zoobyshoe said:
Are these complete pyramids that are buried?
Evo said:
They're most likely mastabas.
Here and there, I've seen images of extremely weathered mastabas, or very truncated step-pyramids, appearing out of those drifting sands of Egypt. Sadly, many will have been looted. But hopefully some will be found that are intact!
There's no doubt the pyramid builders were relatively quite advanced; spiritually, socially and technically.
I've maintained an off-and-on technical interest in ancient Egypt for a fairly long time. When a touring Old Kingdom exhibit came to Seattle a number of years ago, I made a point to carefully look at some incredibly beautiful small stone vases and vessels.
Among them were some made of material identified as diorite, with narrowed necks, hollowed out inside. Some had longer, fluted necks. The walls, all the way down and around the base, were almost paper-thin, nearly translucent, and perfectly symmetrical. To my trained machinists eye, they could only have been turned on a lathe (or spindle), with some kind of hardened tool bit,
and a great deal of time, patience and skill. I would be very impressed to see anyone today - or since Old Kingdom times - duplicate this work, really engineering, with a copper tool.
Respectfully,
Steve
