Pyramids were built in Ancient Egypt as tombs, or burial places, for Egyptian pharaohs, or kings. The Ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife, so it was very important to them to protect the bodies of their pharaohs. In order to keep the body of the pharaoh safe, the insides of the pyramids were like mazes with secret doors and dead-end passages. The pharaoh would be near the bottom or even underground. Other rooms contained things like jewelry and furniture that the pharaoh might want in his next life.