Wander in Egypt: Mystic Encounter with the Great Pyramids

📍 Giza, Egypt

👣 Worth the Journey:  ★★★★★

Camels crossing the Giza plateau in front of the Great Pyramids of Giza, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that has come to survive. From this angle, the Pyramid of Khufu (right) looks shorter than the Pyramid of Khafre (left) built on a higher ground.

GIZA, Egypt — Myths and legends of ancient Egypt have fascinated people from around the world since antiquity. Ancient Greeks and Romans were impressed by the grandeur of this architectural feat, though they had only a vague idea of their purpose.

Greek writer Herodotus visited the pyramids in the 5th century BC and wrote what is considered the first comprehensive history of Egypt. In fact, the word “pyramid” is said to have derived from pyramis, a Greek word for wheat cake made with pointed top.

… if I listen closely, I could hear faint echoes of the Great Pyramids carried on the howling wind that sweep across the Giza plateau: ”Life itself is made of a thousand little miracles. You only have to notice them.”

Following Napoleon Bonaparte’s invasion of Egypt in 1798, large quantities of material on ancient Egypt was made available to the Europeans. Egypt, alongside other parts of the Orient, became a popular subject for Western writers.

When American journalist Mark Twain travelled to Egypt in mid-19th century, he marvelled at what he saw: “I could conjure up no comparison that would convey to my mind a satisfactory comprehension of the magnitude of a pile of monstrous stones that covered thirteen acres of ground and stretched upward four hundred and eighty tiresome feet…”

Over the last centuries, scholars from around the world were preoccupied with the million dollar question: How did the ancient Egyptians, without modern technology and engineering, build something as extraordinary as the Great Pyramids?

Archaeologists have come to identify over 100 pyramids across Egypt. If these pyramids were really that difficult to build, why did the ancient Egyptians built so many of them?

In fact, traces of the so-called pyramids — characterised by four sloping sides that meet in a point at the top — are found beyond the border of Egypt, reaching not only present-day Sudan (where the Kingdom of Kush who, flourished between 1070 BC to 350 AD, is said to have built over 200 pyramids), but also as far as Rome, where a pyramid dated to more than 2,000 years ago stands proudly near one of the southern gates of 3rd-century roman city walls.

Pyramid of Menkaure (هرم منقرع) on the far right is the smallest among the Great Pyramids of Giza. Adjacent to the Pyramid of Menkaure are three smaller tombs (in the form of mastaba and pyramid) for his queens.

The Great Pyramids of Giza, however, seem to have eclipsed all the other pyramids found across Egypt and the rest of the world. As the utmost expression of pharaonic power, the Great Pyramids built on the Giza plateau is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that has survived to this day.

This perhaps explains why most of our impression is based on the pyramids found in the Giza complex, which is accentuated by three colossal pyramids, each dedicated to one of the three generations of pharaoh: Khufu (reigned 2589 - 2566 BC), Khafre (reigned c. 2558 - 2532 BC), and Menkaure (reigned c. 2530 - 2504 BC).

But did you know that even the ancient Egyptians had to go through some trials and errors before they could finally perfect the shape of the pyramids, like those built on the Giza plateau?

To understand the origin of the Egyptian pyramids, we must travel south to Saqqara, a necropolis where a limestone structure is considered by egyptologists to be the precursor of the true pyramid that is synonymous with both power and prowess of ancient Egyptian civilisation.

Sitting on the plateau of the Libyan Desert to the west, Saqqara Necropolis is home to the Pyramid of Djoser, better known as the “Step Pyramid” ( هرم زوسر in Arabic).

The Step Pyramid was commissioned by Pharaoh Djoser (reigned 2668 - 2649 BC) of the Old Kingdom. It is the oldest pyramid hitherto discovered, and is regarded as the first monumental stone structure ever built by men.

The Step Pyramid was designed and built under the direction of its chief architect, Imhotep (who appeared in The Mummy as a cursed high priest), who was also the king’s chancellor.

It was originally built as a mastaba, a rectangular tomb in ancient Egypt that is defined by a flat roof and sloping sides. But instead of one mastaba, the Step Pyramid is consisted of six layers of mastaba clad in polished limestone.

The first attempt to built a true pyramid took place during the 4th dynasty with the expansion of the pharaonic empire. In particular, Pharaoh Snefru (reigned 2613 - 2589 BC) is known to have built at least three pyramids.

Among the pyramids comissioned by Pharaoh Snefru is the “Bent Pyramid”, or Dahshur pyramid, whose name derives from the nearby village of Manshiyyat Dahshur, which is located to the southeast of Saqqara. It’s interesting to point out that the Bent Pyramid is referred as the “Leaning Pyramid of Snefru” (هرم سنفرو المائل) in Arabic.

Planned from the beginning as a true pyramid, the Bent Pyramid rises from ground level at an inclination of 54 degrees. But when the structure reached 49 metres high, its architect realised that the original inclination was too steep to continue. The inclination of the upper course was then changed to 43 degrees, resulting in a bent profile.

Though an unintended mistake, it provides us with an invaluable insight on how the royal architect experimented with form, showing how a stepped-form pyramid transitioned into a four-sided pyramid.

After the Bent Pyramid, Pharaoh Sneferu ordered a second pyramid to be built. This later came to be known as the Northern Pyramid, or more popularly, the Red Pyramid (الهرم الأحمر in Arabic).

The Red Pyramid is the oldest true pyramid found in Egypt. With a slope that inclines at a 43-degree angle, its height reaches as tall as 104 metres. The Red Pyramid served as an excellent model for succeeding pharaohs, such as Pharaoh Sneferu’s son, Khufu, who later chose the Giza Plateau for the construction of the Great Pyramid.

Pyramid of Djoser, also known as the “Step Pyramid” (هرم زوسر), shows ancient Egyptian’s early attempt to build a pyramid-like structure. The Step Pyramid is considered to be the first monumental stone building in the world.

The Dashur Pyramid, more commonly known as the “Bent Pyramid” (هرم سنفرو المائل), shows a transitional phase from the step-sided pyramid seen in Saqqara to the smooth-sided pyramid in Dashur.

Whether the pyramid is stepped, bent, or smooth-sided, we are almost certain that these stone structures were built on the blood and sweat of men.

“On the pyramid it is declared in Egyptian writing how much was spent on radishes and onions and leeks for the workmen… a sum of one thousand six hundred talents of silver was spent,” wrote Herodotus in his account on Egypt. Archaeological evidence also shows traces of workers’ settlement around the pyramids.

Egyptologists refer to pyramids as a type of overground tombs that preceded the burial chambers built underground during the New Kingdom (1570-1544 BC), such as those found in the Valley of the Kings in present-day Luxor.

This evolution of Egyptian pyramids is the “official version” of the story that you would be told from your Egyptian tour guide, or read from books on ancient Egypt. But as much as I’m convinced that the pyramids were built by men, I couldn’t help but wonder if these mystic construction served a higher purpose.

Ibn Battuta, a 14th-century scholar and geographer who travelled extensively, wrote: “We are told that a king of Egypt [Surid] had a dream before the flood came and was so terrified by it that he left impelled to construct those pyramids on the western bank of the Nile. Their purpose was to serve as a repository for scientific knowledge and as tombs for the bodies of kings.” If his words are true, I wonder what kind of scientific knowledge is Ibn Battuta referring to.

The ancient Egyptians believed that the sun god Ra, the father of all pharaohs, was said to have arisen on a pyramid-shaped mound emerged from the primordial sea. Assuming that the sun is the most powerful force in the universe, the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids in a form that is said to symbolise the sun ray.

As a contemporary observer, I find it hard to fathom the amount of labour that was put into the construction of the pyramids — despite all adversities and challenges — out of a desire to immortalise this sacred force in stones.

Historical texts referred to pyramids as ladders that ascend to the god Ra in heaven. The fact that the pyramids were seen as stairways to heaven could perhaps explain why the Step Pyramid looks the way it is, as well as the stone-laid true pyramids that came after it. But could this so-called “ladder to heaven” be in the form of energy?

The Northern Pyramid, better known as the Red Pyramid (الهرم الأحمر), is the first true pyramid ever built by the ancient Egyptians.

Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), one of the world’s greatest inventors, was obsessed with Egyptian pyramids. He was preoccupied with the belief that the pyramids were designed for wireless transmission of energy. According to Tesla, it wasn’t just their pyramidal shape but also their locations, which were chosen in relation to the “relationship between the elliptical orbit of the planet and the equator”.

But perhaps what’s more important than the science behind these Egyptian pyramids is how these pyramids actually make us feel in person.

On a recent visit to Giza, I had a rather unique experience the moment when I was standing in front the Pyramid of Khufu, the largest pyramid in the Giza complex.

As I walked towards the Great Pyramid, I felt within me a sensation that was impossible to describe in words. It’s as if there was a surge of heat at the root of my being that felt deep, profound, and as ungraspable as the universe.

On the same night, something unusual happened during my routine meditation. Seating in a quarter lotus, my body started to rotate in circles. With every inch of my muscles in deep relaxation, this rotation was completely involuntary and unexpected (when it first happened, I thought there was an earthquake).

It was only later that I became aware of an energy swirling up from the bottom of my spine. Like an awakened serpent, this energy — or chi — flowed through me, taking me on a roller-coaster ride to the world of the unknown.

It then occurred to me that this energy was probably triggered or, to be more precise, activated the moment when I was standing in front of the Great Pyramid. It’s been almost two weeks since my visit to Giza, yet I undergo similar experiences every night.

Over time, this new-found strength within me has become more and more tangible. It’s assuring, too. This unknown force also seems to have wiped out the panic disorder that I’ve been suffering for some time. It serves as a constant reminder that I have the power to shape my life according to my desires, and that I am responsible for granting myself that permission.

The camels and their owners are taking a rest on the Giza plateau, looking out to the Great Pyramids. From right to left: Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Khafre, and Pyramid of Menkaure.

I recommend everyone to plan a visit to the Great Pyramids if you haven’t done so already. When I was little, I said to myself that I must travel to Egypt when I’m in my 30’s. Decades have passed by since then, and it seems that I have forgotten about this childhood dream until the moment when I found myself standing in front of the pyramids.

When facing these colossal buildings, I abandoned all my reason, and even made an attempt to measure them with open arms, only to realise how small I am.

Being able to witness the majesty of the Great Pyramids — that have conjured the imagination of explorers and adventurers across millennia — brings about a surreal experience that can hardly be captured by a click of the shutter.

The Great Pyramid alone, which was crafted out of grey-yellow coloured limestone, used over 2.3 million blocks of stone quarried from nearby range, each weighing about 2.5 tons. The fact that it came to be built, and that it has remained intact to this day — despite wars and natural disasters that could’ve destroyed it — is a miracle. 

And if I listen closely, I could hear faint echoes of the Great Pyramids carried on the howling wind that sweep across the Giza plateau: ”Life itself is made of a thousand little miracles. You only have to notice them.”

The writer’s visit to the pyramids was made in January 2023. This article is part of the series “Wander in Egypt”.

Reference:
Atiya, F. (2006). Ancient Egypt. Cairo, Egypt: Dar al-Mushaf
(1904, January 23), The Secret of the Sphinx. Weekly Irish Times, 23
Vercoutter, J. (1992). The Search For Ancient Egypt. London, England: Thames & Hudson