5 Pyramids you ought to know about

If you’re anything like us, then there’s only two kinds of pyramids that you would have heard of. The first resides in Egypt, and they’re called great for a very good reason. The second was a kind of marketing scheme that was actually a scam. But there’s more to pyramids than just this. Pyramids are sacred structures built all over the world and not just limited to Egypt. The whole point of traveling is to gain a better understanding of new cultures and if you share the same opinion as us then you have to bear witness to these pyramidic structures.

Pyramids of Guimar (Tenerife)

Generally when someone says pyramid there are very few images that spring to mind. If you’re very lucky, you know of those in the Amazon Basin or in Indonesia. But if you want a slice of something seriously mysterious, take a trip to Tenerife in the Canary Islands. For starters, traveling to and staying in Tenerife is not nearly as expensive a deal as traveling to Egypt so that’s a good start. Then, when you tell your friends that brag about having gone to the pyramids, that you’ve seen the pyramids that they don’t even know about, enjoy the moment as you see them pick their jaw up off the floor. Built from volcanic rock, the pyramids of Guimar are inexplicable in that they are as large as any other major, mainstream pyramid you know of and yet, absolutely no one knows who built them or why or even when. Of course, when there is no real story behind it all, people start to make things up (idle mind is the devil’s workshop and all that). Some say the Aztecs built them, others whisper the name of the Freemasons. The fact is no one really knows the truth. It could well be that a time traveling genius went back in time and constructed it just to mess with everyone’s minds. That explanation is as plausible as anything else. The ancient Romans knew a thing or two, and their scriptures state that these islands were completely uninhabited, so you know something really strange happened when even they were stumped. What is known is that these pyramids have underground chambers beneath them, so perhaps they were hiding places. Only time traveling genius’ known the truth about these pyramids.

Pyramids of Meroe (Sudan)

Are you in Africa and looking for more pyramids to gaze at, but don’t know where to go? Well, you’re in luck because we do. As you head from Khartoum to Port Sudan, near Bagrawiya, you will pass the archaeological site if the civilization known as ancient Meroë. Here you will find a group of pyramids bunched up over a small hill. These pyramids are smaller than those you would find in Egypt and are what is left of a royal cemetery used by the Meroitic kingdom. Realize though that the Nile valley lay in the north of what we know today as Sudan and as the Egyptians became more power hungry and started to capture larger tracts of land closer to the Meroitic kingdom. This resulted in a cultural closeness and a very real proximity between the two kingdoms as can be seen from the influences they had on one another right until the time the Egyptian empire collapsed in the twelfth century B.C. Several centuries elapsed and it was to be the lot of the kings of Napata to rule the Nile Valley and consequently revive the burial traditions of the pyramids. The Pharaohs were long gone and soon the Napatan kingdom too was in decline, leaving Egypt eventually transferring kingship to the Meroitic empire in the 3rd century B.C. So while the Egyptian pyramids are monuments to royalty, the pyramids of Meroe are very large graves, containing over fifty pyramids for royalty alone. In fact, even the Romans copied the Nubians, as can be seen in the pyramid of Cestius in Rome. Imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery.

Tomb of the General (Eastern China)

Time was when Chinese pyramids were considered nothing more than the stuff of fiction, having never been witnessed by anyone nor having any tangible evidence proving its existence. But finally after several decades of hemming and hawing, it has finally been proven that there are indeed pyramids in China. For several years now, scholars have looked upon Chinese pyramids as constituting nothing more than large mounds but that is all a thing of the past now. The reason for so much conjecture about the existence of a pyramid can be pinned on two sets of stories doing the rounds. The first of these touched upon the existence of the mythical “Great White Pyramid”. Said to have been located in the Qining mountains, a photo of this is said to have existed in the American Military archives since 1945 after US Air Force pilot James Gaussman reported back to his superiors about a white jewel-topped pyramid that he saw while flying between India and China during the Second World War. However, with no one denying or accepting these claims, speculation continues to rage about its authenticity. It wasn’t until the turn of the millennium that China claimed something in the region of 400 pyramids existed in the Shanxi region. Not as large as the rumored “Great White Pyramid”, these pyramids were dismissed as nothing more than burial mounds. Fast-forward six years, and archaeologists discovered a set of ancient tombs dating back at least 3,000 years and covering 500,000 square meters. It was an unlikely water erosion that exposed part of a mountain and uncovered two of the tombs. Finally, proof was at hand. The Chinese too had their own pyramids, but the “Great White Pyramid” remained at large.

Brihadeeswarar Temple (India)

The Brihadeeshwarar temple was constructed under the auspices of the Chola ruler Raja Raja I, a king so awesome he had  the same name used twice. Legend has it that Lord Shiva appeared before King Raja Raja in a dream and told him to build the temple, for it would be remembered for the ages. An addendum to this story is that when Raja Raja I was in Sri Lanka he saw enormous statues of Lord Buddha adorning the landscape and seeing this was the final straw; that was what convinced him to build the temple. At least Lord Shiva had his facts right; the temple has been granted World Heritage Site by UNESCO, so he got that much right. The temple, constructed in granite has what is known in classical Indian architectural terms as a Vimana and Shikara with a Mandapam adorning the entrance. Raja Raja I’s directives and influence clearly shines through, with the temple wearing a look that can only be described as majestic. Little wonder then that this temple served as the blueprint for several other temples that came up after this during the time of the Chola empire and even after that. In fact, it is said that the king ascended the tower and climbed to the top where he was anointed with powers by the priests and he could then talk to the gods, in particular with Shiva and the entire temple complex. Located smack in the city of Tanjore, the temple is a perfect example of Indian pyramidic architectural styles as it was enhanced at several points in the 11th right up until the 16th century. But as they say, you can’t improve perfection and it remains till date the largest temple in India and a prime example of the architectural style.

Chichen Itza (Mesoamerica)

Chichen Itza is the most sacred city of the ancient Mayan civilization and what was once a bustling city spread over six square miles now lies almost in ruins. The ruins can be broken into two parts, the first being the classical Mayan period (and built between the 7th and 10th centuries A.D.) during which time the city was a major ceremonial hub. The other part ties in with the Maya-Toltec period (from the 10th to 13th century A.D.) and is the touristier of the two locations, with some outstanding sights and the sacred well. From the outset Chichen Itza was mainly agricultural and for a time arts and sciences really took off here, rocketing the city into prominence as a major nodal point for the civilization. With increased prominence came an increased amount of religiousness, and so Chichen Itza became a religious center as well as can be seen in the multiple structures such as the Temple of Three Lintels, House of Phalli, the nunnery and the church. But over time the foundations of this splendid city started to fall away and the Mayans abandoned their religious buildings and the agricultural land that came with it. Newer cities were constructed in the vicinity of Chichen Itza and the main city was only ever visited to perform rituals or bury the departed. It wasn’t until the 10th century that they returned. It is quite easily one of the most well known pyramid complexes in the word which includes Kukulcan’s Pyramid. Standing at 75 feet in height, this was built to suit astronomical needs and during the vernal and autumnal equinox, light bathes the main stairway forming 7 triangles that the body of a serpent. This eventually joins the serpent’s head carved in stone at the bottom of the stairway and several agricultural rituals could have been carried out here. When you think of all that Chichen Itza was, which included a holy city, royal quarters and a ball court for sports you can begin to understand its draw on the ancient Mayans just as it draws you in. And in the middle of this, they somehow managed to pack in a steam bath. To live the life of the Mayans vicariously is what draws everyone here, and to grab a slice of history for oneself is reward in itself when you visit Chichen Itza.