The Secrets of the Egyptian Pyramids: Were They More Than Just Tombs?

Built at the dawn of the Ancient Egyptian civilization, the great Pyramids continue to inspire awe, millennia after their construction. The fact that the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra lived closer in time to the launch of the first iPhone in 2007 AD than the creation of the Great Pyramids in 2600 BC is the clear insight into their incredible age. And all that is so old is rightfully full of mystery as well. This means that the true nature of the Egyptian pyramids is still subject to debate, after these thousands of years. Many theories arose over the centuries, often ascribing a greater role to these structures, or connecting them to extraterrestrial beings. Could there be truth in this? Could the pyramids be much more than just elaborate tombs of long forgotten pharaohs?

The Mysteries of the Distant Past

Traditionally, the great pyramids have always been seen as tombs, funerary structures belonging to the most powerful rulers of Egypt’s history. The elite, the royals, and the most powerful nobles of the Old Kingdom of Egypt (known also as the Era of the Pyramid Builders) were all deserving of lavish burials.

The pyramids, such as those found in Giza, were meant to highlight the power and the importance of the deceased person, not only by their incredible size, but also by the manpower required to build them. Of these, the most notable and the most famous is the Great Pyramid of Giza. It was commissioned by the pharaoh Khufu (known to the Greeks as Cheops), roughly around 2650 BC. According to the sources, the building took 27 years of constant work and roughly 40,000 workers at all times. This means that the pyramid was completed during Khufu’s lifetime.

Pyramid in the sand. (Givaga /Adobe Stock)

This “tomb” is so lavish and grandiose, that it was the tallest man-made structure for over 3,800 years, until more modern skyscrapers took this title. Now, the Egyptians had a strong belief in life after death, and the pharaoh – being so powerful during his life – had to have an equally lavish resting place where he could dwell in eternity. This is why no expense was spared in its construction. But was this more than just a tomb?

There are significant gaps in the modern understanding of the pyramids. This is particularly true for the methods of constructing these massive stone structures, with many still claiming that it cannot have been done by men in 2600 BC. What is more, the incredible accuracy with which they were built, as well as their alignment with celestial bodies still continue to baffle scholars. Add to this the incredible size and weight of some of the stone blocks used in the building, and you have a whole lot of questions that still need accurate and believable answers.

So, could there be more to these pyramids than first meets the eye? Or is this simply labeling the ancient Egyptians in what was a seemingly advanced era as still too primitive to conduct huge building campaigns? Whatever the case, believers still think that although highly capable, the Ancient Egyptians erected these structures for totally unique reasons, some of which are hard to believe. And that’s where constant and often heated debate in scholarly circles began.

Are These More Than Tombs?

One of the most popular alternative theories states that the pyramids, especially the Great Pyramid of Giza, were ancient “power plants.” Writers such as Christopher Dunn suggested that the pyramids were not simply tombs, but very advanced ancient “machines”, designed to harness natural energy sources. Dunn suggested that the internal layout of the pyramid, including its granite chambers, ventilation shafts, and steep passages, indicated a mechanism for generating power.

The Giza Pyramid Complex map. (MesserWoland/CC BY-SA 3.0)

He has proposed a theory that the pyramid was a ‘resonating energy generator,’ using a combination of piezoelectric properties of the stone and the earth’s natural electromagnetic fields to produce energy. Piezoelectricity is the natural phenomenon where some materials, like quartz or crystals or limestone, can generate electrical charges under mechanical stress.

Dunn further states that the “Queen’s Chamber” within the pyramid was used to generate hydrogen gas, which then “interacted with the other materials within the pyramid” in order to create a plasma discharge. This was a form of energy that could have been harnessed and used for various purposes, even though its exact use remains speculative. Those who adhere to this unique theory believe that the complete absence of soot from torches and oil lamps within the pyramid’s passages suggest that the ancient Egyptians used some form of alternative light or energy.

This theory met with a lot of disapproval from the scholarly ranks, and its critics argue that there is no direct archaeological evidence that could support this idea. But even so, the theory brought a lot of intrigue, and some alternative researchers still strongly support it. It could be an indicator that the Ancient Egyptians possessed knowledge that went far beyond their time.

The Star Maps of Ancient Cosmographers

There is no doubt that the ancient civilizations, Egyptians included, possessed advanced knowledge of the heavens, the celestial bodies, and the constellations. This gave birth to another very popular theory about the true nature of the pyramids. It states that they were built as astronomical tools or star maps – a direct continuation of the advanced knowledge of the cosmos that the Egyptians had.

The theory is closely linked to the work of Robert Bauval and Graham Hancock, popular pseudo historians who suggest that the layout of the pyramids, particularly those at Giza, mirror the alignment of the stars in the Orion constellation. And truly, when the two are compared, the resemblance is striking.

Orion’s Belt superimposed on the Giza pyramid complex, illustrating the Orion Correlation Theory. From left to right: Alnitak on the Great Pyramid of Giza. Alnilam on the pyramid of Khafre. Mintaka on the pyramid of Menkaure. (NASA, Rogelio Bernal Andreo/CC BY-SA 4.0)

Bauval’s Orion Correlation Theory states that the three main pyramids at Giza were constructed to align with the three stars in the Orion’s Belt constellation – Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka. The author states that the alignment is too precise to be coincidental and demonstrates that the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids to reflect their beliefs in the afterlife and the heavens above. After all, the Egyptians believed that Orion was connected to the God of afterlife and rebirth, Osiris. This makes the alignment a symbolic journey to the stars and the eternal life beyond them.

Another key feature of this theory is the incredibly precise alignment of the Great Pyramid with the four cardinal points, north, south, east, and west. The level of accuracy in the orientation of the pyramids with the true north is unbelievable, deviating only by a fraction of a degree.

Beside this, the shafts within the Great Pyramid, for long considered to be simply ventilation shafts, have been suggested to serve as celestial sightlines, pointing to specific stars, namely Orion and Sirius.

Ancient Energy

John Cadman, a noted researcher, is a proponent of yet another popular theory regarding the secrets of the pyramids. His work suggests that the pyramids were in fact a part of an ancient hydraulic system designed to harness the power of water. His view is that the internal chambers and passages within the pyramids, in particular the subterranean chamber, were created as a way to interact with underground water sources and thus generate energy through water pressure.

Cadman speculated that the floodwaters of the Nile River could have been diverted into the internal systems of the pyramids. Within them, the water’s movements could create sound waves and vibrations, and thus generate energy. His theory is closely connected to the power plant hypothesis and emphasizes the role of water as a key component in the energy-generating capabilities of the pyramids.

And even though there is no direct archaeological evidence to support such a theory, certain researchers nevertheless pointed out the proximity of the pyramids to the Nile River, and the existence of water erosion marks around the base of the great Sphinx. All this indicates that the Ancient Egyptians could have used water in the pyramid construction or something similar.

The Sphinx at Giza (Denise Chan/ CC BY-SA 2.0)

Another fascinating theory holds that the pyramids were much more than mere tombs, but rather centers for spiritual transformation and healing. The theory suggests that the unique geometric shape of the pyramids, their alignment, and orientation allowed them to act as spiritual antennas. That way they channeled cosmic energy or Earth’s natural forces to aid in healing or spiritual transformation.

To Build the Impossible

Of course, one of the biggest secrets and an enduring enigma is the creation of the pyramids. After all these centuries and countless research, we still do not know exactly how they were created. There are countless guesses and theories, but nothing is a definitive answer. The sheer size and the precision with which they were built is stunning. And the fact that they were created in 2650 BC, with fairly crude tools and rudimentary equipment, aids to the enigma.

The first question everyone asks is how? How did they transport these massive stone blocks, many weighing several tons, across great distances and fit them into place, to increasingly high positions. For example, the granite stones used in the pyramid of Khufu were quarried from Aswan, some 900 kilometers away (560 mi). Considering that the largest granite blocks weigh between 25 and 80 tons,  moving and raising them must have been a mind-boggling feat in 2650 BC.

Besides this, it is estimated that there are around 2.3 million stone blocks in the Great Pyramid of Giza alone, as well as roughly 5.5 million tons of limestone, 8,000 tons of granite, and 500,000 tons of mortar. Additionally, modern estimates suggest that the construction, which took around 27 years, required 3,500 stonemasons working constantly (for almost three decades) to create 250 massive stone blocks per day that were needed for the pyramid to be complete in that time. Also, it is calculated that the peak workforce employed in the construction numbered 40,000 laborers.

All this, however, does not explain how they were built. This gave rise to many explanations, including the intervention of extraterrestrial beings, lost ancient technologies, unknown chemical processes that could soften stone, and even acoustic levitation. And still – we simply do not know for sure.

A casing stone used in the construction of the Egyptian pyramids, British Museum. (British Museum/CC BY-SA 3.0)

The Great Minds of the Distant Past

In the end, could it be that we simply underestimate the Ancient Egyptians of the Old Kingdom? Sure, they did not have access to lasting and complex tools, but they had great minds amongst them – thinkers and observers who could have been in tune with the world around them. Besides this, there is no doubt that the powerful pharaohs had access to a mind-boggling workforce, consisting of both paid laborers and slaves. Could it be that with all this combined, they set upon a grand construction project and completed it?

Either way, the pyramids remain a mystery. Their true purpose, the building methods, and the secrets that they are yet to uncover all point to some greater meaning, some inexplicable goal that was greater than life itself. All we can do is hope to understand the ways of the ancients.                

Top image: The three main Egyptian pyramids at Giza, together with subsidiary pyramids and the remains of other ancient structures.  Source: KennyOMG/CC BY-SA

By Aleksa Vučković

References
Davidovits, J. 2008. They Built the Pyramids. Geopolymer Institute.
Henzel, C. K. 2011. Pyramids of Egypt. ABDO Publishing Company.
Well, A. 2013. The World’s Most Amazing Pyramids. Raintree.