Following on from the amazing high resolution satellite images of the Pyramids of Giza, it’s worth noting that the Pyramid is a structure that is seen across the world. The pyramid form was a popular one in ancient times – when you mention the Pyramids, people will instantly think of the Ancient Egyptians, and the Great Pyramid of Giza. But many civilisations adopted the pyramidal form, from the Greeks and Romans to the Chinese and Mesopotamians!
The primary reason for this would be the structural form of a pyramid – the majority of the construction material that would be used would be at the base, and hence the weight distribution would mean there is less of a load pushing downwards from above (where there is less construction material). This meant that the construction of a pyramid would be much simpler in terms of it’s stability, whilst still giving it an aura of grandeur. How the Pyramid was built is a subject of much discussion, and Heritage Key recently interviewed Jean-Pierre Houdin on his Internal Ramp Pyramid theory. You should alsotake a look atHeritage Key’s fantastic video interview about Dr Mark Lehner’s search for information about the Pyramid Builders of Egypt (watch the video)!
The Google Earth Tour below shows 3D models and locations of many prominent ancient Pyramids from around the world in a flyover which will take you across the continents and zoom in on these magnificent structures.
To open webpages in a new window, right click the link in the information window and select “Open link in new window”. This will enable you to view the link in a full web browser.
You can also download this tour to your computer by clicking here, selecting “Save” and then running the file. It will automatically open Google Earth and begin the Heritage Key: Pyramids of the World tour.
Have a look through our Google Earth Tours too to experience more flythrough tours of world heritage sites!