The Great Pyramid is the single greatest wonder of the ancient world, and its solid rock construction still stands after over 4,000 years. It's an incredible feat of engineering that has puzzled scientists for centuries. How exactly was it built, and how long would it take to build it today?
Standing for over 4,000 years, The Great Pyramid is the last of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It's an incredible feat of engineering given its weight and size, only being completed around 2560 BC. The estimated weight is between 7 million to 8 million tons (6.25 million tonnes), which is more than all 5,965 pyramids in Egypt combined, including those at Giza. If you were to stand at sea level, its summit would be approximately 963 feet (293 meters) above you. The Great Pyramid is the largest of the three pyramids in Egypt, the others being of Khufu and Khafre. It sits at the centre of Giza's three pyramids, with two other smaller pyramids on each side. It's believed that King Khufu built all three during the Fourth Dynasty, his reign lasting from 2589 BC to 2566 BC. The Great Pyramid doesn't have any inscriptions but it's depicted in hieroglyphics on a fragment of a relief found nearby.
Construction on
the Great Pyramid started from nothing, as was traditional for ancient Egyptian
structures, and was finished within 20 years. It's believed that between 90,000
& 100,000 people helped in its construction, using tools made of copper,
stone, and wood. It took another 10 years to build the entire complex surrounding
it. The Great Pyramid underwent renovations by Pharaohs who came after Khufu
and was finished around 1530 BC.
Despite it being 4,500 years old today, the Great Pyramid is one of the most impressive ancient wonders of the world. It's a truly amazing feat of engineering given its weight and size and was even more incredible when it was built 4,500 years ago. How exactly did they do it? The answer lies in the ancient text written by Herodotus, who visited Egypt around 450 BC. He describes a massive ramp made of mud, clay, and stone that was used to transport the huge blocks of stone into position. "The pyramid itself is made in steps, so that it rises in stages, [and] as the height of the steps is considerable, so also is the pyramid large".
The Great Pyramid was built using two types of rock—granite, and limestone. Granite was used around the base, while limestone was used for the upper layers. The limestone had to be quarried from Tura at the mouth of the Nile and then carried across Egypt using boats on canals. It's estimated that over 2 million stone blocks were moved during construction between 2.3 and 2.6 tons each.
Building The Great Pyramid of Giza in The 21st Century
This question is difficult to answer due to the many variables in place. The weight of materials and the location of the Great Pyramid is major factor. To build a new pyramid based on today's technology and capabilities, would take 10-14 years with an estimated budget of $100 billion. Where would you build it? In Africa where limestone is readily available, or somewhere in the Middle East? And then how would you transport the massive stones to the building site? Current technology and military planes and helicopters would certainly be required.
So while it may still be possible to build another pyramid in the 21st century, it won't match this feat of engineering and will require more funding than even a billion dollars can provide. With such an immense amount of stone blocks being moved over such a distance, the Great Pyramid was certainly one impressive feat.
0 Comments