Chloe+L's+Report

The Egyptian Pyramids were built in Egypt about five hundred fifty years ago. In this report you will learn about how and why they are made, features of the pyramids, and mummified kings. It will then be wrapped up with some general facts.


 * __ How They Are Made __**

Swoosh! Clink! Clank! It took about twenty thousand workers to build the pyramids of Egypt. All at the same time the workers were either cutting or dragging the chunks of white limestone into place. To drag it, they pulled it on a long wood sled. They pulled the sled up hand-made ramps. Each time the workers reached another level to place the limestone, they built the ramp a little higher. The Egyptian workers aligned the sides perfectly to face the north, east, south, and west. The workers building the pyramid were farmers. They weren’t farming because it was impossible since the Nile River’s floods flooded their fields.

“Get to work!” the pharaoh yelled at the workers. When the farmers had totally finished building the pyramid, they coated it with white casing stones. The Egyptians had no machinery to build the pyramids.


 * __ Why They Were Made __**

The pyramids were used as a tomb, or a temple to pray in. A tomb is a place to keep a person’s body in after they die. Egyptians built the pyramids while the king was still alive so when he died he could be made into a mummy and be buried under, or in the pyramid.

The Egyptians stopped building the pyramids because thieves often broke into the King’s Chamber to steal his gold and jewels stored with his body.

The narrow shafts that extend from the main burial chambers pointing directly to the sky were probably to magically launch the king to the gods.


 * __ Features __**

Have you ever wondered what the inside of a pyramid looks like? The king or pharaoh is placed in a large coffin. It’s then placed in a stone sarcophagus. Riches such as gold and jewels are placed in the sarcophagus. Buried in the burial chamber are things such as carvings, paintings, gold, and possessions.

The sacred rooms in the pyramids only allow priests. The sloped sides of the pyramids may have stood for the rays of the sun. The Great Pyramid was 481 feet high, but now it’s only four hundred feet high. The “Step Pyramid” at Saqqara is only two hundred feet tall.


 * __ Mummified Kings __**

The ancient Egyptians believed when the pharaoh dies, he becomes a god. Priests would then prepare the body for the afterlife. The priests would then follow these steps:

First, they would remove some of the body organs. They placed the stomach, lungs, liver and intestines in their own jars. These jars were called canopic jars. They kept the heart where it was. Second, they then stuffed the body with cloth. The priests then covered the body in nation, a grainy chemical found in the Nile River. In 40 days when the natron had dried out, the priests came back to remove the chemical. Third, when the natron was removed they covered the body in oil, amulets, stones, and gems. Fourth, they wrapped the body in linen. They placed a highly decorated mask over the face, and wrapped the body once more. Fifth, the completed mummy was placed in a coffin or a series of coffins until they reached the mummy’s tomb, its pyramid. To make the mummy took about seventy days.

Have you ever heard of King Tut? When he was a young boy he was made king. At nine-teen years of age he died. He was then made into a mummy.


 * __ General Facts __**

Did you learn enough about the Pyramids yet, or do you want to learn more? (Here are a couple more facts!) The Egyptian Pyramids are located in the continent Africa, country Egypt, and on the west banks of the Nile River. Did you know that servants, family members, and the pharaoh were buried together? The clues left behind in spells on the pyramids’ inner walls reveal several secrets. Deep in the pyramid with the king were beds, tables, chairs, gold, coins, chests stuffed with jewelry, and weapons. The most recent pyramid found was Queen Sesheshet’s in November, 2008. The “Headless Pyramid” was lost when buried by desert sands. It was found again in 2008.

Did you like learning about the Pyramids? Maybe you could learn more about them sometime!