Giza Plateau Research Articles

Geomorphological Aspects at the Giza Plateau in Egypt during the Age of Pyramid Building

The constructions of Giza pyramids were architectural landscape projects. Old Kingdom monarchs made effective use of Eocene limestone bedrocks, called Moqattam and Maddi Formation.

The Great Sphinx on the Giza Plateau: Scalped from Eocene Continental Shelf Carbonate Layers at the Base of the Southern Slope of the Moqattam Formation

The Great Sphinx on the Giza Plateau: Scalped from Eocene Continental Shelf Carbonate Layers at the Base of the Southern Slope of the Moqattam Formation

Wind flow modeling and simulation over the Giza Plateau cultural heritage site in Egypt

In this article, the wind flow over one of the most important Egyptian historical heritage sites, the Giza Plateau, was investigated using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) state-of-the-art techniques. The present study addresses the influences of wind flow structure, as an important denudation factor, on the site and its famous monuments: the Pyramids and the Great Sphinx. Three-dimensional CFD simulations have been performed based on the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations for the cases of the northwest wind, at the average wind speed over the year, and the southwest windstorms. In addition, the wind-driven sand was considered for the same cases. Particular attention was paid to the Great Sphinx and the Pyramids to investigate their parts most vulnerable to the wind, which is contributing to the erosion of these monuments. The Great Sphinx was buried by sand and it was cleared several times throughout its history. In this study, we also address the less understood, yet important, burial mechanism of the Great Sphinx. The present work may give more insight to the effect of wind around the Giza Plateau when developing a global plan for conserving and protecting the site.

Influences of wind flow over heritage sites: A case study of the wind environment over the Giza Plateau in Egypt

Wind influences are important environmental factors that cause deterioration of historical heritage sites. This work presents a computational framework for investigating the influences of the wind flow over such sites. The wind flow is considered to be fully turbulent, isothermal and incompressible. The present framework employs three-dimensional Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations along with multi-block approach and non-conformal meshes to perform wind flow simulations over such sites with complex geometry. As a case study, the influences of wind flow over the “Giza Plateau”, one of the most important Egyptian historical heritage sites, were studied for the Northwest wind (at average wind speed over the year) and the Southwest windstorms. The study addresses the less understood, yet important, influences of the wind flow structure on the site and its famous monuments: the Pyramids and the Great Sphinx. Qualitative and quantitative treatments of the results are carried out for estimating the wind loading on the different monuments within the plateau. Particular attention was paid to the Great Sphinx to investigate its most vulnerable parts to the wind, as one of the critical environmental factors that cause erosion of this colossal statue.

Shape shifting lizard people, Israelite slaves, and other theories of pyramid building

At the turn of the millennium, Egypt prepared for a vast New Year celebration on the Giza Plateau, amidst rumors about the Masonic symbolism of the planned party. At the same time, Egyptologists were excavating the tombs of the pyramid builders of Giza and billing these as proof that the pyramids were built by Egyptian nationals, not Israelite slaves. Both were topics of fierce local political debate about the external appropriation of Egypt's national monuments. Based on ethnographic research in Giza and Cairo and analysis of popular publications by and about Egyptologists, this article explores the links between Egyptology, Egyptian nationalism, and theories about the labor force that built the pyramids. It shows how debates over pyramid building and conspiracy theories about the millennium celebrations resonate in both the historical context of European imperialism in Egypt and current international political tensions. It examines archaeological accounts of the relationship between the pyramid builders and ancient state building, and the parallels between such accounts and the discipline's contemporary relationship with archaeological labor. It concludes by asking whether Egyptologists, both Egyptian and foreign, have not only a nationalist but also a disciplinary interest in particular narratives of the labor that built the pyramids.

Mineralogical, petrological and radioactivity aspects of some building material from Egyptian Old Kingdom monuments

Abstract Mineralogical, petrological, XRF and radioactivity measurements were carried out on several Egyptian monuments (at Giza plateau and Abydos), as an integrated archaeological sciences project concerning Egyptian cultural heritage with a threefold aim: (a) the multifold analysis of construction material (granite, limestone, sandstone, gypsum), providing new data, (b) a detailed radioactivity survey of the monuments, and (c) the development of a new optical stimulated luminescence dating approach for limestone buildings. Regarding the aim (a), hypotheses that large building stones used in the monuments were cast, as opposed to carved out of natural stone, are not supported by (i) the presence of undamaged fossils, (ii) lack of zeolite peaks in X-ray patterns, which would be expected if CaO was used in making cement, and (iii) random emplacement and strictly homogeneous distribution of fossil shells in the whole rock in accordance with their initial in situ settling in a fluidal sea bottom environment. Moreover, statistical clustering of chemical composition indicated five rock sub-categories and XRF analysis reported inhomogeneity of rock composition. In aim (b) a detailed dose rate survey of the studied monuments and of the radioisotope content (U, Th, K, Rb) of specimens is reported that form a unique data-base for any undertaken dating project. Regarding aim (c), quartz separation from limestone powder presents a new way to date limestone blocks by the single aliquot Optical Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating protocol, and three indicative dating cases are presented.

The problem of power and the politics of landscape: stopping the Greater Cairo ring road

This paper reconceptualises the politics of landscape as the precarious art of managing the unexpected. By telling the story of a campaign to stop the construction of a road through the Giza plateau in Egypt, the paper elucidates how political power is characterised not only by triumphal coalitions but also by insecurity, blindly grasped chances and pure luck. The paper elaborates on this story by presenting a conception of power not predicated on forces, consequences or effects but rather on the fundamental problem of temporal uncertainty. Through an engagement with Nietzsche, Deleuze and Derrida, the paper conceptualises time as the origin of uncertainty and, thus, the advent of politics itself.

Questioning the Location of the Old Kingdom Capital of Memphis, Egypt

<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> The capital city of Memphis was ancient Egypt’s oldest and largest city. However, the city’s origin is shrouded in myth. This study challenges five different references to Memphis, from both classical and historical accounts and concludes that Memphis’ boundary should be redefined. These accounts are reviewed to illustrate the confusion amongst early historians and travellers as to the precise location of Memphis and to highlight the association between the capital and the pyramids of the Giza Plateau. For the Old Kingdom, the urban limits of Memphis should not be restricted to the modern mound of Mit Rahina, but rather the boundaries should be expanded to parallel the Old Kingdom pyramids. Recent archaeological investigations, employing sub-surface sampling techniques, have revealed contemporary Old Kingdom occupational debris scattered throughout the entire Memphite region. The inclusion of archaeological material, in combination with the historical records, will create a different interpretation for Egypt’s Old Kingdom capital city. </span>

Questioning the Location of the Old Kingdom Capital of Memphis, Egypt

<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> The capital city of Memphis was ancient Egypt’s oldest and largest city. However, the city’s origin is shrouded in myth. This study challenges five different references to Memphis, from both classical and historical accounts and concludes that Memphis’ boundary should be redefined. These accounts are reviewed to illustrate the confusion amongst early historians and travellers as to the precise location of Memphis and to highlight the association between the capital and the pyramids of the Giza Plateau. For the Old Kingdom, the urban limits of Memphis should not be restricted to the modern mound of Mit Rahina, but rather the boundaries should be expanded to parallel the Old Kingdom pyramids. Recent archaeological investigations, employing sub-surface sampling techniques, have revealed contemporary Old Kingdom occupational debris scattered throughout the entire Memphite region. The inclusion of archaeological material, in combination with the historical records, will create a different interpretation for Egypt’s Old Kingdom capital city. </span>

3.4.5 Were the Ancient Egyptians System Engineers?

AbstractSystems engineering is a 20th century discipline. To judge whether an organization is on a world class systems engineering level, we evaluate whether the organization's development processes and resulting product satisfy the 8 systems engineering axioms. Could we evaluate ancient organizations? The pyramids on the Giza Plateau are the only remaining wonders of the ancient world. The sheer scale and precision of Kufu's great pyramid obviously required a quality process. But were the ancient Egyptians systems engineers? This paper will outline how the pyramids were built, and whether that process satisfied the systems engineering Axioms.

Site management at Giza Plateau: master plan for the conservation of the site

The Giza pyramids, one of the world's most important archaeological sites, are threatened by urban expansion, pollution, conservation challenges, and the pressures of tourism. A critical need exists for effective site management to protect the archaeological riches of this important site. The author describes the implementation of a four-phase management plan initiated in 1988. In the first phase, an organization scheme for the site was prepared. Phase II defined a conservation and archaeological plan for the east side of the Great Pyramid and for the queens' pyramids. Phase III, which is ongoing, will define conservation of the three main pyramids, includes a tourism management plan, and will complete development of a site master plan. Phase IV will outline a program for ongoing archaeological research and conservation. The site management plan for the Giza Plateau provides a model for addressing a wide spectrum of environmental issues affecting archaeological sites.

Site Management: The Response to Tourism

Only careful planning and rigorous implementation can preserve those unique sites that every tourist hopes some day to visit. Chief among these are the monuments of Ancient Egypt, indisputably part of humanity’s most spectacular heritage. Zahi Hawass is director‐general of the Giza Plateau and Saqqara, where he pioneered the concept of site management. He is the author of many books and articles on pyramids, Pharaonic Egypt and the problems of Egyptian monuments, and has lectured throughout the world. He also teaches archaeology at UCLA in Los Angeles, at the American University in Cairo and at Cairo University.