The seventh wonder of the world is the Egyptian pyramids. Egyptian pyramids. Legends of the Cheops Pyramid

In all centuries, people were proud and carefully protected the achievements of their civilizations. The memory of these achievements has survived to this day, becoming a worldwide property. The Seven Wonders of the World is a classic list of outstanding human creations.

An interesting fact is that it was well known even before our era. In ancient schools, children were taught various sciences, and knowledge of the 7 wonders of the world was mandatory.

In this article we will provide you not only with a list of 7 wonders of the world, but also short description each of them.

List of 7 wonders of the world

Well, now photos and descriptions of the masterpieces of antiquity, which we call nothing less than seven wonders of the world.

1 wonder of the world - Pyramid of Cheops

The exact date of construction of this grandiose structure is unknown. However, scientists suggest that it is around 2600 BC.

The original height of the Cheops pyramid was 146 meters (that’s like 5 nine-story buildings), while now it is approximately 138 m. The inclination angle of the walls is from 51° to 53°. The average weight of the blocks from which the pyramid is built is 2.5 tons, although some blocks reach 80 tons.

No cement or other binding substance was used in construction. The stone blocks of the first wonder of the world are simply stacked on top of each other. The surface of the pyramid was lined with limestone slabs. Today the coating is almost completely destroyed.

There are three chambers inside the pyramid: the underground, the Queen's Chamber and the Pharaoh's Chamber. There was only one entrance to this structure, and it was located at a height of 15 meters from the ground. But in 820 another, artificial entrance was made to the Cheops pyramid.

The purpose of this stunning building is still unknown. It was previously believed that the pyramids played the role of tombs for the pharaohs. However, such a simplified view of such a majestic and complex structure has not been taken seriously for a long time.

There are also suggestions that the Cheops pyramid was an ancient space observatory, or was a powerful energy generator.

2 wonder of the world - Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Hanging Gardens Babylon is considered the 2nd wonder of the world. This amazing structure was built in 605 BC, but already in 562 BC. it was destroyed due to flooding.

Despite the fact that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are named after the Assyrian queen Semiramis (800 BC), Nebuchadnezzar II built them in honor of his wife Amytis.

But the Hanging Gardens were included in the list of 7 wonders of the world with the name of Semiramis.

The structure consisted of four floors. All of them were equipped with cool rooms for royal walks. Columns 25 m high supported each tier.

The terraces were covered with special lead leaves and filled with asphalt to prevent water for watering the plants from leaking out. On top of all this was sprinkled with earth of such thickness that trees could grow there freely. One can only imagine how much weight the columns of the lower tier could bear.

Water for irrigation was pumped up from the Euphrates River using a cunning system. The slaves constantly turned the wheel to supply water, since the majestic building with stunning gardens required a lot of moisture.

To see the place where the 2nd wonder of the world was located - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, you will have to go to Iraq, since the ruins of ancient Babylon were found there.

3rd wonder of the world - Statue of Zeus at Olympia

Based on the name of the 3rd wonder of the world - the statue of Zeus, it is not difficult to guess to whom this architectural masterpiece was dedicated. The fact is that the Greeks built a temple to the pagan god Zeus in 465 BC, but the statue of Zeus, which is considered one of the 7 wonders of the world, appeared there only 30 years later.

The statue of Zeus itself was made of ivory and reached a height of 17 meters (like a five-story building). At the base of the monument there was a square slab, 6 m wide and 1 m high.

The effect produced on the Greeks by the third of the wonders of the world was stunning. The fact is that the ratio of the sizes of the temple itself and the statue of Zeus inside it was such that it seemed as if Zeus would now rise and break through the roof of the temple, since otherwise he would simply not be able to straighten up.

The statue of Zeus stood in Olympia for about 800 years. At the beginning of the 5th century AD, the temple was destroyed, and the statue was preserved cultural heritage was transported to Constantinople. In 425 she died in a fire.

4th wonder of the world - Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

In the ancient Greek city of Ephesus in 560 BC. The Temple of Artemis of Ephesus was built, which later became one of the 7 wonders of the world.

The height of the temple was 18 m, width – 52 m, length – 105 m. The roof was supported by 127 columns.

Some of the best masters of antiquity worked on the creation of this architectural masterpiece. The statue of Artemis itself was made of gold and ivory.

The temple had not just religious significance, but was also a cultural and economic center.

Who burned the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus?

In the summer of 356 BC. e. The Temple of Artemis, one of the 7 wonders of the world, was burned by a resident of the city of Ephesus. The name of the temple arsonist is Herostratus.

You may ask why Herostratus needed to destroy such unique monument architecture?

By his own admission, he did this in order to go down in history and perpetuate his name forever. Despite the fact that he was executed for this crime, the name of Herostratus has indeed survived to this day.

However, the great commander Alexander the Great restored the temple of Artemis of Ephesus to its previous form, allocating colossal funds for this matter.

In 263, the fourth wonder of the world was plundered and destroyed by the Goths.

The remains of the Temple of Artemis from Ephesus can be found in Turkey, in the city of Selcuk, Izmir province.

5th wonder of the world - Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, included in the list of 7 wonders of the world, appeared in 351 BC. The author of the idea is the king of Caria named Mausolus together with his wife, Queen Artemisia.

Thus, they decided to perpetuate their name following the example of the Egyptian pharaohs. It must be said that his idea was successful, since the fifth wonder of the world is still associated with his name.

The mausoleum building was three-tiered.

The first tier was a massive base, surrounded around the perimeter by statues of ancient Greek heroes. Inside, after the death of Mausolus and his wife, their tombs were to be placed.

The second floor was used as a temple to serve pagan cults. There were 36 columns on it that held the top, main part Halicarnassus Mausoleum.

The third tier looked like a pyramid consisting of 24 steps. At the very top, the main value of the mausoleum was installed: a majestic statue representing a chariot with King Mausolus and his wife Artemisia.

It seems incredible, but in the British Museum you can see statues of both royal spouses that have been well preserved to this day.

The Mausoleum in Halicarnassus, which became one of the seven wonders of the world, was destroyed in the 13th century due to a large-scale earthquake.

In Turkish resort town In Bodrum you can find the site where the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus once stood.

6th wonder of the world - Colossus of Rhodes

The Colossus of Rhodes entered the classic list of the Seven Wonders of the World almost immediately after its creation in 280 BC.

But first, let's tell the background story of the appearance of the sixth wonder of the world. Demetrius I, almost immediately after the death of Alexander the Great, attacked Rhodes, one of the largest port cities.

Having held the siege of the city for more than a year, for unknown reasons he abandoned everything he had there and left with his army.

As a token of gratitude, the residents of Rhodes decided to sell the huge property that was in their hands and use the proceeds to build a monument to Helios, the sun god.

The main architect and sculptor of this masterpiece was Jerez. The original idea of the inhabitants of Rhodes was to build a statue that would be 10 times higher than the average height of a person, that is, 18 meters.

But then they decided to double the height, for which they allocated an even larger amount of money to Jerez. But they were not enough to continue construction. However, Jerez could no longer stop.

He borrowed enormous amounts of money from wealthy friends and relatives and continued to work tirelessly to create a monument that would later join the Seven Wonders of the World.

Ultimately, after 12 years of titanic work, the world saw the 36-meter Colossus of Rhodes. It consisted of an iron frame, finished with clay, and was lined with bronze. The Colossus was located right at the entrance to the harbor, and was visible from all the nearby islands.

It is interesting to note that the fate of the sculptor Jerez himself was tragic. After completing his masterpiece, he was persecuted by creditors. Ultimately, he committed suicide.

In total, 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron were used to build the Colossus of Rhodes. However, 65 years after its appearance, around 225 BC. The Colossus of Rhodes fell into the sea, breaking at the knees. By the way, the expression “colossus with feet of clay” appeared precisely after this.

Eyewitnesses left information that the finger of the statue alone was so thick that two adults could barely grasp it.

The height of the colossus was approximately 60 m (like an eighteen-story building). The Rhodes statue lay in a recumbent position for almost 900 years. Then it was dismantled and sold by the Arabs, who by that time had captured Rhodes.

In the end, it should only be noted that there is no exact data about what the Colossus of Rhodes, included in the seven wonders of the world, actually looked like.

7th wonder of the world - Lighthouse of Alexandria

The last, seventh wonder of the world is the Lighthouse of Alexandria, built in the 3rd century BC. It is also called differently Faros lighthouse.

The idea of creating this lighthouse was quite practical. The fact is that not far from Alexandria there was the island of Pharos with an important bay. At that time it was of great importance for passing merchant ships.

Probably Sostratus of Knidos (chief architect of the lighthouse) dreamed that his brainchild would be included in the seven wonders of the world and glorify his name for centuries.

The project was implemented during the reign of the Egyptian Ptolemy II. 20 years were allotted for construction, but Sostratus completed the work in just 5.

An interesting fact is that when Sostratus was asked to imprint the name of Ptolemy on the Alexandria lighthouse, he acted very cunningly. First, he carved his name on the stone, and on top of the plaster he laid out the name of the ruler.

A few decades later, the plaster collapsed, and the residents saw the name of the true master and author of the seventh wonder of the world.

The Alexandria Lighthouse consisted of three towers.

The lowest part was a technical floor, where workers and soldiers lived, and all equipment for maintaining the lighthouse was stored.

The second part looked like an octagonal tower, around which there was a ramp. Fuel for the fire was supplied through it.

The topmost, key tower of the lighthouse was equipped with a complex system of mirrors, thanks to which the light from the fire was visible so far.

The total height of the Faros lighthouse was about 140 meters. At the very top of the head was a statue of the god of the seas - Poseidon.

It is worth mentioning the reviews of contemporaries who saw the Alexandria Lighthouse in person. So some travelers talked about the amazing statues that were located at the lighthouse.

The first of them raised her hand at sunrise, pointed at it throughout the day, and after sunset the hand dropped.

The second one made a sound 24 times a day with the last second of each passing hour.

The third indicated the direction of the wind.

At night, the Alexandria lighthouse illuminated the water surface over a distance of over 60 km. During the day, a column of smoke rose from it, which also served as an important indicator for ships.

In 796, after standing for almost 1000 years, the seventh wonder of the world, the Faros lighthouse, was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake. In the 15th century, Sultan Qait Bey founded a fortress on its foundation, which still exists today.

An interesting fact is that in 2015, the Egyptian authorities approved a project to rebuild the lighthouse.

Well, here we go all seven wonders of the world. Of course this list is different time disputed by certain figures, but it is still considered a classic.

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The list of the seven ancient wonders of the world includes the most famous monuments art Ancient world. For their beauty, uniqueness and technical complexity they were called miracles. The list has changed over time, but the number of miracles included in it has remained unchanged. According to some versions, the author of the classical version of the list is considered to be the ancient Greek engineer and mathematician Philo of Byzantium, who lived in the 3rd century BC. uh..

We have already talked about each of these miracles separately, so we advise you to also follow the links in the article, where many are available useful information. We will pay special attention to the Egyptian pyramids - the first wonder of the world, talking about each of the pyramids:

1. Egyptian pyramids

Topping the list of the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World are the Egyptian pyramids, which is not surprising, since they are the only one of the wonders of the world that have survived to this day. These stone structures became the greatest monuments of ancient Egyptian architecture. They served as tombs for the Egyptian pharaohs and were supposed to provide eternal housing for the immortal spirit of the rulers. The period of construction of the pyramids dates back to the 2nd-3rd millennia BC. During this time, more than a hundred of these structures were built. The largest of them is the Cheops pyramid. Its original height was 146.6 m, and the length of the side face was 230.33 m. However, time and earthquakes have somewhat changed its appearance, and to date, the height of this majestic structure reaches only 138.8 m, and the length of the side face is ~ 225 m The rest of the Egyptian pyramids are significantly smaller in size. A little more detail:

Sphinx

A thousand years after its creation in 1550-1397. BC. The Sphinx was buried under the desert sands. A story is carved on the stele located between the Sphinx's front paws. It described how the young prince Thutmose, who was hunting here, fell asleep in the shadow of a stone body. In a dream, the Sphinx appeared to him in the form of Horus and predicted the prince's future accession to the throne and asked to free him from the sand. When Thutmose found himself on the throne a few years later under the name of Pharaoh Thutmose IV, he remembered his dream and carried out the first restoration. Apart from natural erosion, the most serious damage was caused to the Sphinx by the Mamluks, who knocked off its nose with a cannon shot (Muslims had an extremely negative attitude towards the image of a person). The statue was finally cleared of sand in the mid-1920s.

The statue is 57 m long and 20 m high, the width of the face is 4.1 m, the height of the face is 5 m - depicts a pharaoh who combines the power of man, god and lion. At the same time, the Sphinx is considered the chief of the guards of the necropolis; he was identified with the god Horus

Read essays: Seven Wonders of the World

Wonder of the World No. 5: Pyramids of Egypt

The pyramids of Egypt are the oldest of the wonders of the world, which, moreover, have survived to this day. Of course, one can argue for a long time who created these amazing stone mountains, which seem to stand forever: the desert will be replaced by a rainforest, the forest will be replaced by a desert again, and they will still remain towering above the ground, inspiring respect for their creators.

Now they are already talking about the hand of aliens, about the Atlanteans who allegedly helped the ancient builders. Even the dates given are not the ones accepted. But for now these are only hypotheses, but official version remains the same.

It is believed that the first pyramid was built by egyptian pharaoh Djoser (reigned around 2780-2760 BC). There are legends that the main role in the creation of this huge structure (about 60 meters high) was played by the great figure of those times, Imhotep. (Didn’t we see his free interpretation not so long ago in “The Mummy”?) From a later time, figurines depicting this remarkable architect have been preserved. Apparently, Pharaoh Djoser himself was so pleased with the unprecedented tomb built by Imhotep that he allowed the name of the architect to be carved on the base of his statue - an honor completely unheard of in ancient Egypt. During excavations of the mortuary temple, located near the pyramid of Djoser, scientists found fragments of several statues of the pharaoh and among them a pedestal on which the name of Imhotep was written.

One of the first ancient scientists to report on the pyramids was Herodotus. According to his stories, in order to drag the stone blocks up, an inclined embankment was built. Subsequently it was leveled. Along it, the builders, driven by the sticks of the overseers, pulled heavy stones on ropes, which were installed in place with the help of a wooden lever. How many people died under the weight of a broken block of stone, how many were maimed while laying stones, how many died from backbreaking labor right here, near the still unfinished walls of the pyramid! And this has been going on for twenty long years. When the masonry of the pyramid was completed, its steps were laid with facing blocks. They were brought from quarries located in Upper Egypt, near Aswan. The facing blocks were lifted up along the ledges of the pyramid and laid from top to bottom. Then they were polished. Under the rays of the southern sun they shone with a dazzling brilliance against the background of the cloudless Egyptian sky. Herodotus says that the construction of the pyramid of Khufu lasted about twenty years. Every three months, workers were changed, the number of which reached 100,000 people. The whips of the overseers, the grueling heat, and inhuman labor did their job. After all, there were no machines for lifting two-ton limestone blocks. Everything was done only with the help of living human power. Even if we accept Taking into account that Herodotus made a number of obvious exaggerations and inaccuracies, the figures he cited still give an idea of the enormous scale of work undertaken by Cheops to create a colossal tomb. In the same story, Herodotus mentions an inscription made on the pyramid, which indicated the amount, spent on onions, garlic and radishes for the workers was equal to 1600 talents. “If this is really so,” exclaims Herodotus, “then how much should be spent on iron tools for work, on food and clothing for the workers?”

The pyramids are constantly being explored and very often something interesting is found, which immediately gives rise to new myths and mysteries. Currently, intensive study of the so-called mines in Great Pyramid Cheops. Interesting hypotheses put forward by scientists R. Bauval and E. Gilbert in their best-selling book “Secrets of the Pyramids”...

Long ago, sages and travelers compiled a list of 7 wonders of the world, the list included the most beautiful and, in their opinion, most majestic buildings in the whole world.

Initially, in the 5th century BC. There were only 3 wonders of the world on the list. After this, in the 3rd century BC, thanks to the poem of Antipater from Sidon, 4 more wonders of the world were added to the list and so the list received the name 7 wonders of the world.

Add to list seven ancient wonders of the world includes the most famous monuments of art of the Ancient world. For their beauty, uniqueness and technical complexity they were called miracles.

The list has changed over time, but the number of miracles included in it has remained unchanged. According to some versions, the author of the classical version of the list is considered to be the ancient Greek engineer and mathematician Philo of Byzantium, who lived in the 3rd century BC. e.

1. Egyptian pyramids

Topping the list are the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World, which is not surprising, since they are the only one of the wonders of the world that have survived to this day.

These stone structures became the greatest monuments of ancient Egyptian architecture. They served as tombs for the Egyptian pharaohs and were supposed to provide eternal housing for the immortal spirit of the rulers. The period of construction of the pyramids dates back to the 2nd-3rd millennia BC.

During this time, more than a hundred of these structures were built. The largest of them is the Cheops pyramid. Its original height was 146.6 m, and the length of the side face was 230.33 m. However, time and earthquakes have somewhat changed its appearance, and to date, the height of this majestic structure reaches only 138.8 m, and the length of the side face is ~ 225 m The rest of the Egyptian pyramids are significantly inferior to it in size.

The Hanging Gardens were built in 600 BC. by order of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II. It is believed that this was done to entertain his wife, who was yearning for the greenery of her homeland in dusty Babylon. The Hanging Gardens were a four-tiered pyramid that looked like a flowering hill. The lower tier was an irregular quadrangle, the smallest side of which was 34 m, the largest - 42 m. The tiers were supported by columns whose height reached 25 m. Each tier was covered with a layer of fertile soil on which various plants could be planted.

Although the wife of the Babylonian king was named Amitas, the name of the Hanging Gardens is traditionally associated with the name of the legendary Assyrian ruler Semiramis.

The famous statue of Zeus, the supreme god of the ancient Greek pantheon, was created by the great sculptor and architect Phidias. It was intended for the temple of Zeus, located in Olympia, the city in which the Olympic Games. The frame of the statue was made of wood, onto which ivory plates were glued, imitating naked skin. The hair, beard, wreath, clothes and shoes were made of gold, and the eyes were made of precious stones. In his right hand Zeus held the goddess of victory Nike, also made of ivory and gold.

In 393, Roman Emperor Theodosius I banned the Olympic Games as a pagan event. At the beginning of the 5th century, the statue of Zeus was transported to Constantinople, where some time later it died in a fire.

4. Temple of Artemis in Ephesus

In 550 BC, in the city of Ephesus, located in Asia Minor, the construction of a temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis was completed. It was a large white stone building, but history has not preserved it detailed description. In 356 BC a resident of Ephesus named Herostratus burned it in order to glorify his name. However, by the beginning of the 3rd century AD. e. A new one was built on the site of the burnt temple. The second temple of Artemis was larger than the previous one. Its width was 51 m and its length was 105 m. The roof of the temple was supported by 127 18-meter columns installed in 8 rows. Statues of its builders, Praxiteles and Scopas, were installed inside the temple.

At the end of the 4th century AD, the temple was closed by order of the Roman Emperor Theodosius I, and then partially dismantled for new buildings.

This tomb was built in the middle of the 4th century BC. e. in the city of Halicarnassus, located in the territory modern Turkey. It became a tomb for King Mausolus, the ruler of one of the regions of Asia Minor, and was named a mausoleum after him. The Tomb of Mausolus is a brick building faced with white marble. The Roman writer and historian Pliny the Elder claimed that the length of this structure was 60 m and the height was 46 m.

This mausoleum existed for almost two thousand years and was finally destroyed only in the 16th century, when the Knights of St. John dismantled its remains to build a fortress.

In the 3rd century BC this giant statue was installed on greek island Rhodes. Work on it continued for about 20 years. The result was a clay statue with a metal frame, trimmed with bronze sheets and depicting the sun god Helios. The height of this colossus, standing on a white marble pedestal, almost reached 36 m. About 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron were spent on its production.

The Colossus of Rhodes stood in its place for only 56 years. As a result of what happened in 222 BC. earthquake, he broke at the knees and fell. This is where the expression “colossus with feet of clay” comes from. In 977 AD e. what was left of the statue was sold to merchants. According to the chronicles, there was enough debris to load 900 camels with it. The ancient Greek author Philo of Byzantium was first mentioned as one of the Colossae of Rhodes.

7.

Around 280 BC, the world's first lighthouse was completed on the small Mediterranean island of Pharos, located near the port of Alexandria. This work took about 20 years. Height Alexandria lighthouse was equal to 135 m, and the light from it was visible at a distance exceeding 60 km. A fire was constantly burning at the top of the lighthouse, the light from which was directed out to the sea using polished bronze plates. During the day, a column of smoke served as a guide for sailors.

In the 12th century AD e. The Alexandria Bay ceased to be used due to filling with silt, and the Faros Lighthouse lost its significance. In the 14th century, it was damaged by an earthquake and then dismantled by Muslims to build a fortress.

Seven Wonders of the World- these words have become firmly established in everyday life. They are used when they want to emphasize the outstanding merits of either a work of art, or a grandiose structure, or a scientific discovery. But why exactly seven miracles? Was this number chosen at random? The number "seven" has been revered since ancient times. Since the calendar was based on the lunar month. During lunar month 28 days. During this period, the Moon waxes and wanes, going through 4 phases (quarter Moon, half Moon, full Moon, new Moon). These phases of the moon change every seven days. The seven heavenly bodies, including the Sun and Moon, were associated with certain heavenly deities of the ancient Babylonians. In their honor, a seven-tiered tower was built in Babylon. The same Babylonians believed that a deceased person passes through 7 gates in the kingdom of the dead. The ancient Greeks also attached great importance to the number 7. In the legends of the Minotaur, the Athenians were required to sacrifice 7 boys and 7 girls. Seven is the sacred number of Apollo. There were also 7 sages whom the Greeks revered. With the number 7, the ancient Greeks associated the idea of something complete and perfect. More often than others, ancient authors included among the seven wonders of the world:

(Egypt)

(Babylon)

(Ephesus)

(Olympia)

(Helicarnassus)

(Rhodes Island)

(Alexandria)

The seven wonders of the world are considered to be creations that, with their technical or artistic perfection, aroused the admiration of people of past centuries. The encyclopedias indicate that for the first time the wonders of the world, limiting the family, were classified and described by Philo.

(2550 BC)
Everyone knows how many interesting, sometimes amazing scientific discoveries were made by scientists on ancient Egyptian soil. Her tombs and temples yielded a lot of wonderful finds. But the greatest miracle of Egypt, which amazed people even in ancient times, were the pyramids - these amazing artificial mountains - the tombs of the ancient Egyptian kings. Travelers sailing along the yellow waters of the Nile were always struck by the sharp edge where the Nile Valley with its green fields and date groves gives way to the hot sands of the dead Libyan Desert.
Even further to the west, amazing mountains are visible. They are regular in shape and stretch for tens of kilometers - from modern city Cairo to the Fayum Oasis.
This - Egyptian pyramids. They seem to grow out of the desert sands - colossal, majestic, overwhelming a person with their extraordinary size and severity of outline. Standing at the foot of the pyramid, it is difficult to imagine that these huge stone mountains were created by human hands. Meanwhile, they were actually built from individual stone blocks, just as children today build pyramids from cubes. Thousands of hands of slaves and Egyptians subject to the pharaoh were busy with hard and useless labor - creating a huge stone mountain, which was supposed to hide in its depths dead body Egyptian king. By creating an eternal tomb, the pharaoh provided his immortal spirit with an eternal home.
The first Egyptian king to erect a pyramid over his tomb was Pharaoh Djoser. This one ancient pyramid Egypt consists of six huge steps. Before the construction of the first pyramid, tombs with a massive rectangular above-ground part made of stone were erected in Egypt. In shape they resemble Arab benches - mastabas - and under this name they entered science. The pyramid of Djoser was essentially six such mastabas, placed one on top of the other, decreasing towards the top. The creation of the world's first stone structure of such significant size (height about 60 m) is attributed to Imhotep, a remarkable medical scientist, mathematician and architect, former vizier of King Djoser. Imhotep's fame was so great that within a few centuries his name was surrounded by legends. From later times, figurines depicting this remarkable architect have been preserved. Apparently, Pharaoh Djoser himself was so pleased with the unprecedented tomb built by Imhotep that he allowed the architect’s name to be carved on the base of his statue - an honor completely unheard of in ancient Egypt. During excavations of the mortuary temple, located near the pyramid of Djoser, scientists found fragments of several statues of the pharaoh and among them a pedestal on which the name of Imhotep was written.
Excavations near the pyramid of Djoser discovered an entire “city of the dead” surrounding the tomb of the pharaoh. Mastabas were built around - tombs of members of the royal family and nobles close to the pharaoh. There was also a mortuary temple here, where sacrifices were made in honor of the deceased pharaoh. During excavations of the temple, archaeologists discovered a hall decorated with the oldest columns in the world. True, these were not yet ordinary round columns, they only protruded half from the walls, but Imhotep, long before the Greek architects, created the prototype of a strict and slender Dorian colonnade.
The mortuary temple and the pyramid were surrounded by a wall of white limestone and, according to the architect’s plan, formed a single architectural ensemble.
The largest pyramid was built by Pharaoh Khufu (or Cheops in Greek), who lived in the 28th century. BC.
This huge pyramid has stood for almost five thousand years. Its height reached 147 m (now, due to the collapse of the top, its height is 137 m), and each side is 233 m long. In order to go around the Khufu pyramid, you need to walk about a kilometer. Up to late XIX V. Khufu's pyramid was the tallest structure on earth. Its enormous size amazed everyone who was in Egypt. It is not for nothing that the first Russian travelers who came to Egypt called the pyramids “man-made mountains.”
Scientists have calculated that Khufu's pyramid was made of 2,300,000 huge blocks of limestone, polished smooth, and each of these blocks weighed more than two tons. Carefully hewn and polished limestone blocks were so skillfully fitted to one another that it was impossible to insert a knife blade into the gap between two stones.
The stones were tightly adjacent to one another and held together by their own weight. The accuracy of the work of stonemasons and grinders is worthy of surprise, especially if you imagine that the ancient artisans who created such grandiose monuments of human labor also used stone tools. In the quarries on the right bank of the Nile, not far from ancient capital Egypt Memphis, thousands of workers quarried stone to build the pyramid. Along the boundaries of the stone block marked on the limestone rock, workers hollowed out deep grooves in the stone. This work took a lot of effort and labor. Having dug holes in the furrow, the workers hammered wedges of dry wood into them and watered them with water. The wet wood began to swell, the crack grew larger, and the block broke away from the rock. The broken stone was pulled out of the quarry shafts using thick ropes woven from papyrus (such ropes were found in ancient quarries). The limestone blocks were then hewn together by specialist stonemasons. Stonemasons worked using a range of tools made from wood, stone and copper. This work, of course, was easier than the work of quarrying stone, but even here they had to work from dawn to dusk under the scorching sun. Blocks of white facing limestone were transported on boats to the other side of the Nile. They were transported to the construction site by loading them onto special wooden sleds.
The ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who visited Egypt in the 5th century. BC, was the first scientist to report in detail the information he collected about the pyramids. Herodotus's work was an extensive narrative consisting of nine books, in one of which he described his journey to Egypt.
According to Herodotus, in order to drag the stone blocks up, an inclined embankment was built. Subsequently it was leveled. Along it, the builders, driven by the sticks of the overseers, pulled heavy stones on ropes, which were installed in place with the help of a wooden lever. How many people died under the weight of a broken block of stone, how many were maimed while laying stones, how many died from backbreaking labor right here, near the still unfinished walls of the pyramid! And this has been going on for twenty long years. When the masonry of the pyramid was completed, its steps were laid with facing blocks. They were brought from quarries located in Upper Egypt, near Aswan. The facing blocks were lifted up along the ledges of the pyramid and laid from top to bottom. Then they were polished. Under the rays of the southern sun they shone with a dazzling brilliance against the background of the cloudless Egyptian sky. Herodotus says that the construction of the pyramid of Khufu lasted about twenty years. Every three months, workers were changed, the number of which reached 100,000 people. The whips of the overseers, the grueling heat, and inhuman labor did their job. After all, there were no machines for lifting two-ton limestone blocks. Everything was done only with the help of living human power. Even if we accept Taking into account that Herodotus made a number of obvious exaggerations and inaccuracies, the figures he cited still give an idea of the enormous scale of work undertaken by Cheops to create the colossal tomb.
The entire burial structure was almost solid masonry. The entrance to the pyramid was always located on its northern edge, at a height of about 14 m from the ground. Inside the pyramid there were several chambers, of which only two were burial chambers. One, the lower one, as scientists suggest, was intended for the king’s wife. The second, somewhat larger in size (10.6 x 5.7 m), located at a height of 42.5 m from the base of the pyramid, served as the tomb of the pharaoh himself. It contained a sarcophagus made of red polished granite. Above the king's burial chamber there are five blind chambers, one above the other, apparently intended to distribute the pressure above the chamber. In the thickness of the pyramid there are several narrow and long passages leading to chambers located inside the pyramid and to a chamber dug under its base. Scientists also traced two ventilation slits that penetrated the thickness of the stonework and came from the chamber of Cheops itself. When clearing the surface of the pyramid, marks made in red paint and containing the name of Pharaoh Khufu were discovered on many blocks. Parts of the ancient cladding were discovered by archaeologists while clearing the sand-covered lower part of the pyramid. The pressing of the facing stones was so perfect that it was impossible to immediately determine the places where they were connected. And when photographing this cladding, the researchers had to specially paint around the seams where the blocks met. We can safely say that none of the kings who ruled after Khufu could surpass his tomb in size and grandeur, but the name of the pharaoh, who decided to glorify himself by building a pyramid of unprecedented magnificence, was hated by the population of Egypt for many centuries.

The second largest after the tomb of Khufu is considered to be the pyramid of Pharaoh Khafre (Khefre). It is 8 m lower, but less destroyed. The top of the pyramid retains part of the polished cladding. The remaining pyramids are much smaller, and many of them are badly damaged.
Near the pyramid of Khafre, a hill rises from the desert sand. Its height is about 20 m, length is about 60 m. Approaching the hill, travelers see a huge statue carved almost entirely from rock. This is the famous Great Sphinx - a figure of a reclining lion with a human head. His face was cracked, his nose and chin were broken off. So the Muslim Arabs mutilated the statue, which had stood for thousands of years. The Arabs believed that evil spirits lived in the statues of ancient Egyptian gods, and therefore tried to destroy as many of their images as possible. They were unable to cope with such a giant as the Great Sphinx, but they disfigured him thoroughly.
“Father of Terror” is what the desert inhabitants call the Great Sphinx. He inspires them with the greatest fear at night, illuminated by the bright moon, when deep shadows give his features special expressiveness.
In ancient Egypt, not every mortal had the right to approach the pyramid - this “eternal horizon”, beyond which the pharaoh “went” (they did not say about the pharaoh that he died - he “went” beyond the horizon, like the sun; Egyptian kings called themselves sons sun). In order for those who wished to be able to honor the memory of the deceased pharaoh without offending his greatness, a funeral temple was erected at some distance from the pyramid - something like a reception hall for the deceased king. Massive rectangular pillars of polished granite supported the ceiling. The granite walls and floor of the building were carefully polished.
In order to preserve the king’s body, which was the abode of his soul (the Egyptians called it Ka), from decay, he was embalmed.
The pharaoh's relatives and priests made sure that the deceased was not in danger in the afterlife, that he could move freely inside his tomb, and that the gods would accept him as an equal. Therefore, the walls of rooms inside the pyramids are often covered with prayers and spells. Doors that led from one room to another or from a corridor to a cell were subjected to especially careful spells. On the walls adjacent to the doors there are images of door guards - baboons, wolves, lions, and spells against them and evil demons threatening the deceased pharaoh. These texts, discovered in large numbers, are among the oldest works of religious literature. Scientists called them “pyramid texts” after the place where they were found.
Caring for the safety of the spirit of the deceased in the afterlife, his relatives did not forget about vital necessary things. Jewels and various items that belonged to the pharaoh were kept in special rooms. After all, the ancient Egyptians believed that the deceased continues to live after death, that he needs all the things that he needed during life. And the magnificent tomb of the king served as his home, just as a luxurious palace was his home during his lifetime.
On holidays in memory of the deceased pharaoh, a solemn procession headed to his pyramid. In a hall with columns in front of the image of the pharaoh, “seated next to Ra,” prayers were performed and sacrifices were made. These days in " city of the dead" near great pyramids it was noisy and lively.
A mere mortal did not dare approach the pyramid - the sacred resting place of the pharaoh who became a deity. However, the riches that filled the storerooms of the royal tomb were a great temptation for robbers. The builders of the pyramids also foresaw this. The entrance to the crypt was closed from the inside with a heavy keystone. After the end of the funeral ceremonies, the supports were knocked out from under the stone and the entrance to the central chamber of the pyramid, where the magnificent granite sarcophagus with the body of the pharaoh stood, was closed forever.
The same huge stone, lowered down an inclined passage into the crypt, blocked the passage to the corridor.
The well through which people descended was filled up after all the entrances and exits were walled up. The royal grave was inaccessible to people and demons. The pharaoh could rest peacefully under the hundred-meter huge pyramid hanging over the vaulted crypt.
But all precautions were in vain. The royal tombs were robbed in ancient times, and to this day only empty halls and complex passages inside the pyramids have survived.
But although the texts of the pyramids praised the divine power of the pharaoh, although the powerful walls of the pyramid reliably covered the burial of the king, the huge granite sarcophagi in the pyramids of kings Khufu and Khafre are empty. Even in ancient times, the temples at the pyramid of Khafre were destroyed. Huge statues of Pharaoh Khafre were broken and thrown into a well, from where archaeologists extracted them during excavations. It was clear that these magnificent statues made of dark, hard stone had not suffered from time. They were deliberately damaged, broken into pieces, mutilated.
In Egypt, even the most noble person did not dare to think about building such a funerary structure as a pyramid. Only Pharaoh, the son of the Sun, could have such a grandiose tomb. The tombs of noble Egyptians were either carved into the rock or built of stone or brick. These were low rectangular structures built above the crypt. Tombs Egyptian nobility usually crowd around the pyramids, as if the nobles wanted to be closer to the pharaoh after death.
These mastaba tombs usually had several rooms. In the main one there was a sarcophagus with the body of the deceased. In one of the rooms, things that belonged to the owner of the tomb were stored. In a small room there was usually a statue of the deceased. The walls of the mastabas were decorated with paintings or painted reliefs. The colors of the paintings amaze with their brightness and freshness. The liveliness and subtlety of the drawing were amazing. But Egyptian artists worked with rather rough brushes made from pieces of fibrous wood. At one end such a piece was broken with a stone until it was softened, forming a rough fringe. It was with such primitive brushes (several brushes with remains of paint on them were found in tombs) that artists created elegant, picturesque images that decorated the walls of the tombs.
Here you can see scenes of everyday life - harvesting, sowing, artisans and farmers at work, hunting, boating on the Nile, girls dancing, warriors dancing. Simple people, hardworking and talented - these were the Egyptian workers depicted at their usual activities.
And it was not the nobles - the owners of rich, decorated mastabas, who boastfully listed their services to the pharaoh, who immortalized themselves by building these tombs, but humble workers, whose names are not mentioned in the inscriptions.
They built irrigation canals and dams, they carved magnificent statues, erected beautiful temples, and decorated the walls of buildings with wonderful reliefs full of life's truth. And in these pictures of everyday life they immortalized themselves, their invisible work, without which the entire thousand-year-old culture of Egypt could not have existed. Without knowing it themselves, they have preserved to this day on the stone pages of the walls stories about their hard working life, about the forced existence of some and the prosperity of others, about their sorrows, fun and entertainment.

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