Design of the Great

Pyrimds
Torey Taylor
Origins
Pyramids originated from simple rectangular "mastaba" tombs that were being constructed in Egypt over 5,000 years

ago, according to finds made by archaeologist Sir Flinders Petrie. A major advance occurred during the reign of the

pharaoh Djoser (reign started around 2630 B.C). The first, and largest, pyramid at Giza was built by the pharaoh

(reign started around 2551 B.C.). His pyramid, which today stands 455 feet (138 meters) tall, is known as the "Great

Pyramid" and was considered to be a wonder of the world by ancient writers.The pyramid of Khafre (reign started

around 2520 B.C.) was only slightly smaller than Khufu's but stood on higher ground. Many scholars believe that

the Sphinx monument, which lies near Khafre's pyramid, was built by Khafre, and that the face of the Sphinx was

modeled after him. The third pharaoh to build a pyramid at Giza was Menkaure (reign started around 2490 B.C.),

who opted for a smaller pyramid that stood 215 feet (65 m) high.
First Pyramid in Egypt (Djoser)
Origins Of Djoser
The Pyramid of Djoser (or Djeser and Zoser), or step pyramid (kbhw-ntrw in Egyptian) is an archeological remain in the Saqqara

necropolis, Egypt, northwest of the city of Memphis. It was built during the 27th century BC for the burial of Pharaoh Djoser by his vizier,

Imhotep. It is the central feature of a vast mortuary complex in an enormous courtyard surrounded by ceremonial structures and decoration.

This first Egyptian pyramid consisted of six mastabas (of decreasing size) built atop one another in what were clearly revisions and

developments of the original plan. It is seven levels high and four-sided. The pyramid originally stood 62 metres (203 ft) tall, with a base of

109 m 125 m (358 ft 410 ft) and was clad in polished white limestone. The step pyramid (or proto-pyramid) is considered to be the

earliest large-scale cut stone construction, although the pyramids at Caral in South America are contemporary and the nearby enclosure

known as Gisr el-mudir would seem to predate the complex.

Layout Of The Common Pyramid In Egypt
How the Pyramids Were Built
The techniques used to build the Giza pyramids were developed over a period of centuries, with all of the problems

and setbacks that any modern-day scientist or engineer would face. Pyramids originated from simple rectangular

"mastaba" tombs that were being constructed in Egypt over 5,000 years ago, according to finds made by

archaeologist Sir Flinders Petrie. A major advance occurred during the reign of the pharaoh Djoser (reign started

around 2630 B.C). His mastaba tomb at Saqqara started off as a simple rectangular tomb before being developed

into a six-layered step pyramid with underground tunnels and chambers.