✔ 最佳答案
金字塔,一般特指埃及金字塔,相傳是古埃及法老(國王)的陵墓,但是考古學家從沒有在金字塔中找到過法老的木乃伊。金字塔主要流行於埃及古王國時期。陵墓基座為正方形,四面則是四個相等的三角形,側影類似漢字的「金」字,故漢語稱為金字塔。
[編輯] 簡介
金字塔源於埃及法老幻想成為永久的統治者,顯示其權威,多為自己建造巨大的金字塔。今天尚存的約有80座金字塔,開羅有70多座。
現存最早的金字塔是第三王朝的法老喬塞爾建成的6層梯形金字塔,位於開羅南面的薩卡拉。規模最大的金字塔則是胡夫金字塔,高146.6米。
[編輯] 金字塔的建造
金字塔的建造方法沒有任何文獻記載。後人有幾種推想。一種是用一個巨大的槓桿,一段用繩子綁住石塊,另一端通過人力將石塊吊往上方,然後將石塊逐步往上堆砌。另一種推測是,用土堆成斜坡,利用滾軸將石塊拉上去。也有人認為,第二種方法土堆的清除是一個很大的問題,因而推測開始用土堆,然後用槓桿。
金字塔的建築,其所用的技術按現代的標準或許並不高明,但是在他們的管理與組織能力給予我們一件沈默的證明。例如Cheops大金字塔佔地十三英畝,用兩百三十萬塊石頭組成,每一塊石頭重約兩噸半。此項建築,據估計費去十萬人二十年之力。
但是,也有另外的說法,2006年時,費城德萊瑟大學材料工程學教授巴爾·索姆就推測,"古埃及人在建造金字塔的上層時,是把混凝土灌入高處的模子內,而不是把巨石拖運到高處。"(全文發表於2006年12月的美國陶瓷協會期刊),當然這種說法也遭到許多人的質疑,其中他們質疑巴爾·索姆的採樣是否是採樣到近代修補金字塔時所用到的水泥。[1]
A pyramid is any three-dimensional structure where the upper surfaces are triangular and converge on one point. The base of pyramids are usually quadrilateral or trilateral (but generally it can be any polygon shape), meaning that a pyramid usually has three or four sides (but theoretically there is no limit to the number of sides a pyramid can generally have), but all pyramids must have trilateral sides. The measurements of these triangles uniformly classify the shape as isosceles and sometimes equilateral.
A pyramid's design, with the majority of the weight closer to the ground, means that less material higher up on the pyramid will be pushing down from above. This allowed early civilizations to create stable monumental structures. For thousands of years, the largest structures on Earth were pyramids: first the Red Pyramid in the Dashur Necropolis and then the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the only remaining Wonder of the World.
The most famous pyramids are the Egyptian pyramids — huge structures built of brick or stone, some of which are among the largest man-made constructions.
Pyramids functioned as tombs for pharaohs. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest in Egypt and one of the largest in the world. Until the Eiffel Tower was built, it was the tallest building in the world. The base is over 13 acres in area.
It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the only one of the seven to survive into modern times. The ancient Egyptians capped the peaks of their pyramids with gold and covered their faces with polished white limestone, though many of the stones used for the purpose have fallen or been removed for other structures over the millennia.
The inspiration for Egypt's pyramids is a subject of debate. Some Egyptologists have seen King Djoser's Step Pyramid as a symbolic representation of ancient Egypt's stratified society. A more recent hypothesis by Patricia Blackwell Gary and Richard Talcott ("Stargazing in Ancient Egypt," Astronomy, June 2006, pp. 62-67) derives the shapes of the pyramid and of the obelisk from natural phenomena associated with the sun (the sun-god Ra being the Egyptians' greatest deity). The pyramid and obelisk would have been inspired by previously overlooked astronomical phenomena connected with sunrise and sunset: the zodiacal light and Sun pillars, respectively.
Most Egyptians prepared for death; they tried to provide a secure resting place that would last an eternity. Although this was their wish, it did not work that way. Often times the weather and tomb robbers were the main culprits that destroyed many tombs. Most tomb robbers, who were believed to be the tomb builders, often reentered the tomb after it was sealed, unwrapping the mummy and removing all amulets and stones. The coffins made of wood, which also held many precious stones, where also picked and destroyed. After destroying the tomb, many of the mummies would be taken out and burnt for fuel or sold as a souvenir product. Although tomb robbers were the main culprits, modern cultures also influenced the desecration of many mummies.