Wasn't it greener back then tho? I mean they're pretty close to a big-ass river. Also they used to be painted, and I am wondering why they wouldn't repaint them because wouldn't it provide a bit more protection from weathering and help keep them preserved?
they used to be painted
Not painted, covered in smooth white stone, with a reflective metal capstone shining in the sun.
I am wondering why they wouldn't repaint them
They would look even worse, supposing the paint would even stick to the stones (would almost certainly need plaster), and nothing like they originally did.
The original cover is gone, after millennia of the pyramids being used as a quarry, as are the capstones (probably the first to be taken to be melted into jewelry).
What we see now are the inner stones, scoured by millennia of pillaging and erosion.
Repairing the pyramids would now probably require replacing the outer, eroded, layer of inner stones, and covering that with a fresh layer of white stone, and making new capstones.
It'd be very expensive, and probably ruin a lot of the archaeological value of the site.
They'd look breathtaking, though, as they did when new.
We could just build a new one to experience the effect!
Btw there is no evidence of golden capstones ever being used on the great pyramids, and some good evidence against it.
The Nile Delta was at least, even more so than today. Ancient Egypt knew about irrigation.
The pyramids are about 9 kilometers from the current river, at the edge of the green or now urban sprawl zone. Beyond there is some more urban sprawl and these green irrigation circles to the north west. west / south west is dessert.
The Nile has multiple branches that intertwine and move over time. They have found evidence that at the time the pyramids were built, a branch was much closer to them. Facilitating moving the limestone blocks via boat to the construction site.
It needs 4 sided pyramids so in several thousand years later we can make stories about 3 sided pyramid ships landing on them.
Wasn't it greener back then tho? I mean they're pretty close to a big-ass river. Also they used to be painted, and I am wondering why they wouldn't repaint them because wouldn't it provide a bit more protection from weathering and help keep them preserved?
Not painted, covered in smooth white stone, with a reflective metal capstone shining in the sun.
They would look even worse, supposing the paint would even stick to the stones (would almost certainly need plaster), and nothing like they originally did.
The original cover is gone, after millennia of the pyramids being used as a quarry, as are the capstones (probably the first to be taken to be melted into jewelry).
What we see now are the inner stones, scoured by millennia of pillaging and erosion.
Repairing the pyramids would now probably require replacing the outer, eroded, layer of inner stones, and covering that with a fresh layer of white stone, and making new capstones.
It'd be very expensive, and probably ruin a lot of the archaeological value of the site.
They'd look breathtaking, though, as they did when new.
We could just build a new one to experience the effect!
Btw there is no evidence of golden capstones ever being used on the great pyramids, and some good evidence against it.
The Nile Delta was at least, even more so than today. Ancient Egypt knew about irrigation.
The pyramids are about 9 kilometers from the current river, at the edge of the green or now urban sprawl zone. Beyond there is some more urban sprawl and these green irrigation circles to the north west. west / south west is dessert.
The Nile has multiple branches that intertwine and move over time. They have found evidence that at the time the pyramids were built, a branch was much closer to them. Facilitating moving the limestone blocks via boat to the construction site.