The Pyramids of Egypt are a symbol of this country. And surely you have seen them many times in photographs… but almost always on the outside. So, if you are wondering what is inside the Pyramids of Egypt, in this post we tell you what you should know and give you an interesting example so you can see one of them from your own device.
Before doing so, it is worth remembering that there are actually many pyramids in Egypt: about 100, according to some estimates, if we count those that are still standing and those that have only preserved archaeological evidence. Although the most famous are those of the Giza necropolis (Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus), there are others. They are not bigger, but some of them are even older. Among the most outstanding, we can mention the Step Pyramid of Zoser (the first pyramid, from 2660 BC, dynasty III), the Angled (from Seneferu, around 2600 BC, dynasty IV) or the Red Pyramid (from 2600 BC, also from Seneferu, dynasty IV).
What are the main interior spaces of a pyramid?
Each pyramid is different and probably reflects the wishes of its pharaoh promoter, since they were conceived as his monumental tombs facing the Afterlife. But there are undoubtedly some spaces that cannot be missed or that are repeated with special frequency:
- Funerary chamber: it can be considered the main room, which contains the tomb of the pharaoh who promoted this construction.
- Gallery or interior galleries: between the entrance to the pyramid and the burial chamber, there may be one or more galleries, which connect both spaces directly or indirectly, since there may also be secondary galleries.
- Ventilation galleries
It should be remembered that progress is still being made in the discovery of the interior spaces of the pyramids. For years, invasive archaeological work that could damage the structure has not been carried out. In exchange, methods with modern, state-of-the-art technologies are used, using sensors, infrared rays, etc. And one of the latest discoveries was precisely a gallery of unknown utility in the Great Pyramid of Cheops.
The interior is not exactly a luminous or sumptuous space: the galleries are often narrow and, until the V dynasty, there was no hieroglyphic decoration on the walls.
An example at hand: virtual tour of the pyramid of Unis
Nothing better than an example to know what is inside the Pyramids of Egypt. And in this case we use a recent project launched by the Ministry of Antiquities of the country, in collaboration with the American Research Center in Egypt. These are virtual tours with a high quality of detail, allowing the user to move inside different ancient monuments, without having to leave home.
Among the list of monuments chosen is the Pyramid of Unis, from the V dynasty (link to the virtual tour). Although its exterior is not fully preserved, its interior has been relatively well preserved. The most interesting thing about this pyramid and, therefore, of the virtual tour is that you can appreciate the most ancient examples of the Pyramid TextsThis pharaoh was the first to order the covering of the walls with this type of religious inscriptions.
In any case, to see what is inside the pyramids of Egypt, there is nothing better than visiting one of them in person. And we can provide you with that experience if you book your tour of the country with us, for example to visit inside one of the pyramids of Giza, or one of those located in the nearby necropolis.
