The structure of Pyramids:

Exemplary features of royalty defy nature

by Amal HEWAVISSENTTI

A Pyramid - by definition?

The familiar word "Pyramids" architecturally refers to a massive monument which bears resemblance to the geometric figure of a pyramid and were built in primeval times specifically in Egypt, Sudan, Mexico and Central America. Here, Old World is represented by Egypt and New World is symbolised by Mexico and Central America, yet the pyramids from the two worlds had vast differences in specific purpose and functional value.

Pyramids of the Old World - Egyptian pyramids

For around a thousand years, during the periods of old and middle kingdoms (about 2650 - 1640 BC), the pyramid served as the standard type of burial monuments in Egypt for royal families and the pyramids were built as tombs for Kings and their families. Structurally the Egyptian pyramid is precisely square at the base, with four triangular walls which meets at a certain point at the uppermost surface and tapers off skyward. About fifty of these monarchical pyramids which were constructed at the far end of the desert, have survived and one can see them rising majestically over the Nile river on its west bank. The earliest of these Pyramids, the Step pyramid of King Zoser at Saqqara was comprised a series of giant terraces. Each one smaller in size, than the one beneath it, producing stepped sides. The posterior pyramids for example, the Great pyramid of Cheops at Giza were markedly characterized by smooth sides while it encompassed no less than 13 acres and was built of an astonishing number of 2.3 million stone blocks weighing multiple tons each. Despite the possibility that the earlier pyramids were raised of solid stone cubes, the posterior pyramids, on the contrary, had rubble or mud brick cores with external casings of granite.

Most of the surviving pyramids of Egypt are much smaller and less well preserved than the Great pyramid of Cheops in addition to the fact that these pyramids were despoiled in ancient times by treasure hunters who, in course of time, left the burial chambers void of priceless gold and other valuables. Any interested observer can easily view the imposing way the ancient pyramids at Giza dominate the desert landscape but it should be noted that the Egyptian pyramid was just one segment of a mammoth complex of structures. To the Eastern corner of the pyramid, there stood the pyramid temple from which a walled causeway routed down to a valley temple with easy access to the Nile river. A careful exploration might give one some clues to suppose that within the pyramid complex, there were minor pyramids for queens and princesses. The extant ruins show by evidence that the walls of the mortuary temple, causeway, and the valley temple were exquisitely embellished with relief sculpture and statues of the King stood in command in chambers and courtyards. A close scrutiny shows that this complex was luxuriously furnished in the primeval times and royal grandeur was dominating the atmosphere.

The burial chambers within the pyramid itself bear all the signs of being simple and unadorned at first but with the dawn of 2300 BC, they began to accompany august decorations and hieroglyphic inscriptions.

These inscriptions are interpreted to spell out, through a mysterious pictorial language, charms and divine formulas intended to ensure the King's successful rebirth in the afterlife.

The locations where pyramids are located currently distinguished by the Arabic names of the nearest Egyptian cities. Thus, the most prominent pyramids, though few, are the pyramids of Giza, Saqqara, and Dahshur which grandiosely dominate the desert landscape and exemplify centuries of royalty existing through the roughest elements of nature.

In antiquity, every pyramid had its own name, which was directly combined with the title or name of the royal member who lay buried inside the particular pyramid. To cite a classic example, the Great pyramid of Cheops, was famous in primordial times, as "Akhet Khufu" (the horizon of Cheops). The construction of the Great pyramid at Giza was an astounding feat of engineering in which massive stone cubes cut from nearby quarries were loaded on sledges, dragged up ramps and set in place on the Pyramid. It took thousands of workers and about 20 years to bring the job to perfection.

Archaeological surveys conclude that no more pyramids of the same nature were erected in Egypt after 1640 BC. Yet the customary practice of constructing pyramids was revived many hundreds of years later by the Kings of Sudan (750 BC - AD 350), who adopted ancient Egyptian funerary practices. Archaeologists have closely probed the structure of these pyramids and have arrived at baffling conclusions which provide a vivid picture of the purpose and the functions for which those pyramids were built.

According to the pyramid experts, the pyramids of Sudan are comparatively smaller and less complex than those of the ancient Egyptian counterparts. The Sudanese pyramids are prominent in one aspect, that is to say, the builders have subtly drawn the finish at a more acute angle which is not visible at all in Egyptian counterparts. Viewers can easily detect these traits of the pyramids in Nuri, Gebel Barkal, Meroe which are the major pyramid fields situated in Sudan.

American pyramids

Historians unanimously agree that native peoples of Mexico and Central America had developed sophisticated, advanced civilizations, ages before the arrival of European invaders. In studying their architecture, the term "Pyramid" is used broadly but loosely to denote a large, varied array of mound forms, commonly with flat summits which provide support for shrines, altars, or temples. These pyramids rise in successively smaller stages till it tapers off to the summit and are characteristically rectangular in the base plan. On the other hand, some pyramids however, have circular base plans while a famous pyramid built by the Olmec People at La Venta, in Tabasco, Mexico, may have had the form of a fluted cone. The builders of most pyramids have built a staircase in the centre of one side that rises to the top while some others have staircases positioned in the central points of all four sides. Most commonly the pyramids have rubble or frequently earth cores, mixed with stone and plaster. In addition to having altars or temples on their summits, many of the pyramids encompass the tombs of important individuals of the royalty and the surfaces of these tombs were often decorated with sculpture.

Generally the basic building procedure of pyramids involve entombment of the dead body in a chamber of a pit below the ground level and raising the pyramid over it, so, the tomb could not be entered later.

The latest archaeological findings reveal that sometimes, the tomb was forcefully inserted into an extant structure which inturn was left covered by a comparatively more sizeable pyramid, and many temples were enlarged and remodelled in course of time.

Many of the most impressive and monumental pyramids in Central America and Mexico are situated at Teotihuacan in Central Mexico which lies north of current Mexico city.

The mammoth pyramid of the Sun, which had been built around AD 1-150, and of layers of solid clay faced with stone, bears resemblance to a mountain in shape and is the most primitive monumental structure at Teotihuacan.

The structure which stands facing West, is believed to have been constructed over a natural underground cave which was composed of a long passage that lead to chambers near the centre of the pyramid's base.

The pyramid of the Sun might have been built to sanctify the cave beneath it as the place of origin of human kind, because the first humans were said to have emerged from a cave, according to native mythology.The pyramid of the Feathered Serpent a posterior structure at Teotihuacan, built around A.D. 150-200, had a strange core made of stones and mud while the exterior was built of carved stone and covered with painted stucco (a type of finest plaster for painting or carving).

The west-facing pyramid slopes upwards in a number of levels or platforms which consisted of a vertical panel above a sloping base.

The legends go on to say that the inhuman treatment of the labourers left some 200 sacrificial victims buried beneath and around the base of the pyramid and many of those individuals were contrary to common belief, dressed as warriors with their wrists tied behind their backs.

Archaeologists rightly make the hypothesis that, most presumably, a large scale mass human sacrifice was arranged to dedicate the structure to the guardianship of Gods widely known as the "Temple of Inscriptions", an unusual and resplendent pyramid was constructed by the Maya in Chiapas, Mexico.

This north-facing pyramid rises in nine terraces, and a vaulted temple, embellished with carved stone and modelled sculpture is atop its summit.

This structure was specifically raised to house the tomb of a ruler named Pascal who died in A.D. 683 and his body lay within an elaborately carved vaulted chamber located inside the pyramid's base.

A vaulted staircase led down to the tomb chamber from the temple above. After the corpse of the ruler was buried, the tomb chamber was sealed, the bodies of human sacrificial victims were deposited, the staircase was closed by filling it with rough fragments of stone.