An idea on why the Pyramids may have been built

1. The Pyramids
An idea on why they may have been
so popular

2. There are a multitude of reasons why the pyramids may
have been built. It is my opinion that they would have likely
had some utilitarian purpose for the following reasons.
-They are present in a large variety of ancient cultures
-They would have been very expensive
-They have effects on the local environment, and these
effects could be desirable.

3. Although it may have been discovered accidentally by
ancient peoples, it is my opinion that the pyramids were built
with such regularity and grandeur to create convection
currents in the air above densely populated urban areas.
This would provide flowing air in areas that due to natural
conditions of the ancient urban environment would
otherwise not have had flowing air.
I will provide some illustrations to support my idea.

4. In a city, the sun hits the surface and causes it to heat more than the area
would were it filled with natural vegetation. This causes convection
currents, due to the rising warm air. However, when a city is large and flat,
the air cannot be replaced, and does not rise. Only the edge of the city
would have flowing air, causing the air to be steadily filled with pollutants,
as well as become increasingly warmer. So it would be hot and stinky and
stagnant. Perhaps sometimes dangerously so.
Air circulates here, but not here.

5. If the city contained a pyramid, however, the pyramid would not only displace air
and catch sunlight earlier and later, but it would be warmer than the surrounding
city, due to shade, bodies, minor vegetation, cloth, etc. So it would create a
contrasting temperature which would facilitate a city-wide convection current,
providing all the benefits of a light breeze. It would disperse pollutants, bring
cooler air from outside the city into the city, dry the urban area, and generally
make the atmosphere more pleasant. This airflow would continue at night as the
stones would store heat, much as our roads and rooftops do today.

6. Alternatively, if the pyramid were light in color, it might remain cool during
sunlight hours, while the urban area warmed. This would cause the opposite flow
of air, and also caused the rising air from the city buildings to pull on the air at the
top of the pyramid, which is fresh and flowing from upper air currents, as well as
likely being cooler than air near the ground in a desert or urban environment. It
would also brighten the city from different angles, perhaps lengthening the lit
period of the day.

7. Ancient Pollutants??

8. Miasma
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miasma_theory
• ---miasma (μίασμα, ancient Greek:
"pollution"), a noxious form of "bad air", also
known as "night air". The theory held that the
origin of epidemics was due to a miasma,
emanating from rotting organic matter.[1] ---

9. Urban Heat Island of the Modern Era

10. Wiki on Mesopotamian Architecture
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_M
esopotamia
• ---Although Sumerian cylinder seals depict reed
houses, the courtyard house was the
predominant typology, which has been used in
Mesopotamia to the present day. This house
called e (Cuneiform:𒂍, E2; Sumerian:
e2; Akkadian: bītu) faced inward toward an open
courtyard which provided a cooling effect by
creating convection currents---

11. Convection