This report is about ancient Egyptian pyramids and how they were built. also includes information on why they were built. Title: Egyptian Pyramids

Essay by tric87High School, 10th gradeA+, November 2002

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The ruins of 35 major pyramids still stand near the Nile River in Egypt. Pyramids were built as the home of the everlasting for the king, the pharaoh's Castle of Eternity. The ancient Egyptians believed in life after death. The pyramids were the homes for Egyptian royalty when they died. Inside the pyramids with the royal body, were kept precious treasures and gold so that the body would live happily in the so called "Afterlife".

The reason that the ancient Egyptians believed in the afterlife was due to the following legend: "Osiris, a great and benevolent king on earth, was murdered by his jealous brother, Set, who tore the body into sixteen pieces and scattered the pieces over Egypt. Osiris's wife, Isis, was grief-stricken. She managed with great difficulty to collect the pieces and bind them back together with strips of linen cloth. Anubis, god of the Netherworld, helped her with his majic spells.

Life was breathed back into Osiris's body. Osiris could not return as a man to earth, but he triumphantly entered the Afterworld to live as a god and rule the region of the dead". Osiris was great enough proof for the ancient Egyptians to believe in the Afterworld. However, to be assured of life after death, there was only one condition: The body had to be preserved.

Space availability and flatness of land are taken into consideration when choosing the site of a pyramid. For example Cheops' pyramid was built on solid limestone that was big enough to use to build the biggest pyramid ever, plus a series of buildings that would surround the pyramid. Workmen had to clear the area by scooping the sand into baskets that were dumped as far as a half a mile away in the desert. After...