Wednesday 8 May 2013

Brief 4 : More Egyptian Artwork and Diagrams // research into Pyramids that exist across the world

Within mine and Oli's collaboration I am deriving all the imagery and diagrams for our publication, so far I've been collecting little snippets of information from around the web to work from and produce my own info graphics from. 
















Below are some lists of pyramids from all over the world I've collected from the site referenced. It would be a really good point to start off our publication talking about all the pyramids that exist across the world before we start to explain the Egyptian pyramids of Giza so I thought this would be really relavent. A brief touching on the matter before we go onto the main content would be ideal.

I found these world map images below which apparently show the pyramids across the world. Its amazing how many exist, I think a diagram showing this at the start of the publication would be Ideal.




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"A map of earth can be created by first plotting the stars surrounding the Summer Triangle. The Summer Triangle are the primary stars of Cygnus, Lyra and Aquila – here the layout of the primary pyramids of Giza matches the location of the wing and body stars of Cygnus. Cygnus is the only constellation that occupies North Pole star position, and is located fully on the Milky Way."




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Abusir Pyramids

Admittedly less impressive than the nearby ancient pyramids of Giza, the Abusir Pyramids belonged to the Fifth Dynasty pharaohs and, to their advantage, are far quieter to visit.

Angkor Wat

The ancient Khmer empire built some astounding structures and nestled among the wider Angkor site are a number of step pyramids - notably the late 9th / early 10th century Phnom Bakheng temple and the Baksei Chamkrong temple.

Brihadisvara Temple

One of several remarkable Hindu temples built by the leaders of the Chola Empire, the Brihadisvara temple has a quite spectacular central pyramid structure.

Cahuachi

Dominated by several adobe pyramids made of sand and clay, Cahuachi is an ancient site of the Nazca civilization in Peru and perhaps mark some of the lesser-known pyramids of the world.

Calixtlahuaca 

An Aztec archaeological site near Toluca in Mexico, Calixtlahuaca is known for its vast pyramid-like temples.

Chacchoben

Chacchoben in Mexico is a Maya archaeological and includes some impressive ancient pyramid temples.

Cobá

Boasting some of the best ancient pyramids from the Maya period and a fascinating entry on any list of world pyramids, Cobá is an important and vast Maya site in Mexico’s Quintana Roo region.

Copan

The UNESCO-listed site of Copan in Honduras was an important Maya city, and contains a number of truly impressive step pyramids.

Dahshur

Among the most famous ancient pyramids of the world are those at Dahshur in Egypt, home to the famous ‘Bent Pyramid’ and the Red Pyramid of Sneferu.

Dos Pilas

A lesser known entry on the list of world pyramids, Dos Pilas was a major Maya city. The largest surviving structure is an impressive pyramid which rises 20m, while a number of other ancient pyramids survive at the site.

Ek Balam

The vast main pyramid at Ek Balam is over 30m high, making it a remarkable example of Maya engineering and one of the most impressive pyramids in the world.

El Brujo

El Brujo is an early Chimu archaeological site in Peru. The most fascinating remains at the site are its three “huacas” or sacred pyramid temples.

El Tajin

An awe inspiring collection of ancient pyramids can be seen at El Tajin in Mexico, particularly the Pyramid of the Niches, an incredibly impressive six-stepped pyramid which would once have been crowned with a temple.

Emerald Mound

Though not an ancient pyramid in the classic sense, some argue that American pre-colonial burial mounds such as the Emerald Mound and Monks Mound should be classified as step pyramids and included in lists of pyramids of the world.

Giza

Probably the most famous ancient pyramids in the world, Giza is home to Ancient Egypt’s Great Pyramid, the famous Sphinx and two other amazing pyramids.

Hawara Pyramid

Built by Amenemhat III around 1840BC, the Hawara Pyramid in Egypt has largely been eroded by time and is but a shadow of its former glory.

Monte Alban

A remarkable UNESCO listed pre-Columbian site in Mexico, Monte Alban contains a number of large and impressive pyramids, probably built by the Zapotecs.

Piramide de Cuicuilco

Thought to have been of religious and cosmic significance, the 23m, five-level Piramide de Cuicuilco is believed to be one of Mexico’s oldest surviving archaeological sites.

Polonnaruwa 

Polonnaruwa was once the capital of Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka) and contains the impressive - if slightly hidden away - ancient step pyramid Sathmahal Prasada.

Pyramid of Cestius

A rare entry in the list of world pyramids is the Pyramid of Cestius, a burial tomb and probably the only true surviving Roman pyramid and located in Rome itself.

Quirigua Archaeological Park

A former Maya settlement and now a small, yet important UNESCO listed site in Guatemala, Quirigua contains some smaller step pyramids.

Roman Pyramid of Vienne

Really more of an obelisk than a pyramid, the Roman Pyramid of Vienne makes it into the list of pyramids of the world due to its name, which seems to have stuck through the ages.

Saqqara

Among the most famous pyramids in the world, Saqqara was the burial ground of the Egyptian city of Memphis and home to numerous pyramids and tombs. 

Sun Temple of Konark

A truly stunning and intricate ancient pyramid, the Sun Temple of Konark is an iconic 13th century Hindu Temple listed as a UNESCO site.

Tchogha Zanbil

One of a handful of surviving Mesopotamian ziggurats and a crucial entry on any list of pyramids of the world, Tchogha Zanbil forms part of the remains of the ancient city of Dur Untash, the holy capital of the Elamite Kingdom.

Templo Mayor

Templo Mayor was a holy temple built in the step-pyramid style in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, whose ruins can now be seen in modern day Mexico City.
Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan was the Aztec capital and was famed for its enormous pyramids. Sadly, it was mostly destroyed by the Spanish in the 16th century and little evidence remains.

Teotihuacan 

The Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan measures 225m by 222m at its base and 75m high is one of the largest and most impressive ancient pyramids in the world. A leading entry on any world pyramid list.

Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army forms part of the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. At the heart of the mausoleum stands a 51m high burial mound pyramid believed to contain the emperor’s tomb itself.

The Moche Temples

The Moche Temples are two ancient adobe pyramid temples in Peru, known as the temples of the Sun and the Moon. One of many religious structures to feature on the list of world pyramids.

Tikal 

Tikal in Guatemala was a major Maya site and contains five magnificent pyramids, the largest being an amazing 213ft tall.

Tiwanaku 

Tiwanaku, Bolivia, was the capital of a pre-Inca civilisation. One of its most famous structures is the Akapana, which would once have been a pyramid, but has since been significantly eroded.

Uxmal 

Uxmal was a Maya city in Mexico which contains a series of stunning ceremonial pyramids - the most celebrated of which is the Pyramid of the Soothsayer. This ancient pyramid is considered unique among pyramids of the world because of its unusual elliptical base.

Yaxha

A lesser-known entry on the list of world pyramids, Yaxha is an impressive ancient Maya site in Guatemala’s Peten region which contains several incredible step pyramids.

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Below is a really good link to a book I found on the construction of the pyramids, this could be a good reference of sources plus has some detailed close up images of the pyramids brick work.