According to new studies, the Egyptians started building the Great Pyramid of Giza on August 23, 2470 B.C. How did the Egyptian researches find the exact date? They used calculations based on the historical appearances of the star Sirius. "The appearance of this star indicates the beginning of an inundation period for the Nile”, said team leader Abdel-Halim Nur El-Din. Apparently, the inundation was a promising time for the Egyptians and they started building new structures at the beginning of every inundation period. The researches then had to compare our modern calendar, the Egyptian calendar, and the cycle of the star Sirius to find the exact day this star appeared. The evidence that proves 2470 B.C as the year of the building was that the pharaohs usually started building their tombs at the beginning of their reign, and Khufu became pharaoh in 2470 B.C. The Great Pyramid was supposed to be his tomb. Many researchers agree with Nur El-Din’s methods of calculating this exact date, but others argue that the exact year of Khufu becoming pharaoh has never been clear. Also, that the appearance of the star Sirius could have been different depending on the weather conditions during any given year. Depending on your point of view, the exact date of the beginning of the construction of the Great Pyramid has not been discovered…yet!
-Nona B., period 7