Human: Why were the pyramids of Pharaonic Egypt built? Assistant: 
The pyramids of Egypt were built as tombs for the pharaohs. The pyramids were the burial places for the ancient Egyptian kings, and they were built in a series of steps. The first step was a valley of mastabas, which were small tombs. Then the king’s body would be placed in a larger tomb, and then the tomb would be covered with a casing made of limestone blocks. The final step was to build a pyramid. The pyramids were built as a means of eternal preservation of the pharaoh’s body.