Egypt: Land of the Pharaoh

Dating back to the land before time, Egypt continues to be a land of mystery and intrigue. Many Egyptians are still farming and earning a living today much the same way they did in ancient Egypt, almost ten thousand years ago. Most are still using irrigation water from the Nile River via the same irrigation canals used many generations ago. Not much seems to have changed in this ancient land
As I viewed the ancient Egyptian pyramids and temples, it seemed to me their civilization had digressed over time. You can't help but wonder how the same peoples that built the pyramids, today can only build rudimentary mud huts. Homes built over 1500 years ago are like the ones constructed today.
Standing high on the plain overlooking Cairo are the pyramids of Giza. Of the nearly 70 pyramids of Egypt, these three are the most popular and well known. Reputed to be over 5,000 years old, these three landmarks have been the topic of many books, movies, and legends.
Many legends and speculation in Egyptian mythology surround the pyramids. Why were they built, and how were they built? They have been described as burial tombs for the pharaohs, and giant observatories. Speculation also exists they were ceremonial sites where the ancients performed secret rituals.