The Pyramids Of Ancient Egypt - 1614 Words

Within the deserts of Egypt lie the ruins of a colossal ancient civilization. Of all the seven wonders of the Ancient World, these are the only ones that we have been allowed to appreciate as they are they only ones still around today. These are, of course, the great pyramids of ancient Egypt. It is obvious that these structures had a purpose for the ancient Egyptians and were not built simply to impress future generations. While they seem basic in form, as they are simply four-sided pyramids with square bases, they had a meaning for the pharaohs who had them built. Even by today’s standards, the pyramids of ancient Egypt are an impressive feat of engineering, due to their enormous size, both in building materials and finished product.†¦show more content†¦The previous style of burial of Egyptian pharaohs was the mastaba, a flat-roofed structure made of brick. However, at the beginning of the Old Kingdom, stone was introduced as a building material. Building with ston e has been attributed to Imhotep, the most ancient of all known architects. He was the designer of the first type of Egyptian pyramid, the step pyramid, which was first introduced at the burial complex of Zoser, just outside the ancient city of Memphis. It was achievements such as these that gained Imhotep great respect among later Egyptians who not only saw him as a great architect, but also â€Å"a magician, astronomer, and the father of the art of medicine† (Edwards, 35). Step pyramids are similar to the pyramids we know today, but instead of being flat on all four sides, they have setbacks as they rise, giving the appearance of giant steps. These step pyramids were not true pyramids. However, by the second dynasty of the Old Kingdom, true pyramids began to take shape. The now-ruined pyramid of Meidum is an early example of a true pyramid. While the ruined core of the superstructure is the only thing that really remains of this pyramid, archaeologists have deduced that it was originally built as a step pyramid, and then later converted to a true pyramid by building over the steps, thereby flattening the sides (Edwards, 74-77). However, the evolution of the true pyramid was not without its flaws. One good example of this