Pyramids of Giza Mystery: What Was Found Inside and Why Were They Built

The pyramids of Giza were constructed 4,500 years ago. However, there are still a lot of things about them that remain a mystery.

Why Is it a Mystery How Pyramids Were Built?

The Great Pyramid of Giza was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World due to its massive size. It is believed that The Great Pyramid is the biggest structure created by people because it stands over 480 feet tall. The base of the pyramid alone covers about 13 acres of land, according to Study.com.

There are three pyramids, each of which was built with millions of blocks of stone weighing between 2.5 and 15 tonnes. Considering they were built four thousand years, many wondered about the exact technique used to create such a perfect structure, thus the mystery. At the time, modern-day equipment was not available yet, according to Wion.

There are numerous theories on the precise techniques employed, and many unanswered mysteries still surround constructing these enormous monuments.

Significant debate remains regarding the labor force required to erect giant skyscrapers. Several explanations have been provided by discovering a town for laborers south of the plateau.

A constant team of professional craftsmen and builders was probably present, and they were perhaps supported by seasonal teams made up of about 2000 conscripted peasants. These crews were split into 200-man gangs, and then each squad was divided into 20 teams, per Khan Academy.

According to experiments, these 20-man teams could transport the 2.5-ton blocks from the quarry to the pyramid in just 20 minutes thanks to a moist silt-lubricated surface. With many blocks (such as those in the upper courses) being significantly smaller, an estimated 340 stones may be transported daily from the quarry to the construction site.

Archeologists have been trying to explain the mechanism of the construction. They believed the stones were mined from a quarry just south of the pyramid and were first transported by wetting the sand. As for the lifting of the stones to form the triangle, researchers believed the process involved a ramp.

An unusual ramp carved into the ground was discovered in a rock quarry in Egypt's eastern desert. The discovery gave a glimpse of the advanced technological achievements at the time, according to Live Science.

As for achieving the perfect pyramid, the most plausible explanation is that the Egyptians employed a sloping and encircling embankment of brick, earth, and sand, which increased in height and length as the pyramid rose. The stone blocks were hauled up the ramp using sledges, rollers, and levers, Britannica added.

What Was Found Inside the Pyramids of Giza?

The interiors of the Giza pyramids are largely empty solid masses of stone. The pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure feature corridors at their bases that connect to tiny underground burial chambers beneath each pyramid, like many other ancient Egyptian pyramids. Although the burial chamber is located in the center of Khufu's Pyramid and is accessed via a climb up a narrow internal route, it too includes underground passages.

Contrary to popular belief, none of the Giza pyramids contain mummies, wealth, or hieroglyphic manuscripts. Interior decoration began a few centuries after the construction of the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. Also, any treasure would have been looted in ancient and medieval periods, which most likely happened to the monarchs' bodies, which were never found.

What Was the Real Reason for the Pyramids?

According to Britannica, the pyramids of Giza were royal tombs built for the three different pharaohs - Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. The biggest and oldest pyramid of the three, called the Great Pyramid was for Khufu, the second king of the 4th dynasty.

The middle pyramid was built for Khafre, the fourth of the eight kings of the 4th dynasty. And the third pyramid located in the southernmost area was for Menkaure, the fifth king of the 4th dynasty.

PBS added that even though they were constructed as monuments to hold the pharaohs' tombs, pyramids remind of how ancient Egyptians glorified life after death. Death was viewed as only the start of a trip to the afterlife. The concept that each person's eternal life depended on their king's survival in this civilization made the kingdom concerned about the pharaoh's tomb.