英文金字塔介绍.docVIP

Review The Pyramids / pir?mid/ of Egypt [i:d?ipt] are among The Seven Wonders of the World. These massive stone structures were built around 4500 years ago. There are 138 (one hundred and thirty-eight) pyramids discovered in Egypt as of 2008. The three largest and best-preserved were built in Giza ([ɡi:z?]) on the outskirts of Cairo([kai?r?u]). In the initial days of the kingdom, Egyptians([i:d?ip??nz]) built tombs which had flat-roofed structures called Mastabas([m?st?b?]). It was only later when the economy flourished and state strengthened, that they began building the pyramids/ pir?mid/. It is believed that most of the pyramids were built during the Old Kingdom and Middle Kingdom period. Pharaohs [f?ro] ruled Egypt from 3000 BC to 30 [θ?:ti] BC. The earliest pyramid discovered is called “Pyramid of Djoser” in Saqqara, estimated to be built during 2630 BC to 2611 BC. This was built in the third dynasty of Pharaoh. The pyramids built in the 3rd and 4th dynasty were large and tall structures. Later the pyramids became small in structure and were hastily built. This was due to the weakened economic condition of the kingdom, which was plagued by famine and foreign and domestic conflicts in its last days. The ancient Egyptians believed that death on earth was the start of new life, a new journey into to the next world. They believed that when a pharaoh died, he became king of the dead. They believed that some parts of the dead pharaoh’s spirit remain with his body. They believed that if the dead pharaoh is not given proper care, he would not be able to carry out his duties as the king of the dead and as result a curse would fall on Egypt and upon the next living Pharaoh. In order to prevent any such disaster the dead pharaoh was mummified. Food, stones, gold and furniture were also placed in the pyramids along with the mummy so that the Pharaoh was able to perform his duties as king of dead. The largest Egyptian pyramid belongs to the Pharaoh Khufu and is the al