Construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza
The Great Pyramid was built as the eternal tomb of Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) over roughly 20 years, employing a permanent workforce of skilled labourers supported by a logistical infrastructure of unparalleled sophistication. Modern archaeology has recovered workers' villages, administrative records (the Diary of Merer, the oldest papyrus ever found, records the transport of limestone casing blocks), and the remains of the boats used to transport stone. The pyramid's four faces are aligned to the cardinal points with an accuracy of 0.05 degrees, and its base is level to within 2.1 centimetres. The interior chambers — the King's Chamber, Queen's Chamber, and Grand Gallery — represent the highest expression of Old Kingdom engineering. The pyramid was the world's tallest man-made structure for 3,800 years until the completion of Lincoln Cathedral in 1311.
- Year: 2560 BCE
- Category: Cultural
