When you think of a pyramid, it’s a geometrical shape with four sides. However, that’s not exactly the case with the Great Pyramid. It may look like it has four sides when you look at it from the ground; the Great Pyramid actually has eight sides.
Some experts believe it was constructed this way to prevent the stones from shifting. Others believe that erosion from the wind caused the pyramid to split into eight sides. There is no evidence to prove either of these theories, but the sides seem so precise that it seems unlikely that wind could’ve made that happen.
To Build The Pyramids
The largest pyramid and the most massive structure in the world is the Great Pyramid, built around 2550 BC, during Pharaoh Khufu's reign. Scientific research says it was built by 20,000 people, and it took them 20 years to complete it.
When we look at it from our modern perspective, it seems highly unlikely that the ancient people managed to build such a magnificent project only using wood and ropes—no wonder it took so long!
The Pyramids Used to Look Much Different
The Great Pyramid appears to blend with the sand and dirt surrounding it, but these pyramids looked utterly different back in the day. The surface layer was covered with shiny, white polished limestone, which made the pyramids shine.
Sadly, there was a strong earthquake in 1303 AD that caused the limestone layer to loosen, so people had to take the surface stones off. Of course, these stones didn’t go to waste. They were reused for fortresses and other structures.
Evidence of Advanced Tools
Scientists believe that ancient civilizations had more advanced tools than we believe, and a significant piece of evidence was found in Khufu’s Sarcophagus. Archaeologists, who worked on this site, discovered the evidence of drills that were strong enough to drill through granite blocks. Khufu, who was behind the Great Pyramid construction, had a coffin that weighed over 3.5 tons.
The only rational conclusion is that the stone was brought to this place before. The sarcophagus stood separate from other blocks in a room inside the pyramid, with holes that had to be made by humans. Considering that it was made of granite, the block was way too dense to have been drilled with anything other than advanced tools, which supposedly did not exist at that time.
The Labyrinth Beneath the Pyramids
We already know about the intricate labyrinth underneath the pyramids, but we don’t know how long it is and where it can lead us. The sophisticated tunnel system is made from limestone bedrock, and some of the most notable archaeological discoveries were made in them. Even though archaeologists have dug quite far into these tunnels, they still haven’t scaled every corner nor found the end of the labyrinth.
Conspiracy theorists maintain that scientists are keeping this underground world full of catacombs a secret from the public. All that we now know is that the labyrinths under the Great Pyramid stretch 55 miles south of Cairo, underneath Hawara.