pyramids and ziggurats Essays

Pyramids originated from the Egyptians. They expressed a worldwide view of the Egyptians. First of all, they were symbols of the pharaoh's authority and divine status. It reflects hierarchical status. In the Egyptian society there were slaves, the commoners, the pharaohs. If you were to put them in order the top of the pyramid would the pharaohs below them the commoners, then slaves and so forth. The most important one would be on the top which is the pharaohs. Also it was a testimony of the pharaoh's ability to marshal Egypt's resources. They were also used for tombs. Their worldview was very religious too, because the pyramids were a symbol of a gateway of the next life. This is seen as inside the pyramids the Egyptians buried

Of the three theories on how the Great Pyramid was built, in descending order of acceptability, the most suitable theory is Clifford Wilson’s followed by Joseph Davidovits’ and Erich Von Däniken’s argument. Clifford Wilson’s theory is the best because he illustrates how the pyramids were built and provides the evidence to prove his theory, however; this is unlike Joseph Davidovits’ theory because Davidovits does not fully answer questions that arise concerning his theory. The three theories have similar points, but contain very different ideas on the construction of the Great Pyramid. This is obvious in Clifford Wilson’s argument where he is repeatedly disproving Von Däniken’s theory that the “gods” created the pyramids, whereas in

A third similarity is they both share some typical explanations behind developing these huge structures. The first reason Egyptians made their pyramid was to celebrate their ruler, and their second reason was to encourage association between the souls of the dead and the divine beings. The Mesopotamians also thought about their people associating with the divine beings. For them the symbolic meaning for building the White temple was to make a path from earth to paradise. This path would permit people to meet their divine beings.

Why were the pyramids so important to the history of Egypt? Pyramids housed dead, important pharaohs and is now a main source of income through tourism. Pyramids were representations of Ancient Egyptian religion, and also benefit many people by learning more about it.

     According to Egyptian and Sumerian mythology, there was a battle between two families of gods for supremacy and control over the ancient lands and the pyramids of Giza were strategic strongholds for the gods. (vi) The different shafts and chambers of the great pyramids are said to point to various constellations that represent several Egyptian gods. (vii) It is also thought by some that the pyramid may have been a place where Egyptians made a pilgrimage to honor the gods or their pharaoh who, according to legend was a descendent of the gods. (viii)

Also buildings in both cultures have a lot in common in their visual characteristics they are different structures. Egyptian pyramids originally had smooth equal sides meeting on the top in the perfect apex. Mayan pyramids look like one huge stairway towards the sky. It reminds of earliest Egyptian structures-mastabas, where one layer of stones was put onto another creating the effect of pyramid. Also The Tikal Temple on Great Plaza was originally plastered white. Then the roof comb was painted with reds, blues, and other colors to accent the different areas of sculptural decoration. These roof combs were like giant billboards, with immense portrayals of the enthroned king, larger then life size (Cities pars.3). Egyptians never colored their religious structures. As well as in Egyptian pyramids, the stone used to construct Mayan pyramids is local limestone, obtained from nearby quarries. The ancient Maya had no stone tools but limestone is soft enough that the Maya could utilize

the tremendous structures, monumental artwork and over all architecture of the ancient civilizations are an extremely important part of their individual cultures. These monumental works are some of the last remnants of this civilization, proving evidence of their existence. The architecture in each ancient civilization is vastly different, helping to give archaeologists and historians some insight on these people and their history, culture, religious beliefs, wealth, economic capabilities, etc. Two monumental structures that show the unique characteristics of the civilization that created them are the Ancient Egyptian pyramids and the Mesopotamia ziggurats. Both of these ancient civilizations were large and prominent cultures that had many similar features that each great civilization had. But one of the most noteworthy features these two civilizations shared was their astounding architecture. The culture and the

The Egyptian pyramids have been the subject of many outlandish claims and construction theories for centuries. The Great Pyramid for example has been associated with pyramid power, curses, Atlantis, Mexican pyramids, Stonehenge, Nazca, the Bermuda Triangle, Biblical prophecy, Martian faces, advanced civilizations, space aliens, cavity resonators, and even levitation. It is not surprising that some who have proposed such theories have been dubbed "pyramidiots". This paper will attempt to give a more logical solution to the methods ancient Egyptians may have had used, and the problems they may have had, using factual information, scientific evidence and a bit of common sense.

This research is on the Ancient Egyptian Culture. Ancient Egypt was located in Northeastern Africa along the Nile River. Egypt was divided into Upper and Lower Egypt from 5000 to 2950 BC; the unification of Egypt was around 3000 BC. Ancient Egypt was around until about 50 BC. The Egyptians are known for many accomplishments; they include: their complex irrigation system, hieroglyphics, and the practice of medicine, the calendar, their art, and the construction of the pyramids. The pyramids were built as monuments to honor the dead. There are many mysteries concerning the construction of the pyramids. This research will be directed towards the Great Pyramids at Giza. The pyramids are a very interesting subject matter because they are gigantic structures that were constructed by only the minds of early architects and the hands of many workers. This research will cover the ideas of how these Great Pyramids were constructed.

why it is called the Great Pyramid of GIZA. It is near the west bank

The Great Pyramid of Giza is also recognized as the Pyramid of Khufu, Khufu's Pyramid and Pyramid of Cheops. It is the most significant and earliest structure in the world. This pyramid is the oldest of the three pyramids standing on the Giza Necropolis. It is also the largest of them all (Larry, 2000). This great pyramid is located on the northern edge of the Giza Plateau, which is 25 km outskirts, southwest of Cairo, Egypt. It is the only remaining standing monument of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (Crystalink, 2011). It is said that the pyramid was built as the tomb for the Fourth Dynasty Egyptian King Khufu (known in Greek as Cheops).

The pyramids were built as a tomb for the pharaoh. Their belief was that the top point of the pyramid was the gate for the soul to travel to the afterlife and return to earth if chosen. These tombs were built which line up with certain stars and planets.

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.

Throughout the thousands of years that the Great Pyramid has been standing, there have been many myths and legends that sprung up. Among them was a landing site for alien spacecraft, a spacecraft itself, or the means to predict the future. This report is going to explain the actual reason the Great Pyramid of Giza exists, how and why it has existed for so long, and the story of its construction.

Ancient Egyptian architecture had a number of well known generic building types (pyramids, mortuary temples and so on). Select one building and discuss is background and architectural characteristics, relating it where necessary to other examples.