Pyramids Around The World

We all know about the about the pyramids built in Egypt and Mexico. But, did you know that these were not the only places where pyramids were constructed? Off recent, there are many pyramids around the world that have sprung up, the recent being in China and Bosnia. Though most main stream archaeologists are desperately trying to deny the existence of “pyramids”, all archaeological evidences have pointed towards these structures being man-made pyramids. Here is a list of some of the pyramids you will find around the world.

1) Saqqara and Giza, Egypt

The very mention of pyramids brings the pyramids of Giza to mind. Most people may not be even aware of the step pyramids at Saqqara. The popular knowledge about the pyramids of Giza is that they were built by the kings Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure of the 4th dynasty. While main stream archaeology debates that these pyramids were used as tombs for these kings, newer discoveries are showing that their purpose may have been totally different. Whatever the purpose they were built for, they definitely contain an air of mystery around them.

The pyramid of Djoser in the Saqqara necropolis is another famous pyramid in Egypt. Built in the 27^th century BC, it was known to be built as the tomb for king Djoser of the 3^rd dynasty by his vizier Imhotep. This pyramid is unlike the pyramid of Giza as it is a stepped pyramid. The pyramid was 62 meters tall with a base of 109m x 125 m. It was clad in polished limestone and is known as the earliest large-scale cut stone construction.

2) Teotihuacan, Mexico

Teotihuacan literally translates to “places where gods are created”. Pyramid of the sun is one of the largest pyramids in Mesoamerica. No one has a definitive knowledge of the original builders of this pyramid. However, it is thought that Teotihuacan was inhabited by the Toltecs and later, the Aztecs. The pyramid is over 200 feet tall with a base width of 730 feet and is known to have been built in two phases. The first phase was thought to be built around 100 AD which gave the pyramid almost the present size while the second phase resulted in today’s size. Despite a massive fire that tore through Teotihuacan during the 7^th century AD, the pyramid is well preserved and is presently a UNESCO World Heritage site.

3) China

Who would ever imagine that there would be a pyramid built in an entirely opposite direction of the world in China? We are aware of the Terracotta Army, which is just a part of Mausoleum pyramid of the first Emperor of China. The pyramid was built from 246 B.C to 208 B.C and it probably had far more traps than what you could see in the Indian Jones movie. It is said that the pyramid represented the emperor’s palace and the universe. Not sure how eccentric the emperor was, but it is thought that he had all his childless concubines killed and buried with his body. It is also thought that all the workers buried alive to safeguard the pyramid’s secrets. If there were any truth in this legend, one can only imagine the eccentricity of some emperors in the history. One may also wonder what these “secrets” were.

Till date, most mainstream archaeologists refused to acknowledge the structure as a pyramid as it is more like a mountain with grass and trees all over it. But with more excavations, the man-made structure is clearly emerging into light.

4) Bosnia

Our history books taught us that the pyramids of Egypt were the oldest man-made megalithic structure and represented the epitome of the sophistication of human civilization in ancient times. No doubt they were great. But, what if you found out that Bosnia may have been the home to the oldest pyramid in the world? The controversial pyramid structure is estimated to be at least 30,000 years old. While most mainstream archaeologists claim that it is a natural formation and call the “man-made” theory a hoax (as always), archaeological finds and various tests have confirmed that it was artificial (man-made). If the age of the pyramid wasn’t sufficient enough, there are two more things that can make you rack your brain for an explanation.

The Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun is currently the largest pyramid on the planet (with a height of 220 mts). Secondly, independent tests and chemical analysis performed by five separate institutes regarding the construction material confirm that the builders used concrete in building the pyramid.

5) Peten, Guatemala

How can we forget the pyramids built by the Mayans? The Mayans were known as some of the best architects in the ancient world. The famous Pyramid of Tikal in the Peten Basin of Guatemala testifies their architectural expertise. Tikal was the capital of the Mayan civilization and acted as the cultural, political and military centre of the Mayans. The pyramid is known to have been built between 800 BCE – 900 BCE and stands 230 feet tall making it the tallest pre-Colombian structure in the Americas. The pyramid was built to function as a temple to honor kings when they died. It is currently a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There are many more such pyramids around the world such as the Cholula, Coba and so on. With more and more pyramids coming to light, it can be found that Egypt wasn’t unique in building pyramids. However, certain questions do arise. How did different ancient cultures separated by thousands of miles build pyramids? Why was this common obsession of constructing pyramids everywhere? Who taught them to construct pyramids approximately around the same ages? What unknown secrets or deep mysteries could it unveil about the ancient civilizations?