Pyramids

Khufu (Cheops) Menkaura (Mycerimus)

Khafra (Chephren)

Viktoriya Chorna
Questions:
Words for research
As the pyramids have left a trace in
history? Pyramids, build, how buil
pyramids..
Who build the pyramids?

Why did the ancients build pyramids?

What was their purpose?

How they build? What methods

workers use?

Is there any special meaning behind

the pyramid shape?

How were they built without earth-

moving or heavy-lift machinery?

How measured the materials of

construction and territory of the
pyramid?
Research Process
Describe the process you went through in your research.
During the process research I used the Library resource to found information and
evidence. There I found three useful and interesting articles which help me create the
powerpoint presentation. Also I include 1 article from Science/Structural Engineering.
How did you find your sources?
Teacher gave us a site where we can find the academic information this is "Library"
resource. All starts from resource question. We go to the Resources section on the
library website and put specific words about the topic, so it helped us start our
research organizer.
What difficulties did you have?
I was faced with difficulties in the research when I could not find the exact answers on
my questions. But I realized that some of the questions I can not answer 100 percent
correct, because topic about the pyramids extensive, there are many different theories
and methods of construction. And different opinions of archaeologists and other
scholars.
 Article 1
Quotes:

The Pyramids of Egypt: The only surviving ancient Wonder, these monumental structures of
masonry, located at Giza on the W bank of the Nile R above Cairo, were built from c 2700 to 2500 bc
as royal tombs.

Three--Khufu (Cheops), Khafra (Chephren), and Menkaura (Mycerimus)-were often grouped as the
first Wonder of the World.

It is estimated to contain 2.3 million blocks of stone, the stones themselves averaging 21/ 2 tons
and some weighing 30 tons. Its construction reputedly took 100,000 laborers 20 years.

Summary: The pyramids in fact had a purpose to the ancient Egyptians. A pyramid is a geometrical
solid with a square base and four equilateral triangular sides, the most structurally stable shape for
projects involving large amounts of stone " It is estimated to contain 2.3 million blocks of stone, the
stones themselves averaging 21/ 2 tons and some weighing 30 tons", but they had a meaning for
those that had them built. Even by todays standards, the pyramids of ancient Egypt were an
impressive feat of engineering, due to their enormous size. Considering the fact that at that time
they did not have equipment that helped them build such monuments and all it should do the
people. " Its construction reputedly took 100,000 laborers 20 years. For construct such monuments
required a mastery of art, architecture and social organization.

Name of the article: The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

The World Almanac and Book of Facts. New York: World Almanac Books, 2000. p1385. From General
OneFile.
 Article 2
Quotes:

"More than 4,500 years ago, ancient Egyptians first stacked rectangular blocks of stone to build a pyramid.

"A pyramid began with a command from the pharaoh, who probably began planning his tomb as soon as he became ruler. The pharaoh's high priest
chose the site for the pyramid. By studying the stars and making careful calculations, the priest could be sure the four corners of the pyramid would
face exactly north, south, east, and west."

"For many years, historians believed that slaves were the laborers who built the pyramids. But why would a pharaoh use slaves to build his eternal
home? In fact, they didn't. Historians have recently discovered that most pyramid laborers were free citizens, proud to work for their pharaoh."

"At the pyramid site, stonecutters dug rock and cut and shaped it into massive stone blocks. At quarries far upriver, stonecutters cut limestone to
make a bright white outer covering for the pyramid. The stones were loaded onto riverboats and transported downriver to the pyramid site."

Summary: Looking at the evidence, we can say that the ancient Egyptians began built the pyramids about 4,500 years ago. Many say that the
pyramids were built by slaves (we can not rule out this option). However, as said But why would a pharaoh use slaves to build his eternal home?"
This the first argument. These monuments from ancient Egyptian times are massive, and were made for kings to be buried in and remembered by.
The pyramid is both a statement of pharaoh's vast power. The Egypt pyramids were constructed for the pharaoh, as a tomb or eternal home. Also in
the construction of the pyramids it is one of the most important aspects of astrology because their religion connection with nature, the Egyptians
studied the stars and carefully calculate what would be the four corners of the pyramid will face exactly north, south, east and west. The main
material for building pyramids was stone they cut in the form of massive stone blocks (white limestone blocks from the quarries). One version of the
stones were very heavy so them loaded onto riverboats and transported down the river close to the pyramid.

Name of the article: Steps and stones: who built the pyramids? Appleseeds. 9.2 (Oct. 2006): p10. From General
OneFile.
 Article 3
Quotes;

"In 1989 Lehner Hawass (University of Chicago's Oriental Instituteand) brought a team of diggers to the foot of the plateau and turned them loose
on a garbage-strewn field. They soon uncovered the debris of a substantial bakery and, close by, hundreds of skeletons, hastily interred, with none of
the ornaments or other objects denoting membership in the upper classes. Here was the first convincing evidence of the workers who must once
have composed the labor force of thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, essential to the building of the pyramids.

"A quick calculation shows that a ramp of this size would have required at least three times as much building material as the pyramid itself. In any
case, since the quarry and the pyramid were only about 500 yards apart, a mile-long ramp would not have been useful."

"...the staircase method, pyramid solutions are rarely straightforward. Levers and lubricants must, indeed, have been essential aids at the end of the
operation, as the laborers eased each block into its final position. But could even highly skilled teams have kept on inching the blocks up the narrow
steps once the "staircase" reached heights of 100, 200, or even 400 feet? "

"Here, in this 3,500-year-old drawing, one can also see cartoonlike images of the northern constellations: for example, the bull called Meskheti,
corresponding to our Big Dipper."

Summary: Lehner, Hawass discovered the wreckage of hundreds of skeletons, indicating the interaction of higher class names in the construction
of the pyramids. It was a convincing proof that the workers were not a slaves, and to play a greater role in the construction. There are many versions
about the construction of the pyramids but one often discussed is the ramp that connects the quarry and the pyramid but it clearly will not do.
Because the ramp is necessary to reach the top layer of the pyramid, and its inclination must be soft enough to make stone-hauling practical. The
evidence shows that the ramp would require at least three times the building material as the pyramid itself. Pyramid included the ancient
hieroglyphs that displays not only their culture but their religion which was associated with stars and celestial phenomena.

Name of the article: Pyramid schemes: efforts persist to explain how Egypt's pyramids were built, and why
The Atlantic. 270.5 (Nov. 1992): p38. From Popular Magazines.
 Article 4
Quotes:

Pyramids of various types, sizes and complexities were built in many parts of the ancient world (like Central America, Greece,
China and Egypt).

The first tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs were flat, box-shaped buildings called mastabas (Arabic for "bench").

The ancient Egyptians used "cubits" (the length from the tip of your middle finger to your elbow) and "hands" (the width of your
hand with the thumb on the side) for measurements. They dug post holes at regular intervals (10 cubits) along the base outline and
laid out the site in a grid.

Summary: The pyramids were not been found only in Egypt but also in many parts of the ancient world in Central America,
Greece, and China. The pyramids were built not only from stone but also from limestone, granite, basalt, gypsum (mortar), and
baked mud bricks. Limestone blocks were quarried at Giza and possibly other sites. Granite likely came from upriver at Aswan.
Alabaster came from Luxor and basalt from the Fayoum depression. Iron tools were not available, so workers used copper and
stone-cutting tools to carve out the blocks in the quarries. In some version they used levers to move the stone blocks away from the
quarry site. The style of burial of Egyptian pharaohs was the mastaba, a flat-roofed structure. Pyramids wonder people because it is
mystery, the giant size and very heavy construction materials, to this day it is impressive display of history.

Name of the article: How Pyramids Work

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D. Science |

Structural Engineering
Thesis Statement
While researchers arent certain about how The Pyramids of Egypt were
built, the egyptians used advanced knowledge to create them. For construct
such monuments required a mastery of art, architecture, astrology and social
organization.
Next Steps
For my paper I need include more information and evidence about the theme.

- A more detailed and accurate evidence about exactly how to build pyramids?

- How were they built without earth-moving or heavy-lift machinery?

- How measured the materials of construction and territory of the pyramid?

Learning- Discuss what you have
learned from the following standards
PF: Formulates testable/researchable and relevant questions, problem
statements, or hypotheses that demonstrate clarity about the nature of the
task.

R: Considers a full range of appropriate resources and determines how and

where to locate available informational material and source data.

R: Makes judgments about available informational material and data sources,

considering credibility and value (relevance?).

R: Collects information and data necessary to solve the problem as formulated,

drawing evidence from informational texts, conducting an investigation, or
generating data.