The Great Pyramid of Giza in particular, and the pyramids of Egypt in general, have always been shrouded in mystery and intrigue.
There are still those who say aliens built them, given how difficult it is to believe that humans could have done so with the resources available to them in Ancient Egypt. Today we reveal some of the mysteries and curiosities of the Great Pyramid.
The great Pyramid of Giza
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the tallest and largest of the three pyramids and dates from 2551-2528 BC. It was built during the reign of Khufu (Cheops) in ancient Egypt. It currently stands 139 meters tall, a shorter height than its original 147 meters. Erosion has reduced its height, but not its imposing appearance. Its immense size has always fascinated humankind throughout the centuries.
The Great Pyramid and its sister pyramids were covered with slabs of lighter-colored stone , which smoothed their appearance and made them more luminous, visible from many directions. Furthermore, the pyramids' design was inspired by earlier tombs such as mastabas, and I encourage you to read more about the construction of the Egyptian pyramids to understand their context.
Inside
Inside the Great Pyramid are a series of passageways and corridors that connected chambers and have fascinated archaeologists. The first chamber may have been where the pharaoh's body was prepared before burial. Continuing the descent, one reaches the Grand Gallery, which connects the Queen's Chamber to the King's Chamber.
The King's Chamber is located at the heart of the pyramid and at the heart of its mysteries. There, in an austere space, lies the sarcophagus of Pharaoh Khufu. It does not appear to have been painted, unlike other later burial chambers, and it is impossible to know if there were any sculptural elements because the pyramids have been extensively looted . To better understand the context of these rituals, you should learn more about the funerary architecture of the Egyptian pyramids.
The secrets of the great pyramid
The pyramids are a mystery even in their very construction. How such structures were erected and built remains a mystery. Their exact purpose is also a mystery. Debate continues between those who see them as observatories and those who maintain their connection to religion, suggesting the King's Chamber was designed to connect with the sun god, Ra.
There are over 100 pyramids scattered across the Egyptian desert, but those at Giza are the most famous of them all. Their design was inspired by mastabas, earlier tombs. The Great Pyramid was intended to be the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu and therefore had to be completed before his death, giving the Egyptians between 20 and 40 years to finish it.
Interestingly, its four sides are not flat, but rather have a vertex in the center; that is, the pyramid actually has eight faces. This is almost imperceptible because it lacks the white limestone casing and a gold tip. For over three millennia, it was the tallest structure in the world, standing at 149 meters high.
Years after the emperor's death, the pyramid was robbed, and the thieves entered without difficulty, even reaching the King's Chamber. It's clear they knew what the pyramid looked like inside. It's possible the thieves had been working on the pyramid itself and were therefore familiar with its layout. Today, the thieves' entrance is the one used to access the interior of the Great Pyramid. If you'd like to learn more about the mysteries surrounding other pyramids, see the article on the Chinese pyramids and their connection to the Egyptian ones.
Construction theories
There are many theories about how such a large structure could have been built, from straight ramps to spiral ramps around the pyramid, but these have all been rejected. The theory that aliens were responsible is also dismissed by experts.
The most plausible explanation is that there was an internal spiral ramp along which the tower was built and raised. However, the mystery remains unsolved. For a more in-depth analysis of these monumental structures, see our focus on the most famous megalithic monuments built by different civilizations.
The graffiti of the Great Pyramid of Giza
In the 19th century, two British explorers, Howard Vyse and John, were the first to penetrate the relieving chambers of the Pyramid; there are inscriptions there from illustrious figures of their time.
In the highest and most inaccessible chamber, we find inscriptions that tell two stories: that of the workers who built the pyramid and that of the visitors who entered these spaces between 1837 and 1920. These graffiti, containing names, dates, and places of origin, were written with torches. This discovery highlights the importance of Egyptian writing in the culture of its time.
The chambers of the Great Pyramid of Giza
There is an unfinished chamber beneath the rock, from which an ascending corridor leads to the Queen's Chamber. It is likely that the so-called Queen's Chamber was not intended for the remains of a queen, but rather that this was a name invented by the locals to tell the story of their having buried the queen there when showing it to Westerners.
According to archaeologists, it is very likely that the unfinished chamber was the first choice, and that the king disliked the result and wanted his burial chamber higher up. This second chamber, the queen's chamber, is almost finished (only the floor needs polishing). That one also didn't seem to be what Khufu wanted, so they built another one even higher up, the King's Chamber. This explanation fits with the chaotic internal layout.
The King's Chamber is lined with granite and is austere, unlike other tombs of later pharaohs. The use of granite, a red stone veined with black, is a distinctive feature of the Great Pyramid. This stone was used to construct some parts of the pyramid, but especially the chamber. The granite blocks had to be transported from Aswan and floated downriver. Granite's hardness would have protected the king from looters.
Everything was built so that the king could live out his life in the afterlife while his mummy remained protected in the chamber located at the heart of his pyramid. However, to this day, no one knows what happened to the mummy of Khufu; perhaps his tomb was looted long before the Middle Ages.
