When you think of ancient pyramids, you probably think of Egypt. The ancient Egyptians built these monuments as tombs for their kings starting around 2700 BC. Perhaps the most famous of these are the three pyramids of Giza near Cairo.
But people all over the world have built pyramids throughout history. Some were as grand as ancient Egypt.
The people of the Kushite kingdom in present-day Sudan built the pyramids between 700 BC and 300 BC. These Nubian pyramids were generally smaller and more pointed than the Egyptian pyramids. However, like those in Egypt, these structures were used as royal tombs.
On the other hand, the Great Pyramid of Cholula dwarfs even the Great Pyramid of Giza, the largest of the three pyramids at Giza. Located in present-day Puebla, Mexico, this bridge is approximately 450 meters (approximately 1,500 feet) wide. (The Great Pyramid of Giza is approximately 230 meters, or 750 feet, wide.) In fact, the Great Pyramid of Cholula is a series of mud pyramids stacked on top of each other. Little is known about its early history. However, construction is thought to have begun around 300 BC, and by the time Spanish invaders arrived in the 1500s, the pyramids were covered with grass.
The inhabitants of the sacred city of Teotihuacan built their own impressive pyramids. This city is located in present-day Mexico. It includes structures such as the Pyramid of the Sun and the Moon, and the Pyramid of the Temple of Quetzalcoatl (The Feathered Serpent). All were built there within the first few hundred years of the Common Era, but not much is known about the people who built them. However, it appears that the pyramids were used for rituals and burials.
People in several ancient Maya cities built pyramids as well. Consider the ancient Mayan city of Tikal, located in what is now Guatemala. It was a thriving urban center until around 900 AD, when several pyramid temples were built. Pyramids can also be found in Caracol, an ancient Mayan city in present-day Belize. And there are temple pyramids Mayan city recently discovered in southern Mexiconamed Valeriana.
Further ancient pyramids have been discovered elsewhere in Africa, Europe, Asia, and South America.
Want to know more? We’ve got some stories to get you started.
Did the builders of Egypt’s first pyramids use hydraulic elevators? They may have lifted giant blocks of stone by controlling the flow of water, a new study suggests. (2024/9/3) Readability: 7.2
Scientists discover a mysterious void in the Great Pyramid of Giza Particles of particles from a cosmic point to an unknown chamber in the 4,500-year-old Egyptian monument. (2017/11/28) Readability: 7.9
Laser vision reveals hidden worlds Ancient peoples built pyramids and many other structures in Caracol, a vast Mayan city in modern-day Belize. (2015/5/1) Readability: 7.5
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Source: www.snexplores.org
