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Sumerian's Influence On The Pyramids Of Ancient Egypt

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Many people recognize the pyramids of Egypt as some of the greatest treasures of the old world. But most people don't wonder where the ancient Egyptians got the idea from. There were many cultures and civilizations before Egypt that could've influenced the idea of massive pyramids, but most think that one civilization in particular, the Sumerians, had the most influence on the pyramids that stand today, because of their pyramid like ziggurats. The Egyptians probably did base the pyramids off of the Sumerian ziggurats, because they had the same basic structure, the ancient Sumerians had lots of influence on Egypt at the time, and they both displayed the same symbols and meanings for their people. Everyone knows what the pyramids look like but …show more content…

They were also influenced by Sumerian religion and the purpose of the Sumerian ziggurats. While using the idea of the physical structure of a ziggurat, the Egyptians also used it for their gods. Although the pyramid was used as a tomb and the ziggurat was used as a temple; both dealt with their gods and the afterlife. As I.E.S Edwards wrote, "Pyramids were built for several kings and queens of the subsequent dynasties, but they were in the nature of archaisms, lacking not only much of the architectural splendour of their predecessors, but also some of their religious significance." (Edwards, 16). No other culture influence the Egyptians more than the Sumerians. They even re-invented the Sumerian's writing system into hieroglyphics (www,egyptorigins.org). As H.S Smith quoted, "Current preoccupation (with rejection of foreign invaders) have led, in my view, to undue neglect of the nature of the influence of Susa and Sumer upon Upper Egypt and Lower Nubia in the Naqada IId - IIIb period."(www.egyptorigins.org). All of the evidence of Sumerian influence all together point to the idea that the ancient pyramids were greatly influenced by the Sumerian

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