The ancient Egyptian name of the Great Pyramid of Giza was Akhet-Khufu, meaning “Horizon of Khufu.”
The name connected the monument with Pharaoh Khufu, whose throne name was Khufu. It probably referred to the pyramid as a place where the king joined the sun god Ra at the horizon. The pyramid formed the central monument of Khufu’s funerary complex at Giza.
The Greek name Cheops comes from a later rendering of Khufu’s name, while the pyramid’s Egyptian name is often overlooked in general trivia. Akhet-Khufu should not be confused with the ancient name of the nearby Great Sphinx or with the names of the pyramids built for Khufu’s successors.
The Great Pyramid was the largest structure in the world for thousands of years. It was originally faced with polished white Tura limestone, although most of that outer casing disappeared over time through earthquakes, weathering, and reuse in later construction.