Our Inheritance in the Great Pyramid, Third Ed‪.‬

The last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to remain standing, the Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the pyramids in the Giza Necropolis in Egypt. Sometimes referred to as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops, the Great Pyramid is believed to have been a tomb for Egyptian pharaoh Khufu. With construction lasting somewhere between 11 and 20 years, the pyramid was completed around 2560 BC. While the ancient art of building pyramids still stumps historians and Egyptologists, the general theory is that the structures were built using large blocks and pulley systems, where workers would chisel the blocks to form needed shapes and then drag and lift them into place. Inside, the Great Pyramid has three known chambers. The lowest is below the pyramid and is thought to be unfinished. The other two are high up in the pyramid structure and commonly referred to as the King?s and Queen?s Chambers. These sections would house the mummified bodies of pharaohs and their first wives. Historians also believe that the pyramid used to be surrounded by water, perhaps a moat or canal. Three pits around the pyramid are shaped like boats and are believed to have been held there for symbolic purposes. Today, the Great Pyramid is referenced in dozens of movies, television shows, comic books and novels. While archaeologists continue to examine the unique structure's early history, tourists from around the globe travel to see this piece of ancient architecture.