Amazing facts about the Egyptian pyramids

The Egyptian pyramids are one of the characteristic achievements of the old world. As a stunning feat of design, Egyptologists are still finding, researching and searching for answers to these structures

Still shrouded in secrecy, the pyramids do not fully reveal their inner facts. Yet, over the years, researchers have learned many amazing things about ancient Egypt.

We present to you 8 facts that very few people know about the Egyptian pyramids.

1. They are designed to act as a ladder to heaven.

The royal tombs were originally built of mud bricks. The Step Pyramid of Djoser was the first pyramid built by the ancient Egyptians and is the earliest large monument built with stone. Aswan granite was used to line the king's chamber inside the pyramid. The construction of the Pyramid was supposed to act as a staircase for Djoser to move from his earthly body to the afterlife. The pyramids were built for pharaohs to protect the sarcophagi and point them towards the sun afterwards.

The Red Pyramid of Sneferu in Dahshur is the first true pyramid in Ancient Egypt, which means it is smooth. It is designed to resemble the rays of the sun.

2. All pyramids are made to face north.

Most of the pyramids were made on the west bank of the Nile River, as it is the only river that flows through Egypt and is considered the best waterway for transporting goods. In addition, the people also believed in their water gods traveling in their own solar boat with them, hence the building was made of limestone and the outer layer was polished to a high shine.

The reflected nature of this surface helped deflect sunlight and preserve the mummies. The position of the setting sun was believed to be where the realm of the dead was, and so the pyramids were located where the sun set, not where it rose.

3. Each of the stones weighs more than an elephant

It is still a mystery how the workers raised the stones and with such great precision. This required 2.5 million stone blocks to be cut, moved and positioned, and they were all placed with precision and tact.

4. The pyramids were believed to be built in accordance with the stars

Although cryptologists claim that the dimensions of the pyramids were made so large to satisfy the egos of the three Egyptian kings, it is still believed that it was no coincidence that there was the same exact alignment with the three stars of Orion's belt. It is such that the size and design are made exactly like the stars of Delta Orionis, Epsilon, Zeta, which make up Orion's belt.

5. The Egyptians buried their kings in the pyramids with gold.

The Egyptians believed that Egypt was the most beautiful place on earth and therefore anyone who died would reside in a place like Egypt.

They also believed that the dead might need their comfort and possessions, so they buried their kings with gold among other valuables in the pyramid.

6. They were not built by slaves

Since a long time ago the hypothesis that the pyramids were built by slaves was supported, now this thesis is not so valid.

 In the 1990s, the graves of the developers of the pyramids were discovered. Egyptologists are very certain that they were not slaves, but rather developers who came from families with lower wages.

Their burial in a burial chamber shows that their work in building the pyramids was an honor and absolutely not a task given to slaves.

7. The Cheops pyramid is a large clock.

The Great Pyramid of Giza is not just the most recognized of the Egyptian pyramids, it is also one of the Seven Wonders of the Old World. The incomparable pyramid is amazing for several reasons, but perhaps the most fascinating qualities of this landmark is that it is also a clock. The design really looks like a huge sundial, with its shadow indicating the time falling on marks made in the stone.

8. Why are the pyramids preserved to this day?

One of the reasons the pyramids are so well preserved is that the Egyptians used a mortar of unknown origin. Its chemical composition is known and analyzed, but cannot be reproduced. Its power is greater than that of the stone, as long as it continues to be unshakable even today.