Pyramid of the Sun

Examples of Pyramid of the Sun in the following topics:

• Teotihuacan

  • Teotihuacan's principal monuments include the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon, and the Ciudadela (Spanish for fortified city center), a vast sunken plaza surrounded by temple platforms.
  • Its focal point was the pyramidal Temple of the Feathered Serpent.
  • Detail of pyramid, showing the alternating talud base and vertical tablero (left).
  • View from the Pyramid of the Moon down the Avenue of the Dead to the Ciudadela and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.
  • The Pyramid of the Sun is at the middle left.

• Teotihuacan

  • Teotihuacan was a city founded outside of modern Mexico City in 100 BCE and was known for its pyramids.
  • The city's broad central avenue, called "Avenue of the Dead" (a translation from its Nahuatl name Miccoatli), is flanked by impressive ceremonial architecture, including the immense Pyramid of the Sun (third largest in the World after the Great Pyramid of Cholula and the Great Pyramid of Giza) and the Pyramid of the Moon.
  • One theory says this is due to the fact that the sun rose at that same angle during the same summer day each year.
  • It also enabled them to orient the Pyramids to the distant mountain that was out of sight.
  • This giant pyramid dwarfs the smaller platforms surrounding it and was the largest building at Teotihuacan.

• Ancient Egyptian Monuments

  • Egyptian pyramids referenced the rays of the sun, and appeared highly polished and reflective, with a capstone that was generally a hard stone like granite, sometimes plated with gold, silver or electrum.
  • Most were placed west of the Nile, to allow the pharaoh's soul to join with the sun during its descent.
  • The Giza Necropolis, built in the Fourth Dynasty, includes the Pyramid of Khufu (also known as the Great Pyramid or the Pyramid of Cheops), the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure, along with smaller "queens" pyramids and the Great Sphinx.
  • It was probably a focus of solar worship, as the lion is a symbol associated with the sun.
  • A map showing the layout of the Giza Pyramid area, including the Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure, and the Great Sphinx.

• Aztec Religion

  • The Aztec religion focused on death, rebirth, and the renewal of the sun.
  • Huitzilopochtli – The “left-handed hummingbird” god was the god of war and the sun and also the founder of Tenochtitlan.
  • This pyramid is typical of Aztec religious architecture.
  • This depiction of the war and sun god shows him in all of his warrior and ritual garb.
  • This calendar shows the 18 months circling around a representation of the sun.

• The Old Kingdom

  • Thus, the period of the Old Kingdom is often called "The Age of the Pyramids."
  • Using a greater mass of stones than any other king, he built three pyramids: Meidum, the Bent Pyramid, and the Red Pyramid.
  • After Khufu's death, one of his sons built the second pyramid, and the Sphinx in Giza.
  • The cult of the sun god Ra, and temples built for him, began to grow in importance during the Fifth Dynasty.
  • The Great Pyramid of Giza was built c. 2560 BCE, by Khufu during the Fourth Dynasty.

• Architecture of the Middle Kingdom

  • Grand tombs in the form of pyramids continued to be built throughout the Middle Kingdom, along with villages, cities, and forts.
  • Mud was collected from the nearby Nile River, placed in molds, and left to dry and harden in the hot sun until they formed bricks for construction.
  • It is one of the five remaining pyramids of the original eleven pyramids at Dahshur in Egypt.
  • Typical for Middle Kingdom pyramids, the Black Pyramid, although encased in limestone, is made of mud brick and clay instead of stone.
  • The capstone of the pyramid was covered with inscriptions and religious symbols.

• Ecological Pyramids

  • The structure of ecosystems can be visualized with ecological pyramids, which were first described by the pioneering studies of Charles Elton in the 1920s.
  • Pyramids of numbers can be either upright or inverted, depending on the ecosystem.
  • However, during the summer in a temperate forest, the base of the pyramid consists of few trees compared with the number of primary consumers, mostly insects.
  • As with inverted pyramids of numbers, the inverted biomass pyramid is not due to a lack of productivity from the primary producers, but results from the high turnover rate of the phytoplankton.
  • However, in the study of energy flow through the ecosystem, pyramids of energy are the most consistent and representative models of ecosystem structure.

• The Pyramids of the Old Kingdom

  • These tombs were built in the form of great pyramids, and for this reason, the Old Kingdom is frequently referred to as the "Age of the Pyramids."
  • The Pyramids of Giza, also known as the Giza Necropolis, are one of the oldest remaining wonders of the world.
  • The Necropolis includes three pyramid complexes: the Great Pyramid (built by King Khufu of the 4th Dynasty); the somewhat smaller Pyramid of Khafre (buit by Khufu's son); and the relatively modest-sized Pyramid of Menkaure.
  • This view shows all three pyramid structures: the Great Pyramid, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure.
  • Djoser's step pyramid was the first of the great pyramids built during the Old Kingdom in Eqypt.

• Introduction to Conceptual Change

  • For example, she believes that the earth orbits the sun in a bizarre curlicue pattern and that the seasons are caused by the proximity of the earth to the sun at different points along the orbit.
  • The preceding scenario summarizes events documented in the educational video A Private Universe (Pyramid Film & Video, 1988).
  • For example, Heather has revised her theory about the curlicue path of the earth around the sun.
  • Furthermore, instruction has also changed Heather's belief that the seasons are caused by the proximity of the earth to the sun; she now knows that the earth is approximately the same distance from the sun throughout the year.
  • It shows a "curlicue" path around the sun.

• Ancient Egyptian Art

  • The regalia of the pharaoh symbolized his or her power to rule and maintain the order of the universe.
  • Houses were made of mud from the Nile River that hardened in the sun.
  • The Giza Necropolis, built in the Fourth Dynasty, includes the Pyramid of Khufu (also known as the Great Pyramid or the Pyramid of Cheops), the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure, along with smaller "queen" pyramids and the Great Sphinx.
  • The Pyramid of Khufu (Great Pyramid) is the largest of the pyramids pictured here.
  • Shown here is the hypostyle hall of the Temple of Karnak.