People showed their feelings for the pharaoh by building them great tombs called pyramids. Because the sun sank in the in the west, these "Houses of Eternity" were built on the west bank of the Nile. They were designed to protect the pharaohs' bodies from floods, wild animals, and robbers after they died. The Egyptians believed that the pharaohs would be happy after death if they had their personal belongings. Therefore, they placed the pharaoh's clothing, weapons, furniture, and jewelry in the pyramids. The Egyptians tried to protect the pharaoh's body because they believed that the soul could not survive without the body. It was important for a pharaoh's soul to live after death. In that way, the pharaoh would continue to take care of Egypt and its people.

It took a great number of people and a lot of work to build the pyramids. Farmers worked on them during the three summer months that their fields were flooded. They used copper tools to cut huge granite and limestone bricks from quarries across the Nile valley or in Upper Egypt. The blocks were tied with ropes on the wooden sleds, pulled to the Nile, placed on barges filled with sand, and floated across the river. Another group of workers then unloaded the stone blocks and pulled them to the place where the pyramids were being built. Huge mud and brick ramps were built alongside each pyramid. The workers dragged the blocks up the ramps to each new layer of the pyramid. They built 80 pyramids this way.

Pyramids had a large role in Ancient Egypt. They have a lot to do with religion. The pharaohs were buried in there after they died. They took a long time to build, years actually. Approximately 18 years! Workers had a difficult time building pyramids. Farmers worked on pyramids a lot. Pyramids were made completely from stone. Pyramids are made from a square at the bottom, and there are 4 triangular sides that form a point at the top. The bricks are made of stone and they are very heavy. There was paintings in them. Pyramids had hidden doors so that people that were roaming around couldn't find out how to get in to the pyramids.

Pyramids are still used today, just for different reasons. Pyramids are used for things around the world, like hotels and amusement. The pyramid shape is a very commonly-used shape. Is there any pyramid shapes where you live?