| The Pyramids and Temples of Gizeh by W. M. Flinders Petrie |
  
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35. p. 55 Having, then, fixed the original position of the doorway of the Pyramid, we may state that it was at 668.2 ± .1 above the pavement of the Pyramid; 524.1 ± .3 horizontally inside (or S. of) the N. edge of the Pyramid casing; and its middle 287.0 ± .8 E. of the centre * of the Pyramid ; or 3723.6 from E. side, and 4297.6 from W. side, at its level; the probable error being that of fixing the length of the sides. * Whenever any point is described as E. of the centre of the Pyramid, it is uniformly meant that it is that amount E. of a vertical plane, parallel to the mean of the Pyramid's E. and W. sides, and which passes through the centre of the Pyramid. Similarly of similar descriptions N., S., and W. Thus we have the following positions in the entrance passage, reducing all to the true beginning of the floor :—
The above measures were taken by rods from 124.2 to 285.29 (the rods jointing together with butt ends), by steel tape from 276.63 to 1177.14, and by rods from 1163.6 to the rock; all duly corrected for temperature. On comparing them with Professor Smyth's measures, it will be found that his measures make the passage length about an inch shorter on an average; this is fairly accounted for (1) by his being all piece–meal measures added together, (2) by the rude method of making scratches with a screw–driver to mark the lengths of p. 57 rod on the stone (L. and W. ii., 46), and (3) by there being "always a certain amount of risk as to the measuring rod slipping on the inclined floor" (L and W. ii., 35). All these errors would make the reading of the length shorter than it should be; and all were avoided by the use of a steel tape lying on the side of the floor. Nevertheless, I tested again, by rod measure, some of the points where the difference of Professor Smyth's measures were greatest from the steel tape, and they come out thus :—
These will practically show what errors may creep in, by not using a continuous measure like a steel tape. The object of measuring the joints, as well as the total length, by steel tape, is sufficiently illustrated by this comparison. One source of error may arise from following the coarsely-scratched prolongations of the anciently drawn lines, and of the ascending passage floor and roof. These have been made by modern measurers; and they were always rejected, and a more accurate method employed. The measures from the steel tape onwards, by rods, down to the end of the built passage, where it rests on the rock, are not of the same accuracy as the others; the broken parts of the passage sides, and the awkwardness of measuring over the large block of granite, without any flat surface even to hold the rods against, prevented my taking more care over a point where accuracy is probably not of importance. For the total length of the entrance passage, down to the subterranean rock-cut part, only a rough measurement by the 140-inch poles was made, owing to the encumbered condition of it. The poles were laid on the rubbish over the floor, and where any great difference of position was required, the ends were plumbed one over the other, and the result is probably only true within two or three inches. The points noted down the course of the passage, reckoning from the original entrance (i.e., the beginning of the rock on the E. side of the roof being 1350.7), are the following :—
36. p. 58 The azimuth and straightness of the passage were carefully measured. The azimuth down the built part was taken by reference to the triangulation, which in its turn was fixed by six observations of Polaris at elongation, from a favourable station (G). The azimuth to the bottom of the rock-cut passage was observed independently, by five observations of Polaris at elongation. The observations of the straightness throughout gives a check by combining these two methods, and they are thus found to agree within 19", or just the sum of their probable errors, equal to only .09 inch lineally on the azimuth of the built part. The results are :—
The observations of the straightness of the walls, floor, and roof of the passage, when all reduced to offsets from its mean axis of the whole length stand thus :—
(Floor at 1110 interpolated from clinometer curve.) But the passage in the built part, and indeed for some 40 feet below that, is far straighter in azimuth than the lower part; taking this upper 2/5ths of it alone, it has a mean axis of – 5' 49" ± 7" In azimuth, and varies thus :—
p. 59 These offsets only being read to 1/20th inch (the 1/100ths merely resulting from computation) it is remarkable that the errors of the mid–line of the passage are so minute; and it shows that in this particular we have not yet gone within the builder's accuracy; readings to 1/100th inch or to 1" on the longer distances, are now required. The absolute position, then, of the middle of the S. end of the entrance passage floor will be, in level, 668.2 – (4140 X sin. 26º 31' 23") – .8 difference of floor offsets = – 1181 ± 1 ?; in distance from N. base of pyramid 524.1 + 3704.3 = 4228 ± 2? or 306 N. from mid-plane; and in distance E. from the mid–plane 287.0 – [ sin. (3' 55" – 3' 44") x 3704 ] – .4 difference of offsets = 286.4 ± 1.0.
37. The Subterranean chambers and passages are all cut roughly in the rock. The entrance passage has a flat end, square with its axis (within at least 1º), and out of this end a smaller horizontal passage proceeds, leaving a margin of the flat end along the top and two sides. This margin is 4.5 wide at E., 3.2 at W., and 5.4 to 6.0 from E. to W. along the top. The dimensions and distances are as follow, from the S. end of the floor of the entrance passage (as deduced from the roof, which is better preserved) ; and the axial positions and levels are by theodolite observations :—
The large chamber walls are therefore distant from the Pyramid central axis, 302.9 E. at N. wall; 299.6 E. at S. wall; 250.6 W. at N. wall; 254.5 W. at S. wall; 40 S. and 366 S. The central axis thus not passing through the chamber, but 40 inches inside the rock of the N. side. In the chart above :— * E. side of door–sill is at 351, and W. side 347, the wall not being fully dressed down there. p. 60 The side chamber is an enlargement of the passage, westward and upward, as are all the chambers of the Pyramid; it is very rough and uneven, and encumbered now with large blocks of stone. The large chamber is most clearly unfinished, both in the dressing of the walls, and more especially in the excavation for the floor. The walls have an average irregularity estimated at ±.7 and projecting lumps of rock are left untouched in some parts. The roof is more irregular, estimated average variation ±3. The floor is most irregular, at the W. end it rises at the highest to only 10 inches from the roof; and over all the western half of the chamber it is irregularly trenched with the cuttings made by workmen to dislodge blocks of the rock. It is, in fact, an interesting specimen of quarrying, but unfortunately now completely choked up, by Perring having stowed away there all the pieces of limestone taken out of his shaft in the floor. After dislodging several blocks, I crawled in over the knobs and ridges of rock, until jammed tight from chest to hack in one place; and thence I pushed about one 140–inch rod, by means of the other, so as to measure the length up to the Western end. To measure along the W. side is impossible, without clearing away a large quantity of stones; and as there is no place to stack them safely without their going down the shaft, I could only measure the width at 100 from the W. end, perhaps somewhat askew. The lower—eastern—part of the floor, 140 below the roof, which is comparatively flat, is, nevertheless, very irregular and roughly trenched, quite unfinished. The best worked floor surface is just around the square shaft, 198 below the roof, and about 40 below the main part of the floor, which is 155 below roof on a knob of rock beside the shaft. The square shaft is not parallel to the chamber, but is placed nearly diagonally.* * Like the shaft of the tomb chamber of Ti at Sakkara; an unusual plan. Its distances to the walls are, N.W. corner 135 to N. wall ; N.E. corner 60 to E. wall ; S.E. corner 90 to S. wall. Its sides are, N.E. 68 to 75? S.E. 82½ ; S.W. 80; N.W. 70 above, 79 below (the N. corner being rounded above); N. to S. diagonal 100. The S.E. and S.W. sides stop at 67 deep, or 265 below roof, or 1,321 under pavement ; leaving a ledge about 20 inches wide, a second or deeper part of the shaft goes downwards, the N.E. and N.W. sides being continuous with those of the upper part ; it is, in fact, a smaller shaft descending out of the N. corner of the larger. The sides of the smaller shaft are, N.E. 57? S.E. 53? S.W. 60, N.W. 56. The original depth of the smaller shaft I could not see, it was apparently about 40 inches according to Vyse, when Perring sunk his round shaft down in the bottom of the ancient square shaft. This hole in the dimly–lighted chamber, about 30 feet deep (with water in it after heavy rains have rushed down the entrance passage), and with a very irregular and wide opening, makes measurement about here somewhat unpleasant. I avoided filling the shaft with the earth removed from the passage, or with the stones which Perring excavated from it, in case anyone should afterwards wish p. 61 to excavate farther at the bottom. The southern passage is very rough, apparently merely a first drift–way, only just large enough to work in, intended to be afterwards enlarged, and smoothed; its sides wind 6 or 8 inches in and out.
38. The Ascending passage from the entrance passage is somewhat troublesome to measure, owing to the large plugs of granite that fill some 15 feet of its lower part; and also to the irregular way in which much of its floor is broken up. For connecting it with the entrance passage, we must first settle the most probable value of its angle, in order to carry on the projection of its floor; and to complete it over the plugging and breakage, which prevent direct measure-ment. The angle of the whole passage will be discussed further on ; it will suffice to say here that the mean angle is 26º 2' 30"; and there is therefore a presumption that the plugged part is about the same angle, and not the 26½ º of the entrance passage. This is confirmed by direct plumb-line measure of the angle of the plug-blocks at their lower end, giving 26º 7' (± 2'?); and noting that the end is square with the portion of passage beyond it to within 5'. Also the actual angle of the plug-blocks may be computed from Prof. Smyth's sloping measures, combined with my levelling between the floors of the passages, and plumbing up to the lower end of the plugs.* *
The elements in question are (1) Prof Smyth's plumb-line 48.5 on slope below his zero in Ascending passage ; and (2) 180.5 on slope of entrance passage, below beginning of Ascending roof. (3) My level in A. P., 71.3 on slope above C.P.S.'s zero in A.P. (4) My level in E.P. 1015.0 on slope below C.P.S.'s E.P. zero. (5) Difference of my A.P. and E.P. level marks 156.2 vertically. (6) My plumb-line on E.P. floor 1027.3 on slope below C.P.S.'s E.P. zero. (7) Height on my plumb to floor of A.P. 37.0. (8) height of plug-blocks 47.3, and angle of end 26º 7', (9) Angle of E.P. at junction 26º 21'. This gives 26º 12½' for the angle of the lower 300 inches of the passage; and 5' of variation would require a difference of .4 inch vertical on .9 sloping. Hence the other data confirm this so far, that it had better be adopted as the angle through the plugged part; until some one shall improve on Prof. Smyth's sloping measure, or on my levelling. The junction of the passages was not projected over the broken part un-certainly, as had been done before; but a plumb-line was hung from the W. side of the Ascending passage roof, in front of the plug-blocks; and measures vertical, perpendicular, and sloping, were taken to the plugs, the fragments of the ascending, and the top and bottom of the entrance passage. Thus the whole was knit together to a true vertical line, the place of which was fixed on the entrance floor. From the mean of these measures, and 26º 12½ ' as the ascending angle, with 26º 21' as the descending angle at that spot (by Prof Smyth), the Ascending passage roof starts vertically over 1110.90 on the sloping floor of the p. 62 entrance, reckoning from the casing face; and the floor cuts the entrance floor at 1110.64 from the same, both probably ± .1. Further, the lower end of the plug-block is 74.19 from the intersection of the floors; and the upper end 50.76 from the intersection of the roofs. Having thus fixed the beginning of the Ascending passage, by the point where its floor produced onwards intersects the floor of the entrance passage, we can proceed up the Ascending passage from this as a starting point. The distance past the plug-blocks being determined as above described, and that from the plug-blocks to the S. end of the passage, by steel tape measure on the E. side of the floor; then, the tape being corrected for temperature and tension, the results are thus, on the sloping floor :—
On comparing these measures with Prof. Smyth's, it will be seen that he makes the passage about 3 inches shorter ; and that this difference mainly occurs in the lower part, where the floor is much broken. Several lengths were therefore measured as tests, just as in the entrance passage, and the results are :—
The close agreement of these two series of measures, particularly in those parts twice measured by tape, will show (as in the entrance passage) that the error is certainly in the rod measures, and due to the same causes as the error in the entrance passage, i.e., slipping, irregular placing on broken floor, and the marking off of each length. The result therefore is that from the intersections of entrance and ascending passage floors, to the floor joint at the E. side of the grand gallery doorway, is 1546.8 on the slope.* * On the W. side this joint is 1.2 N. of the side joint of doorway. The granite plugs are kept back from slipping down by the narrowing of the lower end of the passage, to which contraction they fit. Thus at the lower, or N. end, the plug is but 38.2 wide in place of 41.6 at the upper end: the height, however, is unaltered, being at lower end 47.30 E., 47.15 mid, 47.26 W.; and at upper, or S. end 47.3. In the trial passages the breadth is contracted p. 64 from 41.6 to 38.0 and 37.5 like this, but the height is also contracted there from 47.3 to 42.3. These plug-blocks are cut out of boulder stones of red granite, and have not the faces cut sufficiently to remove the rounded outer surfaces at the corners: also the faces next each other are never very flat, being wavy about ± .3. These particulars I was able to see, by putting my head in between the rounded edges of the 2nd and 3rd blocks from the top, which are not in contact; the 2nd having jammed tight 4 inches above the 3rd. The present top one is not the original end; it is roughly broken, and there is a bit of granite still cemented to the floor some way farther South of it. From appearances there I estimated that originally the plug was 24 inches beyond its present end. It has been a favourite idea with some, that two horizontal joints in the passage roof just south of the plugs, were the beginning of a concealed passage: I therefore carefully examined them. They are 60.5 (or 60.1 second measure) apart vertically, and therefore quite different to the passages of the Pyramid, which are 47 perpendicularly or 52 vertically. Further, there is no possibility of the blocking up of a passage existing there; as the stone of the roof is continuous, all in one with the sides ; the three roof-blocks between the two horizontal joints are all girdle-blocks, either wholly round the passage, or partially so; and the block N. of these is a long one, over 125 inches from E. to W., and continuous into both walls. These vertical girdle-blocks are a most curious feature of this passage (first observed and measured by Mr. Waynman Dixon, C.E.), and occur at intervals of 10 cubits (206.3 to 208.9 inches) in the passage measuring along the slope. All the stones that can be examined round the plugs are partial girdle-blocks, evidently to prevent the plugs forcing the masonry apart, by being wedged into the contracted passage. Many of the stones about the blocks in Mamun's Hole are over 10 or 11 feet long; the ends are invisible, but probably they are about 15 feet over all.
39. For the angle of the passage, and its straightness, it will be well to consider it all in one with the gallery floor, as they were gauged together all in one length. The angle of slope I did not observe, as I considered that that had been settled by Prof Smyth; but the azimuth was observed, by a chain of three theodolites, round from the entrance passage. The straightness was observed by offsets to floor and side all along it, read from a telescope at the upper end of the plug-blocks. When I came to plot the results, I found that there were no measures taken at the point where Prof. Smyth's theodolite was set up. The sloping floor is nowhere, having been entirely cut away at the beginning of the gallery; and the top of the ramp (to which the theodolite had been referred) was not offsetted by me, nor was its slope measured by Prof Smyth's clinometer for 300 inches from the place. Hence we cannot say exactly what direct relation the theodolite bore to the passage; but we can obtain the angle of slope very satisfactorily, by taking the angles observed to signal at bottom of ascending p. 65 passage, and to signal at top of gallery, and then (knowing the distauces of these signals) calculate the angle of slope from signal to signal. This, when corrected for lower signal being 3 too high, gives 26º 12' 50" for mean angle of both passage and gallery together. Hence, from my offsets to the places of these signals, the absolute angle, and the variations from it, can be obtained for either part independently. Thus we have the form and direction of the ascending passage, reckoning from the beginning of its floor on the entrance passage floor, with its variations, as follows :—
The surfaces are so much decayed and exfoliated, that it is only just at the ends that two original faces can be found opposite to one another; hence the width and height cannot be measured, and the offsets can only be stated to one surface. From this altitude, the sloping length of the passage being 1546.8, the horizontal length will be 1389.5, and the vertical height 679.7, both being corrected for difference in the offsets of the ends. The determination of the azimuth has, unhappily, a large probable error, ± 3' (owing to bad foundation for the theodolite in Mamun's Hole); and its direction, – 4', is so close to that of the Pyramid side, that it may be assumed parallel to that ± 3'. This, on the passage length, = 1.2 inches for the probable error of the place of the upper end of the passage, in E. to W. direction in the Pyramid. These, added to previous amounts, give for the absolute place of the floor end at the latitude of the E. wall of the gallery (172.9 + 679.7) = 852.6 ± 3 level above pavement; (1517.8 + 1389.5) = 2907.3 ± .6 horizontally from N. edge of Pyramid, or 1626.8 ± .8 northwards from centre; and 287 ± 1.5 for middle of passage eastward from centre of Pyramid.
40. The horizontal passage leading to the Queen's Chamber is the next part to be considered. This was measured with steel tape all along, and the levels of it taken with theodolite. The results for its length and levels are thus, reckoning from the mean door of the gallery at 1546.8 from beginning of ascending passage :—
The azimuth of this passage was not measured, but the beginning of it is 287 ± 1.5 E. of the middle of the Pyramid ; then for the axis of it at the end we may say the same, or 287 ± 3, since the gallery above it only differs about two inches from that quantity. In the above measures of length there is a steadily accumulating difference of about 1 in 300 between Prof. Smyth's measures and these, for which it seems difficult to account; but as in the other passages, I have always found on retesting the measures, that such differences are due to errors in the cumulative single rod measures, and not in my steel tape (which was always verified at the starting point after measuring), it seems unlikely that the steel tape should be in error here. Hence I should adopt these measures without alteration.
41. In the Queen's Chamber it seems, from the foregoing statement, that the ridge of the roof is exactly in tbe mid-place of the Pyramid, equidistant from N. and S. sides; it only varies from this plane by a less amount than the probable error of the determination.
The size of the chamber (after allowing suitably in each part for the incrustation of salt) is on an average 205.85 wide, and 226.47 long, 184.47 high on N. and S. walls, and 245.1 high to the top of the roof ridge on E. and W. walls. The variations of the horizontal quantities in detail are as follows, from the mean dimensions.
For example, to take the first entries, at 180 inches over the floor, on the E. wall, the N. wall is (102.92 + .16) = 103.08 from a vertical line below the apex of the roof; and the S. wall is (102.76 – .17) = 102.59 from the same apex line : the sum of these quantities, or the total width, being 205.67. Thus the mean distances of the N. and S. walls from the apex on the E. and W. walls is given at the top of each column ; and beneath that the small variations from those mean vertical wall faces. In the last division are given the distances of the E. and W. walls apart, below their apices ; both the mean dimension, the variations from it, and the total at each point. It will be observed that the E. and W. walls have both a uniform tilt inwards; if we allow 14' for this as an average, the mean from a straight line inclined that amount is .057 on E. and .025 on W. ; a remarkably small amount of error, comparable to the extremely fine work and close joints of the stones themselves. Also the ridge of the roof is not exactly over the middle of the chamber at either end. Beside the above resulting length of the middle of the chamber on the floor, separate measures were taken on the two walls; these give N. 227.41, middle (from above) 227.47, S. 227.61 ; mean of all 227.50 for floor length.
42. In the matter of height, the courses vary a good deal ; and far more care was spent on the closeness, than on the regularity of the joints. For a starting point in measurement, the general floor is hopelessly irregular, consisting plainly of rough core masonry; and furthermore, it has been built over with similar rough masonry, which was afterwards stripped down to insert the chamber walls. This is proved by there being no fewer than eight edges of sunken spaces upon it, made (according to the universal habit of pyramid builders) to let in the inequalities of the upper course into the surface of the course below it. These sunken edges are well seen in other parts of the core masonry, and their p. 68 meaning here is unequivocal. But all round the chamber, and the lower part of the passage leading to it, is a footing of fine stone, at the rough floor level; this projects 1 to 4 inches from the base of the walls, apparently as if intended as a support for flooring blocks, which have never been introduced. It is to this footing or ledge that we must refer as the starting point; though what floor was ever intended to have been inserted (like the floor of the King's Chamber, which is inserted between its walls) we cannot now say. Certainly, a floor at the level of the higher part of the passage, would not reconcile everything ; as that higher floor is also not a finished surface, but has sundry large round holes in it, like those in the chamber floor and elsewhere; intended, apparently, for use in process of building. Starting, however, from this footing at the base of the walls, the mean elevation of each course above the floor is as follows, with the variation + or – from the mean scale, at eleven points around the chamber :—
The mean course thicknesses, and their mean differences being—from the base upwards—thus : —
These roof blocks are seen—where Howard Vyse excavated beneath one at the N.W. corner—to go back 121.6 on slope, behind the wall face; this, coupled with the thickness of these blocks (which is certain, by similar examples elsewhere, to be considerable) throws the centre of gravity of each of the slabs well behind the wall face,* so that they could be placed in position without pressing one on another. Hence there is never any arch thrust so long as the blocks are intact ; they act solely as cantilevers, with the capability of yielding arched support in case they should be broken. * As at Sakkara, in the Pyramid of Pepi. The projection on the western side of the doorway, mentioned by Professor Smyth, is really a surplus left on both sides of the corner ; in order to protect the stone in transit and in course of building. This undressed part in the chamber, is cut away down to the true surface at the top and at the middle joint, in order to show the workman exactly to where it needed to be dressed in finishing it off; The excess in the chamber begins 1.3 below joint at top of doorway, and thence projects 1.4, with a width of 5.5; it is dressed away for 1.05 at the middle joint, and then continues sloping away rather thinner down to the floor. The projection into the passage is 1.5 maximum at base, usually .8; and it is 5.5 maximum width, or usually 4.5.
43. The niche in the eastern wall of this chamber, from its supposed connection with a standard of measure, was very closely examined. Its original depth back was certainly only 41 inches at every part from the bottom upwards. The surface that might be supposed to belong to the side of a deeper part, is only that of a joint of masonry, one stone of which has been broken up and removed; this is evident as there is mortar sticking to it, and as it is pick-dressed, quite different to the fine surfaces of the niche sides ; beside this, it is not flush with the side, or any of the overlappings of the niche; and moreover, all down the niche sides are the traces of the edge of the back, at 41 from the front, where it has been broken away. p. 70 The general form of the niche was a recess 41 inches (2 cubits) deep back 62 inches (3 cubits) wide at base, and diminishing its width by four successive overlappings of the sides (at each wall course), each of ¼ cubit wide, until at 156 high it was only 20 (1cubit) wide, and was finally roofed across at 184 high. Thus, of the 3 cubits width of the base, one cubit was absorbed on each side by the overlappings, leaving one cubit width at the top. This cubit is the regular cubit of 20.6 inches, and there is no evidence of a cubit of 25 inches here. The exact dimensions of every part are as follow, giving the mean dimensions, and the variations of each part, + or –, from the mean. All corrected for the salt exudation on the two lower laps, as estimated at each point; there is no salt on the upper three laps :—
44. The channels leading from this chamber were measured by the goniometer already described (h, section 10); they are exactly like the air channels in the King's Chamber in their appearance, but were covered over the mouth by a plate of stone, left not cut through in the chamber wall; no outer end has yet been found for either of them, though searched for by Mr. Waynman Dixon, C.E., who first discovered them, and also by myself on the N. face of the Pyramid.
The N. channel is 8.6 high, and about 8 wide in the chamber wall, running horizontally for 76 inches, and then turning upwards. The S. channel is 8.8 high, and runs 80.0 to its turn upwards. The mean angles, measured between the horizontal part and the ascending slope of the channels, are thus :–
each statement being the mean of two observations, which never differed more than 6'. Hence, if these channels were continued to the outside of the Pyramid, their floors would end on the Pyramid faces at 2641.3 above the base, and 2460.8 from the centre of the Pyramid on the N. face; and at 2679.1 above the base, and 2431.2 from the centre on the S. face. I observed something like the mouth of a hole in the 85th course on the S. face, scanning it with a telescope from below; but I was hindered from examining it closely.
45. Returning now to the gallery from which we diverged to the Queen's Chamber, the length of the gallery was measured like the other passages, with the steel tape, but not many joints were measured, and those were on the E. ramp, on which the tape was laid at 6 inches from the edge. The offsets to the floor and E. ramp were also read, in continuation of the series of the ascending passage, as explained before (section 39). The results are as follow, starting from the N. wall of the gallery, at 1546.8 from beginning of ascending passage.
In the variations in altitude, the height of the axis above the ramp top is stated, as well as its height over the floor. The axis, though different in azimuth and altitude from that of the ascending passage, is reckoned to start from the end of it; hence the offsets are a continuous series, though measured from a line p. 72 which is bent on passing from the passage to the gallery. The first-stated floor offset here (in brackets) is not what the continuation of the floor of the ascending passage actually is at the point; but it is the virtual floor of the gallery, i.e., where it would come if the trend of the rest of the gallery was continued, and also (judging by the altitude observations of Prof Smyth) where it would come if continued parallel to the ramp top. By successive rod measures, Prof. Smyth made the gallery .8 shorter than it appears by this continuous measure; but the continuous measure is certainly better in principle and also in practice, as we have seen in the other passages. The steel tape of 1200 inches required to be shifted in order to measure from one end to the other of the gallery, and three points were common to both tape lengths ; the distances between these points were 305.5 by first, 305.6 by second measure, and 480.2 by both first and second measures, showing the same accuracy in this as in the taping of the other passages. The difference between Prof. Smyth's measures and the taping occurs almost entirely from the N. wall to the cut out in the floor, and is probably due to want of straightness and squareness in one or other of those surfaces. Hence the floor of the gallery intersects the S. wall at 1689.0 ± .5 above the pavement; at 61.7 ± .8 S. of the Pyramid centre; and its middle is 284.4 ± 2.8 E. of the Pyramid centre; reckoning the measures of length and angle continuously through from the plug-blocks upwards, so as to avoid all un-certainties of connection at the beginning of the gallery, and duly correcting for difference in offsets.
46. The holes cut in the ramps or benches, along the sides of the gallery (see section of them in P1. ix.), the blocks inserted in the wall over each, and the rough chopping out of a groove across each block—all these features are as yet inexplicable. One remarkable point is that the holes are alternately long and short, on both sides of the gallery; the mean of the long holes is 23.32, with an average variation of .73, and the mean of the short holes is 20.51, with average variation .40. Thus the horizontal length of a long hole is equal to the sloping length of a short hole, both being one cubit. This relation is true within less than half their average variations. The roof of the gallery and its walls are not well known, owing to the difficulty of reaching them. By means of ladders, that I made jointing together, I was able to thoroughly examine both ends and parts of the sides of the gallery. The roof stones are set each at a steeper slope than the passage, in order that the lower edge of each stone should hitch like a paul into a ratchet-cut in the top of the walls; hence no stone can press on the one below it, so as to cause a cumulative pressure all down the roof; and each stone is separately upheld by the side walls across which it lies. The depth of two of these ratchet-cuts, at the S. end, I measured as 1.0 and 1.9 to 2.0; and the angles of the two p. 73 slabs there 28º 0' to 28º 18', and 27º 56' to 28º 30', mean 28º 11'; which on a mean slab 52.2 from N. to S., would differ 1.74 inches from the passage slope. The edge of the southernmost slab is 14.5 from the S. wall; the next slab is 47.4 from N. to S. The verticality of the ends of the gallery was measured from a plumb-line; and bottom of each of the laps of stone and the horizontal distances of the top from the ends of the roof are thus:—
The letters h and s in the column of the N. end show the under edge of the lap of stone to be either horizontal or sloping; on the S. end it is always horizontal. The width of the top of the gallery is 40.9 at N., and 41.3 at S. end. The remarkable groove in the lower part of the third lap,. along the whole length of the sides, was measured thus, perpendicularly :—
At the S.W. it is cut to a depth of 8 inch, at the S.E. to .6 (?); the upper edge of it is often ill-defined and sloping. According to Prof. Smyth the mean p. 74 height of this lap above the gallery floor is 166.2 ± .8 vertically; hence the groove is at 172.1 to 179.0 vertically over the floor, and its lower edge is there-fore at half the height of the gallery, that varying from 167 to 172. The pickmarks in the groove on the S. end of the W. side are horizontal, and not along the groove, showing that it was cut out after the walls were built, which agrees with its rough appearance. It belongs to the same curious class of rough alterations as the blocks inserted in the sides of the gallery and the rude grooves cut away across them. At the S.W. it is cut to a depth of 8 inch, at the S.E. to .6 (?); the upper edge of it is often ill-defined and sloping. According to Prof. Smyth the mean height of this lap above the gallery floor is 166.2 ± .8 vertically; hence the groove is at 172.1 to 179.0 vertically over the floor, and its lower edge is there-fore at half the height of the gallery, that varying from 167 to 172. The pickmarks in the groove on the S. end of the W. side are horizontal, and not along the groove, showing that it was cut out after the walls were built, which agrees with its rough appearance. It belongs to the same curious class of rough alterations as the blocks inserted in the sides of the gallery and the rude grooves cut away across them. At the top of the N. end is a large forced hole, cut by Vyse in 1837, and still quite fresh-looking. The whole of the top lap of stone is so entirely cut away there that I could not decide to where it had come, and only suppose it to project 3 inches, like the others. From this the length of the roof of the gallery is 1688.9 – 40.45 = 1648.4 horizontal, or 1838.6 sloping. By plumb-line measure at the S. end, the roof on the E side is inside the floor edge (or overhangs) 20.50, and on the W. side 20.40. On the S. end (eliminating the lean) the projection is 20.9, and on N. 20.4; mean of all, 20.55, for the sum of the seven projections of the laps, or one cubit, the laps being then one palm each in breadth. Thus the laps overhang the ramps along the gallery sides, and the space between the ramps (2 cubits), is equal to the space between the walls at the top.
The remarkable shaft, or "well", that leads away from the lower end of the gallery down to the subterranean passage, was fully measured about its mouth but it appears to be so rough and so evidently utilitarian (for the exit of work-men) that it is not worth while to publish more complete measures than those of Prof. Smyth. As, however, the position of its mouth has been supposed to have a meaning, it should be stated that the opening is from 21.8 to 49.0 horizontally from N. wall of gallery on floor, 21.8 to 48.7 near its top, and 21.9 to 48.9 by the sloping distance reduced. Thus the middle of it is at 35.40, 35.25, or 35.37 by different methods. The part of the shaft that passes through a rock fissure filled with gravel (often called the "grotto") has been steined with 10 courses of small stones, varying from 7¼ to 8 inches in height. At the upper end of the gallery, we have already stated the S. wall to be 61.7 ± .8. of the Pyramid centre; and hence the face of the great step at the head of the gallery (which descends behind both floor and ramps) is (61.7 – 61.3) = .4 ± .8 S. of the Pyramid centre. It may, therefore, be taken as intended that the face of this step, and the transition from sloping to horizontal surfaces, signalizes the transit from the Northern to the Southern half of the Pyramid. This same mid-plane of the Pyramid being also signalized by the mid-plane of the Queen's Chamber, which is measured as .3 ± .8 N. of the Pyramid centre. p. 75 The ramps along the sides, where they join this great step, are very irregular. Their top surfaces slope away downwards toward the side walls; thus the E. ramp top varies from 13.20 to 12.18 below the step from E. to W., and the W. ramp top from 12.82 to 12.2 (?) from W. to E. At present, more-over, the ends of the ramps are parted away from the face of the step by .30 on E. and .44 on W., an amount which has been duly subtracted from my length measures of the gallery. Beside this, the top of the step itself, though, straight, is far from level, the W. side being about 1.0 higher than the E. side. And the sloping floor seems to be also out of level by an equal amount in the opposite direction ; since on the half width of the step (i.e., between the ramps) the height of the step face is 34.92 or 35.0 on E., and 35.80 or 35.85 on W. The length of the step from N. to S. is on E. side 61.0, and on W. 61.5. All these measurements are very carefully taken with elimination of wear, fractures, and shifting of the stones at the joints. Hence, at the line along which I measured, 6 inches from the edge of the ramp, the step will be 61.1 long; and this at the angle 26º 12' 50" (by which the end of the gallery was calculated from the plug-blocks) will be 30.08 vertically, for the virtual * above the actual floor end. * The virtual floor end is where the general floor slope, if carried on through the step, would intersect the plane of the S. wall. Then the top of the step will (by above measures) be here 34.88 above actual floor end, and the step dips about .64 to the S. wall at this part ; so the top of the step at the S. wall is 34.88 – .64 – 30.08 = 4.16 (say ± .2) above the virtual floor end at the line of taping. And as the virtual floor end is at 1689.0 ± .5, the step surface at the E. side of the S. doorway is 1693.2 ± .6 over the pavement.
47. The Antechamber and its passages were measured both by steel tape and rods, in one length, from the step to the King's Chamber; and the joints and floor levels are as follow :—
p. 76
These measures vary somewhat from those of Professor Smyth in 1865; and, comparing the greatest differences, they stand thus :—
So here, as elsewhere, the measures in 1880 – 2 by steel tape and rods, entirely independent of each other, agree fairly together, and suggest that the 1865 rod measures were somewhat in error. This is due generally to the latter starting from different points on different occasions, and to their different series being insufficiently locked together. Hence I adopt the steel tape measures as the most satisfactory.
48. Taking the Antechamber alone, we may say that its dimensions above the granite wainscot of the sides, are as follow :—
The height was measured as follows :—
p. 77 The mean length is thus 116.30 (by the two series from top to base), breadth 65.00, and height 149.35 ; or the ceiling over the virtual end of the gallery floor, 152.85 ± .2, and 1841.8 ± .6 over the pavement.
49. Coming now to details of the walls, the rough and course workmanship is astonishing, in comparison with the exquisite masonry of the casing and entrance of the Pyramid; and the main object in giving the following details is to show how badly pyramid masons could work. The great variation in the foregoing measures illustrates this. The N. wall is all rough picked work, with 2 variation commonly; there is a great irregular flaw, and a piece broken out of the stone about the level of the top of the leaf, as much as 1 inch deep. The E. wall has the granite by the side of the leaf wavy and winding, and bulbous at the base, projecting 1.4. On the wainscot block at the S. end of this wall, which is all in one with the S. end of the chamber, are two conjoined deep scores or scrapes nearly vertical, much like the beginning of a regular groove; their distance from the S. wall is 3.6 to 7.2 at 90, and 2.6 to 6.4 at 52 from floor, where they end; they are .48 deep at maximum. The S. wall has all up the E. side of it, over the wainscot, a projection, just equal in width to the wainscot, and varying in thickness from .31 at top to 1.7 half-way down, and thence fading off down to the top of the wainscot. On the W. side of the S. wall the granite has been daubed over for 2 to 6 inches in breadth, with a thin coat of cement; this, at 1 inch from the side is .35 thick ; also at 13 from the W. side is a slight sinking of the granite, from .34 to .60 in depth, all quite ill-defined. The W. wall has the top of the granite wainscot uneven, rising toward the front, and there sinking suddenly .35 at 1.4 from the front edge. The southern of the three semicircular hollows on the top of this wainscot (see P1. xii.)* has the granite defective at the back of it, and is backed with rough limestone there. * The forms of the cu | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
W.Wall 69½
to 70½
; N.Wall 70.3; S.Wall 72.3
59.8
