The Pyramids of Giza (Essay Sample)

Title: The Pyramids of Giza
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Cultural practices are meant to be passed across generations (Rogoff, 2003). In any society, the need to sustain cultural practices cannot be overlooked. There exist some ways through which cultural practices are passed to generations that follow. Among the common methods of transmitting cultural practices across generations is through artistic work. Architecture is among the effective ways through which culture is preserved. Architecture was used in Egypt, to preserve their culture. Among the notable aspects of such designs, are the pyramids of Giza. The pyramids of Giza remain the tallest monument to have ever been built by man to date.
The great pyramid of Giza is an attractive architecture situated at the ancient Giza Necropolis, which is today known as Cairo, the capital city of Egypt. The monument is also known by other names such as Khufu’s pyramid and the pyramid of Cheops. The history behind the construction of the pyramids reveals that; the pyramids were built on tombs (Mann & Lo Turco, 1996).
The Pyramids of Giza are tied to the cultural and historical perspectives of Egypt, by representing the tombs of its rulers. The tall three pyramids at Giza were constructed in a span of three different generations by the leaders Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure (Smith, 2011). The three pyramids had each built on a tomb off a particular ruler. Besides the three tall pyramids of the Giza plateau is other small pyramids. These smaller pyramids belonged to the queens, which were arranged as satellites. The structure known as mastabas was constructed to occupy the areas to the west and east of the Khufu’s pyramid. The mastabas were built for the prominent members of the pharaoh’s court.
The pyramids of Giza architecture are essential to the ancient Egyptian culture, as it depicts the unity of the people of Egypt. The people of Egypt worked in unity during the construction of the pyramids of Giza. Many of the books that attempt to estimate the number of blocks which were used in the building of the great pyramid estimate that 2.3 million blocks were used in the construction of Khufu’s pyramid. Such an enormous work required many people to work with unity, what makes some books predict that over 100,000 men were involved in the construction. For this reason, the monuments are a good sign of unity, and hence appropriate in the preservation of the culture of unity.
The Pyramids of Giza were built on top of the tombs of the rulers of Egypt. The monuments were built during the age when the Egyptians had an intense respect for rulers, and rulers were treated with high respect. To depict their respect for their leaders (Pharaoh) afterlives, the monuments were essential. The monuments act as a reminder of their fore-leaders. The Pyramids of Giza are ranked among the Seven Wonders of the World (Mann & Lo Turco, 1996). They also represent the tallest monument ever to have been ...