# The Great Pyramid (DD-092)

> Built for Khufu around 2600 BC over roughly 26 years, the Great Pyramid was the tallest human-made structure for more than 3,700 years. Papyri found at Wadi al-Jarf record the logistics of moving Tura limestone, and much of the casing was later stripped for building material in Cairo after earthquakes.

- Department: Locations (also History)
- First published: 2023-11-25
- Last updated: 2023-11-25
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-great-pyramid/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## Quick facts

- **DD-092-F01**: The Great Pyramid is the oldest ancient wonder. _(Write-up · Exhibit C (The oldest papyri))_
- **DD-092-F02**: It is the only one still largely intact. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (Tallest for millennia))_

## Write-up

The Great Pyramid's survival makes it the benchmark for the whole list of ancient wonders, but its most revealing evidence is mundane: logistics records and quarry routes show it as a state-run construction project rather than a mystery.

1. **Tallest for millennia**: Built around 2600 BC over about 26 years, it originally stood 146.6 metres (481 ft) and was the world's tallest human-made structure for more than 3,700 years.
2. **Six million tonnes**: Builders quarried an estimated 2.3 million large blocks weighing about 6 million tonnes in total, while granite blocks of up to 80 tonnes for the King's Chamber came by boat from Aswan.
3. **The oldest papyri**: In 2013 excavators at Wadi al-Jarf found the Diary of Merer, papyrus logs by an official who supervised limestone deliveries from Tura to Giza in the 27th year of Khufu's reign.
4. **Where the casing went**: After earthquakes in northern Egypt, workers stripped many outer casing stones, reportedly carted away in 1356 for building in nearby Cairo.

## Related case files

- [Chichen Itza (DD-120)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/chichen-itza/): I paired it with another pyramid from the wonders series
- [Eiffel (DD-156)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/eiffel/): I linked another former tallest structure
- [Empire State (DD-157)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/empire-state/): I linked another former tallest structure

## Reel vs. record

- **Note**: 'The ancient nickname Glorious Light': I couldn't verify that. The attested ancient name is Akhet Khufu, 'Horizon of Khufu'.
- **Note**: 'No. 1' is the order of his own series, not an official ranking.

## Video: The Great Pyramid: Only One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Survives

- Duration: 36.2 s · Published: 2023-11-25
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/C0D7p_FuZGw.mp4

### Transcript

The 7 Wonders of the Ancient World No. 1 the Great Pyramid of Giza DID YOU KNOW? The Great Pyramid of Giza built during the reign of Pharaoh Khufu is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and is the only one that remains largely intact today. It was constructed with remarkable precision and the original casing stones made of highly polished Tura Limestone reflected the sun's light and made the pyramid shine like a gem or jewel an effect that earned it the ancient nickname Glorious Light. The smooth reflective surface of the casing stones has weathered or been removed over the centuries but remnants of these stones can still be seen at the base of the pyramid. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: Which pharaoh was the pyramid built for?**  
A: A Fourth Dynasty king. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Tallest for millennia) · Wikipedia: Great Pyramid of Giza)_

**Q: Where does it rank in age among the ancient wonders?**  
A: It predates the others by far. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Where the casing went) · Wikipedia: Great Pyramid of Giza; Wikipedia: Seven Wonders of the Ancient World)_

**Q: How many of the seven are still largely intact?**  
A: Only the Great Pyramid. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Where the casing went) · Wikipedia: Great Pyramid of Giza; Wikipedia: Seven Wonders of the Ancient World)_

**Q: What was the original casing made of?**  
A: Polished and white. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Tallest for millennia) · Wikipedia: Great Pyramid of Giza)_

**Q: Which World Heritage Site includes it?**  
A: Listed by UNESCO in 1979. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Tallest for millennia) · UNESCO World Heritage: Memphis and its Necropolis)_

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: Great Pyramid of Giza](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza)
- [UNESCO World Heritage: Memphis and its Necropolis](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/86/)
- [Wikipedia: Seven Wonders of the Ancient World](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Wonders_of_the_Ancient_World)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "The Great Pyramid." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-092, last updated Nov 25, 2023. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-great-pyramid/