What are some reasons why the eygptians stopped building pyramids?

Question

What are some reasons why the eygptians stopped building pyramids?

Answer 1

  They likely started to get sick of them

Answer 2

They never really did stop building pyramids and did so throughout the Egyptian Empire. They only stopped it on such a large scale. As to why they stopped building them on such a massive scale there are may possible reasons. The most likely are:

1. To build on the scale of the Giza Plateau is simply too expensive. You have to buy or quarry the stone, then move it to your desired location, which is usually not too close, then you have to pay the laborors, skilled workmen, and overseers, plus give them places to live. All this is a huge drain on the economy and may be fine for one or two but, by the time the Giza Plateau was completed, there were at least 7 pyramids.

2. As if this drain on the economy wasn't bad enough, it seems there was a drought during the 5th Dynasty. As a mostly egrarian people, a drought in itself can mean the collapse of the economy and this is not good if you want to build huge pyramids.

3. Finally there is just basic human nature. If you build a pyramid in the middle of a desert, it's like a big sign saying "Come steal my treasures!" Much too tempting for tomb robbers. If you want to keep all your stuff and your body in tact, it's better to hide them. Especially when everyone knows your possesions are worth a fortune.

It was probably some combination of these three that caused the end of massive pyramid building which reacned it's height suring the 4th Dynasty. The later pyramids that remain are clearly second-rate. The remains are mostly in rubble as inferior building techniques and supplies were used which could be because they couldn't afford the high quality materials used by their predecessors. It could also be due to a combination of run down economy and the drought. And as pyramid after pyramid was robbed, often by the workmen who designed it, it was eventually decided that for burial purposes, a more well hidden tomb was better.  

Answer 3

After the three big ones were built at Giza, the Egyptians continued to build them for hundreds of years.  The Nubians to the south also built them, for much longer than the Egyptians did, but they seemed to use mud brick rather than stone so most of theirs have not survived..  

But the later Egyptian pyramids were no anywhere near as big or as well built as the big three, mainly because they could no longer afford it.  

Answer 4

They were built at the end of the last age.

Answer 5

Ancient Egyptian history is divided into Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom, spread over about 2,500 years. Pyramids were built in the Old and Middle Kingdoms, but they stopped building them at the end of the Middle Kingdom.

One possible reason is that pyramids were too obvious - they acted as a giant sign to the grave robbers "here's a tomb full of treasure". In the New Kingdom pharaohs were buried in rock-hewn tombs which were hidden an attempt to avoide the tomb-robbers.

This attempt failed spectaculrly - only one tomb ever was  not uncovered by the ancient grave robbers - that of Tut-anhk-amen. This tomb was only plundered in the 20th Century.

Answer 6

My theory is that the whole pyramid system was really based on the hierarchy powers that existed in ancient Egypt. Being so it was the slaves who really did all the building of the pyramids. When the Egyptian Empire fell to pieces, so did the pyramid building.

Answer 7

None of those "pyramid schemes" ever work.

Answer 8

They probably ran out of Jews.

There's plenty now, maybe they can start up again.

Answer 9

pyramids were made for pharoah tombs?  Or to "honor thepharaoh" you know something to "test time".  No more pharaohs = no more tombs? no more monumental structures needed?

Answer 10

Pyramids are built as the final resting place for the pharaohs and because of the shift in the form of Government there are no more pharaohs in Egypt there is no more need for Pyramids in that purpose.

Answer 11

stop giving questions in the wrong section!! it should be in history or something like that.

Answer 12

They ran out of pyrimid glue.