Cheops, aka Khufu, is the famous Egyptian pharaoh of the IV dynasty, who lived during the era of the Old Kingdom (XXVI century BC).
Cheops is considered the creator of the Great Pyramid, the tallest pyramid in Egypt.
The construction of this pyramid and its “owner” are associated with the public opinion that developed in the era of antiquity.
In folklore, the image of Cheops has developed as a cruel tyrant, a classic oriental despot, who, with the help of violence, directed the entire country to build his pyramid and spent most of the funds on this matter, which led to the weakening and impoverishment of the country.
Greek historians also reasoned in this direction. Perhaps this idea was partially true, but the surviving monuments of Khufu’s era paint a completely different picture.
In particular, lifetime documents indicate that Cheops was the founder of a number of cities, and also developed mineral deposits - turquoise in the Sinai Peninsula and pink granite in the south of the country.
Probably, the negative image of Cheops was subsequently created by the founders of the Fifth Dynasty and the priests who supported them in order to take revenge on the pharaoh: they said that Cheops deprived the temples and their servants of the privileges. However, lifetime sources indicate that the pharaoh spent quite a lot of money on the construction of temples.
Information from life
Little information has been preserved about the life of Cheops. It is known that his full name was Khnum-Khufu, which translates as “guarded by Khnum.” Khnum is the ancient Egyptian god of fertility, who was depicted with the head of a ram. He ruled for at least 27 years (2589 - 2566 BC) and had many sons and daughters, whose names are known to scientists.
Among his children there were famous personalities:
- Khafre (Khafre) is the fourth pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty, considered the founder of not only his own pyramid, but also the famous Sphinx, whose face is a portrait of the pharaoh.
- Djedefra is a pharaoh whose name for the first time in Egyptian history contained the name of the god Ra (it was also present in the names of other sons of Cheops).
- Hetepheres II is the sister and wife of Djedefre.
The paradoxical fact is that the name of Cheops is not mentioned at all in the inscriptions of the Great Pyramid. There is only his name written in red paint, but it turned out to be a fake. This fact became the basis for all sorts of pseudo-scientific and pseudoscientific theories, as well as other mysteries that the pyramid keeps.
Great Pyramid
The pyramid is practically all that remains from the reign of Cheops. This impressive structure is the oldest of the “seven wonders of the world” and at the same time the only one of them that has survived to this day. The pyramid has amazed the minds of people since ancient times: it was admired by both ancient historians and Arab conquerors.
At the same time, the systematic study of the Cheops pyramid began only in the era of A. For three and a half thousand years it was considered the tallest building in the world. Its original height was 146.6 meters, but as a result of an earthquake its top stone, the pyramidion, collapsed, as a result of which its height today is only 137.5 meters. To the average observer, the loss of the apex is almost invisible.
The main architect of the pyramid is known - Hemiun. He was a relative (brother or nephew) of Cheops and served as his chati, that is, vizier. Merrer, an official who took part in the construction of the pyramid, is also known; he kept a diary in which he talked about regular trips to the Tursky limestone quarry, where blocks were made for the construction of the tomb.
This diary, as it were, lifted the veil of secrets over the pyramid and deprived it of a supernatural aura: with its discovery, it became finally clear that ordinary people were behind the creation of the greatest “wonder of the world”.
Myths about Cheops and his pyramid
The mysterious figure of Cheops and the aura of mystery that surrounded his pyramid since ancient times led to the emergence of numerous legends and myths. One of them was given above - that the king forced huge crowds of people to grueling construction of his monument.
Another legend says that Cheops sold one of his daughters to a brothel in order to earn money from her to build a pyramid. He allegedly closed all the churches so that the people would not be distracted by prayers and would continue to build.
construction of the Cheops pyramid photo
Ancient authors, especially Herodotus, were actively interested in the history of the Cheops pyramid. However, due to the lack of a scientific apparatus, Herodotus and other historians often recorded unverified and unreliable data and, again, myths.
Thus, Herodotus estimated the cost of food for workers at 1,600 talents of silver, which corresponds to 7.5 million dollars; This means that the total cost of construction costs should have been many times greater. However, the total cost of constructing the Parthenon was only 700 talents, so the figure given by the “father of history” looks far-fetched. Diodorus Siculus wrote that Cheops attracted 360 thousand workers to build his pyramid.
Pharaoh Cheops: Cheops, Khufu (Greek Cheops) - the third pharaoh of the IV dynasty of the Ancient Kingdom of Egypt (2551-2528 BC or 2589-2566 BC). Khufu's full name was "Khnum-Khufu", which means "The god Khnum protects me." Nowadays it is better known as Cheops (according to Herodotus). Also referred to as Hembes (according to Diodorus), Sufis I (Σοῦφις, Suphis) (according to Manetho), Saophis (according to Eratosthenes). Son of Pharaoh Snefru and Hetepheres. Children: Djedefra, Djedefhor, Kawab, Khafre (Khefre), Banefra, Khufukhaef (sons), Hetepheres II, Meresankh II, Khamerernebti I (daughters).
The pharaoh built the tallest Great Pyramid at Giza, also known as the Pyramid of Cheops. His predecessor, father Pharaoh Snefru, built four pyramids and two sanctuaries during the same reign, however, the pyramids were mainly made of limestone and adobe brick and lined on top, which was less expensive, but less reliable due to the bulk internal contents: crushed stone and sand.
Of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops has survived to this day. The heir to the rule of Ancient Egypt after Cheops will be Pharaoh Djedefre - the eldest son, he built the second tallest pyramid on the plateau.
Cheops is the son of Pharaoh Snefru and his second wife Hetepheres.
In folklore, as well as the testimony of historians of antiquity, Cheops (Khufu) gained a reputation as a classic oriental despot and cruel ruler, in contrast to the biographies of his father Sneferu and the heirs of Khafre (Khafre) and Mikerin (Menkaure). However, the remains of monuments from the time of Cheops represent him as a person whose activities sharply contrast with the stories of the period of the rule of the Persians and Greeks. The legend says that Cheops forced the people to hard work in the construction of the pyramid. In particular, churches allegedly lost their privileges under him.
The very name of Cheops was allegedly not spoken by the people after his death, and the exhaustion of Egypt's resources to build the pharaoh's pyramid led to the weakening of the state and the fall of the Fourth Dynasty. Perhaps this image of the pharaoh corresponds to reality, but it can be considered a conjecture of the founders of the Fifth Dynasty, which came to power with the help of the Heliopolis priesthood of Ra after the fall of the previous Fourth Dynasty. Probably a popular tale in subsequent periods, the tale “Khufu and the Sorcerers,” dedicated to the stories of the three sons of Cheops about the wizards who lived before and during the reign of Khufu, was also compiled under the first three kings of the Fifth Dynasty.
Khufu probably reigned for about 23 years. Intravital sources depict Cheops as the builder of many cities and settlements along the river bank, for example, Buchen (traditionally it is believed that Buchen was founded during the Middle Kingdom, probably by Senusret III). According to the cited sources, Cheops sent a military expedition to the Sinai Peninsula with the aim of neutralizing the local nomadic Bedouin tribes who were robbing traders and developing turquoise deposits. At the same time, an inscription on a stone on the island of Elephantine near Aswan indicates that the pharaoh also showed interest in the southern borders of the country, where Aswan pink granite was mined.
Khnum-Khufu, the second pharaoh of the IV ancient Egyptian dynasty, is known to us by the Greek name Cheops. The pharaoh entered history thanks to the Great Pyramid at Giza built under his leadership. The Pyramid of Khufu surpassed the others in size and became one of the “Seven Wonders of the World”, the most venerable in age.
Having erected a monument to himself for centuries, Cheops paid dearly for posthumous fame: ancient historians claim that the construction of the giant depleted the resources of the state, and contemporaries allegedly hated the tyrant. According to other sources, the Egyptians considered Khnum-Khufu a wise and far-sighted ruler and worked for him without coercion, which Greek historians, amazed by the scale of the tomb, did not believe.
History of life and reign
Khufu is the son of noble parents: the son of Pharaoh Sneferu and Queen Hetepheres I. The name given at birth meant “The god Khnum protects me.” The ancient Egyptian despot is known by other names: he is Cheops, Diodorus Siculus called him Hembes, other ancient historians called him Sufis I and Saophis. The ruler also had a throne name - Khor-Medzhedu.
The pharaoh was born in Middle Egypt. Subsequently, the city where he appeared was called Menat-Khufu (“nurse of Khufu”). During the reign of Cheops’s parent, Pharaoh Snofru, 3 pyramids appeared.
Historians believe that Cheops succeeded his father in adulthood and ruled for almost 30 years: the found papyri recall the 27th year of his reign. Lifetime evidence depicts the ruler as a builder of cities (the fortified city of Buchen) and settlements on the banks of the Nile.
Surviving papyri speak of the conqueror Cheops, who sent an army to Sinai to punish the nomadic Bedouins who were harassing Egyptian merchants with plunder. The second goal of the expedition was to mine deposits of copper and the “stone of happiness,” as turquoise was called. Cheops also showed increased attention to the south of Egypt, where valuable pink granite was discovered.
According to surviving legends, Cheops had 4 spouses, the names of two have been preserved: Meritates and Henutsen. His wives bore him 9 sons and 15 daughters. Archaeologists and scientists learned the names of the sons by deciphering the inscriptions on tombs on the scale of El Giza.
Hetepheres II's daughter married her half-brothers in turn and became queen. After the death of his father, the throne went to his son Djedefre, who ruled for 8 years. In ancient times, Djedefre's tomb was plundered and partially destroyed.
Death
Cheops supposedly died in 2566 BC. According to Herodotus, his contemporaries hated the despotic and cruel ruler. Cheops deprived the temples of their privileges, and the construction of the pyramid weakened the state and caused the fall of the dynasty. There are suggestions that Cheops died a violent death at the hands of representatives of the Fifth Dynasty, and the name of the pharaoh was forbidden to be pronounced after his death.
Discovery of the pyramids
The construction of a huge tomb helped Cheops to remain forever in history. The process of its construction took two decades. The young pharaoh ordered the construction of a pyramid glorifying him to begin, barely taking the place of his deceased father. He dreamed of surprising the whole world with the unprecedented size and height of the tomb.
A rocky plateau was found in the desert that could support a weight of more than 6 million tons. The site is 7 km west of Giza and south of Fustat (Cairo). Khut (“light”) - the ancient name of the tomb of Cheops - became the first in the dynasty’s pyramid complex. The architect and construction foreman's name was Hemiunu, and he was related to the pharaoh.
The original height of the tomb is 146.6 m. Nowadays, the Cheops pyramid is 137.5 m: the advance of sand, earthquakes and the loss of the crowning pyramidion have lowered the structure by ten meters.
Detailed study of the Cheops pyramidKhut was built by stacking tier upon tier 2.3 million granite blocks weighing from 2.5 to 15 tons, which were carved at the foot of a rocky plateau. They were adjusted to each other with such precision that a knife blade could not fit into the gaps. No binding solutions were used. The tomb was lined with snow-white limestone, which was mined on the other side of the Nile and transported along the river.
The treatises of Herodotus say that the tomb was erected by 100 thousand people, changing every 3 months. At the same time, without interfering with each other, 8 thousand skilled workers worked. Peasants also participated in construction when the river flooded and agricultural work stopped. The workers were paid wages and given food and clothing.
According to the surviving information, the craftsmen polished the facing slabs to a mirror shine, so the pyramid seemed like a solid monolith and sparkled and shimmered like crystal in the moonlight. In the Middle Ages, the cladding slabs were dismantled and used for the construction of Cairo.
The building's altitude record was broken only in 1889: the Eiffel Tower reached 300 m. The Great Pyramid of Cheops is the first building in the complex of tombs for the rulers of the dynasty, which included three pyramids - Cheops, Khafre and Mikerin, guarded by the Sphinx - the crown of ancient Egyptian architecture .
Inside the main tomb there is a network of passages branching off from a 47 m long corridor-gallery leading to the pharaoh’s chamber. The chamber, lined with granite, has a height of 5.8 m, its area is 10.5 by 5.3 m. On the eastern side of the tomb, the tomb of the mother of Cheops was found. Previously, the tomb of Hetepheres I in Meidum was plundered, and Cheops reburied the queen in his pyramid.
The secret of embalming the bodies of Egyptian rulers has not yet been revealed. Many mummies have survived to this day. The entrails removed during embalming were placed in “knops,” sealed vessels found near sarcophagi.
Several images of Cheops have survived. In addition to the reliefs on which the ruler in white robes and a red crown is carved, a 7.6 cm high figurine found in the Temple of Osiris has been preserved. The other three figurines are damaged: the limestone head of the pharaoh is exhibited in the Munich museum, the granite one in Brooklyn, and part of the head in Boston.
Both contemporaries and the descendants of Cheops tried to rob the pyramids. The Caliph of Baghdad, Al-Hamun, did not listen to admonitions and, with the help of siege specialists, made a hole in the northern edge of the pyramid. The area for softening was poured with boiling vinegar, then hammered with a battering ram. Having opened the passage to the gallery, the robbers reached the tomb of Cheops, but did not find any jewelry.
At the foot of Khufu, during excavations, caches with cedar boats, made without nails or fasteners, were discovered. They were stored disassembled. The restorers assembled the longest boat (43.6 m) out of 1224 parts: the “Solar Boat” of Cheops is kept in the museum on the southern side of the tomb.
Legends
In 1798, he visited the tomb of Cheops. This visit was overgrown with speculation and myths. According to surviving written evidence, the emperor listened to the dark legends about the pyramid, protected from invasion by spirits, and laughed. But after visiting the royal tomb, where he was left alone for 20 minutes, he came out with a gray face and dull eyes. Later, when Adjutant Geret asked what was so terrible that Napoleon saw, he groaned and exclaimed:
“Why is this necessary! You still won’t believe it!”
The famous Frenchman took the secret into eternity. Supporters of mystical theories explain the absence of the pharaoh's mummy in the burial chamber by the fact that the pyramid was built by aliens or Atlanteans, whose descendants founded a civilization on the banks of the sacred river.
There are suggestions that Khufu was not intended for burial, because in Cheops’ chamber there was not even a hint of decoration left, and the sarcophagus for the king’s body was roughly hewn and without a lid. Scientists believe that the mummy of Cheops rests in an underground tomb in a hall in the middle of the lake. This explains the virgin purity of the chamber, which was discovered in the 19th century by the first European explorers. Where the “treasures of Cheops” are hidden is a mystery to this day.
Memory
- In April 2013, 4 dozen papyri dating from the 27th year of the reign of King Khufu were found. The most interesting is the papyrus diary of Merrer, an ancient Egyptian official who participated in the construction of the pyramid at Giza.
- Popular theories are that the pyramid was built by aliens from Orion or Atlanteans. The cosmic theory of the origin of the pyramids became the basis of the film and TV series Stargate.
- The reign of Khufu is depicted in the 1955 American film “Land of the Pharaohs” (British Jack Hawkins plays Khufu).
- The action of the novel “The Wisdom of Cheops” (originally “The Game of Fate”) by the Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz takes place during the reign of Cheops.
Ancient Egypt pyramid of Cheops
Pharaoh of Egypt Cheops (Khufu)- second pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of the Ancient Kingdom of Egypt 2589-2566 or 2604-2581 BC.
He ruled for almost 23 years and built the tallest Great Pyramid at Giza. His predecessor, his father, built four pyramids and two sanctuaries during the same reign, however, the pyramids were mainly made of limestone and adobe brick and lined on top, which was less expensive, but less reliable due to the bulk internal contents: rubble and sand
From the Seven Wonders of the World Great Pyramid Pharaoh Cheops has survived to this day. Heir on the board Ancient Egypt after Cheops there will be Pharaoh Djedefra - the eldest son, he built the second tallest pyramid on the plateau.
Cheops is the son of Pharaoh Snefru and his second wife Hetepheres.
Due to the hard work in construction, like his father and son, they were considered despots, the unaffordable costs of building the pyramids weakened the state’s economy, trips to neighboring countries no longer saved the people from poverty and hunger, and the builders of the pyramids and suppliers of materials had to be provided with food . The cost of one pyramid is much less than four. The construction of the pyramid was carried out on the northwestern plateau of Giza. A significant difference from previous pyramids is the abandonment of the unreliable design of step pyramids due to internal filling with rubble and sand, without fastening.
The pyramid has survived centuries without losing its appearance.
The necropolis of Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) was also made in Giza. The name of Pharaoh Khufu is carved on artifacts in the Libyan Desert - in the Dakhla oasis, in Elephantine, in Dahshur, in the Great Pyramid, in Sinai.
Pharaohs of the Fourth Dynasty of Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt
125 -160 years of reign
1. Sneferu 2639/2604 BC reigned 24-29 years.
2. Khufu (Cheops) 2604/2581 BC ruled for 23 years.
3. Djedefra 2581-2572 BC 8 years of rule.
4. Khafre (Khefren) 2572/2546 BC 24 years of rule.
5. Baka (Bakara) 2546/2539 BC 7 years of rule.
6. Menkaura 2539/2511 BC 18 years
7. Shepseskaf 2511/2500 BC 10 years
8. Djedefptah 2500/2494 BC 6 years
Great pyramid of egypt was built on a high hill, where the soil was harder, which eliminated subsidence; moreover, structural elements were added inside the pyramid to enhance strength.
To protect the corridors and shafts from destruction, they were made of processed stone and polished granite.
The entrances to the pyramid ended in a burial chamber; as always, many galleries and tombs remained unfinished.
On the territory of the necropolis of the pyramid there are cemeteries for relatives and servants, funerary temples guarded by the large Sphinx and niches for funeral boats made of Lebanese cedar.
The administrative staff for government and tax collection, consisting of priests, servants and heirs, was the largest in number only by Pharaoh Khufu (twice that of Snefra's father).
According to many Egyptologists, the body is made of solid limestone, but the head was added higher. Externally, the face of the Sphinx resembles the appearance of a pharaoh.
Cheops(Khufu) - the second pharaoh of the IV dynasty of the Ancient Kingdom of Egypt (2551-2528 BC or 2589-2566 BC), presumably the builder of the Great Pyramid at Giza. Also referred to as Hembes (according to Diodorus), Suphis I (according to Manetho), Saophis (according to Eratosthenes). Son of Pharaoh Snefru and Hetepheres. Children: Djedefra, Djedefhor, Kawab, Khafre (Khefre), Banefra, Khufukhaef (sons), Hetepheres II, Meresankh II, Khamerernebti I (daughters).
In folklore, as well as the testimony of historians of antiquity, Cheops (Khufu) gained a reputation as a classic oriental despot and cruel ruler, in contrast to the biographies of his father Sneferu and the heirs of Khafre (Khafre) and Mikerin (Menkaure). However, the remains of monuments from the time of Cheops represent him as a person whose activities sharply contrast with the stories of the period of the rule of the Persians and Greeks. The legend says that Cheops forced the people to hard work in the construction of the pyramid.
In particular, churches allegedly lost their privileges under him. The very name of Cheops was allegedly not spoken by the people after his death, and the exhaustion of Egypt's resources to build the pharaoh's pyramid led to the weakening of the state and the fall of the Fourth Dynasty. Perhaps this image of the pharaoh corresponds to reality, but it can be considered a conjecture of the founders of the Fifth Dynasty, which came to power with the help of the Heliopolis priesthood of Ra after the fall of the previous Fourth Dynasty. Probably a popular tale in subsequent periods, the tale "Khufu and the Sorcerers", dedicated to the stories of the three sons of Cheops about the wizards who lived before and during the reign of Khufu, was also compiled under the first three kings of the Fifth Dynasty.
Cheops probably reigned for about 23 years. Intravital sources depict Cheops as the builder of many cities and settlements along the river bank, for example, Buchen (traditionally it is believed that Buchen was founded during the Middle Kingdom, probably by Senusret III). According to the cited sources, Cheops sent a military expedition to the Sinai Peninsula with the aim of neutralizing the local nomadic Bedouin tribes who were robbing traders and developing turquoise deposits. At the same time, an inscription on a stone on the island of Elephantine near Aswan indicates that the pharaoh also showed interest in the southern borders of the country, where Aswan pink granite was mined.
The greatest achievement of Cheops is the creation of the monument, which was recognized as the first among the seven wonders of the world in the ancient world. It is this, the oldest and most monumental of the wonders of the world listed by ancient authors, that is the only one that has survived to this day.