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Secondary sourcePhotograph12 December 2012

Surviving Casing Fragments of the Pyramid of Khufu

Rigelus · 12 December 2012

A modern photograph of original limestone casing stones still remaining on the base of Khufu's pyramid.

Shows surviving casing stones from the pyramid built as Khufu's monumental tomb.

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Massive stone blocks at the base of a pyramid, with a smooth, pale limestone casing segment set against rougher layered blocks. Visitors stand on the flat stone pavement and steps nearby, with desert and distant ruins in the background.
Rigelus, surviving casing fragments of the Pyramid of Khufu, 2012.

About this source

What it is

This photograph shows surviving fragments of the smooth limestone casing that once covered the outside of the Great Pyramid, built for the pharaoh Khufu. The casing stones are visible against the rougher core blocks underneath.

Why it matters

Most of the pyramid's original outer casing was removed long after Khufu's time, so these remaining pieces are rare physical evidence of how the monument looked when first built — smooth and gleaming rather than stepped. They help historians understand ancient Egyptian construction methods and resources available to Khufu's builders.

Look closer

  • What differences can you see between the smooth casing stone and the rougher blocks beside it?
  • Why do you think most of the casing stones are missing today?
  • What does the presence of visitors in the photo tell you about the pyramid today compared to in Khufu's time?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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1903

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Khufu Statuette

c. 2600–2494 BCE (possibly later, 664–525 BCE)

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The Khufu ship, a large ancient Egyptian wooden solar barque displayed in a museum gallery. Its long hull is supported by a criss-crossed framework of metal and wooden struts, and visitors stand along the walkways and balconies around it under a curved, illuminated ceiling.Artifact

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