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Ancient Egyptian Pyramids in Context, Part 2 - Ancient Egypt Presentation by Dr. Steve

Ancient Egyptian Pyramids in Context

With Stephen “Dr. Steve” Phillips, Ph.D.

University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

The Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, stand as majestic witnesses to the passage of over 4,500 years of human history, filling everyone who sees them with awe. Most are surprised to learn, however, that in fact there are well over 100 known pyramids in Egypt, some older, some later, than the photogenic three located at Giza. According to an old proverb, “Man fears Time, but Time fears the Pyramids.”

Not surprisingly, the grandeur and longevity of Egypt’s pyramids has generated a bewildering and often fanciful array of popular notions as to why they were built, how they were built, and who built them, while all too often distorting or all together ignoring what these monuments actually are – the final resting place for the kings who commissioned their construction.

To better understand ancient Egypt’s pyramids, these structures must be seen in their own cultural context, not in a context of our own making. This two-part mini-course reviews the body of archaeological data regarding the evolution of ancient Egyptian royal burial practices, spanning several centuries, which eventually resulted in the iconic pyramids that still stand today.

We will examine who built these monuments, review ideas on how they built them, and, we will read recently discovered passages from the personal diary of an ancient Egyptian construction supervisor who helped build the Great Pyramid.