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Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Ancient Pyramids
Below are essays my students are writing for their Ancient Egypt Portfolios. Parents please read them. In my opinion some of them are exceptional.
Mr. A
4 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Geometrically Speaking
Scattered around the entire world, and most popularly in Egypt, pyramids are still standing. These ancient structures served different purposes depending on where they were located. In Egypt, these mountainous stone buildings were most commonly used as a burial place for a king or pharaoh. The largest and most famous pyramid is located in Giza, and belongs to King Khufu.
The Egyptians worked tirelessly, day and night, to build these magnificent pyramids. Skilled artisans chiseled blocks out of mountainous lumps of solid rock, using only copper tools. Once the blocks were cut, other workers tied them to a wooden sled and pulled them across a path of logs all of the way back to the construction site. There they would place each block in its place by using a new form of mathematics that they created, and which is still commonly used today.
There are many theories about how the pyramids were actually constructed. One of those theories is that thousands, maybe even millions of men and slaves worked on them and placed the blocks using long, sloping tunnels to help lay them. Another one is that the “aliens” helped the ancient Egyptians build them. There is supporting evidence for both of those theories such as, the precision of how the blocks were made leads to the “aliens” theory, and the low density spiral image taken during the French search of the pyramids leads to the “tunnel” theory.
On page 169 in the social studies book, it describes, in part, how they placed the blocks. It said, “Next, they loaded the stones onto barges that transported them to the building site. There, workers unloaded the blocks and dragged or pushed them up the ramps to be set in place.” I think that this connects to the “tunnel” theory, because it could be saying that the ramps they are moving the blocks up are the ramps inside of the hidden tunnels.
There is not enough sufficient evidence, though, to prove which theory is fact, or how these magnificent structures were made. I personally think that thousands of men and slaves gathered the blocks and placed them using a hidden tunnel and cranes to build their way up the pyramid. I have great respect towards the ancient Egyptians for being able to do what we can’t even do today, especially without the technology that we have now.
The pyramids were built along the Nile River in Egypt. They were built as a final resting place for the pharaoh and there family. The great pyramid used 2,300,000 stone blocks weighing from 2-30 tons each with some weighing as much as 70 tons. The stones were up to 1/100th of an inch precise. They used a mortar unknown by chemical composition, which was stronger than most common mortars. The stone used for the pyramids could be up to 100 miles away and would be cut from quarries from Tura and Masara located on the east bank of the Nile on outskirts of Cairo. The stone was cut with bronze chisels and other items and transported along the river on boats. The reason the blocks could be placed so accurately was the use of the stars and constellations. Even the pyramids of Giza were lined up with Orion’s Belt this alignment is in accordance with Dwat, the art of placement as it was practiced in ancient Egypt, where the structures of the earth are positioned to mirror the architecture of heaven. The information encoded into the Great Pyramid is repeated multiple times. With the mantle in place, the Great Pyramid could be seen from the mountains in Israel and probably the moon as well. Its polished surfaces would have reflected light like a beacon, which could explain the theory of aliens helping them. In conclusion I think it is amazing how the ancient Egyptians accomplished something we can’t even do with all our machinery. From the Egyptians we have learned much about medicine, architecture, and much more. I truly think the pyramids deserve to be the last wonder of the world.
Pyramids are one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Egyptians spent hundreds of years building them. The Egyptians built the pyramids for the pharaoh to have a final resting place. Their souls would be able to join their families in the afterlife. The city of Cairo had 67 pyramids all over the city.
During the months of July, August, September, and October, the Nile River floods. This made it impossible for the farmers to grow crops. The pharaohs made the farmers help build the pyramids during those months. During the construction, first the site was chosen. Workers tied the blocks to wooden sleds called “sledges.” They loaded stones onto barges and floated them down the river to the site. The workers had to unload the blocks and drag them or push them up ramps.
I think pyramids are cool. They were hard to build. I Predict that many people lost there lives building them. I think the aliens helped the Egyptians stack the blocks because they were perfect even now in 2009 there aren’t many perfect blocks with the same exact size. It would be cool to go and see the pyramids in Egypt.
It took thousands of people and years of backbreaking labor to build the pyramids. The ancient Egyptians loved pyramids. They built the pyramids to have a final resting place so their souls would join the afterlife. The city of Cairo had 67 pyramids scattered around their city.
The pharaoh forced his subjects to do all of the construction on the pyramids. During the months of July, August, September, and October, the Nile River flooded the land. Farmers were unable to grow crops and had to help build the pyramids. He also made surveyors, engineers, carpenters, and stonecutters use their skills to help build the pyramids. It took eight men nine to ten days to move a 2 1/2 ton limestone block from the quarry, float it across the Nile River, and drag it to the top of the pyramid. Massive construction ramps may have been used to get the blocks to the top. The ramps may have been topped off with Tafla clay. When the clay was wet it was very slippery and made transporting the heavy stones easier. They dragged the stones by rope on sledges. They could have placed round logs under the stone to roll it. Crude wheels would make the load easy to pull. With 100,000 slaves working for an entire year they say it took 20 years to construct “ The Great Pyramid.”
There is also another theory that aliens built the pyramids. I think the aliens helped the Egyptians build them. I think it must have been very hard to build the pyramids. I think many people died. I also think the people probably hated the pharaoh. The one good thing is that you can go to Egypt and see the pyramids.
4 comments:
Geometrically Speaking
Scattered around the entire world, and most popularly in Egypt, pyramids are still standing. These ancient structures served different purposes depending on where they were located. In Egypt, these mountainous stone buildings were most commonly used as a burial place for a king or pharaoh. The largest and most famous pyramid is located in Giza, and belongs to King Khufu.
The Egyptians worked tirelessly, day and night, to build these magnificent pyramids. Skilled artisans chiseled blocks out of mountainous lumps of solid rock, using only copper tools. Once the blocks were cut, other workers tied them to a wooden sled and pulled them across a path of logs all of the way back to the construction site. There they would place each block in its place by using a new form of mathematics that they created, and which is still commonly used today.
There are many theories about how the pyramids were actually constructed. One of those theories is that thousands, maybe even millions of men and slaves worked on them and placed the blocks using long, sloping tunnels to help lay them. Another one is that the “aliens” helped the ancient Egyptians build them. There is supporting evidence for both of those theories such as, the precision of how the blocks were made leads to the “aliens” theory, and the low density spiral image taken during the French search of the pyramids leads to the “tunnel” theory.
On page 169 in the social studies book, it describes, in part, how they placed the blocks. It said, “Next, they loaded the stones onto barges that transported them to the building site. There, workers unloaded the blocks and dragged or pushed them up the ramps to be set in place.” I think that this connects to the “tunnel” theory, because it could be saying that the ramps they are moving the blocks up are the ramps inside of the hidden tunnels.
There is not enough sufficient evidence, though, to prove which theory is fact, or how these magnificent structures were made. I personally think that thousands of men and slaves gathered the blocks and placed them using a hidden tunnel and cranes to build their way up the pyramid. I have great respect towards the ancient Egyptians for being able to do what we can’t even do today, especially without the technology that we have now.
The Last Wonder
The pyramids were built along the Nile River in Egypt. They were built as a final resting place for the pharaoh and there family. The great pyramid used 2,300,000 stone blocks weighing from 2-30 tons each with some weighing as much as 70 tons. The stones were up to 1/100th of an inch precise. They used a mortar unknown by chemical composition, which was stronger than most common mortars.
The stone used for the pyramids could be up to 100 miles away and would be cut from quarries from Tura and Masara located on the east bank of the Nile on outskirts of Cairo. The stone was cut with bronze chisels and other items and transported along the river on boats. The reason the blocks could be placed so accurately was the use of the stars and constellations. Even the pyramids of Giza were lined up with Orion’s Belt this alignment is in accordance with Dwat, the art of placement as it was practiced in ancient Egypt, where the structures of the earth are positioned to mirror the architecture of heaven. The information encoded into the Great Pyramid is repeated multiple times. With the mantle in place, the Great Pyramid could be seen from the mountains in Israel and probably the moon as well. Its polished surfaces would have reflected light like a beacon, which could explain the theory of aliens helping them.
In conclusion I think it is amazing how the ancient Egyptians accomplished something we can’t even do with all our machinery. From the Egyptians we have learned much about medicine, architecture, and much more. I truly think the pyramids deserve to be the last wonder of the world.
Dylan S.
1-14-09
One of the Seven Wonders
of the World
Pyramids are one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Egyptians spent hundreds of years building them. The Egyptians built the pyramids for the pharaoh to have a final resting place. Their souls would be able to join their families in the afterlife. The city of Cairo had 67 pyramids all over the city.
During the months of July, August, September, and October, the Nile River floods. This made it impossible for the farmers to grow crops. The pharaohs made the farmers help build the pyramids during those months. During the construction, first the site was chosen. Workers tied the blocks to wooden sleds called “sledges.” They loaded stones onto barges and floated them down the river to the site. The workers had to unload the blocks and drag them or push them up ramps.
I think pyramids are cool. They were hard to build. I Predict that many people lost there lives building them. I think the aliens helped the Egyptians stack the blocks because they were perfect even now in 2009 there aren’t many perfect blocks with the same exact size. It would be cool to go and see the pyramids in Egypt.
Alberto H.
1-14-09
How the Pyramids Were Built
It took thousands of people and years of backbreaking labor to build the pyramids. The ancient Egyptians loved pyramids. They built the pyramids to have a final resting place so their souls would join the afterlife. The city of Cairo had 67 pyramids scattered around their city.
The pharaoh forced his subjects to do all of the construction on the pyramids.
During the months of July, August, September, and October, the Nile River flooded the land. Farmers were unable to grow crops and had to help build the pyramids. He also made surveyors, engineers, carpenters, and stonecutters use their skills to help build the pyramids. It took eight men nine to ten days to move a 2 1/2 ton limestone block from the quarry, float it across the Nile River, and drag it to the top of the pyramid. Massive construction ramps may have been used to get the blocks to the top. The ramps may have been topped off with Tafla clay. When the clay was wet it was very slippery and made transporting the heavy stones easier. They dragged the stones by rope on sledges. They could have placed round logs under the stone to roll it. Crude wheels would make the load easy to pull. With 100,000 slaves working for an entire year they say it took 20 years to construct “ The Great Pyramid.”
There is also another theory that aliens built the pyramids. I think the aliens helped the Egyptians build them. I think it must have been very hard to build the pyramids. I think many people died. I also think the people probably hated the pharaoh. The one good thing is that you can go to Egypt and see the pyramids.
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