The pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and [P 006 / Menkaure], as well as the [P 005&P007 / Great Sphinx], are the world's most remarkable ancient monuments. As the oldest and only surviving wonder of the [L3 210 / P 002 / original Seven Wonders of the World], they have endured for some 4,500 years. Today, they still move and inspire awe in all, but imagine the pyramids in a pristine state - before the Romans and Muslims stripped them of their glassy white casing stones; before human settlement encroached on the sacred plateau; before pollution from modern Egypt obscured their beauty; and before throngs of jet setters, hawkers and [V 003 / camel drivers] disturbed their tranquility. They were pure white edifices of exact geometry, built to tolerances of 0.01 of an inch, visible from 25 miles away rising majestically from a vista overlooking the Nile.
These monuments of the Egyptian pharaohs have served as one of the few surviving records from ancient times. We have learned much about Egyptian social organization, agriculture, craftsmanship and politics from temple friezes and pyramid texts. Despite this knowledge, great controversy still exists over how the pyramids were built and there is even greater speculation over what purpose they served. Little record has been found concerning their construction and purpose. Scholars are divided over the question of their function simply as [L3 211 / tombs]: some support a number of different theories including the pyramids being used as [L3 212 / astronomical observatories], [L3 213 / almanacs], [L3 214 / geographic marker/geodesic archives], [L3 215 / centers of initiation], and [L3 216 / headquarters for astronauts].
