Man –Made Miracles

1. Man –Made Miracles

2. : Pyramids • The most famous pyramids are the [[Egyptian pyramids]]; huge structures built of brick or stone, some of which are among they world's largest constructions. The age of the pyramids reached its zenith at Giza in 2575-2150t • The Great Pyramid of Giza is one of the [[Seven Wonders of the Ancient World]]. It is the only one to survive into modern times. The Ancient Egyptians covered the faces of pyramids with polished white [[limestone]], containing great quantities of fossilized seashells ..Pyramids packed with fossil shells, ABC News in Science, Many of the facing stones have fallen or have been removed and used to build the [[mosques]] of [[Cairo]]. • Most pyramids are located near Cairo, with only one royal pyramid being located south of Cairo, at the Abydos temple complex. The pyramid at [[Abydos, Egypt]] were commissioned by [[Ahmose I]] who founded the [[Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt|18th Dynasty]] and the [[New Kingdom]]. • The building of pyramids began in the [[Third dynasty of Egypt|Third Dynasty]] with the reign of King [[Djoser]]. • smaller pyramids were built by individuals. Smaller pyramids were also built by the Nubians who ruled Egypt in the Late Period, though their pyramids had steeper sides.

3. Embalming the dead in ancient :Egypt • the British Museum in London is a man called Ginger. He lived more than 5000 years ago and exists today as a preserved body together with some of his belongings. An Egyptian, he was buried in about 3200 BC in a hot, dry desert grave after being wrapped in matting. • The body was preserved because the bacteria that would rot it away need moisture. In the hot desert all the body fluids were soaked up by the sand and the body did not decay. • In the photograph you can see the knives and pots that were buried with this man. The pots contained food and drink and this provides evidence that he was expected to live on somehow, after death. The preservation of the body enabled the spirit to recognise it after death and give it continued life • The ordinary people continued to be buried in this way but the nobility of Egypt wanted to take much more than a few pots with them. They also wanted to pass on to the afterlife in something much more grand than a desert grave. At first they began to make special underground chambers from wood and stone but these were often damp. The people had not realised how important the hot, dry sand was in preserving the bodies. • A method was needed to preserve the body for the afterlife. Sand worked well but it made the skin very tight and not very lifelike. Something was needed that removed the moisture but left the body resembling it's appearance in life. A substance found around the lakes near Cairo provided a solution, a salty substance called natron

4. The Ritual :Of Embalming