This week’s discussion is on the similarities and differences about the structures of the Ziggurats and the Pyramids of Giza. These particular structures have more significant differences and few more minor similarities. The similarities have to do with religion, height, and formation. The differences include the way they were created, the religious intentions, and the amount of work put into the creation.
The Ziggurats and the Pyramids of Giza were built with the intentions of religious or symbolic factors. They were of high importance to the cultures and were a place of gathering. Both of the structures were built high up of the ground, likely due to avoid flooding and other destructive factors. The formation of both also included stairs, the sides of the pyramids were stairs throughout and meeting at the top to a point, and the Ziggurats had long stair ways leading up to them.
The differences between the Ziggurats and the pyramids of Giza are more significant. The Ziggurats were created by piling new stones onto rubble from the previous structure which gave it the height to avoid flooding. But on the other hand the pyramids of Giza were built with an intensive work crew and by using heavy stones rolled over logs to move them or slid over wet ground. There was a whole network of living for the workers that was uncovered and showed the extreme hardships that they encountered while trying to build these structures. There was also a great deal of knowledge put into building the pyramids. They used mathematics and calculations to create the pyramids just right. They were placed to follow the suns path and made to where the stones met at the top flawlessly. I feel that the workers were likely treated as slaves to create these amazing structures for the kings.
The religious intentions of the Ziggurats are that they are used as shrines and a gateway to the heavens. The people used the Ziggurats as like what we use churches for, a place to be close to their gods. The Ziggurats demonstrated stability and signified their dedication to their gods. On the other hand the pyramids of Giza were designed as resting places for the bodies of the three kings from the fourth dynasty. The three kings were Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, and they each had their own pyramid. The kings would be place in a vault far into the pyramid and closed off with a 50 ton stone! The intentions of using the pyramids versus an average tomb were for protections of the kings. There were separate passage ways made to confuse/trick anyone trying to get to the kings body.
Overall, I feel that the Ziggurats hold more of significance because they were used continuously by the people to worship and be closer to their gods. Whereas the pyramids were used as a resting place and a place to remember the fourth dynasty kings, so there was not a continuous flow of people going to and from using it as a daily place of worship.
I agree with definitely there are more differences and minor similarities. But I think comparing makes us interesting. I’ve never thought to compare with those great works. I really like how you explained each part of similarities and differences. We are not sure about the purpose of these structures but I think that whatever they were used, it is great!
ReplyDeleteHello. I like that you mentioned that both of these structures have height - they are placed above the ground. The pyramids are actually significantly higher than the ziggurats. The pyramid of Khufu originally would have been about 481 feet tall (when it had a limestone covering and a gold cap). Today, that pyramid is about 450 feet tall. This is still significantly higher than the ziggurats, which averaged around 170 feet.
ReplyDeleteStill, this idea of height is interesting, since both of these structures incorporated "sacred mountain" imagery. Mountains were seen as being sacred places to the gods, since mountains are elevated and physically set-apart from the world. The pyramidal shape also is a reference to the ben-ben, a primordial mountain from Egyptian mythology (associated with the creation story).
-Prof. Bowen
I like that you said that the ziggurats held more significance than the pyramids. I hadn't considered that because the pyramids are so famous and in today's world they receive so much more recognition than the ziggurats. But I think you are right, perhaps the ziggurats held more significance to the Sumerians than the pyramids held to the Egyptians.
ReplyDeleteYou had interesting comparisons between these two structures. I liked what you put in here about the pyramids and how they used mathematics and calculations to create the pyramids just right. I also thought it was interesting that they were placed to follow the suns path and made to where the stones met at the top.
ReplyDelete