Teti has purified himself:
Pyramid Texts, Utterance 407
May he take his pure seat in the sky!
Teti endures:
May his beautiful seats endure!
Probably what Egypt is most famous for are the pyramids. Our first stop on our second day was the pyramids at Dashur, which is south of the more famous ones at Giza. Two main pyramids are located there that are well intact: the “bent” pyramid and “red” pyramid (from its color). They were built around 2600 BC by Pharaoh Sneferu. We went inside the red pyramid, climbing up some steps to the entrance and then descending a ramp with a low ceiling into its bowels. There wasn’t a lot to see there, but it was fun to say “I’m in a pyramid!” These were quite the engineering feats.
We later visited Saqqara. Djoser’s stepped pyramid is the first pyramid, dating to a half century earlier than those at Dashur. Djoser is credited with inventing the idea of a stone building (rather than mud brick), although we have evidence of an earlier stone tower at Jericho, beating Djoser by a few millennia. Anything permanent (like a tomb or temple) is to be built in stone because it lasts forever, or at least it’s supposed to. We also visited the pyramid of Teti at Saqqara. Although not as impressive on the outside, his pyramid contains writing all over on the inside (what are known as Pyramid Texts – see above).
When we got back to Cairo on Thursday, we visited the famous pyramids at Giza. The famous Sphinx is near them. These are the largest pyramids. The tallest is the Great Pyramid built by Pharaoh Khufu, standing at a height of 481 feet. It was constructed around 2560 BC and was the tallest structure in the world for over 3800 years. Putting it in perspective, by the time Abraham visited Egypt, the pyramids were over a half millennia old.
The pyramids were meant to house the dead Pharaoh forever. Inside were locked all his possessions. If you didn’t have you possessions in your tomb, you wouldn’t have them in the afterlife. The problem with a pyramid is that it sticks out like a sore thumb, announcing to thieves, “There’s treasure inside me!” They were all looted in antiquity. The Pharaohs tried to take it with them – and so did the thieves.