Pooja Rajadhyaksha
December 15,2011
Geometry 4A- Schlosser
Pyramid of Khufu
A. Purpose of the Building:
The purpose of the Pyramid of Khufu or the Great Pyramid was thought to have
been a burial chamber for the king, his queens, and various other officials but the exact manner
in which this pyramid was constructed is still debated. The exact architect of the pyramid is
unknown. However, Kind Khufu utilized his organizational skills and abilities to pull together the
nation of Egypt in the construction of what would become his burial tomb and the largest
pyramid in Egypt.
I.
Details/ Interesting Facts About Structure:
The pyramid of Khufu is one of the seven wonders of the world. Some scholars
associate the Great sphinx at Giza with Khufu’s Great Pyramid.
The pyramid itself is 756 feet long on each side and stands 450 feet high. It is
mostly made of limestone and its made up of an estimated number of 2,300,000 blocks.
The pyramid of Khufu was also the tallest building in the world till 1311 A.D.
II.
Location:
The Great Pyramid still stands today in Giza, Egypt, where it was first built.
III.
When/How Designed and Constructed:
Khufu built he pyramid during his reign. The pyramid was built around 2560
B.C.E. It took about 20 years to build this massive ancient wonder. People today believe
that slave labor was used to construct this marvel. An estimated 100,000 slaves were
used to build this pyramid.
IV.
Why Was This Structure Built:
The pyramid of Khufu was built as a tomb for Pharaoh Khufu and his queens.
However, this pyramid was never used as the tomb and the exact manner in which the
pyramid was constructed continues to be debated.
B. Historical Facts:
The Pyramid of Khufu is also known as the Great Pyramid of Giza. The building is
old and has started to crumble. Throughout the 4000 years in history, the pyramid has
lost approximately 10 meters in height; but it still stands at an impressive 145 meters.
C. Architectural Facts:
The cement that was used to build the pyramid was extremely fine and strong
and defied chemical analysis. Today, even with the modern science and engineering, it is
said that we would not be able to build another Great Pyramid of Giza.
D. Interesting Facts:
There are two pyramids that are located next to the Great Pyramid. They are
large but they are small compared to Khufu’s pyramid. The slightly smaller one
(compared to Khufu’s) was built during the reign of Khufu’s son, Khafre. Then the other
smaller one was built during the reign of Khufu’s grandson, Menkaure.
Work Cited
Web Document Citation:
1. Krystek, Lee. "Khufu's Great Pyramid." Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. N.P., 2010.
Web. 13 Dec 2011. <http://www.unmuseum.org/kpyramid.htm>.
2. Bleiberg, Edward . "Khufu." Khufu. 5. Gale Group/ Gale Cengage Learning, 2007. Web. 19
Dec 2011.
<http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inP
S=true&prodId=GVRL&userGroupName=20200&tabID=T003&searchId=R1&resultListTy
pe=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=3
&contentSet=GALE|CX3035000103&&docId=GALE|CX3035000103&docType=GALE&rol
e=>.
3. "King Khufu and the Great Pyramid." . Attic Designs, 2008. Web. 13 Dec 2011.
<http://www.ancient-egypt-online.com/king-khufu-and-the-great-pyramid.html>.
4. "Introduction and Overview of The Great Pyramid of Giza." . Great Pyramid of Giza
Research Association, n.d. Web. 13 Dec 2011.
<http://www.gizapyramid.com/overview.htm>.
Picture Citation:
-
<http://famouswonders.com/wp-content/gallery/pyramids-of-egypt/infront-of-apyramid.jpg>.