Earth’s Greatest Happenings: The Building of the Pyramids
An incredible mix of engineering, astronomy, religion, and organization.
The pyramids of ancient Egypt stand as some of the most impressive structures ever built. Around 2600 BC, Egyptian pharaohs began constructing these massive tombs that would become wonders of the ancient world.
How did they accomplish such enormous monuments over 4,500 years ago?
The most famous pyramids are the three at Giza, built for the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the largest, originally standing 481 feet tall, as high as a 40-story building.
Building a pyramid took decades. It started with a smooth, flat foundation. Workers would dig the ground to bedrock and fill it with limestone blocks to form a level surface for the pyramid’s stability.
Next came the tricky part, cutting and transporting the massive stone blocks. Most of the limestone came from nearby quarries. Workers would cut blocks weighing 2–3 tons using copper chisels and bronze saws. Granite for special parts like the inner chambers came from quarries in Aswan, over 500 miles away.
Moving these enormous stones was no easy task.
