Final answer:
The king's burial chamber was located in the middle of the pyramid to support the structure, protect the tomb and align with Egyptian beliefs about afterlife and cosmos. The placement also helped ensure the king's journey to the afterlife was secure and sacred.
Step-by-step explanation:
The king’s burial chamber was constructed in the middle of the pyramid rather than the top for several reasons rooted in ancient Egyptian beliefs and practices. The construction of the burial chamber in the center of the pyramid played a critical role in the pharaoh's journey to the afterlife. Pyramids were elaborate tombs with a focus on ensuring the survival of the pharaoh's soul, and placing the chamber in the middle allowed for a more substantial structure, safeguarding the tomb against grave robbers, and aligning it with the cardinal points for religious and astrological purposes.
The Old Kingdom society invested significantly in these grand structures, with the pyramids serving as houses for the king's body, enabling the spirit to travel to the land of the dead. Not at the top but in the heart of the pyramid, the burial chamber was protected by the mass of the pyramid, symbolic of the dark and womb-like conditions of the Earth, which were believed to aid in the process of rebirth and resurrection. It was not just a resting place for the deceased, but a complex designed to mirror the cosmos, ensuring continuity of the king's divine essence.