summary
- No one knows how long it took to construct the ancient Egyptian pyramids, but estimates are between 15 and 30 years.
- Because we also do not know their pyramid construction methods, it is challenging to estimate how long these ancient structures took to build.
- Larger pyramids took longer to build than smaller pyramids, and connecting the pyramid with the associated temple structure could take as long as ten years.
The incredible Egyptian pyramids are one of the greatest ancient wonders of the world. Dating back more than 4,500 years ago, the fact that they are still standing today is a testament to the power of their construction. Archaeologists, engineers, and historians have marveled at the ingenuity of these timeless structures and the mysteries about how exactly they were made. One of the most asked questions is, how long did it take for the Egyptians to build these epic monuments that have lasted throughout the centuries?
No One Really Knows…
The short truth is, no one really knows how long the Egyptian Pyramids took to build, because they are so old, and such little evidence survives from the time when they were made. But estimates suggest each pyramid could have taken somewhere between 15-30 years to complete. Around 118 different pyramids all across Egypt have been identified. The oldest in existence is the Pyramid of Djoser near Cairo, while the largest and best known is the Great Pyramid of Giza in the Giza Pyramid Complex – depending on its size and shape, and when it was built, each one presented its own challenges and timescales for completion.
Quick Answer: When Were the Egyptian Pyramids Built?
The Egyptian pyramids were built between roughly 2700 BCE and 1500 BCE. The oldest known pyramid, the Pyramid of Doser, was built around 2670 BCE. The first true pyramid, belonging to Sneferu, was built between 2612 BCE and 2589 BCE. Pyramids continued to be constructed during the Middle Kingdom, and the last Egyptian pyramid was built at Abydos for Ahmose I, who ruled from 1550 to 1525 BCE and was the founder of the 18th dynasty in the New Kingdom.
The Egyptian Pyramid of Djoser Probably Took 30 Years to Build
Estimates by Egyptologists suggest the Old Kingdom Pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser, also known as the Saqqara Step Pyramid, took around 20 years to build. It had six layers, one on top of the other, and was 203 feet tall when first built. Egyptologists have guessed the Djoser pyramid completion dates were 2670–2650 BCE. After it was built, skilled workers then spent a further 10 years connecting the pyramid with the Valley temple below, making its total construction time around 30 years. Because it was the first pyramid to be built, it took significantly longer to make than later pyramids of a similar size.
Quick Answer: How Old Are the Egyptian Pyramids?
The earliest pyramids were built around 2700 BCE, which means that it is 4,500 years old. Mesopotamian ziggurats are also considered pyramids, and they are even older, built in the 4th millennium BCE, which means they are around 6,000 years old.
Each Egyptian Pyramids of Giza Probably Took 15-27 Years to Build
The Bent Pyramid of Sneferu at Dashur is believed to be a transitional structure between the Step Pyramid and Senferu’s Great Pyramid on the Giza Plateau. It took an estimated ten to thirteen years to build. The pyramid was abandoned because it was discovered that the 54-degree angle of the construction was too steep. It was replaced by a 53-degree angle for Sneferu’s Red Pyramid at Dashur.
The Great Pyramid built for Pharaoh Khufu stands 455 feet tall alongside the smaller Pyramid of Khafre and Pyramid of Menkaure. Together, the group is known as the Giza Pyramid Complex, and all were built as part of a frenzied, 60-year period of construction in ancient Egypt between roughly 2550 BCE to 2490 BCE, led by a series of powerful Egyptian Pharaohs.
Accounts suggest that the largest Great Pyramid took between 20 and 27 years to complete. The Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the three, and Egyptologists have guessed it took around 15 years to complete, so significantly less time than the Great Pyramid, because it is around half its size, at 200 feet. The Pyramid of Khafre is 448 feet high, sitting just below the Great Pyramid. It is guessed to have taken 20 years to complete, with ten years alone spent constructing its causeway.
Quick Answer: What Are the Nubian Pyramids?
When most people think of African pyramids, they think of Egypt, but the Nubians, living to the north of Egypt, were also building pyramids. Around 220 survive today. The practice started under the Kushite Kingdom, and they were built between 700 BCE and 350 CE. The Nubian pyramids are significantly smaller, standing between six and thirty meters tall.
How Were the Egyptian Pyramids Built so Quickly?
Given that the Egyptian Pyramids have survived for over 4,000 years, the estimated time frames of 15 to 30 years that it took to build them seems relatively short. The ancient Egyptians had no access to the building techniques or modern technology of today. Instead, it is thought by Egyptologists that unbelievably vast teams of skilled workers were involved in pyramid construction. Some reports say 20,000 men, others 30,000, while others have guessed even 100,000 workers who used a series of complex sleds, rollers, levers, and ramps to move the stone blocks used to construct the massive pyramids.
Research still continues into how exactly such incredible structures were made in such short frames of time. Although we may never completely unravel the great mysteries of how long the Egyptian pyramids took to make, there is no doubt they are one of the most fascinating artifacts in the world, offering a window into one of the most complex and sophisticated human civilizations.
