Although I am doing my case study on two ancient elite burials from Egypt, the case study does not include a discussion of pyramids. I have always found pyramids to be fascinating, especially in terms of their vast passage ways and impressive construction.
In ancient Egypt it was believed that a part of a deceased pharaoh's spirit remained with the body. Thus, massive tombs were built to safeguard that part of the spirit. Some of these tombs were built as pyramids, resembling a pointed, sacred stone called a benben. The benben symbolize the rays of the sun and it was thought that pharaohs souls ascended to heaven through sunbeams.
It appears that the pyramids were built by approximately 20,000 to 30,000 workers from the village under the rule of a pharaoh. Building occurred over 80 years and massive limestone blocks were most likely floated down the Nile river from quarries to the base of the pyramids. The blocks would have been polished by hand and pushed up ramps to their respective resting places.
Interstingly, individuals specializing in religion and astronomy worked with architects to design the location and orientation of each pyramid. The pyramids had to be on a particular axis in relation to sacred constellations.
http://www.ancient-egypt.org/index.html
The Red Pyramid, built by Pharaoh Snefru around 2600 B.C. was the first "true" pyramid successfully built. It contains a descending passageway of 62.63 metres in length, followed by two antechambers and the single main burial chamber which measures 4.18 by 8.55 metres. It is unknown if Pharaoh Snefru was actually laid to rest at this location.
For more information on the pyramids of Egypt, visit National Geographic's website for an interactive learning experience:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pyramids/pyramids.html
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