Ancient history: the Great Pyramid of Giza
                     Ancient history: the 
Great Pyramid of 
Giza
Introduction
The Great Pyramid of Giza is a defining symbol of Egypt and 
the last of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World. It is located 
on the Giza plateau near the modern city of Cairo and was built 
over a twenty-year period during the reign of the king Khufu 
(2589-2566 BCE, also known as Cheops) of the 4th Dynasty. 
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Tallest structure 
Until the Eiffel Tower was completed in Paris, France in 1889 
CE, the Great Pyramid was the tallest structure made by 
human hands in the world; a record it held for over 3,000 years 
and one unlikely to be broken. 
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Modern techniques 
The pyramid was first excavated using modern techniques and 
scientific analysis in 1880 CE by Sir William Matthew Flinders 
Petrie (1853-1942 CE), the British archaeologist who set the 
standard for archaeological operations in Egypt generally and 
at Giza specifically.
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Purpose of the pyramid
Although many theories persist as to the purpose of the 
pyramid, the most widely accepted understanding is that it was 
constructed as a tomb for the king. Exactly how it was built, 
however, still puzzles people in the modern day.
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New Age theories
The theory of ramps running around the outside of the 
structure to move the blocks into place has been largely 
discredited. So-called "fringe" or "New Age" theories abound, in 
an effort to explain the advanced technology required for the 
structure, citing extra-terrestrials and their imagined frequent 
visits to Egypt in antiquity. 
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Ancient Egyptians using 
technological means 
These theories continue to be advanced in spite of the 
increasing body of evidence substantiating that the pyramid 
was built by the ancient Egyptians using technological means 
which, most likely, were so common to them that they felt no 
need to record them. 
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Pyramids & the Giza Plateau
Toward the end of the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3150-c.2613 
BCE) the vizier Imhotep ((c. 2667-2600 BCE) devised a means 
of creating an elaborate tomb, unlike any other, for his king 
Djoser. 
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Construction of the Pyramid
The first step in constructing a pyramid, after deciding upon 
the best location, was organizing the crews and allocating 
resources and this was the job of the second-most powerful 
man in Egypt, the vizier. Khufu's vizier was Hemiunu, his 
nephew, credited with the design and building of the Great 
Pyramid.
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The Great Pyramid as Tomb
All of this effort went to creating a grand tomb for the king 
who, as mediator between the gods and the people, was 
thought to be deserving of the finest of tombs.
Theories regarding the original purpose of the Great Pyramid 
range from the fanciful to the absurd and may be investigated 
elsewhere but the culture which produced the monument 
would have regarded it as a tomb, an eternal home for the 
king.
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The Giza Plateau
Following Khufu's death, his son Khafre (2558-2532 BCE) took 
the throne and began building his own pyramid next to his 
father's. The king Menkaure (2532-2503 BCE) came after 
Khafre and followed the same paradigm of building his eternal 
home at Giza. 
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