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Pyramids In
Egypt, Tombs of the Past
Did you know that in Egypt
there are about 140
pyramids! According to the book The Pyramids of Giza by Teresa
Hyman ( Hym 15 ) building the
pyramids was difficult because each of the two ton blocks had to be
pulled over liquefied gypsum to make it move easier. After
that they had to be pulled up ramps spiraling around the
pyramids. The book also states that the actual pyramids were made of
rose granite, a very
hard type of rock. The Egyptians primitive copper tools would have been
worn
away. But they added dry sand to the area and the sharp little sand
particles cut the rock as the saws weaved back and forth. According to
the web site, "Pyramid Engineering Secrets Revealed," the workers
thought to be needed for work on the pyramids in the past was over
100,000 workers. But recent studies show that a smaller
number were used. The recent studies show that only about 13,000 were
needed for building the pyramid |
Mummies
In The Tombs
According to the Pyramids
of Giza and the magazine "Pyramid Puzzle" by National Geographic
Explorer, even after these massive tombs
were built, tomb robbers would try to steal the treasures inside. Some
of the amazing treasures found inside were rings, necklaces, gold
statuettes, gems, baskets, etc. But one of the greatest treasures was
the mummy itself. To be a mummy you would have to either be a pharaoh
or very rich. When making a mummy a person had everything taken out
except the heart. They actually threw the brain away! In total it takes
70 days to make a mummy (Hym 26). |
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Protect
The Pyramids
Also, according to The Pyramids of Giza these tombs have so many treasures. The Egyptians had lots of protective measures against robberies of these treasures. They would seal off the entrances with the same kind of stone so that the robbers couldn't enter or find the entrance. Inside the pyramids they also had many hidden passageways. They also built a massive structure called the Sphinx. The Sphinx's purpose was to strike fear into the hearts of robbers. But usually these protective measures weren't enough. The tomb robbers could usually break in anyway and steal the treasures inside (Hym 32). |
Ancient
Rituals
Also, according to The Pyramids
of Giza they
stated that rituals for the tombs and mummies were used. One of the
most important rituals was the opening of the mouth. In this ritual a
priest actually tried to open the dead pharoh's mouth with a stick!
These odd rituals supposedly sent the pharaoh to the "afterlife"
(Hym
29-30).
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