Located 12 miles south of central Cairo in Egypt, Giza is home to some of the most well-known treasures of the ancient and modern world. In 2008 alone, it was the driving force in pulling down an estimated total earnings of $11.5 million in tourism dollars and considering the number of YouTube videos, websites, and travel articles just in the New York Times alone, it’s easy to see why. Travelers come to Giza for three reasons: the pyramids, the Great Pyramid, and for the Sphinx - all packing a comprehensive lesson in Egyptian history, architecture and culture into one stop.
A very rough breakout of the major time lines gives a better perspective on just how detailed Egyptian dynastic history prior to Roman rule can be:
• The Pre-dynastic period – from 3500 B.C. to 3100 B.C.
• The Early Dynastic Period – from 3100 B.C. to 2700 B.C.
• The Old Kingdom – from 2700 B.C. to 2200 B.C.
• The Middle Kingdom – from 2050 B.C. to 1400 B.C.
• The New Kingdom - from 1300 B.C. to 600 B.C.
• The Late Period - from 600 B.C. to 350 B.C.
• Ptolemaic Period - from 300 B.C. to 30 B.C., ending with its most famous ruler, Cleopatra.
Pyramid building occurred during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods, beginning with the mastaba, or bench-like tomb. Constructed from mud bricks and stone, the original design eventually evolved to support several mastabas of decreasing size, essentially designating a magical stairway to heaven.
The Pyramid of Djoser is the best existing example of this style.
Building expertise continued to develop and as absolute pharaonic rule increased, so did the elaborate structures that guided these deceased rulers into the afterlife. Giza’s continuing notoriety owes its origins to the despotic rulers from the fourth Old Kingdom dynasty.
Several pyramids, along with the enigmatic Sphinx, can still be seen today in Giza but the crowning achievement is King Khufu’s tomb. Built approximately in 2560 B.C., and finished with a highly polished, reflective limestone casing, The Great Pyramid reached a height of almost 50 stories until 1301 A.D. when an earthquake dislodged many of the outer casing stones. What remains today is the inner core structure consisting of 2.3 million limestone blocks averaging 2.5 tons each.
What also remains are the questions on how these structures were built.
Originally, slaves were thought to be brute labor force behind these edifices but in 1990, Zahi Hawass and Mark Lehner discovered the Upper and Lower cemeteries for tens of thousands of skilled workers, some holding official titles such as:
"Overseer of the side of the pyramid," "director of the draftsmen," "overseer of masonry," "director of workers," and "inspector of the craftsmen" are another indication that those buried in the upper part of the cemetery were of higher status than the people buried below. Perhaps the most important title we found was the "director of the king's work."
While the mystery of the builders has finally been settled, theories still abound on just how the lifting and maneuvering of these massive blocks was accomplished.
Probably the most intriguing possibility to date comes from architect Jean Pierre Houdin who theorizes an internal spiraling ramp allowed the blocks to be hauled up to the top. However, the Egyptian authorities have yet to give their approval of this theory.
Other Resources:
• BBC History Links: The Private Lives of the Pyramid Builders
• Ancient Egypt: A timeline of pyramids built from 2700 B.C. to 1700 B.C.,
• Washington State University: The Egyptian kingdom timelines
• Encyclopedia Smithsonian: General overview with additional reading suggestions
• New York Times article: The pyramid laborers
• Dr. Zawi Hawass: The Cemetery of the Pyramid Builders
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