Lower Egypt Egypt Valley of the Kings Upper Egypt The Nile River is the longest river in the world It supplied the ancient Egyptians with transportation food building materials and water About 80 pyramids still exist in Egypt The three best-known pyramids are at Giza near modern-day Cairo The largest of the three was built for the pharaoh Khufu Archaeologists aren’t sure why the pharaohs chose the pyramid shape for their monuments Some think the shape may be a symbol of the sun’s rays or a pathway to heaven The ancient Egyptians believed death was the beginning of a trip to another world Each person’s eternal life depended on the pharaoh Building the pyramids for their pharaoh would benefit everyone in the kingdom 6
The pyramids at Giza were built so the pharaohs could watch from their palaces as they rose The construction took many years and each pharaoh hoped to live long enough to see his pyramid finished The cost of these giant tombs was enormous The pharaohs gave grand names to the pyramids Khufu named his Great Pyramid Khufu is one belonging to the horizon Brain Builder Khufu’s Great Pyramid rose to a height of about 45 stories 481 feet 147 meters The base measured 755 feet 230 meters along each side It was the tallest structure in the world for more than 4,000 years until the Eiffel Tower was built in Paris France The Great Pyramid was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and the only ancient wonder still standing today The mastaba or tomb of Seshemnefer IV includes a group of rooms worship area and burial chamber It sits in front of the Great Pyramid at Giza and is the most visited mastaba Seshemnefer oversaw the two seats of the House of Life and was keeper of the king's secrets 7
A pyramid contains a burial chamber for the pharaoh Some also include a chamber for the queen A series of tunnels connects other rooms and galleries Narrow shafts allow air inside king's chamber grand gallery queen's chamber entrance subterranean chamber The interior of the Great Pyramid of Giza has three chambers It is the only Egyptian pyramid known to have both ascending and descending passages Brain Builder Pharaohs were buried with everything they might need including food drinks pottery jewelry furniture and other treasures A boat was often buried next to the pyramid for the pharaoh to use in the afterlife The Egyptians also preserved the pharaoh's intestines stomach lungs and liver for the afterlife They did not save the brain because they believed it was worthless 8 Canopic jars were used to store and preserve the internal organs Each jar featured the head of an Egyptian god
Tales of treasures buried with the pharaohs tempted tomb robbers To keep thieves out of the tombs huge stones weighing up to three tons were set in the passages and at the entrances The pyramid builders also carved false doors into the bases Some tunnels were disguised or had blind passages and trapdoors with locks Still only one pharaoh’s burial site wasn’t robbed that of Tutankhamun who was buried in an underground tomb in the Valley of the Kings He was found lying in a series of three coffins the final one gold Bracelets rings collars and thousands of other priceless objects were found with him The tomb of King Tutankhamun contained artworks and other ritual objects ancient Egyptians believed would provide for the pharaoh's afterlife 9
