"The Egyptian pyramids were originally white, but nobody knew."

The Great Pyramid of Giza is one of the famous seven wonders of the world. It is a true miracle that this daylight has been seen more than 4,000 years later, it is still in the sand of Egypt.

The Egyptian pyramids were originally white, but nobody knew.

But do you know that it looked completely different in those days?
This architectural masterpiece was built on the Giza plateau around 2560 BC. C. It is on the outskirts of modern Cairo. It was the first of the three pyramids built in an area that was built from the so-called necropolis of the ancient pyramids. The Great Pyramid was conceived as a mausoleum for Khufu, which he could have known as Chops. He was the second emperor of the fourth dynasty. He ruled Egypt during a reign over a century old. Prior to this, the locals were already burying their royals in a special vault called Mastaba. But it was only in the 27th century BC that there was a concept of a pyramid with smooth and sloping sides that we all know today. And Khufu was what happened to make it the largest in the whole country. Just look at its proportions: it was originally about 480 feet high from the ground, while its base was 750 feet long. To be fair, skyscrapers are so common today that even the largest does not affect anyone. So, if you're still not dazzled, listen to this. The pyramid of Khufu was the longest structure made by human hands worldwide for more than 3,800 years! And not only his form was striking. This huge monument was virtually the result of great work that took almost 20 years to complete. It consisted of approximately 2.3 million blocks of stone, and each of them had an average theft of more than 2 tons. In fact, they differ in both the size of the slab and the material. The main section, for example, the king's chamber was built with huge blocks of red granite. And I mean huge because some of them weighing up to 80 tons. They were so heavy that they could withstand the pressure of the upper compartments. For the room where the cartoon of Farooq Khufu was located, it was made of solid rock. But the main elements used during construction were several types of limestone. The outer deck that you can see these days were built with dark limestone. It looked grayish brown and was considered of inferior quality. In addition, the bricks chosen for this layer were rigid and quite irregular in shape. This cannot be the way to bury a sovereign who respects himself. If you are also confused, really give an adequate explanation. These long rows of steep slabs of stepped pyramids instead of commoners were actually inner liners or cores. Maybe we weren't going to see it either. It's hard to believe me, but in ancient times the crypt was fascinatingly white. In fact, it was prepared with bright white limestone. Initially, it forms the outer layer of the pyramid. These so-called saw stones were cut with precision so that the structure had a flat and oblique surface. Each of them had to be tilted at an angle of approximately 52 degrees. They were also polished to give them more softness. I can only imagine how it flickers in the sunlight or under the moon. In this way, the temple could be seen from miles away.

The Egyptian pyramids were originally white, but nobody knew.

But what could have happened with this?
Well, a great earthquake hit Crete in 1303 CE. Tremors occurred in remote areas of the Greek islands, such as modern Turkey, Cyprus, and Egypt. The tremors were so severe that they severely damaged the lighthouse of Alexandria, another wonder of the world. Cairo was also impressed, and the Great Pyramid had a similar fate. Fortunately, it did not decompose completely. But in many sections of the deck, the bottom slid to the ground and ended. Half a century later, Hassan, a Nasir of the Sultan who was running the country at that time, brought the stone to Cairo. There they were used to build new fortresses and temples, apparently including the famous mosque-madrassa of Sultan Hasan. So, if you've ever been to that city, you may have seen fragments of the pyramid of Khufu without even knowing it. For hundreds of years, the ancient monuments were worn by the wind and the sun. In the nineteenth century, the remaining limestone pieces that were once covered were seized again. This time it was then Emperor Muhammad Ali Pasha who began the construction of the alabaster mosque in Cairo. In a way, it was very symbolic because, like the gem in Giza, this mosque, among other things, served as a tomb for the ruler of Egypt. Therefore, it was like a pyramid of its time. Like Khufu's grave, it is hard to imagine how many different ages and kings there are in their time.

And if you can travel in time during any period, what would you choose?
Share your thoughts in the comments below. Many adventurers who discovered the site later stumbled upon a large pile of strange debris at the foot of the pyramid. Surprisingly, it was the rocks of the original cover that survived all the problems and stayed in Giza. Although the place was thoroughly cleaned during excavation, you can find some pieces of those stones near the base of the monument. Clearly, this rock must have been quite important because it had been popular with local rulers for a long time. In fact, one of the secrets of the Great Pyramid was the way in which precious material was found for Giza in the first place. You see, deep yellow limestone was built for internal structures, which are only hundreds of meters south of the monument. But the fine white stones that were really valuable came from far away. They were evacuated to Tura, which was located on the opposite bank of the Nile River, about 8 miles from the Necropolis.

And do you remember the granite used for the king's chamber?
It was brought from a distant mine in Aswan. It is 500 miles.

The Egyptian pyramids were originally white, but nobody knew.

So how were the ancient Egyptians able to transport such bulky freights across such lengthy distances?
Especially considering that they didn’t have modern planes or trains or even proper wheel vehicles. Of course, there were many theories about that. It’s likely the workers used to put the stones on the wooden sleds to move them closer to the construction site. Scientists from the University of Amsterdam found out that to drag the sled over the sand, they poured some water in front of it. The wet grit is much harder than the dry, which greatly lessens friction and allows it to cut down the needed pulling force in half. But before they needed to haul the cargo they shipped it across the Nile by boats. Today the river runs a couple of miles from Giza. American archaeologist Mark Lehner discovered that thanks to one curious technique the ancient barges could approach the pyramids far easier than now. The Egyptians probably changed the landscape of that place by digging canals that connected the Nile with the plateau. He also found the remains of an age-old port near the necropolis. There’s some evidence that sailors could stop there to drop off the load, while laborers who built the pyramids could live there. The excavation of this harbor had also confirmed the idea that the people who worked on the pyramid's construction were, despite the popular belief, skilled and well-paid employees. They enjoyed a good diet with regular portions of beef and received decent health care. This wouldn’t be the case if the workforce consisted of servants who were just forced to do it. Whatever the case, the Egyptians sure spared no effort or expense to pay tribute to their ruler. Approximately 8,000 tons of granite and 5.5 million tons of limestone were put to use.No wonder that the total weight of the whole edifice was about 6 million tons. Let alone 500,000 tons of mortar which filled the space between the stones firmly holding them together. This unique compound is yet another pyramid’s mystery. Though it was most likely made of the gypsum mineral, researchers have still not been able to fully recreate it. But one thing is certain: it’s as tough as the blocks and it continues to fulfill its task thousands of years later.

Bright Side of life one!