The Pyramid of Khafre and the Great Sphinx were amazing feats of architecture and technology in the ancient world. The pharaohs of Egypt had some of the largest structures ever built to help them reach the afterlife safely and comfortably. Tens of thousands of workers and slaves spent up to 20 years building the pyramids and many died in the process. Pharaoh Khafre was the son of Pharoaoh Khufu who had the largest of the pyramids, The Great Pyramid, built for his ascent into the afterlife. The Egyptians impacted the enviroment around them while creating or improving on technology with the construction of the Pyramids.The technology used to build the pyramids was unlike any other at the time and some techniques of construction used by the Egyptians are still implemented today. Pharaoh Khafre had his pyramid built on higher ground so as to give the illusion that his pyramid was larger than his fathers. The pyramid is 143.5 meters tall and has an estimated volume of 1,659,200 cubic meters. Blocks of granite, diorite, sandstone, and limestone were quarried using copper tools and wooden pegs placed in slots cut into the stone, then the pegs were soaked with water until they expanded and split the stone. They were then dragged to the worksite, on the west side of the Nile River where the Pharaoh could join the gods as the sun disapperead on the western horizon. Ramps spiraling up around the pyramid were lubricated with oil then the block was pulled by a team of oxen or workers. When completed, the pyramids rose high above any structure at the time. This was as much a show of strength as a place to be laid to rest and
