Does Geography Determine Destiny?

Architectural Achievements - The Pyramids

Pyramids held the most sacred treasures and were the most complex buildings of their times. Pyramids were the tombs, or burial spaces, for the body of their king, and these tombs served as a storage vault for the possessions they wished to have with them in the next world. These royal tombs had to be a fortress of protection from grave robbers. There were mazes and false entry points, traps, and dangers set to snag a thief if they were brave enough to disrupt the eternal resting place of the godlike rulers. Originally just a pit in the dry sandy soil, later the Egyptians made buildings of brick and stone in which they buried their sacred rulers.

Pyramid building was an amazing feat of ancient architecture and remains mysterious in many ways. The complex rank of the Egyptian culture created a workforce that was loyal to the leaders. These massive building projects were completed by thousands of lower ranking Egyptians and any outsiders that were taken as prisoners. These buildings had religious significance as they served as burial chambers for their rulers as they ascended into the next world, or the afterlife. Ramps, both internal and external, may have helped with the building of the pyramids. There are many different theories as to the exact technology used.

Another amazing achievement of Ancient Egypt is the Great Sphinx. The Great Sphinx was carved in the an area of the pyramids known as the Valley of Kings. No one knows the exact reasons for this statue, and there is even some debate about when it was created. Nothing has been found in any of the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic writings about its creation, but many believe it was carved by ancient Egyptians to be a guardian of the tombs there.

Giza became a small town when it became the desert home to the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx, but it wasn’t like the cities of our times. It was more of a construction site with mini-camps for the different levels of slaves, workers, artisans, and managers of the projects.