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The Three Pyramids of Giza You are welcome to print this page [Windows: ctrl+p] or save it to disk. You may not use this material for any other commercial website. copyright information |
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Back to International Block Assortments THE BLOCK SHOPPE home page King Khufu, who is also known by the greek name "Cheops," was the father of pyramid building at Giza. He ruled from 2551 - 2528 B.C. and was the son of King Sneferu and Queen Hetpeheres. Dates Built: c. 2589-2566 B.C. Total Blocks of Stone: over 2,300,000 Base: 13 square acres, 568,500 square feet, or 7 city blocks. The length of each side of the base was originally 754 feet (230 m), but is now 745 feet (227 m) due to the loss of the outer casing stones. Total Weight: 6.5 million tons Average Weight of Individual Blocks of Stone: 2.5 tons, the large blocks used for the ceiling of the King's Chamber weigh as much as 9 tons. Height: Originally 481 feet (146.5 m) tall, but now only 449 feet (137 m). Angle of Incline: 51 degrees 50' 35" Construction Material: limestone, granite WARNING upon entering Khufu: The 1908 edition of Baedeker's Egypt warns "Travelers who are in the slightest degree predisposed to apoplectic or fainting fits, and ladies travelling alone, should not attempt to penetrate into these stifling recesses." back to Pyramid Block Set Back to International Block Assortments Khafre, who was the son of Khufu, was also known as Rakhaef
or Chephren. He ruled from 2520 - 2494 B.C. and is responsible for the second
largest pyramid complex at Giza, which includes the Sphinx, a Mortuary
Temple, and a Valley Temple. The most distinctive feature of Khafre's
Pyramid is the topmost layer of smooth stones that are the only remaining
casing stones on a Giza Pyramid. (The rest were stolen over the centuries
to build Cairo.) Khafre may be best known for his statues, and most famous among them is,
of course, the Sphinx. Mark Lehner and Zahi Hawass write of Khafre:
"He was, after all, perhaps the greatest maker of statues of the Pyramid
Age. There are emplacements in his pyramid temples for 58 statues, including
four colossal sphinxes, each more than 26 feet long, two flanking each door
of his Valley Temple; two colossal statues, possibly of baboons, in tall
niches inside the entrances of the Valley Temple; 23 life-size statues of the
pharaoh in the Valley Temple (fragments of several have been found with his
name inscribed on them); at least seven large statues of him in the inner
chambers of his Mortuary Temple; 12 colossal Khafre statues around the
courtyard of his Mortuary Temple; and ten more huge statues in the Sphinx
Temple." Menkaure, also known as Mycerinus, ruled from 2490 - 2472 B.C. He was
king of the smallest of the three pyramids at Giza, and is believed to be
Khufu's grandson. back to Pyramid Block Set Back to International Block Assortments
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