The first Egyptian Pyramid was built between 2630 BC and 2611 BC—more than 4,000 years ago. Made of stone, they are very strong. They are also very large. Some are among the largest structures ever built by humans.
Most of the pyramids were built to be tombs. They were meant to be places where dead people could be buried. But these tombs weren't meant for ordinary dead people. They were meant only for the most important people: pharaohs.
Like kings, pharaohs made laws, accumulated riches, and led their people. But unlike kings, pharaohs were also religious leaders. Egyptians believed many pharaohs could communicate with the gods. Some believed pharaohs actually were gods themselves, living on Earth. By burying them in pyramid tombs, they could rejoin the gods in the afterlife.
"Pharaoh." Ancient History Encyclopedia: 2 September 2009. Web. 28 April. 2016.
"Egyptian Pyramids." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 1 March 2016. Web. 28 April. 2016.
