Why Did The Ancient Egyptian Build Pyramids
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In modern day era a tourist will gaze upon the pyramids and be in awe of the immensity of these structures and be blessed that they were able to witness a glimpse of these antiquities during their lifetime. The pyramids were dedicated to the ruling pharaohs of that kingdom as the final resting place for their human life before they made the transition into the afterlife. The Ancient Egyptians spent 20 years building these pyramids and every piece of work that went into the construction was only magnified since most of it was manual labor. The Egyptians built the pyramids not only as burial tombs, but they were basis for their religious system.
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The Egyptians believed in a constant circular lifecycle in their religion. During high rain season between June and October the Nile Valley swell beyond its banks and flood the valley driving nutrients into the soil. After the waters receded it would leave behind a fertile soil that would continue to allow new life to emerge and sustain the Egyptian people. They believed this annual experience of the flooding and new life continuing out of the earth was how Earth was created. In the early periods a mound of earth was formed to symbolize the origin of life. Then over the centuries as these mounds began to take a more defined shape and was formed into a small pyramid carved out of stone called a benben. It comes from a root word to mea to swell forth. Eventually these shapes would transform into the pyramid shapes that we are familiar with today. The pyramid shape was symbolic of the creation of new life as it rose from the earth to be showered by the warm rays of a sun as a catalyst for new life. The Egyptians also believed the pyramid was the medium that made it possible for new life. This is why the the pyramids were used as burial monuments.
In the Egyptians mind there was no end to life at least not for the pharaoh, but there would be a new life born after the end of the physical life. The core structure of any pyramid was the benben and the Egyptians believed it gave the power for the rebirth of the pharaoh into the afterlife. Even the layout of the burial chamber and the items left behind in the burial chamber made it apparent that the spiritual priests were preparing all the items that would be needed for the pharaoh in the afterlife.
The burial chambers offer evidence of two types of burial rituals performed after a pharaoh passed away. On the northern wall there was a ritual offering inscribed onto the wall. The high spiritual priests would perform this chant every day in the mortuary temple just adjacent to the pyramid. This is said it would continue to provide daily life energy to the soul or "ba" of the pharaoh. The second of the rituals was specific to the resurrection. It would release the "ba" of the pharaoh so that it would be given new life and ascend up the sun to be among with the gods. The ritual ends in giving assurance to the pharaoh that he will continue to live an eternal life and that his legacy will remain in the hearts of all his people.
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Why Did The Ancient Egyptian Build Pyramids
