The Mysteries of Giza

Before I begin, I just want to let you know that
though this page has been here for several years
now, it has only recently been updated. Much of the
new information presented on this page was
extremely compicated to put into words, and came
from many different sources. So if I've made any
mistakes, please let me know. Thanks, Britt. 7-18-
2002

I.) What is Giza?

Giza is the name of a suburb to the West, and just
outside of Cairo, Egypt. It is home to several
pyramids, temples and the Sphinx. The largest
pyramid, Khufu's Pyramid (also known as Cheop's) is
one of the seven Wonders of the World.

Many people confuse Giza with another place in
Egypt. No, King Tut is not buried here. His tomb is
located in The Valley of the Kings, which is located in
Thebes (Central Egypt).

II.) The Pyramids of Giza

There are three large pyramids located at Giza.
There were all built during the 4th dynasty (2575-
2465 B.C.). The first, and largest is Khufu's
Pyramid. King Khufu ruled for 23 years, and the
building of this pyramid took about 20 years. It is
481 feet tall (Though that is an earlier estimate.
New measurings indicate that it's shrunk 30 feet.),
and composed of about 2.3 million limestone blocks.
It takes up an area of 13.1 acres. It was built to
be a tomb and monument to Khufu.

The second pyramid was built for King Khafre
(Possibly Khufu's son), and is smaller than the first.
This one is in better condition than the others due
to its innovative design. Large blocks of limestone
encased in fine lining slabs were set at the center
of the complex.

The third pyramid, the smallest of the three, was
built by Khafre's eldest son, Menkaure (who married
his sister and made her his high Queen). There are
many people who say that the reason it's not in
perfect line with the others is due to Astronomy
(See Orion Mystery).

Several other pyramids are located at Giza, though
they are much smaller than the others, and were
tombs for Queens and other important people. Most
of the pyramids were heavily pilaged, and relatively
little remains of what must have been there.

III.) Other Large Monuments at Giza

The Sphinx is probably one of the most
recognized Egyptian artifact in the world. It is
placed at the East of Khafre's Pyramid, and is said to
bear his likenes. Over the years it lost it's nose, and
part of it's beard. It is in great disrepair, but
efforts have been made to stop the erosion that has
warped it. At one time in history, the Sphinx was
buried up to its neck in sand, and people used to
speak to it, and listen to its lips for advice.

The Sphinx Temple and the Valley Temple are
located near each other next to the Spinx. The
Valley Temple is one of the best preserved of
Ancient Egypt.

IV.) How Was it All Built?

The Temples, pyramids and statues at Giza
were built in a relatively short period of time.
(Khufu's Pyramid took about 20 years to complete)
Slave labor was not used. The people of Egypt
were proud, and paid to work by the King. It was
their national project, and the workers built their
own tombs near the pyramids.

A very big question often asked is, how did they
move those large (and perfectly cut!) slabs of
limestone such a long way without the benefit of
the wheel? And not only did they transport it, but
they lifted hundreds of feet high! The answer,
while nearly incomprehensible is simple. Sheer
manpower, superior direction and phenomenal
organization raised the pyramids. It's amazing how
a force that strong is almost unknown to the
modern world.

V.) The Orion Mystery

Many theories have been suggested for the
odd, yet precise placement os the 3 large
pyramids at Giza, but the most popular is the Orion
Theory. Basically, the pyramids are almost
perfectly lined up with 3 major stars in the Orion
constellation. This, if it is truly the case, suggests
that not only were the Egyptians superior
architects, but also astronomers and
mathemeticians. Some have even suggested that
Atlantians (Survivors from the lost city of Atlantis)
came to Egypt and gave their knowledge to the
pyramid builders.

VI.) Other Theories and Oddities

Through the centuries, man has been
fascinated by the Egyptian Pyramids. They
seemed to be drawn to them by an unstoppable
force; an obsession that would not let them go.
Some think that the pyramid shape itself holds
power. And there's always the die hard UFO fans
who say that the pyramids, or at least the perfect
design came from aliens.

VII.) What Do I Think?

Well, I am no expert, but the general
concensus among egyptologists is that the
structures were created only to be tombs. Many
of the Pharohs considered themelves to be God's,
so why wouldn't they have a tomb created
accordingly?

Sources:

http://www.guardians.net/hawass/oldkingdom.htm

http://www.guardians.net/hawass/chronology.htm

http://touregypt.net/map27.htm

http://www.delange.org/Giza_Pyramids_Sphinx/EP3.htm

http://www.ancient-mysteries.com/GizaNec/gizanec.html

http://www.mfa.org/explore_ancient_egypt/index.html

http://ce.eng.usf.edu/pharos/wonders/pyramid.html

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