Why are there pyramids all over the world?

Question

Why are there pyramids all over the world? Why are they pyramidal, and what is the significance of this.

Why did they build them?

http://www.geocities.com/linksatlantis/greatamericanpyramids.htm

http://www.unexplainedearth.com/xian.php

http://www.mv.com/ipusers/jcrow/JCROWS_Media3_back%20up/bosniapyramid.html

http://www.survive2012.com/europe_pyramids.php

(I didn't mention aliens)

Answer 1

I have heard a lot of theories on this; aliens came from space and had used their technology to build them and the people worshipped the aliens as gods; Ancient transcontinental travel passed on the knowledge...

i dunno...

I have a theory of my own though.. i think the pyramid shape is so common because the rays of the sun come down in a triangular shape, and since the sun was so important to them, they built their places of worship or burial in the shape of the sun's rays

like I said... I dunno

Answer 2

I didn't look at any of your links. They are irrelevant.
There is a simple reason why there are pyramids all over the world and it's got nothing to do with Atlantis or 2012 or aliens or any of that other stuff.
Go into your yard and start making a pile of dirt. Try to make a cylinder as tall as you can. You will soon see that that doesn't work. To make your pile taller you have to make it taper. To keep it even the easiest thing to do is keep the sides squared. That's all there is to it. The ancients had no girders and no way of building straight up. They had to spread out. Plus it's a natural shape--mountains spread at the bottom too (although they aren't square).
I know you won't like this answer because it's not woo-woo but sometimes the facts are just the facts.

Answer 3

Standard Archaeology claims that they were used as tombs for pharaohs, however their many surprising features have birthed many alternative theories, particularly since the great pyramids have never yielded a body. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest in Egypt and one of the largest in the world. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the only one of the seven to survive into modern times. The ancient Egyptians capped the peaks of their pyramids with gold and covered their faces with polished white limestone, though many of the stones used for the purpose have fallen or been removed for other structures over the millennia.

The putative inspirations for Egypt's pyramids are themselves a subject of ancient and ongoing debate. Some Egyptologists have seen King Zoser's Step Pyramid as a symbolic representation of ancient Egypt's stratified society. A more recent hypothesis by Patricia Blackwell Gary and Richard Talcott ("Stargazing in Ancient Egypt," Astronomy, June 2006, pp. 62-67) derives the shapes of the pyramid and of the obelisk from natural phenomena associated with the sun (the sun-god Re being the Egyptians' greatest deity). The pyramid and obelisk would have been inspired by previously overlooked astronomical phenomena connected with sunrise and sunset: the zodiacal light and Sun pillars, respectively.

Answer 4

I hate to burst your bubble, but there aren't pyramids all over the world. They are located in a few places here and there, but are fairly uncommon structures. They were likely popular back in the day because when you build up, it helps that the base is wider than the the top. So basic construction would involve stacking stone in such a way as to achieve great heights while maintaining a firm foundation.

Or perhaps an alien race was in town that week and showed the ancient Mayans and Egyptians how to craft wicked temples.

Answer 5

Most ancient cultures built pyramids, though their shape varied (i.e. some came to a small point at the top with smooth sides; others were bricks piled in a pyramid shape).

They've been found in Egypt, Mexico, Greece, England, Ireland, Italy, and South America.

The pyramid is the strongest of geometric architectural structures.

Answer 6

I wouldnt call south america and egypy all over the world. Its pretty much two places. The two served different purposes. To the Indians of South America they served more as altars and places of worship and served a purpose continually. To the Egyptians they were monuments to the pharaohs and served pretty much a one time purpose.

Ziggurats are more in their use like the pyramids of South America than the those of Egypt are. High places were called high places becuase it was felt by man all over the planet that the higher you are elevated the closer to God or the gods you are.

The reason for the shape is just that its a very stable construction style. The builders back then weren't dummies they built for things to last.

Answer 7

The architecture of most early civilizations had a lot to do with religion. Anything that looks "monumental" is usually associated with contact with the divine. A pyramid is the most logical choice for making a monumental building that is also strong, low maintenance and relatively easy to make. Not to mention it's also practical for warfare because it can serve as fortification.

Answer 8

who are "they" and where are these pyramids that are all over the world?.... there's none here in Canada, I don't think Russia has any and neither does Australia, or Sweden, or Latvia etc, etc....did you just take a big hit off the bong?

Answer 9

Until one can develop better structural materials stacking things so that they aren't quite as wide as the layer below is a pretty good way to ensure stability.

Answer 10

they dont have one up here, asia, and australia... but i think the central americans built it in that shape because it lasts longer... it holds erosion like a big man... it lets all weather just slide off... but in the egyptian pyramids.... i think they just built it because of better support and stability... with a base bigger than the pinnacle...