The GreatPyramid of Giza

Purpose

This pyramid served the purpose of

being a tomb for the fourth dynasty Egyptian:

Pharaoh Khufu, also known as Cheops,

(statue at the right). All though there was a chamber called the

queen’s chamber, it is most likely thought that

there was never a queen actually buried there.

LocationThe Great

Pyramid of Giza is located in Giza,

Egypt. It is part of a pyramid complex

with the two other pyramids, the

Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of

Menkaure. These three structures

together make the Pyramids of Giza.

BuildersPharaoh Khufu's vizier (highest ranking

official), Hemon, or Hemiunu, was the main architect for the great pyramid. It took over

100,ooo slaves to build the pyramid. These slaves were forced to do this hard labor. They also had to work night and day. The pyramid was about a total

of 5.9 million tonnes. Tonnes are equal to 1000 kilograms. There about 2.3 million blocks of stone. Since the whole structure took 20 years that means that 12 blocks would have to be placed per hour. A

small number of historians believe that aliens helped build the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Architecture The Great Pyramid of Giza is classified as a true pyramid. It also has a square bottom. The pyramid has three chambers, one entrance, airshafts and a gallery.

The King’s Chamber: The King’s chamber has a few smaller chambers. The only object left after the robbery was a sarcophagus. It was bigger than the passageway which shows it was placed in before the top of the pyramid was built.Queen’s Chamber: The Queen’s chamber has hardly been penetrated. In the 1990’s a robot was sent to the chamber and found limestone door. In 2011, another robot went in and dug a hole through the limestone door to find hieroglyphs and more doors.The Subterranean Chamber: This chamber was never completed. Egyptologists believe that Pharaoh Khufu started with wanting his chamber below ground, but then changed his mind and wanted to be above ground.

DestructionEven though this wonder was built first, it is the only wonder to remain standing. It has been deteriorating over its long existence. In 1300 AD, there was an earthquake making many of the casing stones fall off. The pyramid has been looted of all of its treasures. When the pyramid was looted a lot of casing stones were taken out, but it is still intact.

In this picture to the right, you

can see the condition of the

pyramid.

Timeline2560–2540 BC - The pyramid was built

820 – An Arab ruler named Abdullah al-Mamun

entered the pyramid, looting it of its treasures

1300 – An earthquake hit, shaking out casing stones

1992 - Rudolf Gantenbrink’s robot called “Upuant 2”

navigated itself to the doors of the Queen’s Chamber.

2011- Djedi Project used a mircosnake camera to dig

a hole through the door’s of the Queen’s Chamber and

found more doors

Sourceshttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e

3/Kheops-Pyramid.jpg/300px-Kheops-Pyramid.jpg

http://www.hightoursegypt.com/photos/egypt/pic/The-Great

-Pyramids-of-Cheops/558/0.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza

http://www.guardians.net/egypt/gp4.htm