...u, to of his successors also built their pyramids on the plateau. His son, Khafre, exploited the higher ground, and as able to achieve the illusion of his pyramid as being the tallest. In actuality, his pyramid as shorter than Khufus. Khafre is assumed to have been responsible for carving the Great Sphinx hich is aligned to his pyramid. The smallest pyramid, that of Menkaure, as the final attempt to pyramid the plateau. Menkaures pyramid also suffered the fate of other pyramids and tombs throughout Egyptian history, the king died before his tomb as finished.The Great Pyramid of Cheops Khufu Ho the Great Pyramid as built is a question that may never be ansered. Herodotus said that it ould have taken 30 years and 100,000 slaves to have built it. Another theory is that it as built by peasants ho ere unable to ork the land hile the Nile flooded beteen July and November. They may have been paid ith food for their labor. The flooded aters ould have also aided in the moving of the casing stones. These stones ere brought from Asan and Tura and the ater ould have brought the stones right to the pyramid. This pyramid is thought to have been built beteen 2589 - 2566 BC. It ould have taken over 2,300,000 blocks of stone ith an average eight of 2.5 tons each. The total eight ould have been 6,000,000 tons and a height of 482 feet 140m. It is the largest and the oldest of the Pyramids of Giza. Not much is knon about CheopsKhufu. The tomb had been robbed long before archeologists came upon it. Any information about him as taken ith the objects inside the tomb. He is thought to have been the ruler of a highly structured society and he must have been very ealthy. He as buried alone in this massive tomb. His ives may have been buried nearby in smaller mastabas. The encasing marble hich covered the outside of the pyramid has eroded or been removed over time. ith this casing off, the pyramid lost 33 feet 11m of all of its dimensions. The top platform is 10m square. The base of the pyramid is 754 feet and covers 13 acres. The original entrance to the pyramid as about 15m higher than the entrance that is used today. Apparently Al Mamum, ho opened up the ne passage, could not find the original opening. The ne passageay leads straight across and joins in ith the original passage, the descending passage. The descending passage led only to a subterranean chamber. This descending passage that leads don is set at a 26 degree angle that descends don 345 feet 105m into the earth under the pyramid. The passageay is only 36 1.1m ide and 311 1.2m high. The chamber is closed to the public. The chamber itself is room that measures about 46 x 271 x 116 14 x 8.3 x 3.5m. There is a passage that leads 100 feet horizontally to the estern side. The purpose of the pit is uncertain. It is possible that it could have been the burial chamber, but after a change of plan, it as abandoned. The descending passage beyond here the ne entrance meets it, is closed off by a steel door. The ascending passage rises at the same angle as the descending, 26 degrees. The ascending passage leads up into the pyramid. The ascending passage is the same dimensions as the descending, 36 1.1m ide and 311 1.2m high. It can be quite a difficult trek for some people. The passage leads on for 129 feet 39m. At the point here the ascending passage levels off, you can go to different ays. If you continue on horizontally, this passageay leads into the Queens Chamber. The Queens Chamber as never used. The floor in this room as never polished, its still rough. Egyptologists believe that the chamber as brought to this point and then the builders changed their minds and moved to the Kings Chamber. The possible explanation for the abandonment is that the sarcophagus built for Cheops as much too large for the narro passageays that had already been built. There are ventilating shafts that are another mystery. These shafts are sealed at the extremities on both shafts. The shafts must have been made as the pyramid ent up, since the builders most likely ould not have continued to make the shafts after the decision to abandon the chamber. It is also thought that these are not actually ventilation shafts, but more of a religious significance. This could be related to the Ancient Egyptians beliefs that the stars are inhabited by gods and souls of the dead. The second, and more spectacular, ay at the levelling off point of the ascending passage, is to continue upards to the Grand Gallery. The gallery is 157 feet 48m long and 28 feet 8.5m high and is at the same 26-degree angle as the passages. The roof of the gallery is corbelled. It is said that not a piece of paper or a needle can be inserted beteen the stones making up the roof. The gallery is only 62 inches 1.6m ide at the bottom and is only 41 inches 1m ide at the top of the incline. The Grand Gallery leads into the Kings Chamber. The alls of the chamber are made of pink Asan granite. Inside this chamber is the very large sarcophagus made of Asan red granite, ith no lid. The sarcophagus must have been placed inside the chamber as the pyramid as being built. It is much too large to have been moved in afterards, as as the usual custom of that time. The Kings Chamber is 344 x 172 x 191 high 5.2m x 10.8m x 5.8m high. This chamber also has the possible ventilation shafts as the Queens Chamber. They are at the same angle as the shafts in the Queens Chamber. The thought about the religious significance applies to these shafts as ell. The main feature of the sky at night, as the Milky ay. The stars ere thought to have been the Nile in the sky. The southern shaft from the Kings Chamber points directly to here Orions Belt ould have been in the ancient sky. The southern shaft of the Queens Chamber points to Syrius. The northern shaft of the Kings Chamber points to the circumpolar stars. These stars never disappear in the sky. It is thought that these shafts ere to help the spirit of the dead pharaoh find the important stars. Above this chamber is a series of five relieving chambers hich are essential to support the eight of the stones above and to distribute the eight aay from the burial chamber. The top chamber has a pointed roof made of limestone blocks. This is the most important of the relieving chambers. In these chambers, are found the only inscriptions in the hole pyramid. Around the PyramidAs you come out of the pyramid you can see the remains of the original enclosure all hich is on the north and east side. It lies about 10m from the base of the pyramid. Little remains of Cheops Mortuary Temple. hat is left is basalt paving and lies near the east side of the all. You may also see occasional traces of the causeay that led from the valley temple in the village, Nazlat al-Samman, at the foot of the plateau. This causeay collapsed during the last 150 years. Three small pyramids stand to the east of Cheops pyramid. These are thought to have been for his sister, Merites, ho as also his ife, and possibly to ot...
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