Egyptian pyramids tourism. 19th-century photograph of tourists on camels with guides in Egypt. Behind them is the Great Sphinx and one of the three large pyramids of the Giza Necropolis. These structures date from the 26th century BC and are made from limestone, with granite also used for the pyramids. The pyramids were built as tombs for the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. This photograph, from the period between 1860 and 1900, is from the collection of a family from Washington DC, USA.