PYRAMIDS

Meaning A Pyramid (from Greek: πυραμίς pyramids) is a structure whose shape is roughly that of a pyramid in the geometric sense; that is, its outer surfaces are triangular and converge to a single point at the top. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three outer triangular surfaces (at least four faces including the base). The square pyramid, with square base and four triangular outer surfaces, is a common version. For thousands of years, the largest structures on earth were pyramids— first the red pyramid in the dashur necropolis and then the great pyramid of Khufu, both of Egypt, the latter the only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world still remaining.

VOCABULARY Roughly In a rough or violent manner:/ nearly; almost; about; approximately: Quadrilateral Having four sides. Still Remaining in place or at rest; stationary: Cemetery A place where the dead are buried, esp one not attached to a church

Hexagonal pyramid Tetrahedron Design A pyramid's design, with the majority of the weight closer to the ground, and with the pyramidion on top means that less material higher up on the pyramid will be pushing down from above. This distribution of weight allowed early civilizations to create stable monumental structures. Square pyramid Hexagonal pyramid Tetrahedron Pentagonal pyramid

The Egyptian pyramids of the Giza Necropolis, as seen from the air Pyramid of the Moon, Teotihuacan

Prasat Thom temple at Koh Ker Pyramids of Güímar, Tenerife(Spain)

Madghacen king's burial conical pyramids of ancient Algeria (Numidia) Chogha Zanbil is an ancient Elamite complex in the Khuzestan province of Iran.

Pyramids have been built by civilizations in many parts of the world "Pyramid" in the context of ancient architecture primarily refers to the Egyptian pyramids Pyramids have been built by civilizations in many parts of the world Various other structures built in antiquity have also been called pyramids:

The tumulus mound covering the tomb of Emperor Jing of Han (r The tumulus mound covering the tomb of Emperor Jing of Han (r. 156-141 BCE), located outside of Xi'an "Chinese pyramids are ancient mausoleums and burial mounds built to house the remains of several early emperors of China and their imperial relatives. The most famous is the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, northeast of Xi'an They have flat tops, and thus are more similar in shape to the Teotihuacan pyramids north-east of Mexico City, Mexico than to the pyramids in Giza, Egypt. Although known in the West for at least a century, their existence has been made controversial by sensationalist publicity and the problems of Chinese archaeology in early 20th century.

Wide view of Nubian pyramids, Meroe Wide view of Nubian pyramids, Meroe. Three of these pyramids are reconstructed. Nubian pyramids are pyramids that were built by the rulers of the ancient Kushite kingdoms. Prior to the Kushites building these pyramids, there had been no pyramid construction in Egypt and the Nile Valley for more than 500 years.

The Pyramid of Cestius Night view from Porta San Paolo The Pyramid of Cestius (in Italian, Piramide di Caio Cestio or Piramide Cestia) is an ancient pyramid in Rome, Italy, near the Porta San Paolo and the Protestant cc. It stands at a fork between two ancient roads, the Via Ostiensis and another road that ran west to the Tiber along the approximate line of the modern Via della Marmorata. Due to its incorporation into the city's fortifications, it is today one of the best-preserved ancient buildings in Rome.

Modern pyramids The Louvre Pyramid in Paris, France, in the court of the Louvre Museum, is a 20.6 meter (about 70 foot) glass structure which acts as an entrance to the museum. It was designed by the American architect I. M. Pei and completed in 1989.

The Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, United States, is a 30-story true pyramid with light beaming from the top.

The 32-story Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee (a city named after the ancient Egyptian capital whose name itself was derived from the name of one of its pyramids). Built in 1991, it was the home court for the University of Memphis men's basketball program, and the National Basketball Association's Memphis Grizzlies until 2004.

1.The Mayans and Aztecs primarily built pyramids as: religious temples QUIZ TIME 1.The Mayans and Aztecs primarily built pyramids as: religious temples tombs to kings and leaders Residences 2. How much does the Great Pyramid of Khufu weigh? about 2 million tons about 4.5 million tons about 6.5 million tons 3. One of the primary differences between pyramids in Central America and Egypt is: Central American pyramids were smaller and took longer to build than Egyptian pyramids. Central American pyramids eroded more quickly than Egyptian pyramids . Central American pyramids were built by fewer people; Egyptian pyramids were built by thousands. 1-a:Unlike Egypt, where pyramids were generally tombs and monuments to kings and queens, the Mayans and Aztecs of Central America built their pyramids primarily as religious temples. 2-c:Weighing about 6.5 million tons, the Great Pyramid of Khufu is the largest and most elaborate pyramid in the world. It is 146 meters high and is composed of 2.3 million blocks of limestone and granite. 3-a:The pyramids built by the Mayans and Aztecs were smaller than the ones constructed in Egypt, but they also took longer to build and were modified over hundreds of years. Egyptian pyramids generally took a few decades to build and were away from the civilization's major cities, in contrast to Central American pyramids, which were integrated into Mayan and Aztec cities.