Experts discover the Egyptian pyramids used to be a completely different colour

We might think of the architecture of the past as being so much bare stone, but in fact it was a lot more colourful.

For example, the iconic marble statues of Ancient Greece were championed by aesthetes for their simple elegance, but ancient Greek statues would have been painted in gaudy colours, looking like life-sized Warhammer figurines.

Likewise, the interiors of many Medieval churches were not dour and dull, but decked out in murals depicting stories from the Bible and the promise, or warning, of the afterlife.

And one big example is of something much older, the pyramids in Egypt.

These edifices embody the word 'ancient'. For perspective, Cleopatra was born closer to the invention of the iPhone than the construction of the Egyptian pyramids.

So, they've stood for a very long time, and even now remain imposing.

But they would have looked very different when they were first constructed.

DeAgostini/Getty Images

The structures we see today are the exposed sandstone blocks, but the pyramids used to be encased in a layer of polished limestone.

In fact, the Pyramid of Khafre still boasts the remnants of its former limestone casing on its peak, leading it to overhang slightly.

The limestone outer shell meant the pyramids would have been shining white edifices, dazzling in the Egyptian sunshine when they were originally constructed.

But we're still not done.

Nick Brundle Photography via Getty Images

That's because the pyramids would have been capped off with a section made of electrum, an alloy made of gold and silver.

So what happened?

Well, the electrum at the top of the pyramids was looted.

As for the limestone, a lot of it was removed from the structures to be repurposed for other building projects.

And that's not the only thing which has caused damage to the Pyramids over the years.

A later ruler of Egypt took things even further and tried to destroy the pyramids entirely.

Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

This was the sultan Al-Aziz Uthman, who ruled Egypt from 1193 to 1198.

Uthman was the son of Kurdish ruler Salah ad-Din, also known as Saladin, who fought many battles with Christian crusading armies in the Holy Land.

During his five-year-long reign in Egypt, Uthman ordered workmen to begin demolishing the pyramids.

Exactly why he made the attempt is not clear. Some accounts say it was out of religious fervour, while others suggest he believed he would find treasure beneath the pyramids. It could also have been for the same reason as before - for construction materials.

Whatever the reason, the task proved simply too big to accomplish. The workers could remove only two enormous stones per day, and abandoned the project after eight months.

To this day, the Pyramid of Menkaure has a large vertical hole in its side, the result of their futile efforts.