Analysis of the Ancient Pyramids Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Analysis of the Ancient Pyramids - Term Paper Example Although the perfection achieved by these men are still difficult to achieve even with today’s modern machinery and technology, the point the pyramids make is that human ingenuity, dedication and hands-on personal attention is still unequaled by the other machines that we make. Bibliography: Crozat, Pierre. â€Å"Origin of the Materials.† Engineering of the Pyramids. Paris: 6th Congress of Scientific Systems, 2005. Print. Levy, Janey. The Great Pyramid of Giza: Measuring Length, Area, Volume and Angles. New York: Rosen, 2005. Print. Romer, John. The Great Pyramid: Ancient Egypt Revisited. Cambridge: Cambridge GP, 2007. Print. Student name Instructor name Course name Date Analysis of the Ancient Pyramids at Giza Although only the top portions of them were left exposed above the desert sand 100 years ago, the ancient pyramids of Giza have long been structures that inspired wonder and puzzlement among those who knew of them. Built in an area of the world in which there are few building materials, including rock or trees, the stone pyramids were constructed with a level of precision placement that remains difficult to reproduce even today despite our advances in mechanical lifting technology and modern equipment. Once they were fully exposed to the modern world, the size of the pyramids fully revealed the tremendous achievement reached by the ancient Egyptians. The architectural feat accomplished coupled with their awe-inspiring size have made the pyramids object lessons for modern architects and others as they struggle to understand how and why these structures were created and how they have managed to persist throughout the centuries. Although we have created some very impressive structures in the modern age, it remains true that the Great Pyramid is one of the taller manmade structures on earth, standing as tall as most 50-story skyscrapers (Russell, 2005). This pyramid, and its attendant structures discovered on the Giza Plateau, is old enough to receive a mention in the Bible and impressive enough to have been included as one of the original seven great wonders of the world - the only one to still survive today. The pyramids, especially the Great Pyramid, are worthy subjects of architectural study because of how their construction, composition and style communicate the political, social and spiritual practices of the people that built them, demonstrating the ever-important link between architecture and society. Any study of the Great Pyramid should start with an analysis of the amazing technical details inherent in the structure. Surveys done on the pyramid have revealed that the length of each side of the structure is equal to all of the other sides almost exactly with the greatest difference in measurement equal to less than 1.75 inches (Levy, 2005). This same survey indicates that the base of the pyramid is almost perfectly level. It is hard to imagine how such a massive structure could have been created to such precise measurements in such a way that they would still hold true today, more than 4,000 years after it was constructed, and all without modern surveying equipment, earth movers or other advances in machinery. This is especially difficult to understand when one considers that the building blocks used for the pyramid