Monumental structure similar in shape to the geometrical solid of the same name . In ancient Egypt the pyramid was used as a tomb . At first reserved for the pharoes and later extended to private citizens . It was particularly common between the III rd and XVIII th dynasty ( 2650 – 1320 B.C ) but there are examples of pyramids on a smaller scale as tombs for private citizens of Thebes during the new kingdom , and as the burial places of the Nubian Kings .

About 80 examples of Egyptian Pyramids are known . The earliest were the terraced or step pyramids of which the most famous is the tomb of Zoser at Saqqara dating from about 2700 B.C . The largest and most famous pyramids are those of Giza , built by Khufu , Khafra and Menkure all Pharoes of the IV th dynasty ( 2600 – 2480 B.C ) .
The largest of these  , that of Khufu which is 768 ft square and 482 ft high , and built of huge blocks of limestone fitted together with great accuracy . Ten years spent in preparing the site which covers 13 acres and 20 years in building it .