The Great Pyramid of Giza: the only surviving wonder of the ancient world
Recent discoveries add to the mystery and unknowns of the magnificent structure, but will it survive long enough for us to know the truth?
The only one of the ancient wonders that is still standing, the Great Pyramid of Giza has been here for around 4,500 years. Like other pyramids, the Great Pyramid was built to house the body of a ruler who would become a god in the afterlife. This monumental structure was commissioned by Pharaoh Khufu, for himself, around 2550 BCE and is accompanied by two other, smaller pyramids, the Sphinx, and other palatial and temple structures.
The Great Pyramid is the tallest in the Giza complex standing at 147 metres. For thousands of years, it was the tallest man-made structure in the world, until Lincoln Cathedral in England was built in 1300 CE. Numbers often vary, but it was constructed from a possible 2.3 million blocks of stone, weighing between 2.5 and 15 tons each (on average) and probably took 2–3 decades to build. The blocks were most likely cut at quarries and transported down the Nile by boat where they were then taken and moved with levers and ramps to construct the great mausoleums we see today.
The Egyptians were clearly calculated in designing the pyramids, as can be seen in the huge engineering challenges they overcame, as well as interesting aspects of the structure, such as the fact that its four corners align with the points of the compass. These feats of construction have led some to believe that the pyramids can’t have been created by mere humans and that they must have been placed on Earth by aliens or some other mystical beings. However, I think the truth is that today we don’t give enough credit to people of the past, the intelligence they possessed and their connection with the Earth. A lack of modern-day technology does not equal a lack of intellect or brilliance and, in fact, there is clear archaeological evidence that the Egyptians had to refine the design of pyramids several times before they found the perfect formula.
A mystery still surrounds the magnificent structures of Giza, however, as scientists still aren’t certain of how they were built. Nevertheless, we do know that, contrary to common belief, slaves did not build them. The pyramids of Giza were actually built by skilled Egyptian workers who lived in an organized society full of resources. Today, visitors are able to see the remains of the villages that were built specifically for these labourers. The villages probably provided everything the workers needed, with evidence of bakers, priests, doctors and others living in the area. Estimates of a workforce range from between 20,000 to 100,000 labourers. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus is one who favours the latter figure. He also claimed that it took the pyramids 20 years to be complete. Some researchers believe that the workers probably toiled on the grand constructions during the three months of the year when the Nile would flood, when farming was minimal and much of the population couldn’t work.
The inside of the colossal tombs are decorated with scenes of everyday life in Egypt. These scenes give us a better view of ancient Egypt and are sources for burial practices, rituals, clothing, and farming, among other aspects of Egyptian society. The images are also accompanied by hieroglyphs and can tell us a lot about the ancient Egyptian language.
Although the Great Pyramid today is a sandy colour that blends in with its surroundings, the exterior would have originally been a brilliant white limestone. Unfortunately, most of the limestone has been stolen over time and the tomb has also been the subject of grave robbers, starting in ancient times. It’s thought that the pyramids themselves were related to the sun and could have been the embodiment of the sun’s rays, as the Egyptians believed that the pharaohs climbed the sun’s rays up to the sky. As mentioned earlier, the Egyptians had different designs before they landed on the Giza pyramids, and some previous versions had been step pyramids which look like giant stairs.
The Great Pyramid features an underground chamber which was unfinished, the “Queen’s chamber” and the “King’s chamber”. In 1925, an empty sarcophagus was found belonging to Queen Hetepheres, the mother of Pharoah Khufu. The coffin was surrounded by exquisite grave goods like jewellery inlaid with semi-precious stones and gold-covered furniture that the queen could take with her to the afterlife.
In March of this year, breaking news was announced of a new discovery in Egypt. A previously unknown 9-metre corridor was discovered in the Great Pyramid, a revelation that can be accredited to the Scan Pyramids Project. It’s currently thought that the corridor was built to help with the stability of the structure. Still, others, such as controversial Egyptologist Zahi Hawass, believe that the space was not built for this purpose and that actually it will lead somewhere much more important, with more discoveries left to come, such as the possible tomb of King Khufu himself.
Today, the pyramidal complex can expect around 14.7 million visitors a year, and although tourism to Egypt might seem like a modern-day activity, sightseeing in Giza can be traced back to the Roman Empire.
Although we often see the pyramids at Giza standing tall against a desolate desert landscape, the reality is that the city of Cairo has developed right up to the edge of the complex. One can now expect to hop easily from the comforts of a modern cityscape to an ancient colossal tomb within minutes. Although this obviously improves access to the sites, unfortunately, the surrounding infrastructure comes at a cost to the great monuments in the form of pollution, waste and crime. The site became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979, a move intended to help protect the ancient pyramids from further damage. However, the stones of the pyramids continue to face degradation from pollution. Additionally, tourism, and therefore funding, stalled after the 2011 uprisings in Egypt and has only very steadily started to build back up. There have also been issues surrounding supposed highways and tunnels going around or under the Giza Plateau, which UNESCO and other campaigners have had to continuously push against.
Threats to the pyramids are by no means a new phenomenon though, for example, the 12th-century sultan Al-Aziz Uthman tried to destroy the magnificent structure but, fortunately, gave up as it proved to be a harder task than he had thought.
The Great Pyramid has survived centuries, it’s seen many peoples, changes and dynasties, including powerful individuals who wanted to see it demolished. So far, it has stood the test of time, but how long can this relic of the past be protected against modernity? And will we be able to unearth the mysteries behind it before it’s too late? Perhaps the recent discovery this year is an indication that archaeologists and researchers will soon reveal its secrets and mysteries, but for now, we will have to keep guessing and hoping it’ll stick around for us to find out.
Thanks for reading!
If you enjoyed reading this article, please come back to my page soon as this is the first in a series on the 7 ancient wonders of the world.
Disclaimer: Certain facts around the Great Pyramid vary greatly, so number ranges and generally accepted figures and information have been stated carefully and with caution in this article.
Bibliography
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BBC News. (2023, March 3). Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza hidden corridor seen for first time. Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHHQdK1AtTc
Pyramids of Giza. (n.d.). Retrieved from Discovering Egypt: https://discoveringegypt.com/pyramids-temples-of-egypt/pyramids-of-giza/
Pyramids of Giza | History, Location, Age, Interior & Facts | Britannica. (2023, April 26). Retrieved from Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pyramids-of-Giza
Pyramids of Giza | Wonders of the Ancient World. (n.d.). Retrieved from Giza Pyramid Tickets: https://www.pyramid-of-giza.com/about-pyramids-of-giza/
TODAY. (2023, March 2). New discovery inside Great Pyramid of Giza reveals hidden secrets. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLTMQ9re10k
