8.3 Pharaoh Khufu: The Pyramid Builder
The pharaoh Khufu (KOO-foo) ruled from about 2551 to 2528 B.C.E., during the Old Kingdom period. Today, he is best known as the builder of a famous pyramid.
Not much is known about Khufu. Some stories describe him as a cruel, harsh ruler. Others say that he was powerful but kind.
We do know that Khufu helped establish the pharaoh as a central authority. For example, he kept strict control over Egypt’s food supply. He oversaw the harvest and the storage of extra grain. He also controlled a large network of government officials who carried out his laws. Khufu emphasized his supreme power by declaring himself a god.
Khufu and other Old Kingdom pharaohs had magnificent pyramids built as tombs for themselves and their families. Khufu was responsible for the building of the Great Pyramid at Giza. It is one of the wonders of the ancient world.
The Great Pyramid sat at the center of a huge complex of temples, statues, monuments, and smaller tombs. It was made of more than 2 million stone blocks, perfectly fitted together. Inside, tunnels led to several burial chambers. The king’s chamber had six roofs to hold up the weight of the stone layers above it.
Building the Great Pyramid was an amazing feat. No one knows exactly how the Egyptians did it. The pyramid took about 20 years to complete. Khufu had strict control of the building project. He organized and fed thousands of workers. The finished pyramid was a stunning monument to Egyptian engineering.
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