英文金字塔介绍
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Review
The Pyramids / pirəmid/ of Egypt ['i:dʒipt] are among The
Seven Wonders of the World. These massive stone structures were built
around 4500 years ago. There are 138 (one hundred and thirty-eight)
pyramids discovered in Egypt as of 2008. The three largest and
best-preserved were built in Giza (['ɡi:zə]) on the outskirts of
Cairo(['kaiərəu]). In the initial days of the kingdom, Egyptians([i:'dʒipʃənz])
built tombs which had flat-roofed structures called Mastabas(['mæstəbə]).
It was only later when the economy flourished and state strengthened, that
they began building the pyramids/ pirəmid/.
It is believed that most of the pyramids were built during the Old Kingdom
and Middle Kingdom period. Pharaohs ['fɛro] ruled Egypt from 3000 BC to 30
['θə:ti] BC. The earliest pyramid discovered is called “Pyramid of Djoser”
in Saqqara, estimated to be built during 2630 BC to 2611 BC. This was built
in the third dynasty of Pharaoh. The pyramids built in the 3rd and 4th
dynasty were large and tall structures. Later the pyramids became small
in structure and were hastily built. This was due to the weakened economic
condition of the kingdom, which was plagued by famine and foreign and
domestic conflicts in its last days.
The ancient Egyptians believed that death on earth was the start of new
life, a new journey into to the next world. They believed that when a
pharaoh died, he became king of the dead. They believed that some parts
of the dead pharaoh’s spirit remain with his body. They believed that
if the dead pharaoh is not given proper care, he would not be able to carry
out his duties as the king of the dead and as result a curse would fall
on Egypt and upon the next living Pharaoh. In order to prevent any such
disaster the dead pharaoh was mummified. Food, stones, gold and furniture
were also placed in the pyramids along with the mummy so that the Pharaoh
was able to perform his duties as king of dead. The largest Egyptian pyramid belongs to the Pharaoh Khufu and is the also
among the only seven ancient wonders of the world still in existence. There
are 2.3 million stone blocks in this pyramid and each block weighs an
average of 2.5 to 15 tons each. The king's chamber is accessed via the
Grand Gallery and the pyramid has three burial chambers. An estimated
20,000 to 30,000 workers built the Pyramids at Giza over 80 years and the
latest research reveals that it could have taken workers between two to
two and a half minutes to set each block.
It is still unclear who built the pyramids, but the research has also
revealed that the pyramids were not built by slaves but by paid labourers,
who had firm faith in the divinity and immortality [,ɪmɔr'tæləti] of their
Pharaohs.
Historians and architects are still struggling to find out how such great
structures were built 4000 years ago in the absence of the latest machinery
and technology available today. Unfortunately, despite efforts to protect
the remains of Kings the pyramids were plundered by robbers long ago.