Pathways Egypt

Of the attributed Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only one remains standing and substantial: the Great Pyramid of Giza. Situated on the outskirts of modern day Cairo, the Great Pyramid is one of Egypt’s biggest tourist attractions, and a reminder of ancient times on the outside of what is now a cosmopolitan city.

The Great Pyramid is the tomb of the Fourth Dynasty Pharaoh Khufu, and was completed circa 2560 BC following a some 20 years of building. It sits in what is now referred to as either the Giza Pyramid Complex or the Giza Necropolis, on a site alongside two smaller pyramids erected as tombs for later pharaohs, as well as the Sphinx.

What remains of the Great Pyramid today is an undercore. The original structure would have been lined with flattened, smooth limestone blocks; these have unfortunately been stripped away by looting and excavations over the years. These ‘casing stones’ would have given the outer appearance of the pyramid as almost white in color, and almost certainly it would have shone when lit by the sun. This kind of glorious tribute in the middle of the desert was befitting for the Ancient Egyptian pharaohs, all of whom placed unusual significance on death and the afterlife.

The Great Pyramid was officially the tallest man-made structure in the world for some 3,800 years, originally standing at around 146 meters tall. It eventually lost this title to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, which was built in 1889. Furthermore, over the centuries the Great Pyramid has also lost some ten meters in height, including its uppermost stones. These were largely looted by the later pharaohs, and are now included in other pyramid tombs in the Valley of the Kings.

The pyramid inside is small and cramped, with several small passages passing throughout – some of which were never completed. The main chamber is known as the King’s Chamber, and contained the sarcophagus of the Pharaoh Khufu. The chamber also includes various offerings and statues, as well as spaces in the walls which allow for Khufu’s ‘Ka’ (life force) to pass into the afterlife.

Khufu’s greatest force beyond death, however, is surely the fact that his tomb is still standing while its contemporaries fell.