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THE GREAT PYRAMID
The kings of ancient Egypt planned strong tombs to keep their bodies safe after death and to hold their treasures. Over these tombs huge stone pyramids were built. There are over 80 pyramids in Egypt, but the Great Pyramid is the largest of all.
The Great Pyramid was built nearly five thousand years ago for a king called Khufu. It is located on the west bank of the Nile River, not far from Cairo. In fact, all the pyramids along the Nile are on the west bank. The ancient Egyptians compared the rising of the sun to the beginning of life and the setting of the sun to the end of life. This is why their dead were buried on the west bank of the Nile.
It is very hard to realize just how big the Great Pyramid is. It has over 2,300,000 blocks of solid stone. These huge stone blocks weigh an average of two and a half tons each, as much as a small car. Some even weigh fifteen tons. Without machinery, the ancient Egyptians cut and moved and lifted each of these stones. Many of the blocks came from the east bank of the Nile, and they were taken across the river in boats at flood time. It took more than 100,000 slaves twenty years to build the Great Pyramid.
The Great Pyramid is over 450 feet high today, and it was once higher. Its base covered thirteen acres. Each of the sides of the pyramid is 755 feet long, or about as long as two city blocks. It takes about twenty minutes to walk all the way round the pyramid.
Every king wanted his tomb to be the best. But Khufu outdid them all. The surface of his pyramid used to shine with smooth white limestone, and its top came to a sharp point. Inside, the body of Khufu rested in a great stone coffin. His body was preserved to last forever, and many treasures were buried with him.
Now after many centuries, the shining surface is worn away, and men have taken some of the huge blocks of stone to build other things. Thieves have stolen the treasures, and they have stolen the body of Khufu himself. No doubt this is a matter for regret, but the same thing has happened to many other ancient tombs.
Although the limestone surface is gone, the huge stones are exposed and you can climb on them, like steps, to the top. When you have reached the top, you can see for miles about you. You can see the smaller pyramids and the Sphinx, the great stone statue of the lion with a human head. To the west you can see the Libyan Desert, and to the east you can see the green Nile Valley and the modern city of Cairo.
