The Pyramids of Giza

New York Post (Jasmin K Williams)

Two page piece looking at the pyramids of Giza. Nothing new, but quite informative if you know little about the pyramids.

We've been marveling at this ancient wonder for thousands of years. Here's a look at The Great Pyramid of Giza - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

THE pyramids have fascinated us since their inception. The architectural marvels have stood for thousands of years, having been constructed of perfectly carved limestone and granite, and without the cement found in more modern stone structures.

After all these centuries, experts still can't quite figure out how the ancient Egyptians did it. One stone could weigh as much as 70 tons. How exactly did they cut them, move them from the quarries -sometimes as far as 500 miles away- and place them? There were no pulleys, wheels or iron tools. The structures are so perfectly constructed that the tip of a knife cannot be inserted between the joints, even today.With no definitive answers as to how the ancient Egyptians did it, the mystery remains.

There are three significant pyramids at Giza, located on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. The largest is called the Great Pyramid of Giza, This magnificent structure was to serve as the tomb of, and everlasting monument to, Egypt's Fourth Dynasty pharaoh, Khufu. The structure is also referred to as Khufu's Pyramid, or the Pyramid of Khufu.

The pyramid, which occupies 13 acres, is part of a complex setting of buildings called the Giza Plateau, which includes two mortuary temples and a bridge connecting them; three small pyramids for Khufu's wives; and a satellite pyramid structure. There was also a town for the workers, complete with a cemetery, beer factory, bakery and copper-smelting facility. The Great Pyramid is the only one of the original SevenWonders of the Ancient World that is still standing. It's the oldest and most studied structure in existence.

See the above for more.