The mastaba, almost prismatic construction, it was the tomb of the kings of the archaic period of Egypt. The reasons for the passage of mastabas to the pyramids are not well known, but generally refers to the desire to reach heights increasingly significant to express the importance and power of the deceased pharaoh.

In early III Dynasty (c. 2700 BC) were transformed into the mastabas stepped pyramids, formed by various degrees, by way of a gigantic staircase that rose into the sky.
The first and most famous of these is the stepped pyramid of Saqqara Dyes of the pharaoh (Zoser), whose architect was Imhotep, who possibly wanted to create a monument that rises high into the sky like a gigantic staircase, to symbolize the ascent the deceased's "earthly world" to "Heaven."
The next stage in the evolution of the pyramids, the construction was ordered by the king to erect Seneferu so-called "diamond pyramid", or "layered pyramid" in the region of Dahshur, which is considered an intermediate stage between the "pyramid step "and" classic pyramid, "or smooth faces. In the pyramid shaped diamond faces two outstanding low inclination towards the summit. The lack of uniformity of the slope could be a geometric effect voluntary.
Some scholars theorize about architectural problems, the stability of the pyramid (too hard to be original), or their method of construction (transport block at high altitude) or by supply difficulties (geopolitical situation, etc.).

 

The pyramids show for his time, the great knowledge of Egyptian engineers and organizational capacity necessary to erect such monuments with very simple, but nothing seems to indicate a need for superior technology available to the Egyptians represented by "geniuses" wooden sledges and, hypothetically, using the wheel on a wooden roller, and ramps.

It is unclear how the pyramids were built, especially considering the number of blocks of the Great Pyramid and the time that, as it took to build the sources, the Egyptians had to place a block every five minutes or less.
Most of the stone blocks were cut in quarries near the construction site. Others were transported from the quarries of the south with the help of giant barges. The blocks were then placed on sleds and dragged by force of arms to its final place.
Before that came to clear the land, digging canals to flood water and power lines mark the level to prepare a horizontal surface. After the grooves are filled. Here are digging the underground chamber and began building.

This type of pyramid is the stage that leads, in the final stage of evolution toward classical pyramids, smooth faces of the IV Dynasty (c. 2500 BC), the most famous are the pyramids of Cheops, Kefren and Micerino, built on the Giza plateau near Cairo.
Jufu Pyramids (Cheops), Jafra (Kefrén) and Menkaura (Micerino) in Giza

Other pharaohs of Dynasty IV began the construction of their pyramids, as Dyedefra (Abu-Roash) and Nebkara (Zawyet el-Aryam), but were left to conclude. The last pharaoh, Shepseskaf, erected as a monument of great stone sarcophagus in Saqqara.
During the V Dynasty kings built the most complex of pyramids in Saqqara and abuse, but smaller and technically much lower. Continued elevated to Saqqara Teti, Pepy I, Pepy I and II Merenra during Dynasty VI.
In the first named interim period some Egyptian rulers continued the tradition, as Neferkara Neby, Jui, Iti or Merykara but little remains.
It is in the Middle Empire (Dynasty XII, c. 1990 BC) when the last great pyramids rise, but cores of mud and stone siding, now collapsed.
The pharaohs of the New Empire chose to construct big temples and hypogea in the area of Thebes.
Pyramids smaller and more stylized stone, were erected by the dignitaries of the XXV Dynasty (c. 747 BC) in Napata and Meroe (Kush).