preview

Egyptian Pyramids Essay

Better Essays

In the deserts of Egypt lie the colossal remains of an ancient civilization. These enormous works of human endeavor are the only member of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World that time has passed down to us. These are, of course, the great pyramids of ancient Egypt. But these imposing structures were not built to impress civilization millennia down the road. The pyramids in fact had a purpose to the ancient Egyptians. While they seem very simple in nature, as they are simply four-sided pyramids with square bases, they had a meaning for those that had them built. Even by today’s standards, the pyramids of ancient Egypt were an impressive feat of engineering, due to their enormous size, both in building materials and finished product. …show more content…

It was achievements such as these that gained Imhotep great respect among later Egyptians who not only saw him as a great architect, but also “a magician, astronomer, and the father of the art of medicine” (Edwards 35). Step pyramids are similar to the pyramids we know today, but instead of being flat on all four sides, they have setbacks as they rise, giving the appearance of giant steps.

These step pyramids were not true pyramids, however, but by the second dynasty of the Old Kingdom, true pyramids began to take shape. The now-ruined pyramid of Meidum is an early example of a true pyramid. While the ruined core of the superstructure is the only thing that really remains of this pyramid, archaeologists have deduced that it was originally built as a step pyramid, and then later converted to a true pyramid by building over the steps, thereby flattening the sides (Edwards 74-77). However, the evolution of the true pyramid was not without its flaws. One good example of this is the Bent Pyramid at Dahshur. At the beginning of its existence, the pyramid was supposed have a slope of 60 degrees. But when the pyramid was being built, cracks began to develop in it, so the builders quickly compensated by giving the sides a shallower angle. However, it appears they did not compensate enough, and another adjustment had to be

Get Access