2. A Pyramid’s Purpose The pyramids were built for religious reasons. When a pharaoh died, he was buried in a tomb which would protect his body forever. It was believed that if the body was destroyed, his Ka (soul) would have no where to go and the soul would die. But if the soul died, then it would not be able to unite with the other Gods. They believed that this would cause the God’s to become angry with the people and no longer have the God’s protection. This was the first intention of the pyramids, but then it became a resting place, and a symbol of power.

3. The Step Pyramid The earliest form of pyramid dates back to the 3rd Dynasty, and is made up of several steps From the north, there is a descending path that leads into the burial chamber The first, and probably the only step pyramid ever completed, is the King Netjerykhet Djoser at Saqqara The pyramid originally stood 62 meters tall, and having a base of 109 x 125 m

4. The True Pyramid The True pyramids are simply Step Pyramids improved The structures of both pyramids are the same: packing blocks were stacked until the dimensions were right, then adding the finishing blocks was the final touch The Pyramid of Khufu at Giza is the largest Egyptian pyramid. It is also one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still in existence. It stands 481 feet high, and covers about thirteen acres of land

5. Discussion Questions 1.) How did the Egyptian's move a 30 ton stone to the top of the pyramid? 2.) A car weighs about 3500 pounds. How many cars does it take to match the weight of 30 tons? 3.) The mortar used is of unknown origin. It is stronger than the stone, and is still holding up today. What do you think it was made out of? 4.) What is a capstone? 5.) The Great Pyramid had a swivel door entrance at one time. What is a swivel door? 6.) Why is an air shaft important in a large structure like the Pyramids?