Giza pyramid complex

The Giza pyramid complex (also called the Giza necropolis) in Egypt is one of the most famous places in the world. It is home to the Great Pyramid, the pyramid of Khafre, and the pyramid of Menkaure, along with their smaller pyramids, temples, and the Great Sphinx. All of these amazing structures were built a very long time ago, during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt, between about 2600 and 2500 BC.

The pyramids sit near the city of Giza, just west of the Nile River, and not far from today’s big city, Cairo. This whole area is part of a much larger UNESCO World Heritage Site called the Memphis and its Necropolis, which includes many other pyramid sites like Abusir, Saqqara, and Dahshur.

The Great Pyramid is especially special because it is the oldest of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World and the only one still standing today. For thousands of years, people have been amazed by these giant stone buildings and what they tell us about the clever builders of ancient Egypt.

Maadi settlements

The earliest settlement on the Giza plateau happened before the pyramids were built. Four jars from the Maadi culture were found near the Great Pyramid, suggesting an older settlement there. More settlements from the Maadi culture were found close by during work on a big water project in Cairo. Recent studies show that the Maadi culture lived around 3800–3400 BC, which is also the oldest possible time for the Giza area.

Pyramids and Sphinx

The Giza pyramid complex has four big pyramids and the Great Sphinx. The biggest pyramid is the Great Pyramid, also called the Pyramid of Khufu. Next to it is the Pyramid of Khafre, and farther away is the smaller Pyramid of Menkaure. The Great Sphinx sits close to Khafre’s pyramid.

Each pyramid has a valley temple, a causeway, and a mortuary temple. Khufu’s pyramid has three smaller pyramids for queens and two boats that were found whole. Khafre’s pyramid looks bigger because it sits higher up. Menkaure’s pyramid is the only one that doesn’t have its shiny stone covering anymore. The Sphinx was built during Khafre’s time and later rulers added to the temple nearby.

Construction

Main article: Construction of the Egyptian pyramids

Most ideas about how the pyramids were built focus on moving huge stones from quarries and placing them carefully. One common theory is that stones were placed on wooden sledges and pushed over wet ground to make them slide more easily.

Builders likely chose flat, stable ground made of bedrock for their pyramids. They started by laying the first layer of stones and then added more layers on top. The Great Pyramid was a very large project, once the tallest building in the world. It used millions of tons of stone, mostly from nearby quarries, with some brought from across the Nile River.

Workers used copper tools to shape softer stones and special powders to cut harder stones. They marked each block to make sure the pyramid stayed perfectly shaped. Over time, many outer stones have worn away.

The Khufu Pyramid, also called the Great Pyramid, was built for the pharaoh Khufu. After his death, his son Khafre built another pyramid nearby, and later, Khafre’s son Menkaure built a third. These pyramids served as tombs for the pharaohs, protecting their bodies for the afterlife. The people of ancient Egypt believed the pharaoh’s spirit needed proper care to continue its journey.

The pyramids were also built to honor the sun god Ra, with their shape representing the sun’s rays. They were meant to help the pharaoh’s spirit reach the sun during its daily journey across the sky.

Workers' village

Many people worked together to build the pyramids. They included skilled workers, helpers, and others like bakers, carpenters, and water carriers. Some records say it took many thousands of workers over many years to complete a pyramid.

Near the pyramids, scientists found a town where the workers lived. This town had places for people to sleep, places to make food, workshops, and even a place for the sick. The workers there had good food and lived in an organized way. This shows that they were respected and not treated poorly, unlike some old stories might suggest. The town was built during the time when the second and third pyramids were being made.

Cemeteries

As the pyramids were built, smaller tombs called mastabas were made for important families nearby. Close to the pyramid of Khufu, there is a big area called G 7000, filled with tombs of family members of the rulers from the 4th Dynasty. On the other side, in the West Field, sons of royalty like Wepemnofret and Hemiunu were buried.

The West Field has many smaller burial areas, such as those named after the people who dug them up long ago. The East Field, on the other side of Khufu's pyramid, also holds tombs of Khufu's family and workers. There are also special places like Cemetery GIS and the Central Field, where more important people from later times were buried. In the South Field, even older tombs from very early times can be found.

In 1990, tombs of the workers who built the pyramids were found. These workers were likely paid and took pride in their work, not slaves. They were buried with simple goods like bread and beer for the afterlife. It is believed that around 10,000 workers, working in shifts, built a pyramid over about 30 years.

Main article: Giza West Field

Main article: Giza East Field

Main article: Cemetery GIS

Main article: Central Field, Giza

Shafts

There are several special holes called burial-shafts and many unfinished shafts and tunnels at the Giza pyramid complex. These were found and talked about by Selim Hassan in his report from 1933–1934. He said most of the shafts from a certain time are flooded, so not many have been checked closely.

Osiris Shaft

The Osiris Shaft is a narrow burial-shaft that leads down to three levels for a tomb and then to a flooded area below. Selim Hassan talked about it, and in 1999, a team led by Hawass fully dug it out. It was opened for tourists in November 2017.

New Kingdom and Late Period

During the New Kingdom, Giza remained an important place. A small chapel made of brick was built near the Sphinx, likely by King Thutmose I. Amenhotep II built a temple near the Sphinx for a god named Hauron-Haremakhet. The future pharaoh Thutmose IV visited the pyramids and the Sphinx as a young prince. He was told in a dream that clearing the sand around the Sphinx would bring him good luck, and later he became king.

Thutmose IV and his wife Queen Nefertari placed special stone markers at Giza. Tutankhamun built a small resting place there. Later, during the time of Seti I and Ramesses II, more markers and changes were made to the buildings near the Sphinx. In later years, a temple for the goddess Isis was rebuilt, and a stone marker mentioned the ancient king Khufu and his queen Henutsen.

Division of the 1903–1905 excavation of the Giza Necropolis

In 1903, three institutions from Italy, Germany, and the United States of America received permission to dig at the Giza Necropolis. Before this, people who were not experts had been allowed to search for treasures, but they often did not keep good records.

The Egyptian Antiquities Service decided to give permits only to scholars from public institutions. They gave rights to Ernesto Schiaparelli from the Turin Museum, Georg Steindorff from the University of Leipzig, and George Reisner from the Hearst Expedition. These three met at the Mena House Hotel and divided the area among themselves.

The Western Cemetery, with many private tombs, was thought to be the best place left to dig. Mary Reisner, George Reisner's wife, used a hat to fairly divide three sections of the area among the Italian, German, and American teams. Schiaparelli got the southern part, Borchardt the middle, and Reisner the northern part.

The rights to dig around the pyramids were also shared out. Schiaparelli got to work on the Great Pyramid of Khufu and its smaller pyramids. Borchardt got Khafre's pyramid, the Sphinx, and its temples. Reisner got Menkaure's pyramid and its temples. Any disagreements were to be settled by Inspector James Quibell.

This arrangement continued until 1905, when the Italian team stopped digging at Giza and gave their area to the American team.

Modern usage

In 1978, the band Grateful Dead performed concerts at the pyramid complex. Later, in 2007, famous singer Shakira gave a show there for about 100,000 fans. The site was also used for important sports events, like the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2021 World Men's Handball Championship.

Egypt planned big changes to make the pyramids easier and more fun for visitors. The Minister of Tourism shared ideas for a huge upgrade costing €17,000,000. This included a new visitors' center, a special electric bus, a restaurant called the 9 Pyramids Lounge, a cinema, restrooms, signs all around, food trucks, photo spots, and free Wi-Fi. All of this was part of a wider plan to improve the ancient site and help more people enjoy it.