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The Great Pyramid

Short answer: The Great Pyramid of Giza was built for the Fourth Dynasty pharaoh Khufu in the 26th century BC. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one still largely intact.

It was originally faced with polished white Tura limestone casing stones. Most were removed or lost over the centuries, but some remain around the base. Its ancient Egyptian name was Akhet Khufu, 'Horizon of Khufu'. It is part of the 'Memphis and its Necropolis' UNESCO World Heritage Site. The footage shows renderings of the pyramid, its builders and casing stones, with the presenter. This is No. 1 in his Seven Wonders of the Ancient World series.

VideoWrite-up3 sources

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What should you know about The Great Pyramid?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. The Great Pyramid is the oldest ancient wonder.

    DD-092-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit B (Oldest wonder)

  2. It is the only one still largely intact.

    DD-092-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit C (Still standing)

Video transcript: The Great Pyramid: Only One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Survives

The 7 Wonders of the Ancient World No. 1 the Great Pyramid of Giza DID YOU KNOW? The Great Pyramid of Giza built during the reign of Pharaoh Khufu is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and is the only one that remains largely intact today. It was constructed with remarkable precision and the original casing stones made of highly polished Tura Limestone reflected the sun's light and made the pyramid shine like a gem or jewel an effect that earned it the ancient nickname Glorious Light. The smooth reflective surface of the casing stones has weathered or been removed over the centuries but remnants of these stones can still be seen at the base of the pyramid. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 36.2s Reel ·

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The Great Pyramid: Only One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Survives Instagram Reel · · 36.2s

The write-up

Only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World survives. Its casing was once polished white Tura limestone.

  1. Exhibit A

    Built for Khufu

    The pyramid was built for the pharaoh Khufu.

  2. Exhibit B

    Oldest wonder

    It's the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

  3. Exhibit C

    Still standing

    It's the only one of the seven still largely intact.

  4. Exhibit D

    Tura limestone

    It was cased in polished white Tura limestone.

  5. Exhibit E

    World Heritage

    It's part of the Memphis and its Necropolis World Heritage Site.

Questions people ask about The Great Pyramid

Which pharaoh was the pyramid built for?

A Fourth Dynasty king.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Built for Khufu) · Wikipedia: Great Pyramid of Giza

Where does it rank in age among the ancient wonders?

It predates the others by far.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Oldest wonder) · Wikipedia: Great Pyramid of Giza; Wikipedia: Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

How many of the seven are still largely intact?

Only the Great Pyramid.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Still standing) · Wikipedia: Great Pyramid of Giza; Wikipedia: Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

What was the original casing made of?

Polished and white.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Tura limestone) · Wikipedia: Great Pyramid of Giza

Which World Heritage Site includes it?

Listed by UNESCO in 1979.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (World Heritage) · UNESCO World Heritage: Memphis and its Necropolis

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. Which pharaoh was the pyramid built for?

    1. Khufu
    2. Ramesses II
    3. Tutankhamun
    4. Cleopatra
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Khufu A Fourth Dynasty king. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Built for Khufu) · Wikipedia: Great Pyramid of Giza

  2. Where does it rank in age among the ancient wonders?

    1. Oldest
    2. Youngest
    3. Third
    4. Unknown
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Oldest It predates the others by far. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Oldest wonder) · Wikipedia: Great Pyramid of Giza; Wikipedia: Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

  3. How many of the seven are still largely intact?

    1. One
    2. Three
    3. Five
    4. All seven
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. One Only the Great Pyramid. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Still standing) · Wikipedia: Great Pyramid of Giza; Wikipedia: Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

  4. What was the original casing made of?

    1. Tura limestone
    2. Granite tiles
    3. Gold leaf
    4. Brick
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Tura limestone Polished and white. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Tura limestone) · Wikipedia: Great Pyramid of Giza

  5. Which World Heritage Site includes it?

    1. Memphis and its Necropolis
    2. Petra
    3. Ephesus
    4. Babylon
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Memphis and its Necropolis Listed by UNESCO in 1979. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (World Heritage) · UNESCO World Heritage: Memphis and its Necropolis

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "The Great Pyramid." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-092, last updated Nov 25, 2023. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-great-pyramid/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-great-pyramid/ · Last updated

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