Why are pyramid-like structures found all around the world?

Forums: Pyramids, Archaeology, Architecture, Geography, Pyramid-Like Structures
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That's just a few examples... they were also constructed in Mesopotamia, Spain, Cambodia, Algeria, Nigeria, Greece and China.

Is it simply an easy shape to build? Strange that all of them seem to be built for religious/ceremonial purposes.
Do religious beliefs all around the world have a common ancestor involving pyramidal shapes (unlikely)?
Did all past civilisations have the sky as a focus in their faiths, resulting in buildings which literally point at the heavens? I guess even our modern day churches are pointing skyward.

Anyone know a definite answer? Not looking forward to the inevitable Gungasnake "aliens did it" shenanigans here.

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Type: Question • Score: 3 • Views: 3,038 • Replies: 5

@iamsam82,

Maybe Sam it's simply because the shape is somehow impressive

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@dalehileman,

Mmm, maybe. But if you build ANYTHING, any shape at all on that scale, it's going to be impressive, isn't it? It's the demonstration in stone of how many workers, slaves and masons you have at your disposal that is impressive. The shape is irrelevant in terms of impressing others, surely.

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@iamsam82,

Pyramids are very stable for large structures and simple to architect. Any large structure is likely to be related to religion because of the manpower required to build them and because religion permeated most cultures due to the control it allowed over the population.

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@rosborne979,

rosborne979 wrote:

Pyramids are very stable for large structures and simple to architect.

That really says it all. For societies with no understanding of statics and material strength, pyramids are an easy and reliable way of making a big building that won't collapse.

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@engineer,

Cheers guys, imagined this to be the case, but knowing nothing of architecture myself, just wanted to confirm it.

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Why are pyramid-like structures found all around the world?

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