The Egyptian pyramids were built roughly between 2700 BCE and 1500 BCE, making the earliest pyramids about 4,500 years old. The very first pyramid, the Step Pyramid of Djoser, was built around 2670 BCE during the Third Dynasty. The Great Pyramid of Giza, the largest and most famous, was constructed around 2580–2560 BCE and is about 4,600 years old
. Construction of individual pyramids likely took between 15 and 30 years, depending on their size and complexity. For example, the Step Pyramid of Djoser probably took around 20 years to build, with an additional 10 years for connecting structures. The Great Pyramid of Khufu was built over about 26 years
. Pyramids continued to be built for over a millennium, with the last royal pyramid constructed around 1500 BCE for Ahmose I, after which pharaohs were buried in underground tombs instead
. In summary:
- Earliest pyramids date to about 2700 BCE (~4,500 years ago)
- The Step Pyramid of Djoser (c. 2670 BCE) is the oldest known pyramid
- The Great Pyramid of Giza (c. 2580–2560 BCE) is about 4,600 years old
- Pyramid construction typically took 15–30 years
- Pyramids were built over a span of roughly 1,200 years until about 1500 BCE
