Not many people know, but the great pyramids in Giza can not only go around and climb along its lower tiers, but climb inside along the ancient tunnels left by the builders. The main tourist flow does this in the pyramid of Cheops, but I will show you what is inside the pyramid of Mikerin.
The third, the smallest of the pyramids, belongs to the pharaoh of the 4th dynasty Mikerin (Menkaur), who lived in the XXVI century BC, at a time when no Ancient Greece there was not even a trace. It is 65.5 meters high, and its base is 103 meters.
Now all the pyramids are yellow from limestone, and in those days the pyramid of Mikerin was faced in its lower part (visible even now) with red granite, above the level was covered with white limestone, and the very top was again made of red granite. But over time, most of the cladding collapsed or was pulled apart.
To the left of the pyramid there are 3 more small pyramids - the satellites are the pyramids in which the queens were buried.
You can get inside only in the pyramid of Cheops and the pyramid of Mikerin, the first is located at the entrance to Giza and there is just a crowd of those who wish - hot, cramped, uncomfortable. In the case of Mikerin, I went down inside the pyramid alone. And for the price it is much more profitable. The entrance to the Cheops pyramid costs about 10 dollars, while in Mykerina it costs 60 Egyptian pounds, that is, 3.5 dollars. True, the ticket must be taken at the beginning at the box office. I made an agreement with the caretaker, even gave him a little more - 70 Egyptian pounds. But there were 4 of them at the entrance, including the police, and they wouldn't pat them on the head for a pass without a ticket.
One problem, the camera at the entrance was taken from me. Maybe you can't shoot inside, or maybe because I'm a free rider ... but inside I took everything on my phone
In this video I am in the first burial room and go down to the main burial room, where the sarcophagus of Mikerin was supposed to be.
Here I am in the main burial chamber, go upstairs to the first burial chamber, examine it (perhaps we see the entrance to the false tunnel), and then through 2 tunnels and two small rooms I come to the exit from the pyramid
As it should be for most pyramids, there is only one small burial chamber inside, where the sarcophagus with the deceased was located. Moreover, this camera is located at ground level or slightly lower. A simple narrow corridor leads to the cell. There are no tunnels or labyrinths in the pyramids - this is a fairy tale, and they are not needed. The existing passage was needed so that the body of the pharaoh was placed in the burial chamber, and then people left it. Therefore, the aisles are small and very uncomfortable. And if there are a lot of people and heat (there is air inside the pyramid, you know what it is), then this is a big problem for tourists. But in the case of the Mikerin pyramid, not everything is so difficult - the descent is not very big, the knees, of course, are hard, but bearable. But if you find yourself in the Pink Pyramid, then you will have to descend steeply about 100 meters ...
In the case of the Mikerin pyramid, a small descent awaits you, then two small, parallel to the ground, corridors with a small hall in the center, after which you find yourself in the first burial chamber. Here is a small descent into a real burial chamber, where the pharaoh's sarcophagus was. It is worth noting - and this can be seen on the plan - another corridor is connected to the first burial chamber, which goes up and ends in a dead end. It is difficult to say its purpose, most likely its task is to take the robbers away from the real burial of the ruler, hidden under the floor.
In the pyramid itself there are no inscriptions, drawings, decorative elements - just tunnels and cameras. True, in some other pyramids, minimal architecture is found - a stepped vault of chambers, stars ... but nothing else.
As for the robbers, it is no secret that the burial rooms of the pharaohs often contained a large number of gold - masks, jewelry, royal regalia, and other valuable items. Because of this, most of the pyramids and other burials were looted immediately after the burial ceremony or during the same ancient period. To prevent this from happening, the builders of the pyramids made one narrow entrance and then sealed it, and the entrance could be at different heights and not always in the center. The only thing that remained unchanged was that the entrance to the pyramid was always on the north side. In the pyramid itself there were also false passages and even traps, as in the case of the false tunnel going up in the pyramid of Mikerin.
In our case, the pyramid also did not remain intact, the diagram and the photo show that the robbers made a hole in the center of the pyramid, reached its core and began to dig a way down, but stopped at ground level. However, when a British archaeologist examined the inner chambers in 1837, he found a wooden (inner) sarcophagus with the bones of a man and a cartouche belonging to Mikerinus on the way in the galleries. However, later studies showed that these bones belonged to a person who died 2,000 years ago, and not 4,500 ... that is, it was a human skeleton from the period of Roman rule in Egypt. Even further, scientists found a basalt sarcophagus with the bones of a young woman. The sarcophagus itself subsequently sank during transportation together with the ship "Biatrice" in the Mediterranean Sea. Thus, by now the pyramid has reached empty.
You won't be able to walk around and climb around, but this does not stop many.
The desert around the pyramids, although in fact the haze hides the multimillion-dollar Cairo
View of the pyramid of Khafre
How much our civilization goes around the bush Egyptian pyramids, and if the number of riddles decreases, then very slowly. Somehow we even argued with you, and not, then we tried to find out and in general
And right these days in Egypt, a large-scale project is underway to study the pyramids. An international group of scientists managed to make a discovery that puts an end to the dispute about the methods of building the Cheops pyramid.
Study history Great pyramid Giza, or the pyramids of Cheops (Khufu), began in the 18th century, when Napoleon brought here archaeologists, surveyors and other scientists. Research continues to this day, but this monument of the architectural art of Ancient Egypt has not yet revealed all its secrets. In particular, it is not known exactly when its construction began: the radiocarbon method gives a range from 2680 BC. e. to 2850 BC e. Another mystery was the methods of transporting the heaviest blocks over great distances.
Different construction techniques were used for different Egyptian pyramids. Earlier, in one of the necropolises, a fresco from the XII dynasty was discovered, which depicts 172 people pulling an alabaster statue of Jehutihotep II on a sled. The worker pours water on the sand along the way, which makes sliding easier.
Some pyramids were built by rolling blocks using a cradle mechanism: similar devices were found during excavations of various sanctuaries of the New Kingdom. In addition, the so-called "square wheel technology" was used in some places: a block of square cross section rolls along a road created from platforms.
In 1997, archaeologist Mark Lehner experimented with the construction of a small pyramid with a base width of about nine meters and a height of 6.1 meters. Blocks weighing about two tons were moved by forces of 12-20 people, provided that wooden runners were used, sliding along the wooden flooring.
But all the experiments and hypotheses did not answer the question of the delivery of 2.5-ton blocks of limestone and granite to the site where the Cheops pyramid was erected. The answer was only found in 2017: an international team of archaeologists led by Lehner discovered a papyrus in which a supervisor over 40 workers describes this method.
Deciphering the text gave the following knowledge: first, the Egyptians diverted water from the Nile and built artificial canals across the Giza plateau. Then the builders connected wooden boats with ropes, and with their help they transported the blocks almost to the very foot of the pyramid.
But another riddle was revealed at the Cheops pyramid. Infrared thermography showed unexplained voids at the base of the Great Pyramid.
Scientists in different time the temperature of the stones from which the pyramid was erected was measured for days. The stones heated up and cooled down at different rates, which indicates the presence of external factors. In general, the difference in temperatures for neighboring stones did not exceed 0.1-0.5 ° C, but in some areas this parameter reached 6 ° C. The most noticeable temperature anomaly is found on the eastern side of the Cheops pyramid, at ground level.
It can be assumed that there is underground passage or some other blank space. It is also possible that this part of the pyramid was built from a different material. The eastern location of the voids may be associated with the cult of Ra - the sun god. Meanwhile, areas with different temperatures were also found in the upper part of the pyramid - where there can be no talk of underground. Representatives of the Ministry of Antiquities refused to voice any hypotheses until more material was collected.
sources
Today we will make a journey several millennia ago, to the time of the ancient pharaohs and the majestic pyramids. To do this, we will go to the Giza plateau - a suburb with a population of more than 3 million inhabitants, which is visited by tens of thousands of tourists every year. After all, it is here that the Great Pyramids of Egypt are located, and not in Cairo itself, as many are accustomed to believe. And it is this place that provides us with an amazing opportunity to see with our own eyes the only one of the 7 wonders of the world that has survived to this day - the pyramid of Cheops, as well as one of the most large statues in the world - the famous Great Sphinx. Just think, the complex has existed for over 4500 years! My head is spinning from such numbers.
What is Giza, a suburb of Cairo, today.
The modern district of Giza looks poor and inconspicuous. Nothing special - lots of cars, people, shops, signs ...
... sometimes not entirely clear.
Smiling residents of modern Giza.
Ironically, the inconspicuous town is adjacent to one of the most famous ancient architectural complexes in the world. What immediately catches the eye is the unusual combination of city buildings and the tops of the pyramids hanging over them. The majestic pyramids seem to beckon you, inviting you to come closer to lift the veil of their secrets and legends.
GIZA PYRAMID COMPLEX
Information:
Giza pyramid complex
Location: Pyramids Road, Giza
How to get there: by bus: stop next to the Ramses Hilton hotel - bus 357, or minibuses in the direction of Giza; by metro: The Giza station, then - by minibus or taxi to the pyramids; by taxi (20-30 pounds)
Cost: 80 LE, students - 40 LE
Opening hours: summer - 7: 00-19: 00, winter - 8: 00-17: 00
The ticket includes entrance to the Giza plateau (viewing the pyramids from the outside), visiting the Valley Temple of Khafre, the pyramids-companions of Cheops, and some detached small pyramids
Individual tickets:
Pyramid of Khufu - 200 LE, students - 100 LE; summer - 8: 00-11: 00, 13: 00-18: 00, winter - 8: 00-11: 00, 13: 00-17: 00; only 150 tickets are sold before the break and 150 after.
Pyramid of Khafre - 40 LE, students - 20 LE; Pyramid of Menkaure - temporarily closed;
Sun Boat Museum - 60 LE;
Discounts are provided for students with the ISIC card
Sound and Light Show- daily at 19:00 - in English, 20:00 - German, Italian, Spanish, French (depending on the day of the week), 21:00 - in Arabic. Duration - about an hour. There is a possibility of translation into Russian, Japanese, Polish, Chinese and other languages (via headphones, included in the price).
Phones: (+202) 338-57320, (+202) 338-47823, (+202) 338-67374
Photography is prohibited inside the pyramids. Shooting on a plateau with a tripod - 20 LE. Tickets for the plateau and separate tickets for the entrance to the pyramids of Cheops and Khafre, as well as the light show, are sold near different entrances.
Briefly about the main thing. The Giza Plateau lies in the Libyan Desert. Here are the buildings of the times Of the ancient kingdom(XXVI-XXIII centuries BC). The complex is based on the 3 Great Pyramids, along with their satellite pyramids. Also on the plan of Giza, you can see the tombs of members of the families of the pharaohs and the nobility, a statue of the Great Sphinx, 4 cemeteries, several temples, a modern center for the study of the pyramids and a museum. To look at all these buildings in detail, you will most likely need a whole day. Unfortunately, I didn't have that much time, so only the most important objects are included in my article.
Complex plan:
And so the Great Pyramids look like a bird's eye view. They can be seen even from the window of the plane, if you fly over Cairo. So during my first flight to Egypt, a good half of the passengers gathered at the windows, when the captain said that if we all go to the right side of the cabin together, the plane will tilt from such a weight, and we will be able to see the pyramids. It worked 🙂
In the evenings, they pass by the Sphinx light shows on the theme of Ancient Egypt and the pyramids (Sound and Light Show) in several languages (additional cost).
I want to warn you - be careful with such barkers. One friend told me a story about how her son was almost forcibly put on a camel and began to photograph "absolutely free." But in order to remove the frightened guy from the hump of the proud ship of the desert, and return the camera to the hostess, they began to demand baksheesh. I had to threaten with guides and policemen. The moral of this fable is this: you can ride, but be careful. In which case, immediately boldly declare that you will now call a guide, even if you came here alone. This, oddly enough, works. Just do not think that I dissuade you from the opportunity to do beautiful pictures on a camel. In my opinion, the idea is great, the main thing is to agree on the price in advance 🙂
Great Pyramids of Giza: the main decoration of the complex.
What pyramids were not built in Ancient egypt- stepped, broken, pink, huge or very tiny ... The most famous of them - the Great Pyramids - are located in the central part of the Giza complex, where they are located on the same line - from the largest to the smallest. This pyramids of Cheops (Khufu), Khafren (Khafre) and Mikerin (Menkaura).
!!Fact: As you know, these 3 pharaohs had a family connection. Chefren was the brother or son of Cheops, and Mikerin was the son of Chefren.
Each of the pyramids has its own "satellite pyramids" where members of the families of the pharaohs are buried, and its own memorial temple (see the plan of the complex)... Here they are, beauties, towering against the backdrop of Cairo.
From this perspective, it seems that the pyramid with the "tip" is the largest in size, but in fact, it is the middle of the three - the pyramid of Khafre.
The next photo shows the smallest pyramid of Mikerin with its tiny satellites. Mikerin and Cheops got 3 "satellite pyramids" each, but Khefren got only one.
Until now, scientists argue whether these pyramids were built by humans or alien creatures, whether they were intended only for burials or had other secret meanings. It would be true to return to the past, to look at least with one eye at the life of Giza several thousand years ago ... Eh, dreams ...
Pyramid of Cheops: along the corridors of one of the Wonders of the World.
Having clicked a few "postcards", I went inside the Cheops pyramid. The only one from our group. What kind of incurious people are they? So gentlemen, it is the largest and most famous of the Egyptian pyramids, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World that has managed to survive to this day. Hurray, and I saw him with my own eyes! Another name for the Cheops pyramid is the Great pyramid. It was intended, in fact, for the burial of Pharaoh Cheops (or Khufu).
Her 3 companions - small pyramids standing next to each other - are the pyramid of Queen Hetepheres (GIa) - the mother of Khufu, the pyramid of Queen Meritit I (GIb) - the 1st wife of Khufu, and the pyramid of Henutsen (GIc) - the 2nd wife of Khufu. One of them is visible in the photograph.
!!Fact: Initially, the top of the Cheops pyramid was gilded.
She probably has the most crowds than the other points of the complex combined. Everyone wants to touch it, smell it, lean against it, take a picture ...
Here are the main parameters of the Cheops pyramid:
- The height of the pyramid is 139 meters.
- 4 sides of its base - 230 meters long each, with a slight difference.
- Construction materials - limestone, basalt, granite.
- The total weight of the pyramid is over 6 million tons. It consists of about 2.5 million stone blocks. The average size of each block is 1 m³, the average weight is 2.5 tons. The heaviest of them weighs 35 tons.
You can climb the blocks, which I did. The truth is not high, otherwise the guards will start swearing. An excellent chance to "touch the antiquity" ourselves.
As for the entrance, there are as many as 2 of them. Previously, people penetrated through the old entrance. The current one is located just below, through it nowadays tourists pass. It was once smashed through the wall of the pyramid, hoping to find treasures there. Not found.
So, we go inside, passing through the open gate in the background. Unfortunately, this photo was the only "legal" one inside the Cheops pyramid: for some reason, shooting here is prohibited. You have to leave the camera at the entrance at your own risk. I resisted for a long time, it was elementary scary for the fate of my camera. True, in the end he was returned safe and sound. Further photos will be taken using the phone, which I carefully hid so that it does not fall into the hands of the security 🙂
The first impression of the pyramid is subdued light and silence inside, long and very narrow corridors. There are no statues or wall paintings inside, such as are found, for example, in the later tombs of c. It has its own special atmosphere.
But, what was my disappointment when I discovered that you can only walk along a few corridors and enter only a few rooms. I compared what is open to tourists with what is on the plan of the pyramid, and I realized that only a third is open for inspection. As a result, the entire hike down to the final point and back, if you do not consider every corner, took only a few minutes. That's the whole Great Pyramid. I read the comments on the Internet, and came to the conclusion that either I somehow missed the aisles upstairs, or at that time they were simply closed. I will explain what this is about. Look at plan of the pyramid of Cheops.
As we can see, there are 3 burial chambers inside it, one of which, for some reason, was not completed. Also, the pyramid has a system of corridors with a large gallery. This is what I expected to see in theory. In fact, what I managed to get through - it is the path from the entrance (2) along the descending corridor (4) to the unfinished underground chamber (5). Everyone, comrades! It's a shame.
Descending corridor (4).
The length of the corridor is 105 m. The descent takes place at a steep slope. If for some reason you want to stop in the middle, then this is unlikely to work, if you do not want to delay the others: the passage is really narrow and does not even accommodate two people in width. Next comes short tunnel leading to the unfinished underground chamber (5). I saw another passage closed by bars. Apparently, behind it is the missing part on the plan of the pyramid.
Camera (5) is a small nondescript room. That, in fact, is all. Maybe I was looking in the wrong place?
Finally, one more fact. In the XX century, in one of the premises, a large wooden boat (boat) was found, disassembled into parts. Now she is in the Sun Boat Museum, located next to the pyramid. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to visit the museum.
We turn to one of the most beloved tourist points of the Giza complex - the Great Sphinx statue, the oldest surviving monumental statue in the world. Let me remind you that in Ancient Egypt the Sphinx is a stone figure of a lion with the head of a man. For several millennia it has been basking under the Egyptian sun, carefully guarding the plateau and its buildings.
The height of the Sphinx is 20 m, its width is 73 m. For its age, the statue has been perfectly preserved to this day, however, having lost its nose in the struggle with the sandy winds. The face of the mythical animal is turned towards the Nile, from where the sun rises. Scientists believe that it bears a portrait resemblance to Pharaoh Mikerin, the "owner" of one of the three Great Pyramids.
What kind of photos with the Sphinx are not taken by travelers who come here .. Some jump against its background, others try to hug, and still others give him a kiss, hot, like the Libyan desert. I was no exception. The Sphinx impressed me almost more than the pyramids themselves, and I think he deserved this kiss.
There is an extension next to the statue - Sphinx temple... Together they form a single complex. Separate tickets for visiting the temple are not needed, just as one of the barkers did not try to convince me otherwise. As a usher, he, of course, tried to act himself.
In this romantic shot with a kiss, I end my story. Until next time with hot Egypt!
The Pyramid of Cheops was built around 2600 BC.
The pyramids are shrouded in mystery to this day. Many scientists have devoted their entire lives to unraveling the great construction and purpose of these magnificent buildings. However, several millennia, from the first study of Herodotus to the present day, have not brought the expected success. The main questions remained unanswered - who? when? why? We will tell you about the most reliable assumptions and versions collected by the best scientists over several centuries and related to the history of the Egyptian pyramids.
Already in ancient times, the pyramids were considered one of the main wonders of the world! Their number was about 100 pieces, located along the banks of the Nile River. If you look at all the pyramids from above, then their location is similar to the map of the starry sky. The largest, main pyramids are at Giza. The world famous sphinxes, as well as temples and tombs of the pharaohs, are also located here. A very important factor of the pyramids is that all their faces are clearly located along the magnetic poles of the Earth! You probably already know name of three main pyramids? If not, then be sure to remember - the pyramid of Cheops, Mikerin and Khafre.
The largest pyramid, Cheops, was erected by Khufu, who at that time was the pharaoh. The estimated, most accurate date of construction is 2590 BC. The height of the pyramid is more than 146 meters, the length of each side is more than 241 m. The sides are located to the cardinal points with amazing accuracy, the angle of inclination is 52 degrees. The Cheops pyramid covers an area of 5.4 hectares, the base is aligned with the horizon with an accuracy of 3 centimeters. The pyramid consists of more than 2,350,000 stone blocks, each weighing about two and a half tons! The pyramid was originally covered with white sandstone cladding for precise shape and long-term preservation. Unfortunately, the cladding has not survived to this day.
The entrance to the pyramid is 14 meters high. There are no decorations inside, no inscriptions or drawings. For that, there are three chambers, the lower of which is located at a depth of 30 meters above the ground. The room is carved into the rock, in order to get to it you need to overcome 120 meters of a narrow corridor (1.1x1.0) at an angle of 27 degrees. After that, the remaining 9 meters, the angle changes to zero relative to the horizon. The tunnel ends with a burial chamber with dimensions (8.0x14.0x3.0).
Now the passage to the lower tier is closed, for which you can go up the stairs, and then along the corridor of 40 meters, which leads to the queen's chamber. A room with dimensions (5.5x5.2x6.3) is located clearly in the middle, at a height of 20 meters from the ground. There are two ventilation shafts in the walls, directed exactly north and south, but not facing the street.
Even higher is “ Large gallery"- a corridor with a length of more than 48 meters, with a ceiling height of 8.4 m and an angle of inclination of 26 degrees. The walls are lined with polished limestone slabs in eight layers. At the end of the corridor there is the main room - the tomb of the pharaoh with dimensions (10.5x5.3x5.8). The chamber is lined with black Aswan granite, each block of which weighs at least thirty tons! Moreover, all blocks are so well polished and fitted that even the thinnest blade of a knife will not pass between them. The ceiling consists of 9 monoliths, each weighing over 400 tons. Above them are located unloading chambers 17 meters high, designed to preserve the peace of the pharaoh. A gable roof was erected above them, made of huge blocks that bear the weight of more than a million tons! Note also that the pharaoh's sarcophagus is much wider than the entrance to the chamber, and most likely it was hewn right here, from a large block of granite.
There are also ventilation chambers (0.2x0.2) with an exact north-south direction, but unlike the queen's chamber, here they go outside. In 817, Caliph Mamun was able to penetrate into the tomb of the pharaoh, but found there only an empty sarcophagus, the remains of Cheops were never found.
The finds near the pyramid are also interesting. For example, in 1953, during excavations, the oldest ship in the world was discovered - a wooden boat, about 44 meters long, built without nails from cedar. On the wooden elements of which traces of silt were found, it means that at one time the boat was used for its intended purpose. Ancient scriptures claim that the pyramid was surrounded by a stone wall, which was 10 meters high and 3 meters wide. Two temples were located nearby - the upper and the lower. The upper one was east of the pyramid, built of Turkish limestone, it contained about 40 granite pillars. The lower temple was used for the first part of the burial ceremony.
The essence of the entire system of buildings was most likely as follows - initially the remains of the pharaoh were delivered along the Nile to the lower temple, where, after the necessary preparations, they were sent to the upper temple along a long, connecting corridor. In the upper temple, among the many columns, a funeral service and prayers for the repose of the pharaoh took place. After that, the body was delivered to the lower chamber of the pyramid, where the pharaoh was carefully walled up. On the four sides of the pyramid, walled up in the rocks, there were four boats intended for travel in the afterlife. The main pyramid was accompanied by three small companion pyramids (base length 49 m), located, like the upper temple, in the east. Moreover, each next one (from north to south) is smaller than the previous one. It is believed that the companion pyramids were intended for the wives of the pharaoh.
There are other theories about the purpose of the pyramids. In those distant times, the pharaohs were ruled by a group of priests who possessed unearthly knowledge. This was a separate caste of people who called themselves the chosen ones. They knew mathematics, medicine, astronomy and other sciences very well. The level of education of the priests was several times higher than our idea of the world. To the common man this knowledge was not available. The priests chose their disciples themselves, initiating and teaching them in underground chambers located under the pyramids. The teachings assumed a connection with the universe and awareness of the essence of earthly existence. After that, the student was subjected to tests in the labyrinths of the pyramids, then in a secret sanctuary, on pain of death, they achieved complete obedience and an oath not to disclose secrets. The priests could predict the future, thanks to their connection with the higher forces of the universe. Let's make a reservation right away, later the chosen ones disappeared, due to the so-called disconnection.
Modern scientists have found a lot of evidence for this - the 33-year duration of Christ, the date of the beginning of the Second World War. Back in 1964, Charles Smith suggested that the pyramids store information for understanding the prophecies from the Bible from the beginning of time to the second coming of God.
In 1994, a discovery was made using computer simulations that explained the location of the three main pyramids, which exactly correspond to the positions of the three stars in Orion's belt, which at the time were crossing the Giza meridian. If this assumption is correct, then the age of the pyramids could be increased to 10,400 years BC! The same Sphinx is a confirmation of this theory, because his gaze is directed exactly to the point where this constellation was located.
With the help of modern equipment, hidden tunnels were discovered under the sphinx itself, which, according to the legend, were supposed to lead to a chamber containing a capsule with a message for all mankind. Indeed, the chamber was found, it contained a sarcophagus made of black granite, unfortunately, and it turned out to be empty. For that, on the walls of the tunnel leading to the chamber, drawings were found that represent predictions of the future of humanity. From there it became known that a series of cosmic cataclysms awaits our civilization, which will nightmare "Earth" for several millennia .. However, the priests will again appear on our planet and find a way to salvation by conquering space and restoring a civilization based on the laws of existence.
Cheops pyramid. Device. Puzzles. Pyramids on the map. Dimensions. Photo
Therefore, this article will only provide basic general facts and figures related to Great Pyramid generally.
Date of construction and geometrical dimensions
It is generally accepted that the Great Pyramid was built in 2560-2580s BC as a tomb for the reigning Pharaoh of the 4th dynasty Cheops (Khufu). Despite some difficulties in explaining the possibility of building it in the required time frame with the equipment available at that time, this version is nevertheless considered the main one and has quite numerous confirmations in the form of inscriptions found inside the Pyramid and the Pit of the Solar Boat with it.
The Pyramid of Cheops is the largest of the Egyptian pyramids.
- Height (today): ≈ 138.75 m
- Height (initially): ≈ 146.5 m
- Angle: 51 ° 50 "
- Side length (originally): 230.33 m (estimated) or about 440 Royal cubits
- Side edge length (now): about 225 m
- The length of the sides of the base of the pyramid: south - 230.454 m; north - 230.253 m; west - 230.357 m; east - 230.394 m.
- Base area (initially): ≈ 53,000 m2 (5.3 ha)
- Pyramid area: (initially) ≈ 85,500 m²
- Perimeter: 922 m.
- Total volume of the pyramid without deduction of cavities inside the pyramid (initially): ≈ 2.58 million m³
- Total volume of the pyramid, after deducting all known cavities (initially): 2.50 million m³
- Average size of observed rough masonry blocks: 1.27 m in width and depth, 71 cm in height (according to Petri)
- Average weight of rough masonry stone blocks: 2.5 t
- The heaviest stone block rough masonry: 15 t
- Heaviest stone block (known; granite; above the entrance to the King's Chamber): 90 t
- Number of blocks: about 2.5 million (provided that the pyramid is not a filling type)
- Estimated total weight of the pyramid: about 6.25 million tons (possibly about 6 million tons according to microgravimetry)
- The base of the pyramid rests on a natural rocky elevation in the center (in the Grotto area) more than 9 m.
- The materials used in the construction (of the known ones): limestone from the Giza Plateau - rough masonry, Toursky white limestone - walls of internal premises, ventilation mines and external cladding, Asuan granite - Predkamera, Tsar's Chamber, unloading chambers (partially), corks; Sinai is a sarcophagus. Quartz sand was also found inside.
- The pyramidion of the pyramid was not found, the stones of its attachment, too.
- The True Entrance is located traditionally, that is, on the north side. He is the only one known.
The difference in the thickness of the layers of the masonry of the pyramid
Despite the fact that the pyramid is built in layers, the thickness of the layers is different and varies from 60 cm to one and a half meters.
The reasons for this are not exactly known, there are several hypotheses, the simplest one says that large blocks were laid in epochs when an excessive amount of labor appeared on the laying of layers of rough masonry. That may be due, for example, to its release after the completion of a certain labor-intensive stage of the construction of some complex internal infrastructures or a block harvesting season, etc. The circuit requires careful analysis.
The current state of affairs and appearance after the disappearance of the cladding
The Great Pyramid now has edges concave inward. This often gives rise to different theories and speculations, but it should be remembered that the structure has lost several meters of cladding on each side, and the nature of its plundering onto stone does not give reason to believe that the edges were not initially flat.
Perhaps the observed picture is simply a consequence of the most profitable stone mining.
The question of using the pyramid for its intended purpose
From the most ancient times, the question was posed sharply - was the pyramid of Cheops used for its intended purpose? There is still no unequivocal answer to this question. On the one hand, there is almost complete confidence that the pyramid was completely finished by the builders. On the other hand, what we see inside it, for example, a clearly not of the best quality sarcophagus in the King's Chamber, an unfinished floor in the Queen's Chamber, or a picture of continuous incompleteness in the Underground Chamber - everything suggests that the pharaoh is in these famous the premises could hardly have been buried at all. Herodotus also claimed that Cheops was buried elsewhere, on an island surrounded on all sides by water. On the third hand, traces of obvious cracking of plugs and dampers of the Antechamber indicate that the pyramid was carefully sealed for some reason. The official point of view of science on this matter suggests that burglars visited the pyramid no later than the first 500-600 years from the moment of its construction. But what they found, who they were and whether they found anything at all is completely unknown. In the volume of the Great Pyramid, the volume of all known and explored rooms is less than 1 percent, and it is already known that in addition to the explored, there are several unknown sealed rooms in it.
Blocks and Careers
Egyptologists believe that the pyramids of Giza were built from natural stone that was mined in three quarries. The actual construction of the pyramids is made of nummulite limestone of the Mokattam Formation. The quarries were located in the immediate vicinity of the pyramids. The lower parts of the pyramids of Khafre and Mikerin were faced with granite from the Aswan quarry, which is located in southern Egypt at a distance of 934 kilometers along the Nile (700 kilometers in a straight line). Several rows of granite facing have been preserved at the Mikerin pyramid. Middle and upper part of two large pyramids were faced with limestone from the Tourskoye quarry, which is located on east coast Nile south of Cairo at a distance of 13-17 kilometers from the pyramids. The number of pyramid facing blocks (granite and limestone) that have come down to us is relatively small. Therefore, we can simply agree that stone from the Tours and Aswan quarries was used in the construction of the pyramids. The opinion that the pyramids were built of nummulite limestone does not fully correspond to reality. The lower ranks of the pyramids are composed of the hard limestone of the Moqattam Formation. Above, blocks of soft limestone, in which there are no nummulites, prevail. It is fundamentally. That is, when describing the blocks of pyramids in the special literature, it seems that it remains "behind the scenes" that most of them are cut out of soft limestone.
The lower rows of pyramids (approximately 1-7 / 10 rows) are made up of blocks cut from hard limestone. The first row of the Cheops pyramid (1.5 m thick) is cut from a layer of strong limestone, having the greatest thickness - 1.5 m.In the upper rows of the pyramids, blocks cut from soft limestone prevail (or cast blocks indistinguishable from them. - the statement requires proof, Supervisor 03:05, 22 May 2011 (UTC)). When developing a quarry, it was necessary to fulfill one condition: the time elapsed from the moment the soft limestones were opened to the cutting of building blocks from them should be minimal. That is, soft limestones had to be cut into blocks before they harden from contact with air. In addition, after cutting the blocks of soft limestone, it took some time for them to harden and not crumble during transportation. The cyclical nature of quarry development meets these requirements. A site was being developed, the area of which was approximately 1.5 times the area of a number of blocks, on which the construction of the pyramid was stopped. The blocks were cut out of layers of hard and soft limestone and were stored "per layer", that is, according to their vertical dimensions. After excavation of all limestone from the area of the site, its laying into the body of the pyramid began. The sequence of laying blocks of different thickness (and, accordingly, different weight) was determined by the ratio of labor costs for lifting them. This provided the ranking of the rows of blocks by their thickness.
Base of the pyramid
The rock base of the Cheops pyramid, according to modern calculations, occupies from 23% of the pyramid's volume, or about 600,000 cubic meters. The minimum figures were obtained when determining the height of the rock in terms of an average level of 12.5 meters. But the authors of the study do not exclude the possibility of using medium height In any case, new exploration work is required to clarify these data. It also requires a revision of most of the old work with calculations of the stone used in construction. In addition, there are estimates of 10-12% of the volume of the pyramid, which is occupied by the mortar that holds the blocks together.
The directions to the north of the lateral faces were so precisely defined that due to the sphericity of the Earth and the colossal size of the Pyramid, its northern side was 20 cm shorter than the southern one. (the exact dimensions of the pyramid are known from the preserved pits of the supporting corner stones)
Sources of
[http://supernovum.ru/public/index.php?doc=171 | Mining and geological aspect of the construction technology of the pyramids of Giza]
[http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/docs/00/31/95/86/PDF/PyramidsSR.pdf Geological and Geomorphological study of the original hill at the base of Fourth Dynasty Egyptian monuments.]
