2. The Pyramids of Egypt Grade 4 A.Craig
Photo of Pyramids:
Lego Picture:
**For this PowerPoint, you should use a laser pointer.

3. What are the pyramids?
Know your terms!
A mastaba is an ancient Egyptian mud-brick tomb with a rectangular base and sloping sides and flat roof.
Pyramids are shrines to the pharaohs of ancient Egypt.
The Pharaohs who built them are buried inside, in mastabas.
Built of blocks of limestone and mud.
Pyramids photo:
Mastaba defination: wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
Pyramids were built over mastabas as huge shrines to the great pharaohs of ancient Egypt. These were built out of large blocks of limestone and mud. These huge structures required thousands of workers and took many years to complete. In all there are about 138 pyramids in Egypt, but most aren’t as massive as the ones seen here.
Example of a Mastaba Tomb

4. Who built them?
Pyramid constructions were ordered by the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt.
They were built by thousands of Egyptians and slaves.
Entire cities were built for the workers to live in.
Building Pyramid Photo:
The powerful pharaohs of Egypt ordered that pyramids were built, so they would have a place to rest when they died. Because the pyramids were so large and complex, it took thousands of Egyptians to build them. Free workers were given tax breaks and were given food, water, shelter, and other necessities near the building site. Entire cities were built around the construction of a pyramid. While most of the people worked on the pyramids, many were also guards, overseers, basket weavers, bakers, and others who made or supplied goods.

5. The stone was cut and moved to the pyramid site.
How were they built?
Know your terms!
A quarry is a surface excavation for extracting stone or slate.
The stone was cut and moved to the pyramid site.
Workers cut and pulled away the giant blocks of limestone from quarries.
They used sleds or logs as rollers, so the stones were easier to move.
Moving Stone Picture:
Quarry defination: wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
Limestone was mined using copper hand tools. They were cut into the correct size blocks and then dragged to the pyramid site using ropes with workers and sometimes animals pulling them. There were two main methods of moving the heavy stones. The first was putting the stone on a sled and pouring grease on the path to make it slide easier. The second method was using logs as wheels to roll the stones to the pyramid site.

6. Fun Fact! Limestone blocks usually ranged in size from 2.5 to 15 tons!
That means they got as big as a female Sperm whale!
Whale Picture:
Fun Fact: Blocks of limestone used in the Great Pyramid ranged from 2.5 to 15 tons! That means they were as small as an army truck and as large as a female sperm whale!

7. The stones were pulled up ramps and placed.
How were they built?
The stones were pulled up ramps and placed.
Workers pulling the stones also used sleds with grease to move them.
Dirt and wood ramps were used to get stones to higher places.
Moving Stone Picture:
The first stones being placed were the easiest, but as the pyramid got higher and higher the stones needed to be lifted. So the workers constructed ramps out of wood and dirt, so the stones could be pulled up.

8. The Pyramids of Giza
Photo:
As I said before, there are about 138 Egyptian pyramids. Probably the most famous of these are the Pyramids of Giza.

9. The Pyramids of Giza
Know your terms!
Sphinx is a Greek word for ‘strangler’. It originated from creature that had the head of a woman and the body of a lion and the wings of a bird.
These are the most famous Egyptian pyramids of all.
The largest is called the Great Pyramid of Kuhfu.
They are near the Great Sphinx of Giza.
Sphinx Head Photo:
Sphinx defination:
Background Photo:
Giza is a site filled with ancient Egyptian artifacts, statues, and structures. The three major pyramids are the pyramids of Khafre, Menkaure, and the Great Pyramid of Khufu. Nearby is the Great Sphinx of Giza, as you can see in the photo. Behind the sphinx is the pyramid of Khafre. The Sphinx was carved out of stone to honor the Pharaoh Chephren. It is a creature that is half lion and half man, with Chephren’s face.

10. Fun Fact!
The myth goes that the Sphinx lost it’s nose when Napoleon's army shot it off with a cannon in 1798!
It really was lost by wind and sand erosion.
Canon Picture:
Sphinx Picture:
Fun Fact: There is a myth that the Great Sphinx’s nose was shot off during the French Invasion when Napoleon's army was doing some target practice. The truth is that wind and sand have eroded away the Sphinx’s face and nose.

11. Let’s go inside the Pyramids!
Layout Picture:
Now that we have learned why and how the pyramids were built, let’s find out what is inside of them. This is the layout of the Great Pyramid of Khufu.
**Use laser pointer to show students the areas as you list them.
Entrance –
There are 2 passageways, one going up, one going down.
b. Descending passageway
Subterranean chamber
Well shaft
Ascending passageway
Queen’s chamber
Ventilation Shafts
Grand Gallery
Antechamber
King’s Chamber
Relieving Chambers

12. Let’s go inside the Pyramids!
The entrance:
This photo is of the original entrance of the Great Pyramid. It was sealed off so well, that a new entrance was made before the original one was found.
Entrance Photo:
When modern day archeologists wanted to enter the Great Pyramid, they needed to find the entrance. The Egyptians were very careful to make sure that the buried Pharaohs and their treasures remained sealed for eternity. They placed a stone in front of the entrance, so it looked as if it were just a part of the pyramid’s wall. When they couldn’t locate the original entrance, they created a new one by blasting a hole through the wall. After they got inside, they were able to follow the tunnels to the original entrance.

13. Let’s go inside the Pyramids!
Paintings and hieroglyphics:
Paintings inside the pyramids were used to tell stories or give instructions.
Painting Picture:
Inside the pyramids, well preserved wall paintings tell stories of events and important people at the time they were being built. These include stories of pharaohs, weather, hunting/fishing, and other important events.

14. Let’s go inside the Pyramids!
Know your terms!
Hieroglyphics were the form of writing used by the ancient Egyptians. Figures of objects represent words or syllables.
Hieroglyphics were the written language of the ancient Egyptians.
Some were instructions to guide spirits to the afterlife.
Hieroglyphics Photo:
Hieroglyphics defination: wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
Hieroglyphics, like paintings, are found inside the pyramids and tell stories, or even give instructions or warnings. Hieroglyphics were the written language of the ancient Egyptians. Like our alphabet, each symbol had a certain meaning. When they were put in a specific order, like how we spell out a word or put words in a sentence, a phrase was made. Egyptians placed curses in pyramids, not to curse the deceased, but to warn off or punish intruders. Hieroglyphics were even used to instruct spirits into the afterlife. It was believed that the deceased pharaoh’s soul would rise and take everything he was buried with the the afterlife. Hieroglyphic instructions were carved into the walls so the soul would know where to go and how to get there.

15. Let’s go inside the Pyramids!
Treasure!
Pharaohs were buried with many treasures and items.
They believed these would be used in the afterlife.
Sarcophagus Photo:
Pharaohs were buried with many valuable treasures including gold, silver, bronze, statues, chairs, tables, chests, drawers, boats, and even mummified pets. It was believed that all of these items would be taken with the pharaoh’s soul into the afterlife, so his followers made sure to put as much as they could into his tomb.

16. Treasure!
Treasure Photo:
Point out and explain what is in the photo.

17. It’s a trap!
As with any treasure, thieves have attempted to rob the pyramids since they were built.
Little did most know, the Egyptians had a few tricks up their sleeves!
Trap photo:
As with any treasure, thieves have attempted to rob the pyramids since they were built. Some did it for the treasure, while others broke in to damage the pyramid because they had personal issues with the deceased pharaoh. To protect the tomb, traps were set all over the place.

18. It’s a trap! Know your terms!
Traps included:
Curses – Brought bad luck to intruders
Falling Rocks – Heavy rocks fell on robbers
Hidden Holes – Trespassers would fall in and not get out
Powders – Poisonous powders were released
Fake Passageways – Robbers got lost inside the pyramid
Head Wires – Sharp wires were strung up in tunnels, one wrong step and robbers could be decapitated!
Know your terms!
Curses are any expressed wish that some form of adversity or unhappiness will befall another person.
Trap photo:
Curse Defination: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse
These are some of the traps that awaited grave robbers.
Heavy rocks were set up above doorways and would be triggered when an intruder tripped a wire on the floor. The heavy rocks would injure, trap, or even kill the robbers.
Hidden holes were dug in the middle of paths and covered up so they couldn’t be seen. They were about the size of a manhole you would find on the street, and lead to steep pits under the pyramid, where they robbers couldn’t escape.
Even poisonous powders were concocted and set off by several systems. When these traps were tripped by trespassers, the powder was released into the air and inhaled.
Fake passageways weren’t very dangerous, but even if a robber knew the layout of the pyramid he would get lost down these fake paths.
Head wires were very sneaky. Razor sharp wires were strung tight across passageways, near the average height of a person’s neck. If a robber walked into it who was too tall or short, they would get a severe cut. But if the wire was to cut across their neck, it could very easily decapitate them!