Pyramids

A pyramid is a structure with a polygonal base and triangular faces that converge to a single apex. The term also describes the geometric solid of that shape. In practice, pyramids have been built as ceremonial, religious, or funerary monuments by various cultures, most famously in Egypt and Mesoamerica.

In ancient Egypt, pyramids evolved from stepped forms to smooth-sided monuments. The earliest stone pyramid is Djoser's Step Pyramid (c. 2670 BCE) at Saqqara, designed by Imhotep. The Great Pyramid of Khufu (c. 2560 BCE) at Giza is the largest and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; later kings built pyramids at Dahshur and elsewhere as part of expansive mortuary complexes. Pyramids were typically aligned to cardinal directions and contained burial chambers, passageways, and relieving spaces, often surrounded by temples and subsidiary structures.

Egyptian pyramids were constructed with limestone blocks and, in some cases, granite reinforcements. The exact methods of construction remain debated, with theories invoking ramps, levering, and internal corridors. Projects required large workforces and long timeframes, reflecting centralized state organization and resource mobilization.

Outside Egypt, pyramids appear in Mesoamerica as temple platforms for religious rituals, notably at Teotihuacan and throughout Maya sites such as Chichen Itza. Nubian pyramids in the region of Kush (including Meroë) display distinct shapes and purposes, yet shared the function of royal tombs and cult monuments.

Today, pyramids are important archaeological and tourist sites. They illuminate ancient engineering, cosmology, and social organization, while ongoing preservation efforts address weathering, looting, and development pressures.