8 Slide Powerpoint Presentation (with graphics) comparing two humanities: Egypt & Mesopotamia
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Pyramidslides11.pptxThe Pyramids of Giza
The True Pyramids
Include those of the Giza complex (outside of Cairo)
Three major pyramids:
Cheops (Khufu); the pyramid most distant in the following photo; it is known as the Great Pyramid
Cephren (Khafre); the middle pyramid of the three large pyramids at Giza
Mycerinus (Menkare)
Just like the mastabas and ziggurats of Mesopotamia, all three major Giza pyramids are oriented to the cardinal points of the compass.
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The Great Pyramid
The tomb of Cheops (Khufu, son of Seneferu).
The oldest pyramid of three Giza pyramids, and the largest.
Built of 2.3 million blocks, weighing an average 2 and ½ tons each.
The base averages 756 feet per side, and the edifice covers about 13 acres.
481 feet high (missing 31 feet of the capstone).
Oriented to the four cardinal points of the compass.
Grand Gallery is 153 feet long and 28 feet high; walls of polished limestone.
Outer limestone covering, which was later removed, often to be incorporated into mosques, etc
No inscriptions, just a few “quarry” marks. No bodies found.
The other two major Giza pyramids
Chefren’s pyramid (Khafre; c. 2500 BC)
Chefren’s pyramid only looks larger than Cheop’s because it actually has a sharper angle of slope to the sides, so not as much material was incorporated into it.
Chefren’s pyramid still has some of the exterior casing stones near its top
The Great Sphinx is associated with Chefren’s pyramid
Mycerinus’ pyramid (Menkare; c. 2470 BC)
Casing stones at the top of Cephren’s pyramid
Some think these three pyramids are aligned according to the alignment of the stars in Orion’s belt.
All major pyramids are found west of the Nile River.
Much later, the burials of New Kingdom royalty in the Valley of the Kings are west of the Nile as well.
Ziggurat vs. Pyramid
Associated with a temple of a living deity
Built of mud-brick and fired brick
Breaks down over time
Represents the ever-changing, impermanent political situation of Mesopotamia, which is eventually forgotten
Tomb of a king
Built of stone
Built for “forever”
Represents the continuous civilization of Egypt, which is never forgotten
