, historians have never found reliable information confirming this fact.

Climbing

The entrance to the Cheops pyramid, like all ancient Egyptian tombs, is located on the north side at an altitude of approximately 17 m. Inside the pyramid there are three burial chambers and a whole network of descending and ascending corridors leading to these rooms. For the convenience of tourists, multi-meter passages are equipped with wooden steps and railings. The pyramid is illuminated, but it is better to take a flashlight with you.

Despite numerous studies and excavations, the Cheops pyramid keeps many secrets. For example, it has still not been possible to find the corridor leading to the chamber with the pharaoh’s sarcophagus.

In the burial room of the ruler's wife, scientists discovered secret doors that supposedly symbolize the road to the afterlife. But archaeologists could not open the last door...

Several disassembled boats were found near the Cheops pyramid. Now everyone can admire the assembled vessels (by the way, it took the researchers almost 14 years to complete this task).

Practical information

How to get there: by bus or taxi from Tahrir Square in Cairo (about 20 minutes travel time), from Hurghada (5-6 hours), from Sharm El-Sheikh (7-8 hours).

Opening hours: daily from 8:00 to 17:00, at winter time- until 16:30.

Entrance: on the territory - 80 EGP (for adults), 40 EGP (for children); in the pyramid - 200 EGP (for adults), 100 EGP (for children).

Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu)

The Cheops Pyramid is part of the complex of the largest Egyptian pyramids located on the Giza Plateau. This grandiose structure, together with the pyramids of Khafre and Mikerin, as well as the majestic Sphinx, makes up the so-called pyramid complex at Giza. As many scientists believe, the location of the pyramids and the Sphinx inside this complex is by no means accidental, and is due not only to the desire of the ancient builders to create a holistic composition from these grandiose structures.

One of the earliest hypotheses considered the Egyptian (and other) pyramids as tombs, hence the names: the king's (pharaoh's) chamber and the queen's chamber. However, according to many modern Egyptologists, The Cheops pyramid was never used as a tomb, but had a completely different purpose.

Some Egyptologists believe that the pyramid is a repository of the standards of ancient weights and measures, as well as a model of the known linear and time measurements that are characteristic of the Earth and are based on the principle of rotation of the polar axis. It is considered confirmed that the one (or those) who supervised the construction of the pyramid had absolutely accurate knowledge of such things that were discovered by mankind much later. These include: the circumference of the globe, the longitude of the year, the average value of the Earth's orbit as it rotates around the Sun, the specific density of the globe, the acceleration of gravity, the speed of light and much more. And all this knowledge, one way or another, is supposedly contained in the pyramid.

It is believed that the pyramid is a kind of calendar. It has almost been proven that it serves as both a theodolite and a compass, and with such accuracy that the most modern compasses can be checked with it.

Another hypothesis believes that not only the parameters of the pyramid itself, but also its individual structures contain many important mathematical quantities and ratios, for example, the number “pi”, and the parameters of the king’s chamber combine “sacred” triangles with sides 3-4-5 . It is believed that the angles and angular coefficients of the pyramid reflect the most modern ideas about trigonometric values, and the contours of the pyramid include the proportions of the “golden section” with practical accuracy.

There is a hypothesis that considers the Cheops pyramid as an astronomical observatory, and according to another hypothesis, the Great Pyramid was used for initiation into the highest levels of secret knowledge, as well as for storing this knowledge. In this case, the person initiated into secret knowledge was located in a sarcophagus.

The official theory is that the architect Great Pyramid Hemiun, vizier and nephew of Cheops, is considered. He also bore the title "Manager of all Pharaoh's construction projects." Construction under his leadership lasted twenty years and ended around 2540 BC. e. In Egypt, the date for the start of construction of the Cheops Pyramid is officially established and celebrated - August 23, 2470 BC. e.

However, there are other assumptions. Thus, the Arab historian Ibrahim bin ibn Wassuff Shah believed that the pyramids of Giza were built by an antediluvian king named Saurid. Abu Zeid el Bahi writes about an inscription which states that the Great Pyramid of Cheops was built about 73,000 years ago. Ibn Batuta claimed (and not only he) that the pyramids were built by Hermes Trismegistus, etc. A very interesting hypothesis is that of the Russian scientist Sergei Proskuryakov, who believes that the pyramids were built by Aliens from Sirius and that the architect Hemiun himself was from Sirius. Vladimir Babanin also believes that the pyramids were built by Aliens from Sirius, and possibly from Dessa in the Cygnus constellation in ancient times, but during the time of Cheops the pyramids were restored.

The version that seems logical is that, in any case, the Pyramids were erected after the pole shift occurred on Earth, otherwise it would have been impossible to orient the Pyramids with such incredible accuracy as they are located today.

Initially, the height of the Cheops pyramid was 146.6 meters. But time mercilessly dissolved 7 meters and 85 centimeters of this majestic structure. Simple calculations will show that the pyramid now has a height of 138 meters and 75 centimeters.

The perimeter of the pyramid is 922 meters, the base area is 53,000 square meters (comparable to the area of ​​10 football fields). Scientists have calculated total weight pyramid, which amounted to more than 5 million tons.

The pyramid is made up of more than 2.2 million large stone blocks of limestone, granite and basalt, average weight each of which is about 2.5 tons. There are a total of 210 rows of blocks in the pyramid. The heaviest block weighs about 15 tons. The base is a rocky elevation, the height of which is 9 meters. Initially, the surface of the pyramid was a smooth surface, because was covered with a special material.

The entrance to the pyramid is at an altitude of 15.63 meters on the north side. The entrance is formed by stone slabs laid in the form of an arch. This entrance to the pyramid was sealed with a granite plug.

Today, tourists get inside the pyramid through a 17m gap, which was made in 820 by Caliph Abu Jafar al-Ma'mun. He hoped to find the pharaoh's countless treasures there, but found there only a layer of dust half a cubit thick.

Inside the Cheops pyramid there are three burial chambers, located one above the other.

When the sun moves around the pyramid, you can notice the unevenness of the walls - the concavity of the central part of the walls. This may be due to erosion or damage from falling stone cladding. It is also possible that this was specially done during construction.

Therefore, this article will only provide basic general facts and figures related to Great Pyramid generally.

Date of construction and geometric dimensions

According to generally accepted opinion, the Great Pyramid was built in the 2560-2580s BC as a tomb for the reigning pharaoh of the IV dynasty Cheops (Khufu) at that time. Despite some difficulties in explaining the possibility of its construction in the required time frame using the technology available at that time, this version is nevertheless considered the main one and has quite numerous confirmations in the form of inscriptions discovered inside the Pyramid and the Pit of the Solar Boat with it.

The Pyramid of Cheops is the largest of the Egyptian pyramids.

• Height (today): ≈ 138.75 m
• Height (original): ≈ 146.5 m
• Angle: 51° 50"
• Side length (original): 230.33 m (calculated) or about 440 Royal cubits
• Side length (currently): about 225 m
• The length of the sides of the base of the pyramid: south - 230.454 m; north - 230.253 m; west - 230.357 m; east - 230.394 m.
• Foundation area (initially): ≈ 53,000 m² (5.3 ha)
• Area of ​​the pyramid: (initially) ≈ 85,500 m²
• Perimeter: 922 m.
• Total volume of the pyramid without deducting the cavities inside the pyramid (initially): ≈ 2.58 million m³
• Total volume of the pyramid, after subtracting all known cavities (initially): 2.50 million m³
• The average size of the observed stone blocks of rough masonry: 1.27 m in width and depth, 71 cm in height (according to Petrie)
• Average weight of rough masonry stone blocks: 2.5 t
• The heaviest stone block of rough masonry: 15 t
• Heaviest stone block (known; granite; above the entrance to the King's Chamber): 90 t
• Number of blocks: about 2.5 million (provided that the pyramid is not a backfill type)
• Estimated total weight of the pyramid: about 6.25 million tons (possibly about 6 million tons according to microgravimetry)
• The base of the pyramid rests on a natural rocky elevation in the center (in the Grotto area) more than 9 m high.
• Materials used in construction (from known ones): limestone from the Giza Plateau - rough masonry, Tour white limestone - interior walls, ventilation shafts and external cladding, Aswan granite - Antechamber, King's Chamber, unloading chambers (partially), plugs; Sinai - sarcophagus. Quartz sand was also found inside.
• The pyramidion of the pyramid was not found, nor were its fastening stones.
• The True Entrance is located traditionally, i.e., on the north side. He is the only one known.

Difference in thickness of pyramid masonry layers

Despite the fact that the pyramid is built in layers, the thickness of the layers is different and varies from 60 cm to one and a half meters.

The reasons for this are not exactly known, there are several hypotheses, the simplest one says that large blocks were laid in eras when there was an excess amount of labor for laying layers of rough masonry. What may be connected, for example, with its release after the completion of a certain labor-intensive stage in the construction of some complex internal infrastructures or the season of block procurement, etc. The scheme requires careful analysis.

Current state of affairs and appearance after the disappearance of the cladding

The Great Pyramid now has edges concave inwards. This often gives rise to various theories and speculations, but it should be remembered that the structure has lost several meters of cladding on each side, and the nature of its looting for stone does not give reason to believe that the original faces were not flat.

Perhaps the observed picture is simply a consequence of the most profitable extraction of stone.

Question about using the pyramid for its intended purpose

Since ancient times, the question has been acutely raised: was the Cheops pyramid used for its intended purpose? There is still no clear answer to this question. On the one hand, there is almost complete confidence that the pyramid was completely completed by the builders. On the other hand, what we see inside it, for example, a clearly not of the best quality sarcophagus in the King's Chamber, an unfinished floor in the Queen's Chamber or a picture of complete incompleteness in the Underground Chamber - everything suggests that the pharaoh in these famous premises could hardly have been buried at all. Herodotus also claimed that Cheops was buried in another place, on an island surrounded on all sides by water. On the third hand, traces of obvious hacking of the plugs and dampers of the Antechamber indicate that for some reason the pyramid was carefully sealed. The official point of view of science on this matter suggests that the burglars visited the pyramid no later than the first 500-600 years from the moment of its construction. But what they found, who they were and whether they found anything at all is completely unknown. In the volume of the Great Pyramid, the volume of all known and explored rooms is less than 1 percent, and it is already known that in addition to the explored ones, there are several unknown sealed rooms in it.

Blocks and Quarries

Egyptologists believe that the Pyramids of Giza were built from natural stone, which was quarried from three quarries. The actual construction of the pyramids is made of nummulitic limestone of the Mokattam formation. The quarries were located in close proximity to the pyramids. The lower parts of the pyramids of Khafre and Mikerin were lined with granite from the Aswan quarry, which is located in Southern Egypt at a distance of 934 kilometers along the Nile (700 kilometers in a straight line). Several rows of granite cladding have been preserved at the pyramid of Mikerin. Middle and upper parts of two great pyramids were lined with limestone from the Tours quarry, which is located on the eastern bank of the Nile south of Cairo at a distance of 13-17 kilometers from the pyramids. The number of pyramid facing blocks (granite and limestone) that have reached us is relatively small. Therefore, we can simply agree that stone from the Tours and Aswan quarries was used in the construction of the pyramids. The opinion that the pyramids were built from nummulitic limestone does not fully correspond to reality. The lower rows of the pyramids are made of hard limestone from the Moqattam formation. Higher up, blocks of soft limestone, which do not contain nummulites, predominate. This is fundamental. That is, when describing the blocks of pyramids in specialized literature, it seems to remain “behind the scenes” that most of them are carved out of soft limestone.

The bottom rows of the pyramids (approximately 1-7/10 rows) are made of blocks cut from solid limestone. The first row of the Cheops pyramid (thickness 1.5 m) is carved from a layer of strong limestone, which has the greatest thickness - 1.5 m. The upper rows of the pyramids are dominated by blocks cut from soft limestone (or cast blocks indistinguishable from them - this statement requires evidence, Supervisor 03:05, 22 May 2011 (UTC)). When developing the quarry, it was necessary to fulfill one condition: the time elapsed from the opening of soft limestones to the cutting of building blocks from them should be minimal. That is, soft limestones had to be cut into blocks before they hardened from contact with air. In addition, after cutting the soft limestone blocks, it took some time for them to harden and not crumble during transportation. The cyclical nature of quarry development meets these requirements. Its site was being developed, the area of ​​which was approximately 1.5 times larger than the area of ​​the row of blocks where the construction of the pyramid was stopped. The blocks were cut from layers of hard and soft limestone and stored “layer by layer,” that is, according to their vertical dimensions. After all the limestone had been removed from the area, its laying into the body of the pyramid began. The order of laying blocks of different thicknesses (and, accordingly, different weights) was determined by the ratio of labor costs for lifting them. This ensured that the rows of blocks were ranked according to their thickness.

Base of the pyramid

The rocky base of the Cheops pyramid, according to modern calculations, occupies 23% of the volume of the pyramid, or about 600,000 cubic meters. The minimum figures were obtained by determining the height of the rock in terms of an average level of 12.5 meters. But the authors of the study do not exclude the possibility of using an average height of 20 meters. In any case new geological exploration work is required to clarify these data. A revision of most old works with calculations of the stone used during construction is also required. In addition, there are estimates of 10-12% of the volume of the pyramid, which is occupied by the mortar holding the blocks together.

The directions to the north of the side faces were so precise that due to the sphericity of the Earth and the colossal size of the Pyramid, its northern side turned out to be 20 cm shorter than the southern one. (the exact dimensions of the pyramid are known from the preserved pits of the supporting corner stones)

Sources

[http://supernovum.ru/public/index.php?doc=171 | Mining and geological aspect of the technology of construction of the pyramids of Giza]

[http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/docs/00/31/95/86/PDF/PyramidsSR.pdf Geological and Geomorphological study of the original hill at the base of Fourth Dynasty Egyptian monuments.]