The ancient Greek historian Herodotus says that Cheops forced the entire Egyptian people to work on the construction of the pyramid, dividing it into two parts. Those who entered the first group, he ordered to start delivering blocks from quarries in the Arabian mountains to the banks of the Nile. The rest were required to transport the blocks to the foot of the Libyan mountains. 100,000 people worked permanently. For ten years of hard work, a road was built along which the blocks were delivered to the river. Herodotus believes that the construction of the road was no less difficult task than the construction of the pyramid itself. And we believe him. This road was paved with polished stone slabs decorated with carvings. It took another twenty years to build the pyramid with all the underground structures and rooms. Imagine, even with modern machines and mechanisms, it would not be easy to build such a whopper. Therefore, the construction took away the strength of the entire people. But the ancient Egyptians, mind you, considered it a very honorable, sacred and godly deed for themselves. In addition, four months a year, during the flood of the Nile, from mid-July to mid-November, all men could work at the construction site while their fields and gardens were flooded with water. When at the beginning of November the river returned to its course, and the time for sowing came, the peasants dispersed to their homes. By far the hardest work was done by slaves, who were captured and turned into draft animals. The more Pharaoh fought, the more prisoners became. And also four thousand specialists constantly worked at the construction site: architects, engineers, artists, stone cutters. It was they who designed the temples, secret passages in the pyramid, painted the walls. How did they manage to perform such miracles?
I'll try to answer you.
The pyramids were built with muscular strength. The builders' tools were made of stone and copper. Then people did not yet know steel and iron. But they knew how to perfectly handle stones and make tools out of them. For example, knives from that time are as sharp as today's razors. The hammers were as heavy as sledgehammers and small for light, precise strikes. Teslo, chisel, chisel, dolerite ball, saw, drill, whetstone, trowel, plumb line, square-level, cross-level were also used by Egyptian builders.
A rock was chosen for the base of the pyramid. The sand layer was removed and underground structures were built. The site, on which the pyramid was to stand, was surrounded by a rampart of sand and stones. A dense network of small canals was punched into the rocky ground and filled with water. The water level was marked on the walls of the canals, then the water was drained, irregularities were removed and the canals were filled up. A strictly horizontal surface remained. An amazingly accurate method. The southeast corner of the Cheops pyramid is only 2 cm higher than the northwest corner.
Difficult work fell out to experienced stonecutters. They cut the blocks out of the rock. At first, the boundaries of the future block were marked in the rock, and then a deep ditch was gouged along them, and wedges made of dry wood were driven into it, which were poured over with water. The tree swelled, increased in volume, the crack widened and in the end, the monolith separated from the rock. There was another way. A fire was made along the line drawn in the rock. When the stone was heated, the flame was quickly flooded with water, and thus the same result was obtained. In addition, balls of dolerite, a hard green stone, were used. They were beaten along the intended dividing line until the lump came off. Then the stone block was processed on the spot with tools made of stone, copper and wood. The processed block weighed an average of 2.5 tons, and the heaviest one weighed 15 tons! Scientists have calculated that the total weight of the pyramid is 5.7 million tons.
The hardest work went to those who moved the stone blocks. These people worked in teams of 8-10 people. Workers loaded the block onto a sled-like stand, tied it with thick ropes twisted from papyrus, and dragged it to the construction site. The next brigade approached the rock behind them. The stonecutters rolled off one block after another and the traffic never stopped on the road.
The quality of the work of the ancient builders is simply amazing! Imagine that the mismatch between the horizontal and vertical lines of the pyramid does not exceed the width of a thumb. The stones were so tightly fitted to each other that even a needle could not be inserted between them.
Do you think how the stone sarcophagus was lowered? In the burial chamber, a place was fenced off with a stone wall and filled with sand to the top. Then they put a sarcophagus on the sand, dismantled the wall, dug out the sand.
Initially, the Cheops pyramid had a height of 147 meters. Now its height is 137 meters. Previously, it had an eight-meter top, covered with gold, and now there is a platform on its top. During the Second World War, it housed an English air defense post. And the gold tip? Where is she? Whether it collapsed or stolen, no one knows. The mirror cladding was removed by medieval vandals. True, they believed that it was much more important to use it for the construction of new palaces!
Each side of the square base of the pyramid is 233 meters, the area is more than 50,000 square meters. meters. The pyramid consists of 2,300,000 cubic blocks.
Inside the pyramid of Cheops, the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior, or St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg, could freely fit. Smaller than it is the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, and the Escorial in Spain, and Buckingham Palace in London.
Do you want to know what is inside the Cheops pyramid? Who first looked into it, centuries and centuries later? To be continued.
photo taken from the Internet
Ancient Egyptian pyramids are the most mysterious and unusual buildings in the history of mankind. How they were built and why, their external and internal description are questions that have worried scientists for many years. The Pyramid of Cheops is the largest of all the pyramids, an architectural monument.
An unambiguous and proven version of how these huge giants were built does not exist today. But there are a lot of hypotheses and assumptions, each of which has both evidence and contradictions.
Preparation for construction
The pyramids were built from stone blocks. Some believed that all the blocks were the same size. But the theory was disproved. The preparation for the construction involved the extraction of such stone blocks from the rocks. To do this, they drew the shape of the future block on the rock, hollowed out with chisels and picks along the edges of the border, and inserted wood into them.
Later, the tree was flooded with water, as a result of which it swelled, and the rock cracked from stress along a predetermined boundary. The block was then separated.
Also, in preparation, they made a marking of the earth with the designation of the four sides of the pyramid. We tried to outline so that they were oriented to the cardinal points. Then the platform under the base was leveled.
For this, a square-shaped rampart of sand and stones was erected. Then we divided this square into equal parts and filled it with water. The stones that were under the water were removed, and the trenches were laid with a new layer of stones, which served as the foundation of the tomb.
Working with stone
The resulting blocks were carefully processed to obtain the desired shape. Further along the river, the blocks were transported to the construction site. Studies have shown that the stones had a mass suitable for movement. Then they started construction, starting from the lower tier. Having laid the blocks, the problem arose of lifting the blocks to the next levels.
The pyramid of Cheops was built with colossal efforts with the minimum available technology at that time. There are many theories about how the Egyptians raised stones. Some scientists believe that 4 specially built brick ramps were used for the ascent. Some have suggested that the ramp was 1. Opponents of the theory argue that such devices cannot exist and suggest that there were lifting mechanisms. Although this version has not found evidence.
Drawings on the pyramid
Numerous drawings and diagrams on stone blocks also leave a lot of questions. In addition to the depicted figures of people and Gods, pictures of unknown technical structures and devices of unknown purpose were found. There are examples that resemble a modern helicopter. There are whole huge portraits.
The painting technology also remains a mystery. After all, some parts of the drawings are darker, and some are lighter: unknown ways were used to lighten or darken the surface of the stone. Many unsolved paintings and records still exist today. Most researchers tend to assume that drawings are a secret message for a modern person.
Where is the pyramid of Cheops located on the map?
The Pyramid of Cheops, whose description is mesmerizing, is the only one of the "Seven Wonders of the World" that has survived to this day. It is located in the city of Giza in Egypt.
Today, on the map, Giza is designated as a suburb of Cairo. It is located 30 km from the capital.
History of the pyramid and its age
The Pyramid of Cheops is the oldest and largest of the 3 pyramids located on the Giza plateau. The pyramids, as you know, were built as tombs of the pharaohs in order to ensure a good and comfortable life for rulers in the afterlife.
It took several decades to build the pyramid. Scientists are still arguing how much.
Some believe that the construction took about 20 years. But the scale of the pyramid and the reign of Pharaoh Cheops (he himself supervised the construction) suggest that the work took all 40 years. Herodotus and his associates believed that the main builders were slaves, a large number of whom died at the construction site.
Modern scholars, on the other hand, believe that free Egyptians constituted the majority of the labor force. After all, Cheops provided them with housing and food for the duration of their work. And the main reason was the spiritual component: everyone tried to show their involvement in the shrine of the immortal ruler, because only the pharaoh and his entourage had the right to immortality and life after death.
And by participating in the construction of the tomb, people hoped for the favor of the Gods or the Pharaoh himself, wishing to be part of the retinue. The architect is considered the nephew of Cheops - Hemion, who scrupulously worked on the project, calculating everything to the smallest detail. Perhaps this explains the durability of the pyramid.
The pyramid is about 4500 years old. And the date of the start of construction is considered to be August 23, 2560 BC. This day is considered a national holiday in Egypt.
Appearance and dimensions of the pyramid, characteristics
The overall dimensions of the pyramid are striking in their scale: the base area is 53 thousand square meters. m. Height - 138.8 m, although initially the building was higher by another 9 m, but after many hundreds of years earthquakes and sandstorms contributed to the partial destruction of the top of the pyramid. Base - 230 m, rib length - 230 m. Volume - 2.58 million cubic meters. m.
The pyramid of Cheops is adjacent to 2 others: the pyramid of Khafre and the pyramid of Menkaur. Also nearby is another architectural monument - the Great Sphinx, the description of which also contains inexplicable facts.
Data on the 3 pyramids of Giza are shown in the table:
| Pyramid name | Construction time | Pyramid height |
| Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) | XXVI century BC | 138.8 m |
| Pyramid of Khafre | Mid XXVI century BC | 143.9 m |
| Pyramid of Menkaur (Mikerin) | 2540-2520 BC | 66 m |
The body of the pyramid is built of limestone and granite blocks. From above it was covered with a sparkling cladding, and the top was adorned with a golden stone. Currently, neither the facing nor the decoration of the top has survived.
What is inside the pyramid of Cheops
The pyramid of Cheops, the description of the appearance of which is given above, also has a complex internal structure with rooms and corridors.
It contains:
- An underground burial pit.
- The king's chamber.
- The Queen's Chamber.
- Great gallery.
- Ventilation ducts.
- Discharge chambers.
- The entrance is original.
- Tourist entrance.
- Moves or corridors.
The entrance to the pyramid
All ancient Egyptian tombs have an entrance from the north side. The Cheops pyramid is no exception. The entrance is located at a height of 16-17 m, it has a non-random tilt angle: it was with this tilt that the Egyptians could observe the North Star.
This original entrance to the tomb is not used and is sealed with a stone plug.
Tourists today go inside through the entrance, located 10 m below, made by Abdullah al-Mamun, who wanted to enrich himself with the treasures of the pharaoh. For the convenience of tourists, the main passage was equipped with handrails, steps, and lighting.
Burial pit
Ascending and descending corridors begin at the point of intersection of both entrances. The descending one paves the way to the tomb, which is located underground and is a room with dimensions of 14 by 8 m.
The engineers carried out additional excavations from this room and dug a well and another narrow passage, hoping to find the body of Cheops. However, their attempts failed. The burial pit was not completed and was abandoned. It was decided to equip the main burial chamber in the center of the pyramid.
The Ascending Corridor and the Queen's Chambers
The ascending passage is laid to the south and its length is 40 m. It flows into the Great Gallery. At the very beginning, the passage is closed by three large stone blocks. Al-Mamun, bumping into them, dug a bypass line, which is still used today. The purpose of these blocks is unknown.
It has not yet been possible to move them.
The lower part of the Great Gallery gives rise to a corridor 35 m long and 1.75 m high. It leads to the 2nd tomb, which is often called the Queen's Chamber. This room measures 5.74 m by 5.23 m. The height is 6.22 m. In the east of the Chamber there is a large depression.
Grotto, Great Gallery and Pharaoh's Chambers
The next branch of the lower part of the Great Gallery is a vertical passage 60 m long, going to the descending passage, which contains 1 single extension - the Grotto. The nature of its origin is not completely clear, but most likely, this is a natural formation. The ascending passage passes into the Great Gallery - an inclined high corridor. Height - 8.53 m. Length - 46 m.
On the sides of both walls there is a square recess with 27 pairs of holes of unknown purpose. At the end of the gallery there is a ledge - a step in front of the entrance to the Antechamber, through which the entrance to the very Chamber of the Pharaoh opens. The burial room is faced with black granite. It contains a stone sarcophagus without a lid. There are ventilation holes on the walls.
The ceiling is almost destroyed, the condition of the slabs is worn out. Several empty cavities were found above the burial room, separated by monolithic slabs. It is assumed that their purpose is to distribute the weight load to avoid excessive pressure of the overlying plates on the pharaoh's chamber.
Ventilation ducts
The chambers of the king and queen contain ventilation holes - narrow channels of small width. These channels are through only in the House of the King. In the Queen's Chamber, the ends of the canals do not reach either the wall of the room on one side or the edges of the pyramid on the other. In the upper part, they are closed by doors with copper handles.
The studies of the channels were carried out by a special robot, which was able to detect these details.
Such a strange arrangement of ventilation ducts may indicate that the ancient Egyptians were a very religious people and believed that the soul enters the afterlife. These doors at the ends symbolize a kind of entrance to the Kingdom of the Dead.
What can be seen around the pyramid
The Pyramid of Cheops, the description of which includes many secrets, and around it contains amazing finds.
Pharaoh's boats
In the immediate vicinity of the pyramid, 7 depressions were found with parts of real Egyptian boats, one of which was the "Solar Boat". Its peculiarity is the lack of fasteners.
On this cedar boat, according to legend, Cheops had to start his journey to the Kingdom of the dead. A museum dedicated to this boat was opened on one side of the pyramid.
Pyramids of Queens of Cheops
In the east, there are 3 small pyramids for the close circle of Pharaoh Cheops. They are located in decreasing size towards the south.
The base of each is 50 cm longer than the base of the previous one. At present, their condition is satisfactory.
Opening hours of the museum complex in Giza
The museum complex of Giza, covering all the pyramids, is open for tourists every day from 8.00 to 17.00. In winter, it works on a shorter working day - until 16.30. In the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims - until 15.00.
Ticket prices
Cost of visits:
- Entrance to the museum complex - 7.5 USD.
- Entrance to the Sun Rook Museum - 3 USD.
- Entrance inside the Cheops pyramid - 11 USD.
- Entrance to the pyramid of Khafre - 2 USD.
Going on an excursion to get acquainted with the pyramids of Egypt, it is advisable to use a number of useful tips:
Secrets of the Cheops pyramid
The main secret of the Cheops pyramid is that the mummy of Pharaoh Cheops was not found either inside the pyramid or anywhere else. Many theories have been developed about the place of his burial. The sarcophagus was empty when found. The cover was also missing. In general, scientists believe that the construction of the sarcophagus was not completed.
And researchers of our time have even put forward a hypothesis that this pyramid was not built for Cheops. This confirms the absence of any decorations in the burial room. Usually, for the tombs of the pharaohs, they were real treasures, full of treasures and riches.
The ventilation ducts of the tombs are another unexplained item. Why they were built is still unknown. In the King's Chamber, outside air enters through them. There is no answer to the question of what the air is for the buried Pharaoh. The construction of such a mass also leaves a lot of questions. The dimensions of the pyramid can be compared to a 50-storey skyscraper.
And the base area could accommodate a dozen football fields. There is no unequivocal answer as to how and with the help of what people raised stone blocks to a height. Another mystery is how the stones were joined. The surfaces fit so tightly that there is no way to even slip a thin blade between them.
Transporting blocks to the base of the building also contains puzzles.
In 2017, evidence was found indicating that the Nile was drained and artificial canals were created leading to the pyramid to move heavy granite stones. Building materials were transported along them on boats. The Pyramid of Cheops (the description of the interior will not convey the entire atmosphere inside) contains a very small number of rooms inside.
It was often speculated that the largest pyramid still contains secret or simply undiscovered rooms. The guesses were confirmed: studies based on the study of the temperature difference between the surfaces of the blocks showed the presence of additional voids inside.
but Egyptian authorities have imposed a ban on further excavations. Although the opening of such new rooms will become a worldwide sensation, which will lead to an even greater influx of tourists to Giza. This is a tempting alternative for Egypt as a whole, so the issue is not completely closed. The presence of 3 burial rooms in the pyramid is a strange fact from the point of view of the history and life of the pharaohs.
In other pyramids, each ruler prepared 1 burial room for himself, putting all his efforts into the construction of this particular main part. Controversies and disputes over 3 such chambers in the Cheops pyramid led to the conclusion: there were 3 pharaohs who were the master of the pyramid. And Cheops, apparently, was the last.
There is evidence that Cheops did not build from the foundation, but rebuilt the existing pyramid of the previous rulers. The ventilation ducts of the Queen's Chamber do not communicate with the atomosphere. This is strange and suggests that the pyramid was overlaid with a new layer of blocks, while the ventilation outlets were walled up.
Despite the huge amount of obscure and mysterious, there are also skeptics who believe that there are no secret messages, and no pyramid carries any hidden meaning. Confirmation of this is offered to compare all the pyramids found. It is clear that they all differ from each other in many ways.
There is no symmetry or similarity either in the orientation relative to the cardinal points or in the internal structure. If any mystery were encrypted, all of them, or at least a few, would be identical in cross-section.
Interesting facts about the Cheops pyramid
Interesting to know:
The mystery of the Cheops pyramid will be solved for more than one century. The description of the appearance and internal structure of the pyramid is not yet perfect and is fraught with many mysteries.
Article design: Lozinsky Oleg
Video about the pyramid of Cheops in Egypt
Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt description:
Along the eastern edges, tourists cannot ignore one of the greatest mysteries of history - the Cheops pyramid. The only surviving miracle of the Ancient World, of the seven existing ones, arouses the interest of scientists, archaeologists, historians, astrologers and simply fans of secrets. To the questions of the family: "Where are the pyramids of Cheops?" or "Why is it worth visiting them?", we will be happy to answer in our article.
What are the dimensions of the Cheops pyramid?
To fully understand the greatness of this architectural masterpiece, it is enough to imagine its dimensions. Just imagine, this is a huge structure weighing about 6.4 million tons, located in Giza, the Republic of Egypt. The height of the Cheops pyramid, even after erosion by the wind, reaches 138 meters, the size of the base reaches 230 meters, and the length of the side rib is 225 meters. And it is with this pyramid that the greatest mysteries of Egyptian history are connected, over which scientists around the world are struggling.
The mystery of the Cheops pyramid - who built it and why?
The most common theory is that the pyramid was erected as a tomb for Pharaoh Cheops or Khufu (as the Egyptians themselves call him). The adherents of this theory confirm their guesses with the pyramid model itself. Three tombs are located on the 53 thousand square meters base, one of which houses the Great Gallery.
However, opponents of this version emphasize that the tomb intended for Cheops is not decorated in any way. Which is strange, since, as you know, the Egyptians were adherents of pomp and wealth in the design of the tombs of their rulers. And the sarcophagus itself, which was intended for one of the greatest pharaohs in Egyptian history, is not completed. The unfinished edges of the stone box and the missing lid indicate that the craftsmen did not take the burial issue too seriously. In addition, the remains of Cheops himself were not found during any excavations.
Video - How was the Cheops pyramid built?
The version with the tomb is replaced by the version that the pyramid is an astronomical structure. Striking mathematical calculations and the ability to see constellations in the night sky through corridor-type mines provide astronomers with reasons for discussion.
Archaeologists and scientists around the world are trying to unravel the truth of the Khufu pyramid at Giza. However, based on the facts already obtained, it is safe to say that the author of the project was Hemion, a close relative and, concurrently, the court architect of Cheops. Under his strict guidance for 20 years, from 2560 BC. and until 2540 BC, more than three dozen builders, architects and laborers built a pyramid from huge granite blocks.
Some Egyptians and lovers of the occult sciences perceive the pyramid as a religious object. They see a mystical pattern in the intersections of corridors and catacombs. But this idea has no sufficient basis, as well as the version of alien intervention. So, a certain circle of ufologists-researchers assert that only with the help of alien beings it was possible to build such a colossal piece of architectural art.
What should a tourist know?
Tourists and admirers of Arab culture are only amused and inspired by the difference of versions and the general uncertainty that revolves around the pyramid of Cheops. Every year hundreds of thousands of visitors come to the foot of the granite structure to touch the history. And the locals are happy about this - all conditions for educational excursions have been created for visitors.
Twice a day, at 8 and 13 o'clock, a group of up to 150 people comes to the pyramid. Inside, they enter through a passage located on the north side. But, having finally arrived at the place of a kind of pilgrimage, not all visitors are ready for what the Cheops pyramid is inside. The long, low, laterally compressed passage in some foreigners causes an attack of claustrophobia. Sand, dust and stale air can cause asthma.
But for those who conquered themselves and withstood the passage inside the pyramid, all the architectural grandeur of Egyptian culture is revealed. The massive walls, the Great Gallery, the general sense of antiquity and authenticity are exactly what captivates guests.
On the south side, at the exit, tourists are invited to familiarize themselves with the exhibits, which are the fruits of many years of excavation. Here you can also look at the Solar Boat - one of the largest floating vehicles discovered in the entire history of archaeological activity of mankind. Here you can also buy souvenirs and memorable figures, T-shirts and so on.
Those staying late into the evening will be lucky enough to see the light show. Under the spotlights, the organizers create a unique, slightly mystical atmosphere and tell mysterious stories about the pyramid and Egyptian culture.
Another point worth paying attention to visitors to the Cheops pyramid is the issue of photography and video filming. Inside the building itself, there is a ban on any shooting, as well as on the desire of some people to climb the pyramid itself. But, leaving the tomb and buying a souvenir, you can take countless pictures from any angle. In the photo, the pyramid of Cheops will sparkle with new colors and amaze with its geometric shapes.
However, you should be as vigilant as possible and not give your gadgets to strangers, other tourists and, especially, locals. Otherwise, you risk either never seeing your camera at all, or parting with an impressive amount in order to get it back.
From a purely practical point of view, there is nothing strange about this. As you know, in any tourist center of the world, the local population prefers to make a profit at any cost. Hence the inflated prices, and the tendency to fraud, and the large number of pickpockets. Therefore, you should be as vigilant as possible.
Pyramid of Cheops: interesting facts
The Pyramid of Cheops is a wonderful and amazing creation. She is an object of admiration for scientists, artists, writers, filmmakers and many other people who are not afraid to solve mysteries. And before heading to Giza to the granite massif, you should familiarize yourself with the stories about it. There are dozens of movies for this on the web. Such as, for example, the documentary "The Solution to the Mystery of the Pyramid of Cheops" directed by Florence Tran. In it, the author tries to consider as broadly the idea of construction, the riddle of creation and the true purpose of the pyramid of the great pharaoh.
Interestingly, despite the unfinished sarcophagi and the lack of unambiguous information about the architect of the Cheops pyramid, the inner mines are the biggest mystery. According to experts, reaching a width of 13 to 20 centimeters, the shafts run along the sides of the main rooms and have a diagonal exit to the surface. What is the specific purpose of these mines is still not known. Either it is ventilation, or secret passages, or a kind of air gap. Until now, science has no specific information on this matter.
Video - Facts about the Cheops pyramid
As well as about the process of building the pyramid. Materials for one of the Seven Wonders of the World were delivered from a nearby quarry. But it is still not known how large boulders weighing up to 80 tons were delivered to the construction site. Here again a lot of questions arise about the level of technological progress of the Egyptians. Or to the question of magic or higher intelligence.
What is the Cheops pyramid in reality? Tomb? Observatory? An occult object? A message from alien civilizations? This we, perhaps, will never know. But each of us has a chance to go to Giza and, having touched the history, put forward our hypothesis.
The Pyramid of Cheops is a rare case in Egyptology when we can be sure who the monument belongs to. Often the ancient monuments of Egypt were appropriated by later rulers. The technology of appropriation was very simple - the name of the pharaoh-builder (cartouche) simply got lost with the inscriptions in the temple or in the tomb, and another name was knocked out.
This phenomenon was very common. Take, for example, the famous pharaoh Tutankhamun. Until 1922, when archaeologist Howard Carter dug up, Egyptologists doubted the existence of this ruler. There was almost no written evidence about him, everything was destroyed by subsequent pharaohs.
In the 19th century, archaeologists often used very barbaric research methods. In the pyramid of Cheops, explosions of gunpowder were used to search for secret rooms. You can still see traces of such methods on the surfaces of structures (see photo on the left).
During such research, small chambers were found above the main burial chamber. Explorers rushed there in hopes of finding treasures, but of course there was nothing but dust.
These rooms, only 1 meter high, had a purely technical purpose. These are unloading chambers, they protect the ceiling of the burial chamber from collapse, remove mechanical stress. But it was on the walls of these unloading chambers that scientists discovered inscriptions made by ancient builders.
These were block markings. As we now put a label on the product, so the ancient Egyptian foremen marked the blocks: "Block such and such for the pyramid of Khufu, produced then, laid then and then." These inscriptions cannot be fake, they prove that this structure was built by Cheops.
A little about Pharaoh Cheops
In the last paragraph we used the name “Khufu”. This is the official Egyptian name for this pharaoh. Cheops is the Greek interpretation of his name, and not the most common one. Other pronunciations of "Cheops" or "Kiops" are more common.
The name “Khufu” is more widespread in the world. If you are going on an excursion to Giza with a Russian-speaking guide, then there will be no problems, he will be aware of this phonetic difference. But, if you communicate with locals or tourists from other countries, we recommend using the name “Khufu”.
Although Pharaoh Khufu is one of them, it will not be possible to write much about him. We know very little about him.
In addition to the fact that this pyramid was built, we know that Khufu organized expeditions to develop useful resources on the Sinai Peninsula. That's all. To this day, only two artifacts have survived from Khufu - a giant pyramid with a height of 137 meters and a small ivory figurine with a height of only 7.5 centimeters (pictured on the right).
Pharaoh Cheops remained in the people's memory as a tyrant ruler who forced people to work on grandiose construction. We can read about this in the works of the Greek historian Herodotus, who visited Egypt and recorded the stories of the priests.
Surprisingly, his father Pharaoh Sneferu remained in the people's memory as a very kind ruler, although he built as many as three pyramids (s) and overextended the country twice as much as Cheops.
One of the greatest buildings of the ancient world is in Egypt. This structure, since the completion of the construction, amazes with its grandeur and impeccable geometry. No wonder the ancient Greeks included the Cheops pyramid in their list of the seven wonders of the world. This is the only miracle that has survived to this day.
The Pyramid of Cheops has become a real masterpiece. Modern researchers are amazed at the strictness of proportions and accuracy of geometric dimensions, with which the ancient Egyptians coped 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 opponents. The location of the pyramid and its proportions are so accurate that, to be located in accordance with the cardinal points, it would require modern builders to use the most accurate geodetic instruments. If the exact location of the Cheops pyramid to the cardinal points is an accident, then the accident is very happy.
The current proportions of the Cheops pyramid, or Khufu, are not what they were originally. Scientists were able to determine that the maximum height of the pyramid in 2568 BC was 146.6 meters. The ratio of height and base, thus, is 3.14 ..., that is, the number "pi" from the 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 the construction was completed, the Cheops pyramid was 146.6 meters high. However, now, its height is much less than the original one. There are two reasons for this decrease. One of a natural character is erosion. The second reason is artificial. Her name is a man ...
In 1301, Cairo experienced an earthquake. Most of the houses have turned into heaps of rubbish. The same fate befell mosques with elaborate minarets. After the first shock, the authorities of Cairo turned to a real storehouse of building materials - the pyramids of the pagans. 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 facing of the pyramids. Now only part of the facing on the upper tiers of the Khafre pyramid has survived. There is no outer facing on the Cheops pyramid.
As a result of the barbaric dismantling, the height of the tallest pyramid in Egypt has decreased by more than eight meters. Today's sources, speaking 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 the data outrages pedants, lovers of accuracy. On the other hand, 10-20 centimeters do not define anything now. After all, the original proportions are irretrievably and forever violated.
The Arabs who disassembled the pyramids did not ask subtle scientific questions. They were not interested in the theories advanced by modern scientists. They were interested in the immediate solution of everyday problems. They did not hesitate to damage one of the Seven Wonders of the World. We can lamented for a long time about the Arabs of the early 14th century. We can complain about inaccuracies in determining the true height of the pyramid. We can speculate about 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 thrill visitors who will disturb their centuries-old peace.
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