1. The Pyramids

2. The Obsession
From early on, Egyptians were very much concerned with the afterlife
They have some of the oldest known burial rituals
It began with simple holes dug in the ground
Then material items were buried with the dead

3. The Progression Soon these crude burials became obsolete Mastaba
Burial tomb that was reserved for high ranking people of society
Had underground chambers
Made of stone

4. Grand Mastaba
As dynastic rulers became the norm in Egypt so did the idea that the King needed an even grander burial place
This is due to the development of the Egyptian religion and to the strength of the civilization
Djoser 3rd Dynasty
Stacked mastabas on each other to create the first “pyramid” in Egypt

5. Step Pyramid 204 Ft tall 6 layers (mastabas)
Stones chiseled so that they looked like wood and other plants (grain and texture)

6. Who was behind this idea?
Imhotep
Was the architect behind the design of the pyramid
Was also a physician, priest and cult leader
1,400 years after he died, he was deified
Was buried in a mastaba next to the step pyramid

7. Snefru 4th Dynasty Built 3 pyramids Maidum Pyramid Bent Pyramid
Step pyramid w/8 steps
Was abandoned
Bent Pyramid
344 Ft tall
The angles of the pyramid were not correct
Red Pyramid
341 Ft tall
First true smooth sided pyramid

8. Snefru

9. Khufu 4th Dynasty Son of Snefru
Had the Great Pyramid Constructed in Giza
481 Ft tall
2,300,000 stones with and average weight of 7 tons
Was cased with a bright white limestone and had a top that was gold
Largest pyramid on the planet
Construction was said to take 20 years
This means a stone would have had to been placed every 20 minutes

10. Khufu

11. Khufu

12. Khufu

13. Khafre Khufu’s son 471 Ft. tall Also has the sphinx in front of it
Built his pyramid in Giza like his father
Last truly grand pyramid

14. Sphinx
Some artifact dating techniques have suggested that the Sphinx is older than the pyramids????????
There is speculation that the Sphinx has a hidden chamber under one of the paws
There are some preliminary tests that support this idea
Why is the head so tiny???????????

15. Sphinx

16. Menkaure Son of Khafre His pyramid was 1/10 of his fathers
213 Ft. tall
Last pyramid built in Giza

17. Three at Giza

20. How?