The period before pharaohs rose to power in Egypt is considered the Pre-Dynastic Period. From 5500 to 3000 B.C., several cultures were established along the Nile banks. Within these cultures came powerful leaders. These individual cultures were united under pharaohs Narmer and Hor-Aha.

Historical Egypt was at its highest point during the Old Kingdom which spanned from 2649 - 2195 B.C. The power of Egypt expanded considerably through the four dynasties of the Old Kingdom. This was probably due in part to the increasing centralization of government and the creation of an efficient administrative system. The concept of kingship changed too, with greater emphasis being placed on the the divine nature of the office. The king was considered to the incarnation of Horus. The first pyramid, the monument most associatd with Egypt, was built in the 4th dynasty for Djoser.

	Djoser's pyramid and it's surrounding mortuary complex is recognized to have been the first entirely stone building in the world. The architect who created this wonder was Imhotep, Djoser's vizier, who was later deified. The pyramid started off as as simple mastaba, but was subjected to many revisions. One mastaba after another was placed on top of the last, until the structure finally consisted of 6 step pyramid 62 meters high covering an area of 109 x 125 meters. Its substructure, which is were the final resting place of the pharaoh was, consists of a honeycomb of shafts and tunnels, many of which were dug by robbers. A mummified foot was found in one of the passages, and may be the only remains of the king. Other members of the royal family were also buried in the substructure; a small child of about 8 was found in an alabaster coffin. As the structure was enlarged, these other tombs were sealed with no access.
Pyramids were not held in very much esteem, however, and after Djoser's death, only one more was made (a small and unsturdy one which collapsed because it was not kept together with any form of 'adhesive') until Snofru (also known as Snefru) of the 4th dynasty, who ruled from 2613 to 2589 B.C.
Snofru perfected the pyramidal form. Snofru's first pyramid was one for his deceased father. The construction had been started in the 3rd dynasty but is considered a 4th dynasty pyramid because Snofru completed the bulk of the pyramid. Snofru also decided to smooth the edges of this stepped pyramid and foreshadowed the true pyramids yet to come. Snofru began three more pyramidal projects. The first collapsed under its own weight. The second pyramid, The Bent Pyramid at Dashur, began at a a steep 54 degrees and then halfway up changes to a more gentle 43 degrees. The exact reason for this change is not known. It was once thought that Snofru had died during its construction and to finish the pyramid in time the slope was reduced. However, it is generally thought today that the foundation was unstable and the slope was reduced to lessen the weight of the structure. Finally, Snofru's third pyramid, The Red Pyramid at Dashur, was the first perfect pyramid. The outer casing of this pyramid was made of limestone and was actually white at the time the monument was created. It gets its name because it looks red nowadays at sunset.
	Snofru was succeeded by his son Khufu, who reigned from about 2589-2566 B.C.E. He too reigned for about 24 years. His greatest achievement was the building of his pyramid, a monument that was to be recognized as the first of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the only one still standing today. He chose not to build at Dashur as his father had, but moved to Giza, north of Saqqara where Djoser had built. The Great Pyramid, as it is known, was originally 481 feet, and over 4500 years was the tallest building in the world. All resources were channeled into the building of his pyramid, and it was said that it took 20 years to build at a cost of 1600 talents, or $7.5 million. Just how it was built is not known. Some have speculated that a straight ramp was built that stretched far out into the desert to drag the stones up, others saying that a spiraling ramp was built around the pyramid that grew in height as the pyramid did. Small models of a pulley system have been found, that when built up, allowed for 3 men to easily lift blocks of stone weighing over 2000 pounds. A larger system could have allowed 7 or 8 men to lift stones the size of those used on the Great Pyramid. The exterior of the pyramid was cased with white Tura Limestone, which was later scavenged during the Middle Ages to build Cairo.
	Khafre came to the throne in 2558 B.C.E. He had a prosperous reign of roughly 24 years. He built the second pyramid and the Great Sphinx at Giza. Khafre had his pyramid built at the highest point of the Giza plateau, making it appear larger then it really is. In fact, it looks larger than the Great Pyramid. However, it is only 447 1/2 feet, 33 1/2 feet smaller than Khufu's was originally, before it lost the top 30 feet. Now the Great Pyramid is only 3 1/2 feet taller. Khafre's pyramid is the only standing pyramid to still retain its limestone casing stones though Khafre built the Sphinx, using some unused rock from the Great Pyramid. It represents Re-Herakhte, the sun god as he rises at dawn, though the face was created in the likeness of Khafre. It stands 66 feet high and is 240 feet long. For much of time it was covered with sand, but was recently unburied. Since then, it has deteriorated considerably.
After the end of the 4th Dynasty, pyramid building declined dramatically. In fact, most pyramids built after this time are either severely deteriorated to the point were they are impenetrable or are disintegrated to the point were they are nothing but a pile of stone chips and rubble. One of the reasons for this is that many were made with mud brick interiors that were then cased in more durable materials. As the mud brick eventually gave way, the casing stones collapsed. The reason for this change in building materials is under debate. Some argue that it was easier to make the interior out of mud brick, some claim that it was quicker, and others argue that it is cheaper. All are valid arguments.
Another reason why pyramid building declined is because sandstone, instead of limestone, was being quarried throughout Egypt to make Sun Temples, temples devoted to Ra, god of the sun. The first sun temple was build at Djedu.
Pyramid Building No one is absolutely sure how the pyramids of Egypt were built. However, piecing together evidence from pyramid sites and hieroglyphs, most scholars and Egyptologists believe that ramps were made of wood and brick so that workers (not slaves) could pull slabs of stone to the site. Exactly how the ramps were placed is still unknown. The stone got to the pyramid sites with very little land travel. Wharves and docks were created especially for the movement of stone. When the stone had to be moved on land, it was placed on a sled and potentially hundreds of men would pull it. To reduce friction, limestone, water, logs or a combination of the three were placed under the sled. Remember that thing about slaves building the pyramids? There is no true evidence to prove that. In fact, Egyptologists disprove that. The theory now believed is that workers, common citizens, worked on the great monuments during the months when the Nile flooded the farm plains. These workers were paid an average wage for their work and did it to give everlasting glory to their pharaoh, who was thought to be a living god.