Photo:WitRvia Shutterstock
The Egyptian pyramids are one of the definingarchitectural achievementsof the ancient world.
As an incredible feat of engineering, Egyptologists are still discovering more about these structures with each passing year.
Still shrouded in mystery, the pyramids dont reveal their secrets easily.
Photo:WitRvia Shutterstock
But over time, scholars have come to learn many surprising facts about ancient Egypt through them.
Ready to learn 7 facts you may not know about the ancient Egyptian pyramids?
Step pyramid in Saqqara.
Step pyramid in Saqqara. (Photo:meunierdvia Shutterstock)
(Photo:meunierdvia Shutterstock)
They werent all pointed.
All pyramids arent created equal.
In fact, just as with many building types, there are distinct phases to pyramid construction.
Schematic drawing of wall painting found in the tomb of Djehutihotep that depicts water pouring in front of a sled. (Photo: sir john gardner wilkinson [Public domain],via Wikimedia Commons)
The earliest pyramids arent the pointed structures we most commonly think of but were actually flat.
Many examples are found in the vast Saqqara burial ground located in what was Ancient Egypts capital, Memphis.
The pyramids here are the earliest known and include the Pyramid of Djoser.
Photo:Merydollavia Shutterstock
Most pyramids were built west of the Nile.
Ancient Egyptian culture is full of symbolism and superstitions that guided decision making.
So it should come as no surprise that even the location of the ancient pyramids were guided by mythology.
Masonry that forms the Great Pyramids. (Photo:Fedor Sidorovvia Shutterstock
Most were built on the west bank of the Nile, and for a distinct reason.
For ancient Egyptians, the afterlife and the sun were closely intertwined.
Osiris, an Egyptian god closely connect with the afterlife, represented the strength of new life.
One of the biggest mysteries about the Egyptian pyramids is the construction techniques used to erect them.
Each piece of masonry weighed about 2.5 tons (2.3 metric tons).
So how were these giant blocks moved?
Unfortunately, the Egyptians didnt leave behind written records, and many theories have been proposed over the years.
A2014 studytheorized that it could be as easy as water and sand.
The Egyptians used astronomy to guide construction.
According to a British Egyptologist, the stars were a guiding force in how the pyramids were aligned.
So accurate were their measurements that they only have a margin of error of up to 0.05 degrees.
Interestingly, with this information in hand, its possible to date the pyramids using astronomical records.
Photo:Merydollavia Shutterstock
They werent built by slaves.
The long-held theory that the pyramids were built by slaves might not actually be true.
It was the Greek historian Herodotus who helped spread the idea that slaves built the pyramids through his writing.
Its a concept that was then propagated by Hollywood, but might not be true.
In the 1990s, the graves of pyramid builders werediscovered.
Egyptologists are quite sure they were not slaves, but rather builders who came from lower income families.
The Great Pyramid can tell time.
Of course, being the Great Pyramid, it couldnt be just any old sundial.
Masonry that forms the Great Pyramids.
(Photo:Fedor Sidorovvia Shutterstock
