The Pyramids of Egypt

The Pyramids of Egypt

Before you read: 

• The pyramids of Egypt are the greatest buildings ever built.        Agree____  Disagree_____
• The Ancient Egyptians did not care how they buried people who died.    Agree______ Disagree______
• There are many Pyramids in Egypt.   Agree___Disagree___

The Great Pyramids of Egypt are some of greatest monuments in history. The pyramids are made of four-triangle shaped sides that meet at a point at the top. Some of the oldest pyramids are over 4,000 years old.

The pyramids were built for the kings of Egypt. The Kings of Egypt are called pharaohs.  The pharaohs were thought to be gods to the Egyptian people. When a pharaoh died, the people would bury his body in a very special way. The pyramids were tombs, or places where a person is buried when they die, for the pharaohs. 

When a pharaoh died, he was buried with many treasures that he could use in the afterlife. Things like gold, furniture, and toys have been found in the tombs with the pharaohs. Robbers would try to steal the treasure of the pharaohs. It is believed that anyone who tries to steal the treasure will be cursed by the Pharaohs Curse. 

The first pyramid was called a stepped pyramid because the shape of the pyramid looks like stair steps to the sky. The first pyramid was built in 2780 B.C. for King Djoser on the bank of the Nile River. The stepped pyramid was the first of it's kind. Before the stepped pyramid, pharaohs were buried in rectangular tombs called mastabas. The stepped pyramid was built by stacking many mastabas on top of each other. Each mastaba got smaller and smaller as it went up. This is how the pyramid shape was created. 

The Red Pyramid is in the city called Dashur. It has the second largest base of any pyramid in Egypt. The pyramid was built using 160 layers of stones made of a material called sandstone that has a red color. This is how it gets its name. This Pyramid was built for the Pharaoh  Snofru.  

The Great Pyramid of Giza is located near the city of Cario. It took 20 years to build. It was built for the Pharaoh Khufu. It was the tallest structure in the world for over 3,000 years. The pyramid is filled with passageways, shafts, and chambers. 

Today, you can visit some of the pyramids in Egypt. You may enter some of the pyramids while others, you may enjoy from a distance. Egypt is full of history and mystery. 

1. Who built the first pyramid?
2. What was the style of the first pyramid?
3. What was the purpose of the pyramids?

The Red and Bent Pyramid at Dashur. (2017). Retrieved from World Mysteries Blog: https://egyptianstreets.com/2015/06/20/the-blueprint-pyramid-egypts-first-complete-pyramid/

Ancient Egypt The Egyptian Pyramid. (2005). Retrieved from Smithsonian: https://www.si.edu/spotlight/ancient-egypt/pyramid

Mark, J. J. (2016). Great Pyramid of Giza. Retrieved from Ancient History Encyclopedia: https://www.ancient.eu/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza/

Staff, H. (2009). Egyptian Pyramids . Retrieved from History.com: https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/the-egyptian-pyramids