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| The Giza Pyramids in one frame |
“In one sense it was the Pyramids that built Egypt—rather than the other way around.” (National Geographic)
The pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx are one of the most coveted monuments around the world. Naturally, my half-day trip to Giza was one of my most anticipated moments from the entire Egypt trip. But before I talk about it further, let me tell you that the kind of things one would expect to experience there are not portrayed accurately by pop culture. The picture painted with excessive orientalist or ‘Arabian night tales’ imagery is overshadowed by modernization and urbanization. Instead of a never-ending desert, with only camels and no civilization in sight, what one does get to see is the skyline view of the cemented jungle, proper roads going around the pyramid and the sphinx complex and camels that are waiting for tourists to give a 30-45 minute paid ride. Not that I am complaining too much, but I did miss the imaginary feeling of being Jasmine and waiting for Aladdin to pick me up on his magic carpet.
Human beings fear oblivion. We seek ways to be remembered and at least be immortal in our collective memory, that will stand against the tests of time. Maybe that is why we leave such grand monuments behind. The pyramids are no different in that regard, whatever theories one may have sewn around those monuments. The most accepted theory is that the pyramids were built as tombs of the great Pharos and were built roughly 4500 years ago. Out of the three pyramids of Giza, the tallest one is attributed to Khufu, followed by Khafre and Menkaure. But that does not feel enough. The grandeur and the magnificence of the architecture have made people raise questions probing into the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of the construction. The pyramids being a tomb is not convincing enough or a highly simplistic explanation for something that has been standing at that height for thousands of years.
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| The main pyramid |
The main pyramid was originally covered with a layer of limestone which would have rendered the whole surface shining white, which has not survived completely. In fact, if you were to look at the pyramid today, you could still see the limestone on the tip, which is no longer white, but still gives us a rough idea. Slavery, as we would define it today, did not exist in Ancient Egypt. All the workers who built the pyramid were skilled and trained. They were well-fed and were not treated as properties to be bought, sold or owned by a set of the elite. It is possible that these workers were a mixed group of people who came from the African continent to look for employment. Analyses show they enjoyed a protein-rich diet, practically unheard of among the rest of the Nile Valley’s inhabitants. Such a man-made feat of engineering is impossible to be found in today's world.
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| View from the Sphinx areana |
The most fascinating alternative hypothesis that comes out of the build-up of conspiracy theories is that of the correlation with the constellation of Orion. It is believed that the three pyramids of Giza are aligned deliberately in a manner that will coincide with the placement of the three stars on Orion’s belt. It is surprising at first, but not so much when there is a realization of what Orion represented. The constellation of Orion represents Osiris, the god of rebirth and the afterlife, a concept that Egyptians believed in wholeheartedly. This theory was put forward by Robert Bauval in the late eighties. He further argued that the Sphinx mirrored the constellation of Leo, and the monument’s alignments to the Nile matched the positions of the stars relative to the Milky Way which has lead him to argue for pushing the dates of the monuments further back. This theory has faced criticism while also being a catalyst in trying to prove the given hypothesis.
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| The Sphinx |
The Sphinx is a mythical creature that has some anthropomorphic features alongside animalistic features that find its origins in Greek and Roman culture. What we understand to be the Sphinx today was most likely revered as a solar deity by the name Horemakhet. When Egypt was under the Greek and Roman influence, they called it the Sphinx because they did not know what it was called historically. Evidence shows that it suffered damages due to water. The Romans then renovated it, as there is a clear sequence of Roman-style bricks alongside limestone from which the Great Sphinx was chiselled. It can not be said for sure but the Sphinx was probably built under the Pharaoh Khafre, who is also responsible for the building of the second pyramid. A mini diorite (type of igneous rock) statue of Khafre, which was discovered buried upside down along with other debris in the Valley Temple, is claimed as support for the Khafre theory.
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| The narrow passage inside the pyramid |
I have not done justice to the majesty of the trip to Giza and its history. But I did not want to make it seem like an academic essay and also wanted to weigh in my own experience of visiting these places. Honestly, it was not what I had hoped for. We first went on the camel rides because the entry to the Pyramid had closed for lunch hour. I was so scared to be on a camel that I asked our tour photographer, a student of my age, to accompany me on the camel. Disclaimer - She clicked absolutely stunning pictures but the company still has not sent them. Following this, we finally got a chance to go inside the pyramid where the problem started. Inside, for the most part, there was a narrow, slippery and dimly lit slope which was the only way one could climb up or down and enter or exit. So it was also excruciatingly claustrophobic, with limited oxygen supply. We had to use our phones as a flashlight. The narrow passage leads to the area where it is believed Khufu’s body was kept. But by that time, I had already broken down and just wanted to get out of the place and breathe. As I was in shock from the claustrophobia I was feeling, because that is something I seldom feel, I could not fully enjoy the Sphinx. By the time we did reach the Sphinx, I had started to feel dizzy. I felt angry at myself because it is not like I am rushing to Egypt anytime soon again.
Disclaimer - All pictures are owned by me unless otherwise specified.
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| The gang with our guides |
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| A resting camel beautifully draped |
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