The Great Pyramid of Giza, also called Pyramid
of Cheops or Pyramid of Jufu, was built to be the tomb of the pharaoh Jufu
(called by the Greeks Cheops), of the fourth dynasty, the high point of the
Ancient Egyptian Empire. The reign of Jufu is usually dated in the 26th century
before Christ, over 4500 years ago.
The current height of the Great Pyramid is
138.8 meters, but the pyramid is truncated, having lost its top. It is easy to
calculate that its original height was about 8 meters higher: 146.7 meters, or
280 Egyptian cubits. The base of the pyramid is a square with a side of 230.34
meters, or 440 Egyptian cubits.
Observe a curious point: the semi-perimeter of the pyramid
(twice the side of the base) is equal to 880 cubits. If we divide it by
the height of the pyramid, we get the following:
(880/220) = (22/7) = 3.142857...
