Cairo - Giza
Egypt is home to a great civilization that stretches over 5000 years and to the last great “old” wonder of the world, the Pyramids. Today, the suburbs of Cairo extend to the edge of Giza plateau where the pyramids and Sphinx sit. It is almost surreal driving though city streets with the pyramids growing ever taller as you approach, in fact you could see the pyramids from anywhere in Cairo if the air pollution was not so bad. While you cannot climb the outside of pyramids anymore, you can climb to the inner burial chamber of Khufu. Keep in mind only 300 tickets are issued a day, (due to the humidity caused by tourists), so you need to be in line early, or your tour might buy them in advance. And if you are at all claustrophobic don’t even think about climbing inside. The most strenuous part was the 40 m climb through a 45 degree, 1m wide, 1.3m high passage (cramped with 2 way traffic) which opens to the grand gallery (8.5 m tall, 47m long, 45 degrees) and finally the King’s Chamber. The pyramids were built over 4500 years ago (during the old kingdom) so the interiors are bare and stark when compared to the new kingdoms tombs in the Valley of the Kings. The hieroglyphic inscriptions and reliefs were carved into the funerary temples in front of the pyramids, not in the pyramids. Originally the pyramids were faced in white limestone so they glistened in the Egyptian sun, however later generations removed the facing to use in other buildings. The only remaining limestone is on top of Khafre’s (Khufu’s son) pyramid. I am not sure what impressed me more, the effort that when into building the pyramid, or the tenacity of the tomb robbers cutting through all that stone to get inside.
Next to the Pyramids are the Sphinx and solar boat. Despite being almost 20 meters tall the Sphinx looks small surrounded by the pyramids. While most believe that the nose was shot off by Napoleon’s troops in the 1800’s, there are journals of Arab travelers from the 1400’s that mention the nose was already gone. None the less the Sphinx is an impressive sight.
The preservation ability of the Egyptian environment is remarkable when you see the solar boat. This boat is over 4500 years old and was found in a limestone pit just outside the great pyramid of Khufu. It was used to bring the body of the Pharaoh Khufu to his resting place. It has been reassembled over the pit it was found in and is now on display.
The last place we visited on the Giza plateau was the workers tombs. Recently a city was discovered next to the pyramids that supported the workers constructing the pyramids. Since the city itself was made from mud brick with thatch roofs little remain, but the tombs the workers made for themselves survive. These have false doors and hieroglyphic inscriptions like the funerary temples outside the pyramids although on a much smaller scale. From the hieroglyph, most wanted beer and leisure in the afterlife. While some still believe that the workers were slaves, in fact all were free. Many were craftsman, although most of the labor was supplied by the thousands of farmers whose fields were flooded for months each year by the Nile.
Read MoreNext to the Pyramids are the Sphinx and solar boat. Despite being almost 20 meters tall the Sphinx looks small surrounded by the pyramids. While most believe that the nose was shot off by Napoleon’s troops in the 1800’s, there are journals of Arab travelers from the 1400’s that mention the nose was already gone. None the less the Sphinx is an impressive sight.
The preservation ability of the Egyptian environment is remarkable when you see the solar boat. This boat is over 4500 years old and was found in a limestone pit just outside the great pyramid of Khufu. It was used to bring the body of the Pharaoh Khufu to his resting place. It has been reassembled over the pit it was found in and is now on display.
The last place we visited on the Giza plateau was the workers tombs. Recently a city was discovered next to the pyramids that supported the workers constructing the pyramids. Since the city itself was made from mud brick with thatch roofs little remain, but the tombs the workers made for themselves survive. These have false doors and hieroglyphic inscriptions like the funerary temples outside the pyramids although on a much smaller scale. From the hieroglyph, most wanted beer and leisure in the afterlife. While some still believe that the workers were slaves, in fact all were free. Many were craftsman, although most of the labor was supplied by the thousands of farmers whose fields were flooded for months each year by the Nile.
