Not Egypt alone: Where and why did the ancients build pyramids

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Everyone knows about the famous pyramids of Egypt. Thanks to their sheer size and stunningly precise engineering, it seems that these otherworldly artifacts simply grew up in the desert. But the pyramid is a fairly common shape used by ancient and modern builders to create impressive structures. Here are examples of 10 lesser known pyramids that deserve no less close attention than those that were erected in Giza.

1. Pyramid "Helmets of the First World War"

USAPikelhelm (or Pickelhaube) - the pointed German helmet of the soldiers of the First World War, became a collective image of enemy invaders, which can often be found in comedies. When World War I ended, the victors wanted to create a symbol to show their triumph. In the end, it was decided to build a pyramid in New York from captured German helmets.

A hollow pyramid covered with 12,000 Pikelhams was used for fundraising (visitors were encouraged to donate money to the 5th War Loan to help pay off US debt). To highlight the victory of the Allies, the pyramid was crowned with a winged figure, which was likely to represent the goddess of victory, Nika.

2. Tomb of Mad Jack Fuller

EnglandThe pyramids of Egypt were tombs and monuments for the pharaohs of Egypt. Most people prefer something more modest for their place of eternal rest, but this clearly was not the man known as "Mad Jack".

In 1777, at the age of 20, John "Mad Jack" Fuller inherited a large estate in England and a slave plantation in Jamaica. Thanks to this newfound wealth, he was able to give free rein to his eccentricity. For example, when he became a member of parliament, he went to London with a stately motorcade and armed servants in cuirass.

Although Fuller was best known for his insanity, he was very fond of building. Mad Jack built a classic temple, an obelisk, a hollow tower and a spire on his land. The greatest masterpiece was his tomb. During his lifetime, Fuller designed a pyramid that was built in the cemetery.

The building was immediately overgrown with legends. Legend has it that Fuller's body was buried in a pyramid, sitting at a table with a glass of wine on it. And the floor was allegedly strewn with broken glass to "stop the Devil if he comes for Fuller."

3. Brazilian pyramids

BrazilSince pyramids are found in ancient cultures around the world, some believe that these cultures were related in some way. In fact, a pyramid is just one of the easiest ways to build a tall structure. Despite the superficial similarities, there are huge differences between the way the pyramids were built in different places.

The pyramids in Egypt were made from huge stone blocks, while in Brazil they were built from shells. The Brazilian pyramids date back to around 3000 BC and are therefore older than the earliest Egyptian pyramids. Scientists believe that such structures were built in Brazil for decades or centuries.

They were initially mistaken for piles of rubbish, as the pyramids were made from the remains of shells. In part because they were not considered important structures, less than 10 percent of the pyramids survive in Brazil. They were dismantled by road construction workers.

4. Pyramids of Alexander Golod

RussiaNot all pyramids are ancient objects associated with death. Many "alternative" researchers believe the pyramids have mysterious powers. To investigate the so-called energy of the pyramids, Alexander Golod, an engineer and general director of NPO Gidrometpribor, built a series of pyramids near Moscow.

The Hunger Pyramids look quite modern - they are made of metal and fiberglass. During the construction of 20 pyramids, Hunger was able to explore their possibilities. As he argued, pyramids improve the immune system of mammals (including humans).

The energy of the pyramids also has a beneficial effect on seeds (increases their yield), restores the ozone layer of the Earth and cures impotence. Naturally, his research was criticized. The largest pyramid of Golod was over 45 meters high and weighed 55 tons. In 2017, it was destroyed by a strong Moscow storm.

5. Pyramid of Koh Ker

CambodiaIn the jungles of Cambodia lies the ancient city of Koh Ker, which was once the capital of the Khmer Empire, after the more famous Angkor. Although Angkor attracts many tourists, Koh Ker is less popular. Perhaps this is due to the fact that most of Koh Kera is still hidden in an impassable area, as well as after the conflicts that hit Cambodia in the 20th century, mines still remain in this place.

The seven-step pyramid of the Prasat Thom temple, 32 m high and 55 m side, was built without the use of any mortar or concrete between the blocks, and the whole structure is held together by its own weight. Since the stairs of the pyramid are destroyed, the top can only be reached by wooden stairs that were installed recently. It is believed that there may be a hidden entrance to the underground pyramid.

6. Pyramids of La Cemada

MexicoLa Cemada is an archaeological site in Mexico with a mysterious past. Experts cannot agree on who built these structures and for what purpose. The complex consists of various structures set on a hill. Most of the pyramidal structures found in Mesoamerica are huge and have a more rounded hill shape.

Inside they are made of earth, and outside they are covered with stone. But the pyramids of La Cemada are steeper and more durable. At the top of the Pyramid of the Virgins, which can be reached by wooden steps, there was a small temple where sacrifices were made to the gods.

It is assumed that on another pyramid - the "Sacrificial Pyramid" - people were sacrificed, after which the corpses were thrown down the stairs. Recently discovered bones with characteristic marks on them have provided evidence that the people of La Cemada may have ate the bodies of their enemies.

7. Pyramid of Cestius

ItalyThe pyramids of Egypt had been in existence for thousands of years by the time the Roman Empire arose. It seems that at least one Roman who visited Egypt was so impressed by the local pyramids that he decided to build his own. Built between 18 and 12 BC, the pyramid of Caius Cestius seems a little out of place in Rome.

In fact, there was once a pyramid in Rome that was even larger in size, but in the 16th century it was dismantled and taken apart for building materials. The pyramid of Cestius probably survived because it was later incorporated into the city's defensive walls. It is noteworthy that this structure, which was the tomb of Cestius, has much steeper sides than the Egyptian pyramids.

8. Sudanese pyramids

SudanWhen it comes to a country with pyramids, then, most likely, Egypt immediately comes to mind. In fact, there is a country that has twice as many pyramids as Egypt and is in the neighborhood. Sudan is full of ancient Nubian pyramids. The ancient Egyptian kingdom once stretched far south where modern Sudan is.

It is believed that the Nubians who lived there built pyramids in imitation of their Egyptian neighbors. The Nubians began building pyramids around 700 BC, almost 2,000 years after the Egyptians. Moreover, they created them much smaller in size. Instead of burying their dead inside the pyramids, as the Egyptians did, the Nubians buried the deceased under the pyramid.

9. Pyramids of Argolis

GreeceIn the second century AD, the ancient Greek writer Pausanias created a kind of "guide" to places that people should visit in Greece. He wrote: "On the road from Argos to Epidauria, on the right, there is a building made very similar to a pyramid, and on it you can see bas-reliefs - forged shields of Argos." Although no trace of this pyramid has been found, several others have survived in Greece.

In Elinikon there are the ruins of a small pyramid made of stone. In the past, historians believed that this pyramid was the tomb described by Pausanias. However, modern archeology has proven that the structure had a completely different purpose. Despite its unusual design, the pyramid was actually a defensive structure. There were guards in it, who watched the road.

10. Broken pyramid of Sneferu

EgyptEveryone believes that the Egyptian pyramids are eternal because of the perfection of their construction. But among the famous pyramids of Egypt, there are some less perfect ones. The earliest pyramids were not even at all, but they were built in "layers", which were stacked on top of each other. The pyramid of Pharaoh Sneferu is unusual for another reason.

While most of the pyramids in Egypt have sides with a slope of about 51 degrees, the slope of the outer walls of the Sneferu pyramid varies approximately in the middle - from 55 to 43 degrees. Because of this, the structure received the nickname "broken pyramid" The construction of this pyramid is a mystery to modern scientists.

It looks like it was built in three stages, as the walls actually change the angle three times. Experts believe that due to a faulty design, somewhere inside there is a hidden chamber where Sneferu was buried. But, despite all the searches, so far they ended in nothing.