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Pyramids of Giza: Facts on the Unsolved Mystery

We discovered hundreds of hieroglyphs across Egypt, but none of them describe how they were constructed or how the ancients carved stone. Here are 10 mind-blowing facts.

2/16/20243 min read

Fact 1

Only a few Ancient Egyptian literature describe the pyramids. The greatest information we have about their construction comes from papyrus pieces unearthed in 2013, which describe limestone blocks being delivered over the Nile River.

Fact 2

There are no hieroglyphs, murals, burial riches, or corpses discovered in the pyramids (Image 2). In contrast, the tombs of the Valley of the Kings are adorned with elaborate hieroglyphic texts and artworks from floor to ceiling.

Fact 3

Below image shows precise alignment to real north (not magnetic north). The Great Pyramid is 3.4 arcminutes off perfect alignment, with an accuracy of about 1 millimetre per metre of base length. It's incredible to get this level of accuracy on something with a footprint of more than 13 acres.

Fact 4

The Great Pyramid was the world's highest structure for about 3,900 years (assuming accepted chronology of c.2560 BC) until being surpassed by Lincoln Cathedral in the 14th century. It stood 481 feet tall, but erosion has diminished it little over time.

Fact 5

Below image shows shining white limestone casing stones. Some academics believe the capstones were coated with gold and other valuable metals. Locals are said to have stolen and repurposed the casing stones after an earthquake damaged them.

Fact 6

The Great Pyramid is made up of around 2.3 million stone pieces that weigh an average of 2.5 tonnes. Quarrying them using nothing more than copper saws, chisels, and pounding stones, then transporting and hoisting them into position, is the greatest engineering accomplishment ever done.

Fact 7

The Great Pyramid's inner chamber blocks and casing stones were so precise that a razor blade couldn't fit between them (see image). Surprising considering that some granite blocks in the King's chamber weigh up to 80 tonnes apiece.

Fact 8

The Great Pyramid is believed to weigh around 6 million tonnes in total. Currently, only the Great Wall of China and the Three Gorges Dam surpass this limit.

Fact 9

In the late 18th century, Napoleon accurately estimated that the Great Pyramid could support a 10-foot-high wall encircling continental France. It's assumed he did this computation himself.