The Legend of the Pyramid

Author: (Czech) Zamarovsky
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2005-02-17
Features: The pyramid is Egypt. The pyramid is the main symbol of ancient Egyptian civilization. Among the world's ancient civilizations, Egyptian civilization may be the most fascinating one. However, the Egyptian artifacts we have discovered so far are not enough to represent the finest part of this civilization. When a group of Greeks settled in Athens, pyramids that were nearly a thousand years old had already stood tall. When the legendary Romans founded their city, these pyramids were already two thousand years old. When the Arabs reached Egypt, these pyramids were three thousand years old. This book takes us to a magical land by the Nile River and to the magnificent and ancient wonders of the world before our eyes. The pyramid, known as "pharaoh's mountain" in Arabic, stands majestic in the shining yellow desert and the greenish-brown river, piercing the clouds. In this book, Zamarovsky tells us about the pyramid among ancient wonders, the pyramid that tops the list of the Seven Wonders of the World, the pyramid that embodies age, grandeur, and magic. This is just one of the many works on ancient Egyptian pyramids, but it is one that is interesting, imaginative, and captivating. The construction of the pyramids was far from simple: it required transporting tens of thousands of massive stones, each weighing several tons, from hundreds of miles away and then lifting them to heights of hundreds of feet. Without sufficient wealth, authority, and technology, it was simply impossible. The renowned historian Will Durant once said that building these pyramids would have required at least 100,000 laborers working for 20 years. Even if they were not paid, just to feed them would have required an enormous amount of food. What makes ancient Egyptian pyramids striking is that they spanned over two thousand seven hundred years, from the early Old Kingdom to the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty. Their longevity is as unparalleled as their brilliance and grandeur. We recommend this book to the following groups: archaeologists or those interested in archaeology, researchers or enthusiasts of ancient civilizations, readers with a sense of historical depth, and students from primary to high school.