Interesting Facts About PYRAMIDS OF EGYPT

The Egyptian pyramids are ancient pyramid-shaped masonry structures located in Egypt. There are 138 pyramids discovered in Egypt as of 2008. Most were built as tombs for the country's Pharaohs and their consorts during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods. Here are some interesting facts about these pyramids :-

1. The largest Egyptian pyramid is the Pyramid of Khufu at Giza , it stands at an impressive 146 meters.

2. Pyramids were primarily used as the burial tomb for the royal family. The word pyramid has its origin in two Greek words pyra meaning fire, light, and the word midos meaning measures.

3. Estimates say that 20,000 to 30,000 workers built the Pyramids at Giza for more than 80 years.

4. Khufu's Great Pyramid is the only surviving ancient wonder of the world, and one of the oldest at around 4,600 years old.
5. All Egyptian pyramids were built on the west bank of the Nile because west side was associated with the realm of the dead in Egyptian mythology

6. In ancient Egypt, Pharaoh's wives were never buried with them in pyramids or tombs, they were always buried separately.

7. Not one single mummy has ever been found in a pyramid in Egypt. Mummies have always come from mastabas or tombs in the Valley of the Kings.

8. Most pyramids were accompanied by smaller satellite pyramids usually built to the south and east of the main pyramid. Some of these small pyramids tombs for queens and princesses.

9. It took numerous years, usually decades, for even one of the ancient Egypt pyramids to be built.

10. The first historically documented Egyptian pyramid is attributed to the architect Imhotep, who planned what Egyptologists believe to be a tomb for the pharaoh Djoser.

11. Pyramids were built by Egyptians who lived in villages developed and overseen by the pharaoh's supervisors, and not by slaves or foreigners as some people think

12. Of all the known pyramids, only the Great Pyramid has "air shafts".

13. Computer calculations indicate that 590,712 stone blocks were used for Great pyramid construction.

14. The three major Egytian Pyramids at Giza are aligned to the three stars in Orion's belt, in accordance with Dwat.

15. In almost all of the pyramids and tombs, it was a general practice that the burial chamber was oriented slightly west of the north/south center line of the pyramid.