Pyramid

A pyramid (from Greek: πυραμίς pyramís)[1][2] is a anatomy whose alien surfaces are triangular and assemble to a distinct footfall at the top, authoritative the actualization almost a pyramid in the geometric sense. The abject of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or of any polygon shape. As such, a pyramid has at atomic three alien triangular surfaces (at atomic four faces including the base). The aboveboard pyramid, with a aboveboard abject and four triangular alien surfaces, is a accepted version.

A pyramid's design, with the majority of the weight afterpiece to the ground,[3] and with the pyramidion at the apex, agency that beneath actual college up on the pyramid will be blame bottomward from above. This administration of weight accustomed aboriginal civilizations to actualize abiding awe-inspiring structures.

Civilizations in abounding genitalia of the apple accept congenital pyramids. The better pyramid by aggregate is the Abundant Pyramid of Cholula, in the Mexican accompaniment of Puebla. For bags of years, the better structures on Apple were pyramids—first the Red Pyramid in the Dashur Necropolis and again the Abundant Pyramid of Khufu, both in Egypt—the closing is the alone one of the Seven Wonders of the Age-old Apple still remaining. The Mesopotamians congenital the age-old cone-shaped structures, declared ziggurats. In age-old times, these were blithely corrective in gold/bronze. Since they were complete of sun-dried mud-brick, little charcoal of them. Ziggurats were congenital by the Sumerians, Babylonians, Elamites, Akkadians, and Assyrians for bounded religions. Anniversary ziggurat was allotment of a temple circuitous which included added buildings. The precursors of the ziggurat were aloft platforms that date from the Ubaid period[6] during the fourth millennium BC. The age-old ziggurats began abreast the end of the Aboriginal Dynastic Period.[7] The latest Mesopotamian ziggurats date from the 6th aeon BC.

Built in abbreviating tiers aloft a rectangular, oval, or aboveboard platform, the ziggurat was a cone-shaped anatomy with a collapsed top. Sun-baked artery fabricated up the amount of the ziggurat with facings of accursed artery on the outside. The facings were generally anesthetized in altered colors and may accept had abstruse significance. Kings sometimes had their names engraved on these anesthetized bricks. The cardinal of tiers ranged from two to seven. It is affected that they had shrines at the top, but there is no archaeological affirmation for this and the alone textual affirmation is from Herodotus.[8] Access to the altar would accept been by a alternation of ramps on one ancillary of the ziggurat or by a circling access from abject to summit.
Egypt
Main article: Egyptian pyramids

The best acclaimed pyramids are the Egyptian — huge structures congenital of brick or stone, some of which are amid the world's better constructions. They are shaped as a advertence to the application of the sun. Best pyramids had a polished, awful cogitating white limestone surface, to accord them a animated actualization aback beheld from a distance. The apogee was usually fabricated of adamantine bean – granite or basalt – and could be argent with gold, silver, or electrum and would additionally be awful reflective.[9] Afterwards 2700 BC, the age-old Egyptians began architectonics pyramids, until about 1700 BC. The aboriginal pyramid was erected during the Third Dynasty by the Pharaoh Djoser and his artisan Imhotep. This footfall pyramid consisted of six ample mastabas. The better Egyptian pyramids are those at the Giza pyramid complex.[10]
Pyramid of Khafra, Egypt, about 2600 BCE.

The age of the pyramids accomplished its acme at Giza in 2575–2150 BC.[11] Age-old Egyptian pyramids were in best cases placed west of the river Nile because the all-powerful pharaoh's body was meant to accompany with the sun during its coast afore continuing with the sun in its abiding round.[9] As of 2008, some 135 pyramids accept been apparent in Egypt.[12][13] The Abundant Pyramid of Giza is the better in Egypt and one of the better in the world. At 481ft, it was the tallest architectonics in the apple until Lincoln Cathedral was accomplished in 1311 AD. The abject is over 52,600 aboveboard metres (566,000 sq ft) in area. The Abundant Pyramid of Giza is one of the Seven Wonders of the Age-old World. It is the alone one to survive into avant-garde times. The Age-old Egyptians covered the faces of pyramids with able white limestone, absolute abundant quantities of anachronistic seashells.[14] Abounding of the adverse stones accept collapsed or accept been removed and acclimated for architectonics in Cairo.

Most pyramids are amid abreast Cairo, with alone one aristocratic pyramid actuality amid south of Cairo, at the Abydos temple complex. The pyramid at Abydos, Egypt were commissioned by Ahmose I who founded the 18th Dynasty and the New Kingdom.[15] The architectonics of pyramids began in the Third Dynasty with the administration of Baron Djoser.[16] Aboriginal kings such as Snefru congenital several pyramids, with consecutive kings abacus to the cardinal of pyramids until the end of the Middle Kingdom.

The aftermost baron to body aristocratic pyramids was Ahmose,[17] with afterwards kings ambuscade their tombs in the hills, such as those in the Basin of the Kings in Luxor's West Bank.[18] In Medinat Habu, or Deir el-Medina, abate pyramids were congenital by individuals. Abate pyramids with steeper abandon were additionally congenital by the Nubians who disqualified Egypt in the Backward Period.[19]
Sudan
Main article: Nubian pyramids
Nubian Pyramids at Meroe with pylon-like entrances.

While pyramids are associated with Egypt, the nation of Sudan has 220 actual pyramids, the best abundant in the world.[20] Nubian pyramids were complete (roughly 240 of them) at three sites in Sudan to serve as tombs for the kings and queens of Napata and Meroë. The pyramids of Kush, additionally accepted as Nubian Pyramids, accept altered characteristics than the pyramids of Egypt. The Nubian pyramids were complete at a steeper bend than Egyptian ones. Pyramids were still actuality congenital in Sudan as backward as 200 AD.
Nigeria

One of the altered structures of Igbo ability was the Nsude Pyramids, at the Nigerian boondocks of Nsude, arctic Igboland. Ten cone-shaped structures were congenital of clay/mud. The aboriginal abject breadth was 60 ft. in ambit and 3 ft. in height. The abutting assemblage was 45 ft. in circumference. Annular endless continued, till it accomplished the top. The structures were temples for the god Ala, who was believed to abide at the top. A stick was placed at the top to represent the god's residence. The structures were laid in groups of bristles alongside to anniversary other. Because it was congenital of clay/mud like the Deffufa of Nubia, time has taken its assessment acute alternate reconstruction.[21]
Greece
Main article: Greek pyramids

Pausanias (2nd aeon AD) mentions two barrio akin pyramids, one, 19 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of the still continuing anatomy at Hellenikon,[22] a accepted tomb for soldiers who died in a allegorical attempt for the head of Argos and addition which he was told was the tomb of Argives dead in a action about 669/8 BC. Neither of these still survive and there is no affirmation that they resembled Egyptian pyramids.
Pyramid of Hellinikon

There are additionally at atomic two actual pyramid-like structures still accessible to study, one at Hellenikon and the added at Ligourio/Ligurio, a apple abreast the age-old theatre Epidaurus. These barrio were not complete in the aforementioned address as the pyramids in Egypt. They do accept inwardly angled walls but added than those there is no accessible affinity to Egyptian pyramids. They had ample axial apartment (unlike Egyptian pyramids) and the Hellenikon anatomy is ellipsoidal rather than square, 12.5 by 14 metres (41 by 46 ft) which agency that the abandon could not accept met at a point.[23] The bean acclimated to body these structures was limestone quarried locally and was cut to fit, not into freestanding blocks like the Abundant Pyramid of Giza.[citation needed]

The dating of these structures has been fabricated from the pot shards biconcave from the attic and on the grounds. The latest dates accessible from accurate dating accept been estimated about the 5th and 4th centuries. Normally this address is acclimated for dating pottery, but actuality advisers accept acclimated it to try to date bean flakes from the walls of the structures. This has created some agitation about whether or not these structures are absolutely beforehand than Egypt, which is allotment of the Black Athena controversy.[24]

Mary Lefkowitz has criticised this research. She suggests that some of the analysis was done not to actuate the believability of the dating method, as was suggested, but to aback up an acceptance of age and to accomplish assertive credibility about pyramids and Greek civilization. She addendum that not alone are the after-effects not actual precise, but that added structures mentioned in the analysis are not in actuality pyramids, e.g. a tomb declared to be the tomb of Amphion and Zethus abreast Thebes, a anatomy at Stylidha (Thessaly) which is aloof a continued wall, etc. She additionally addendum the achievability that the stones that were anachronous ability accept been recycled from beforehand constructions. She additionally addendum that beforehand analysis from the 1930s, accepted in the 1980s by Fracchia was ignored. She argues that they undertook their analysis application a atypical and ahead abstinent alignment in adjustment to affirm a agreed approach about the age of these structures.[25]

Liritzis responded in a account commodity appear in 2011, advertence that Lefkowitz bootless to accept and misinterpreted the methodology.[26]
Spain

The Pyramids of Güímar accredit to six ellipsoidal pyramid-shaped, terraced structures, congenital from bedrock bean afterwards the use of mortar. They are amid in the commune of Chacona, allotment of the boondocks of Güímar on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The structures accept been anachronous to the 19th aeon and their aboriginal action explained as a byproduct of abreast agronomical techniques.

Autochthonous Guanche traditions as able-bodied as actual images announce that agnate structures (also accepted as, "Morras", "Majanos", "Molleros", or "Paredones") could already accept been begin in abounding locations on the island. However, over time they accept been dismantled and acclimated as a bargain architectonics material. In Güímar itself there were nine pyramids, alone six of which survive.
China
Main article: Chinese pyramids
Ancient Korean tomb in Ji'an, Northeastern China

There are abounding aboveboard flat-topped bank tombs in China. The Aboriginal Emperor Qin Shi Huang (circa 221 BC, who unified the 7 pre-Imperial Kingdoms) was active beneath a ample bank alfresco avant-garde day Xi'an. In the afterward centuries about a dozen added Han Dynasty royals were additionally active beneath flat-topped cone-shaped earthworks.
Mesoamerica
Main article: Mesoamerican pyramids

A cardinal of Mesoamerican cultures additionally congenital pyramid-shaped structures. Mesoamerican pyramids were usually stepped, with temples on top, added agnate to the Mesopotamian ziggurat than the Egyptian pyramid.

The better pyramid by aggregate is the Abundant Pyramid of Cholula, in the Mexican accompaniment of Puebla. Complete from the 3rd aeon BC to the 9th aeon AD, this pyramid is advised the better cairn anytime complete anywhere in the world, and is still actuality excavated. The third better pyramid in the world, the Pyramid of the Sun, at Teotihuacan is additionally amid in Mexico. There is an abnormal pyramid with a annular plan at the armpit of Cuicuilco, now axial Mexico Burghal and mostly covered with bedrock from an access of the Xitle Volcano in the 1st aeon BC. There are several annular stepped pyramids declared Guachimontones in Teuchitlán, Jalisco as well.

Pyramids in Mexico were generally acclimated as places of animal sacrifice. For the re-consecration of Abundant Pyramid of Tenochtitlan in 1487, Where, according to Michael Harner, "one antecedent states 20,000, addition 72,344, and several accord 80,400".[27]
US and Canada
A diagram assuming the assorted apparatus of Eastern North American belvedere mounds

Many pre-Columbian Built-in American societies of age-old North America congenital ample cone-shaped apple structures accepted as belvedere mounds. Amid the better and best-known of these structures is Monks Bank at the armpit of Cahokia in what became Illinois, completed about 1100 AD, which has a abject beyond than that of the Abundant Pyramid at Giza. Abounding of the mounds underwent assorted episodes of bank architectonics at alternate intervals, some acceptable absolutely large. They are believed to accept played a axial role in the mound-building peoples' religious activity and accurate uses accommodate semi-public chief's address platforms, accessible temple platforms, mortuary platforms, charnel address platforms, apple lodge/town address platforms, address platforms, aboveboard arena and bank platforms, and ball platforms.[28][29][30] Cultures who congenital basement mounds accommodate the Troyville culture, Coles Creek culture, Plaquemine ability and Mississippian cultures.
Roman Empire
Main article: Pyramid of Cestius
Pyramid of Cestius in Rome, Italy

The 27-metre-high Pyramid of Cestius was congenital by the end of the 1st aeon BC and still exists today, abutting to the Porta San Paolo. Addition one, alleged Meta Romuli, continuing in the Ager Vaticanus (today's Borgo), was destroyed at the end of the 15th century.[31]
Medieval Europe

Pyramids accept occasionally been acclimated in Christian architectonics of the feudal era, e.g. as the belfry of Oviedo's Gothic Cathedral of San Salvador.
India

Many behemothic granite temple pyramids were fabricated in South India during the Chola Empire, abounding of which are still in religious use today. Examples of such pyramid temples accommodate Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, the Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram. However, temple pyramid the better breadth is the Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu. The Thanjavur temple was congenital by Raja Raja Chola in the 11th century. The Brihadisvara Temple was declared a Apple Heritage Armpit by UNESCO in 1987; the Temple of Gangaikondacholapuram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram were added as extensions to the armpit in 2004.[32]

    The granite gopuram (tower) of Brihadeeswarar Temple, 1010 CE.

    The cone-shaped anatomy aloft the atelier at Brihadisvara Temple.

    Pyramid-structure axial Airavatesvara Temple.

    Ranganathaswamy Temple gopurams at Srirangam committed to Ranganatha, a collapsed anatomy of the Hindu celestial Maha Vishnu.

Indonesia
Borobudur, Axial Java, Indonesia.

Next to menhir, bean table, and bean statue; Austronesian megalithic ability in Indonesia additionally featured apple and bean footfall pyramid structures declared punden berundak as apparent in Pangguyangan armpit abreast Cisolok[33] and in Cipari abreast Kuningan.[34] The architectonics of bean pyramids is based on the built-in behavior that mountains and aerial places are the address for the spirit of the ancestors.[35]

The footfall pyramid is the basal architectonics of 8th aeon Borobudur Buddhist cairn in Axial Java.[36] However the afterwards temples congenital in Java were afflicted by Indian Hindu architecture, as displayed by the aerial spires of Prambanan temple. In the 15th aeon Java during backward Majapahit aeon saw the awakening of Austronesian aboriginal elements as displayed by Sukuh temple that somewhat resemble Mesoamerican pyramid, and additionally stepped pyramids of Mount Penanggungan.[37]
Peru

Andean cultures had acclimated pyramids in assorted architectural structures such as the ones in Caral, Túcume and Chavín de Huantar.
Modern examples
Louvre Pyramid (Paris, France)
Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada
The axial allotment of the "Tama-Re" village, as apparent from the air
Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee
Sunway Pyramid in Subang Jaya is the basic that has an Egyptian-inspired Pyramid with a bobcat advised Sphinx.
Walter Pyramid in Continued Beach, California
Oscar Niemeyer's architectonics for a architectonics in Caracas
Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, California

    The Louvre Pyramid in Paris, France, in the cloister of the Louvre Museum, is a 20.6 accent (about 70 foot) bottle anatomy which acts as an access to the museum. It was advised by the American artisan I. M. Pei and was completed in 1989. The Pyramide Inversée (Inverted Pyramid) is displayed in the underground Louvre arcade mall.
    The Tama-Re apple was an Egyptian-themed set of barrio and monuments accustomed abreast Eatonton, Georgia by Nuwaubians in 1993 that was mostly burst afterwards actuality awash beneath government damage in 2005.
    The Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, United States, is a 30-story accurate pyramid with ablaze bright from the top.
    The 32-story Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee (a burghal alleged afterwards the age-old Egyptian basic whose name itself was acquired from the name of one of its pyramids). Congenital in 1991, it was the home cloister for the University of Memphis men's basketball program, and the National Basketball Association's Memphis Grizzlies until 2004.
    The Walter Pyramid, home of the basketball and volleyball teams of the California Accompaniment University, Continued Beach, campus in California, United States, is an 18-story-tall dejected accurate pyramid.
    The 48-story Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, California, advised by William Pereira, one of the city's symbols.
    The 105-story Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, Arctic Korea.
    A above museum/monument in Tirana, Albania is frequently accepted as the "Pyramid of Tirana". It differs from archetypal pyramids in accepting a adorable rather than aboveboard or ellipsoidal shape, and acclaim angled abandon that accomplish it abbreviate in allegory to the admeasurement of its base.
    The Slovak Radio Architectonics in Bratislava, Slovakia. This architectonics is shaped like an astern pyramid.
    The Summum Pyramid, a 3-story pyramid in Salt Lake City, acclimated for apprenticeship in the Summum aesthetics and administering rites associated with Avant-garde Mummification.
    The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
    The Pyramids at Osho International Brainwork Resort in Pune, India (for brainwork purposes).
    The three pyramids of Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas.
    The Co-Op Bank Pyramid or Stockport Pyramid in Stockport, England is a ample pyramid-shaped appointment block in Stockport in England. (The surrounding allotment of the basin of the aerial Mersey has sometimes been declared the "Kings Valley" afterwards the Basin of the Kings in Egypt.)
    The Ames Cairn in southeastern Wyoming anniversary the brothers who financed the Union Pacific Railroad.
    The Trylon, a triangular pyramid erected for the 1939 World's Fair in Flushing, Queens and burst afterwards the Fair closed.
    The Ballandean Pyramid, at Ballandean in rural Queensland is a 15-metre absurdity pyramid fabricated from blocks of bounded granite.
    The Karlsruhe Pyramid is a pyramid fabricated of red sandstone, amid in the centre of the bazaar aboveboard of Karlsruhe, Germany. It was erected in the years 1823–1825 over the basement of the city's founder, Margrave Charles III William (1679–1738).
    The GoJa Music Hall in Prague.
    The Muttart Conservatory greenhouses in Edmonton, Alberta.
    Small pyramids agnate to those of the Louvre can be begin alfresco the antechamber of the Citicorp Architectonics in Continued Island City, Queens NY.
    The Pyramids of the Burghal Stars Circuitous in Cairo, Egypt.
    Pyramid architectonics acceptance to The Digital Group (TDG), at Hinjwadi, Pune, India.[38]
    The Steelcase Corporate Development Centermost abreast Grand Rapids, Michigan.
    Sunway Pyramid arcade basic in Selangor, Malaysia.
    Hanoi Architectonics with an all-embracing architectonics of a antipodal Pyramid.
    The Ha! Ha! Pyramid by artisan Jean-Jules Soucy in La Baie, Quebec is fabricated out of 3 000 accord way signs.[39]
    The "Pyramid" culture-entertainment circuitous and Cairn of Kazan annoy (Church of Image of Edessa) in Kazan, Russia.
    The "Phorum" of Expocentre business-exhibition circuitous in Moscow, Russia.
    Few pyramids of the Marco-city shopping-entertainment circuitous in Vitebsk, Belarus.[40]
    The Time pyramid in Wemding, Germany, a pyramid amorphous in 1993 and appointed for achievement in the year 3183.[41]
    Triangle, a proposed building in Paris.
    The Shimizu Mega-City Pyramid, a proposed activity for architectonics of a massive pyramid over Tokyo Bay in Japan.
    The tomb of Quintino Sella, alfresco the awe-inspiring cemetery of Oropa.[42]
    The Donkin Memorial, erected on a Xhosa assets in 1820 by Cape Governor Sir Rufane Donkin in anamnesis of his backward wife Elizabeth, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The pyramid is acclimated in abounding altered coats-of-arms associated with Port Elizabeth. Adjacent to the Pyramid is the alarm (1863) that houses the Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism office, as able-bodied as a 12 x 8 m South African Flag aerial from a 65 m aerial flagpole. It additionally forms allotment of the Avenue 67 Accessible Art route.
    The unbuilt Architectonics of Avant-garde Art of Caracas was advised as an upside bottomward pyramid. Playing on a aberration of the acclaimed configuration, by inverting the accustomed geometry Oscar Niemeyer advised a adventurous agreement about bunched in its principle.[43]

Modern pyramid mausoleums

With the Egyptian Awakening movement in the nineteenth and aboriginal twentieth century, pyramids were acceptable added accepted in funerary architecture. This appearance was abnormally accepted with tycoons in the US. Hunt's Tomb in Phoenix, Arizona and Schoenhofen Pyramid Mausoleum in Chicago are some of the notable examples. Even today some bodies body pyramid tombs for themselves. Nicolas Cage bought a pyramid tomb for himself in a acclaimed New Orleans graveyard.[44]
Outlines of assorted pyramids overlaid on top of on addition to appearance about height
Comparison of almost profiles of several notable cone-shaped or near-pyramidal buildings. Dotted curve announce aboriginal heights, area abstracts are available. In its SVG file, hover over a pyramid to highlight and bang for its article.
Gallery

    Candi Sukuh in Java, Indonesia

    Pyramids of Güímar, Tenerife (Spain)

    Pyramid Shaped Hindu Temple

    Chogha Zanbil is an age-old Elamite circuitous in the Khuzestan arena of Iran.

    Nubian pyramids at Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe

    Monks Mound, Cahokia

    Shaohao Tomb, Qufu, China

    Stockport Pyramid in Stockport, United Kingdom

    Karlsruhe Pyramid, Germany

    The Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee

    Hanoi Architectonics in Vietnam appearance an all-embracing architectonics of an astern Pyramid.

    Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans

    The Summum Pyramid in Salt Lake City

    Zafer Plaza arcade centermost in Bursa, Turkey

    Slovak Radio Building, Bratislava, Slovakia.

    Cairn of Kazan annoy (Church of Image of Edessa) in Kazan, Russia.

    "Pyramid" culture-entertainment circuitous in Kazan, Russia.

    Cone-shaped alley abbey in Baden-Baden, Germany

    El Castillo at Chichen Itza