>From Mastabas to Pyramids
Prior to the construction of the step pyramids, rulers were buried in Mastaba's. The mastaba is a non-pyramidal shaped structure, which closely resembles burial mounds. These tombs surround the pyramids of the Old Kingdom. Families of the monarch, nobility's, and courtiers were all buried in these low rectangular brick or stone structures. These structures evolved from the simpler pile of stones made only to protect the body. Shafts were dug leading to the mummy chamber and were decorated with inscriptions and pictures of the deceased and what was important to them in their life (titles, estates, workmen all with reference to the funerary worship). Around 2780 B.C. King Djoser's architect, Imhotep, built the first pyramid by placing six mastabas, each smaller than the one beneath, in a stack to form a pyramid rising in steps. Like the pyramids, they were oriented very specifically with the four sides facing north, south, east, and west. They were built on the west side of the Nile (symbol of death, where the sun falls into the underworld). These rectangular chambers were built with brick or stone and vary in length from 15 to 170 feet long, and vary in height from 10 to 30 feet. The inside o
to how the preciseness of the cut was executed. Workers may have used some kind of powder (sand), with the drills and the saws to work on the granite. Obviously some knowledge of astronomy was necessary to orient the pyramids to the cardinal points. The stone blocks were moved by making the ground slippery by liquid and then brought up ramps to their positions in the pyramid. Lastly, the outer layer of casing was finished from the top down and ramps were dismantled as the work was completed. Pyramid building was at its peak from about the Fourth through the Sixth Dynasties. Smaller pyramids continued to be built for thousands of years and many of them have been discovered, but the remains of others are probably still buried under the sand. The diminishing construction of pyramids was mainly due to the fact that pyramids did not provide protection for the mummified bodies of the kings or their "ka," but were obvious targets for grave robbers. Later kings were buried in! ll near the entrance to the shaft. Often an image of the deceased was carved in the false door in order to entice the soul to enter the body. For the comfort of the dead the burial chamber was filled with material goods and food offerings, and the walls were decorated with scenes of daily activities- all just to make the deceased feel at home and comfortable with their new surroundings. The mastabas were designed to en
Some common words found in the essay are:
Kingdom Egyptians, King Djoser's, Pyramid Giza, Sixth Dynasties, Kingdom Families, Pyramids Prior, Fourth Dynasty, Nile River, Step Pyramid, burial chamber, Humanities Volume, step pyramid, mastabas beneath stack, placing six mastabas, form pyramid, relatives deceased, stack form, brick stone, stack form pyramid, actual burial, beneath stack form, drills saws, six mastabas beneath, false door, beneath stack,
Approximate Word count = 947
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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