Does anyone believe in the idiotic notion that the Pyramids were built for a transition into the afterlife? What kind of powerful, rich jackass would waste that much money, time and resources for such an idiotic purpose?

Now, a kind of fortress, castle, a bank, a government stronghold, a center of commerce... I can believe any of these. Hell, I'd believe they were built to protect the rich from the dinosaurs or dragons before the afterlife THEORY!!! Why does everything in history have to be chalked up to "THE GODS" and not simply for pragmatic purposes?

This is a difficult thing to discuss. I really don´t think there is anything wrong if they were made for religious purposes. If it were made for burial, then respect it. Its not your culture and belief to rule if its idiotic or not.

But, I don´t think it a tomb at all. I go to the idea of a Fort of somekind. I read somewhere, can´t remember where, that it were made to protect ppl from the impact of meteorites.

I really think that whoever built it is really good and advanced for that time.

The oldest pyramid is that of Hellinikon in Greece, dating from 2,720 BC. There are more than 16 pyramids spread all over Greece.

Pyramid-shaped structures were built by many ancient civilizations. The most famous are the Egyptian pyramids — huge pyramids built of brick or stone. Standard Archaeology claims that they were used as tombs for pharaohs, however their many surprising features have birthed many alternative theories, particularly since the great pyramids have never yielded a body.

To the south of Egypt the Nubians also built pyramids. They built far more than the Egyptians, but they are much smaller. The Nubian pyramids were constructed at a much steeper angle than Egyptian ones and were not tombs, but monuments to dead kings.

The Mesopotamians also built step pyramids, or ziggurats. In ancient times these were brightly painted. Since they were constructed of mud-brick, little remains of them.

A number of Mesoamerican cultures also built pyramid-shaped structures. Mesoamerican pyramids were also usually stepped, with temples on top, more similar to the Mesopotamian ziggurat than the Egyptian pyramid.

There is a pyramid in ancient Rome. The 27-meter-high Pyramid of Cestius was built by the end of the first century BC and still exists today

There are quite a few flat-top pyramids in China. The First Emperor of Qin (221 B.C.~), with the terracotta warriors in vicinity, was buried under a large pyramid outside modern day Xi'an. In the following centuries a dozen more Chinese royalties of Han Dynasty were also buried under flat top pyramidal earth works.

Pyramid

many people made Pyramids, they had many uses...

now, the Parthenon was used as a treasury by the ancients, and it's nothing like a Pyramid...

Parthenon

why would the Egytians build 3 Fort Knox's in a row?...

The race of Bob of planet earth is always up to some new and strange behavior.
Today they sink vast fortunes into building vast monolithic sites for playing ball.

Sorry, I didn't mean to completely discount the possible religious use of ancient structures or demean ancient religions, so much. Even. I believe in the creator. I'm just tired of "everything" being attributed to religion.

Almost everything today is built by the rich for some monetary related purpose. Why should the ancient rich always be considered religious instead of politically powerful or as celebrities?

Sorry, I just get tired of hearing, "to the gods" in explanation of history.

EXACTLY MY POINT!!

building sports arena's is not a modern vice.... ever hear of the Great Ball Court at Chichén Itzá, or the Colosseum, or the Hippodrome?

Mesoamerican ballgame

Colosseum

Hippodrome

Its ok, no need to sorry. Sometimes I may sound rude, but its because english isn´t my first language and I sometimes I have difficult to say/write something. Any way, I understand you. Some ppl tend to justify anything using religion. Its always easy to rely on religious explanations than on a cientifc one.

Cya budy!

Maybe we can add tall, huge buildings, that try to reach the sky, bridges and countless other recent creations.

I believe if you consider that the ancient Egyptians believed their pharoahs to be divine beings (for which we have ample evidence based on writings of the Egyptians themselves), you will begin to see that the concepts of a tomb and a monument are not quite so seperate. The pyramids were not solely intended to convey a pharoah to the afterlife, but also acted as a symbol of power and prestige. They were intended to convey the message "look at me; I am great, and you are just a peasant." So in a sense you are correct, as they were built mostly for prestige and wealth rather than religious purposes, but the religious function was also present. The two concepts are not entirely seperate.

-Pilgrim

The kind who wrote on the side of their pyramids about the transition to the afterlife and spent years building them.

Also to the person who said



This is because the Great Pyramids were broken in to over the centuries and robbed. Although technically THE Great Pyramid is a great pyramid and did have a body in it.