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Every year articles appear in the press revealing the secrets of the Great Pyramid. However, each time new questions arise for which scientists do not have an answer. Now everyone is hearing a new hypothesis, if not fully revealing, then very close to this mystery.
Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) took 20 years to build
It is known that the pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) was built for 20 years. Basically, about 14 thousand people participated in its construction. However, at some stages, up to 40 thousand took part in the construction.
Of course, experts have a very definite idea of \u200b\u200bhow the Great Pyramids were built. However, scientists do not want to stop there. In their opinion, the simplest versions are not able to explain how the masterpiece of ancient architecture was built in reality: it makes too much impression.
So, the French architect Jean-Pierre Houdin offers his own version of the construction technique. In 2006, he proposed an original hypothesis: the ancient Egyptians built the upper part of the pyramid (and this is about 70% in height) from the inside.
To understand why this hypothesis is relevant today, you should first make a short digression into history.
In recent years, so many versions have appeared that even a simple listing of them would take a long time. Of course, a separate place is occupied by aliens with their anti-gravity technology. However, even in the 26th century BC, there were plenty of opportunities.
The most probable scheme is also the simplest. According to one hypothesis, the workers dragged blocks of limestone with the help of ropes and blocks along the long embankments upward. As an option - a spiral stone "track", laid out on the walls of the pyramid itself, along which the stones were delivered upward. This scheme is characterized by a huge amount of earthworks.
A variant of the construction technique of the French architect Jean-Pierre Houdin
In both cases, quite a lot of wooden levers with ropes were used - lifting mechanisms, with the help of which the Egyptians installed multi-ton blocks in the right place, lifted them from tier to tier.
You can also find a description of these simple devices in Herodotus. True, he believed that the Egyptians used "cranes", lifting blocks from level to level one by one. However, most Egyptologists believe that ramps were combined with levers during construction.
However, there are a number of alternative versions
It is possible that the pyramid was made of concrete (scientific experiments have proven that the ancients knew how to make it). Therefore, there was simply no problem how to lift the stone. Unfortunately, this version does not take into account the granite monoliths located in the pyramid, many of which are incomparably larger in weight than limestone.
There was a hypothesis that the stone blocks were lifted with the help of wooden gateways, which were built on the growing walls. In addition, many of the described methods were built on the basis of the "basic" laws of physics and mechanics.
However, weaknesses can be found in all hypotheses. For example, the construction of a straight embankment requires work comparable to the construction of the pyramid itself, and the length of such an ascent must exceed one and a half kilometers (at the end of construction), and stone blocks must also lie at its base.
During the construction of the pyramid of Cheops, ancient Egyptian engineers used a system of internal ramps and tunnels to erect the upper part of this structure ...
According to Egyptologist Bob Brier, it's like building two pyramids. In addition, the remains of such a ramp have not been found anywhere. Bryer, by the way, is familiar to us from the recent discovery of a construction defect in the pyramid of Cheops.
Some traces of former ramps in the vicinity of the pyramid have long been discovered. But, according to calculations, they cannot be fully responsible for the construction of this grandiose monument. That is why the "official" Egyptologists are inclined to the mentioned scheme of the combined use of ramps and lifting mechanisms built of wood.
As Bob explains, the spiral road running along the outer walls could hide during construction the corners and edges of the structure itself, the constant measurements of which were necessary - without this, it would not have been possible to achieve the accuracy of proportions and lines of the Great Pyramid, which architects still admire today. Therefore, a "geodetic survey" would be impossible.
However, Jean-Pierre paints a different picture.
The lower third of the pyramid, which contains most of its mass, was erected by the already considered method of the outer ramp, which, at such a height of the structure, was not yet too unwieldy. But then the tactics were radically changed.
Houdin believes that the limestone blocks that made up the ramp of the lower third of the Cheops pyramid were largely dismantled and reused to build the upper levels of the pyramid itself. Therefore, no traces of the original ramp have been found anywhere.
Construction of the pyramid of Cheops
In addition, in the process of erecting new tiers, workers left a large corridor inside the walls, which spiraled upward. Along this corridor, new blocks were lifted to the top of the structure. After the completion of the work, the tunnel itself completely disappeared from sight. Therefore, the road did not even have to be dismantled.
Houdin argues that the conventional hypothesis paradigm was wrong. The pyramid could not have been built from the outside.
With the help of computer simulations last year, Houdin visualized his method of building a pyramid and proved that this method works. Interestingly, indirect evidence of the correctness of Jean-Pierre was also found in Egypt, directly in the most ancient monument.
Approximately at a height of 90 meters on the northeastern face of the pyramid of Khufu, near the corner, there is a hole discovered by archaeologists some time ago. Of course, Egyptologists are well aware of it, but they cannot say anything concrete about the purpose of the room located behind the manhole.
Recently, Bob Bryer, who has become a proponent of the Houdin hypothesis, climbed inside this hole with the National Geographic team (taking a detailed survey for the first time). What he saw surprisingly fit into the scheme with an internal sloping corridor.
The fact is that in order to rotate the blocks being lifted by 90 degrees, when moving from one face of the pyramid to another, the builders had to leave open spaces in the corners of the structure - where the secret ramps intersected.
Only after the construction of the tomb of the pharaoh was completed, it would be possible to sequentially fill these openings with new blocks drawn in along the same corkscrew-shaped corridor.
The corner sections of the spiral corridor, which were open until the last moment, allowed workers, using simple levers and ropes, to turn the blocks being raised along the slope by 90 degrees in order to push them into the next tunnel. It's like a railroad depot with a turntable that helps diesel locomotives turn around in tight spaces to head in a new direction.
Until the last moment, the corner sections of the spiral corridor, which were open until the last moment, allowed workers using simple levers and ropes to turn the blocks raised along the slope by 90 degrees.
Brier saw beyond the manhole an L-shaped hall, the remnant of one such turn. It is in the exact location predicted by Houdin's computer model.
There should be two immured portals, located at an angle of 90 degrees to one another. Behind them could well be the very tunnels that go not so deep under the surface of the walls. According to the French architect, the secret of the entire building is kept in the massive blocks that sealed the tunnels thousands of years ago.
However, for quite a long time this emptiness in the corner remained unnoticed. The fact is that the meaning of the building can be unraveled only by having a general plan in mind. If you, without thinking about the internal ramps and recesses, just climbed into this room, it will mean nothing to you.
This angled turn may well be the missing piece in the Great Pyramid puzzle. Moreover, there is another trace in this story.
French archaeologists visited Giza in 1986 and 1998. They were looking for hidden cavities in the pyramid of Cheops using microgravimetry. Among other things, the researchers found a void under the queen's chamber. This cavity, according to them, is the beginning of the corridor leading to the true burial place of Cheops. But in this case, we are interested in their other involuntary discovery.
This finding did not fit into existing theories, so the researchers did not explain it in any way. But a few years ago, at a certain conference dedicated to the pyramids, Houdin approached one of the members of the gravimetric team, engineer Hui Don Bui. He showed him diagrams that reflected fluctuations in the density of the material inside the pyramid. In one of the drawings, a spiral structure was traced along the outer walls at some depth. Jean-Pierre immediately knew what it was.
According to Bob Brier, if he hadn't seen that diagram, he would have thought that building with a twisted tunnel was just another theory. The information obtained by the French forced him to support the Houdin hypothesis.
And in order to find new hard evidence, says Jean-Pierre, you don’t need to drill a pyramid at all and, in general, penetrate inside. To begin with, it will be enough to show these "phantom" corridors on thermal images of the pyramid.
Media files at Wikimedia Commons
Pyramid age
The architect of the Great Pyramid is Hemiun, the vizier and nephew of Cheops. He also bore the title "Manager of all construction sites of the pharaoh." It is assumed that the construction, which lasted twenty years (the reign of Cheops), ended around 2540 BC. e. .
The existing methods of dating the time of the beginning of the construction of the pyramid are divided into historical, astronomical and radiocarbon. In Egypt, it was officially established (2009) and the date of the start of the construction of the pyramid of Cheops is celebrated - August 23, 2560 BC. e. This date was obtained using the astronomical method of Kate Spence (University of Cambridge). However, this method and the dates derived from it have been criticized by many Egyptologists. Dates according to other dating methods: 2720 BC. e. (Stephen Hack, University of Nebraska), 2577 B.C. e. (Juan Antonio Belmonte, University of Astrophysics in Canaris) and 2708 BC. e. (Pollux, Bauman University). The radiocarbon method gives a range from 2680 BC. e. until 2850 BC e. Therefore, there is no serious confirmation of the established “birthday” of the pyramid, since Egyptologists cannot agree on exactly what year the construction began.
The first mention of the pyramid
The complete absence of a mention of the pyramid in Egyptian papyri remains a mystery. The first descriptions are found in the Greek historian Herodotus (5th century BC) and in ancient Arabic legends [ ] . Herodotus reported (at least 2 millennia after the appearance of the Great Pyramid) that it was erected under a despot pharaoh named Cheops (Greek. Koufou), who ruled for 50 years, that 100 thousand people were employed in the construction. for twenty years, and that the pyramid is in honor of Cheops, but not his grave. The real grave is a burial near the pyramid. Herodotus gave erroneous information about the size of the pyramid, and also mentioned the middle pyramid of the Giza plateau, that it was erected by the daughter of Cheops, who sold herself, and that each building stone corresponded to the man to whom she was given. According to Herodotus, if "to raise a stone, a long winding path to the grave opened," without specifying what kind of pyramid in question; however, the pyramids of the Giza plateau did not have "winding" paths to the tomb at the time of their visit by Herodotus; on the contrary, the Descending passage of the BP of Cheops is distinguished by careful straightness. And other premises in the BP at that time were not known.
Appearance
The surviving fragments of the facing of the pyramid and the remains of the pavement that surrounded the building
The pyramid is called "Akhet-Khufu" - "Horizon of Khufu" (or more precisely "Related to the sky - (this is) Khufu"). Consists of blocks of limestone and granite. It was built on a natural limestone hill. After the pyramid has lost several layers of lining, this hill is partially visible on the eastern, northern and southern sides of the pyramid. Despite the fact that the Pyramid of Cheops is the tallest and most voluminous of all Egyptian pyramids, Pharaoh Sneferu built the pyramids in Meidum and Dahshur (the Bent Pyramid and the Pink Pyramid), the total mass of which is estimated at 8.4 million tons.
Initially, the pyramid was lined with white limestone, harder than the main blocks. The top of the pyramid was crowned with a gilded stone - a pyramidion (ancient Egyptian - "Benben"). The cladding shone in the sun with a peach color, as if "a shining miracle, to which the sun god Ra himself seemed to give all his rays." In 1168, the Arabs sacked and burned Cairo. The inhabitants of Cairo removed the lining from the pyramid in order to build new houses.
Statistical data
Pyramid of Cheops in the 19th century
Map of the necropolis near the pyramid of Cheops
- Height (today): ≈ 136.5 m
- Sidewall Angle (Now): 51° 50"
- Side rib length (original): 230.33 m (calculated) or about 440 royal cubits
- Side rib 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 (originally): ≈ 53,000 m2 (5.3 ha)
- The area of the side surface of the pyramid (initially): ≈ 85,500 m 2
- Base perimeter: 922 meters
- The total volume of the pyramid without deducting the cavities inside the pyramid (initially): ≈ 2.58 million m 3
- The total volume of the pyramid minus all known cavities (initially): 2.50 million m3
- Average volume of stone blocks: 1.147 m3
- Average weight of stone blocks: 2.5 tons
- The heaviest stone block: about 35 tons - is located above the entrance to the "King's Chamber".
- The number of blocks of the average volume does not exceed 1.65 million (2.50 million m³ - 0.6 million m³ of rocky base inside the pyramid = 1.9 million m 3 / 1.147 m 3 = 1.65 million blocks of the specified volume can physically fit in the pyramid , without taking into account the volume of the solution in the interblock seams); reference to a 20-year construction period * 300 working days per year * 10 working hours per day * 60 minutes per hour results in a paving (and delivery to the construction site) speed of about a block of two minutes.
- According to estimates, the total weight of the pyramid is about 4 million tons (1.65 million blocks x 2.5 tons)
- The base of the pyramid rests on a natural rocky elevation with a height in the center of about 12-14 m and, according to the latest data, occupies at least 23% of the original volume of the pyramid
- The number of layers (tiers) of stone blocks - 210 (at the time of construction). Now the layers are 203.
Side concavity
The concavity of the sides of the pyramid of Cheops
When the sun moves around the pyramid, you can notice the unevenness - the concavity of the central part of the walls. Perhaps the reason for this is erosion or damage resulting from the fall of the stone cladding. It is also possible that this was deliberately done during construction. As Vito Maragioglio and Celeste Rinaldi note, the pyramid of Menkaure no longer has such a concavity of the sides. I.E.S. Edwards explains this feature by the fact that the central part of each side was simply pressed inward from a large mass of stone blocks over time. [ ]
As in the 18th century, when this phenomenon was discovered, today there is still no satisfactory explanation for this feature of architecture.
Observation of the concavity of the sides at the end of the 19th century, Description of Egypt
Tilt angle
It is not possible to accurately determine the original parameters of the pyramid, since its edges and surfaces are currently mostly dismantled and destroyed. This makes it difficult to calculate the exact angle of inclination. In addition, its symmetry itself is not perfect, so deviations in numbers are observed with different measurements.
Geometric study of ventilation tunnels
The study of the geometry of the Great Pyramid does not give an unambiguous answer to the question of the original proportions of this structure. It is assumed that the Egyptians had an idea about the Golden Ratio and the number pi, which were reflected in the proportions of the pyramid: for example, the ratio of height to base is 14/22 (height \u003d 280 cubits, and base \u003d 440 cubits, 280/440 \u003d 14 / 22). For the first time in world history, these values were used in the construction of the pyramid at Meidum. However, for pyramids of later eras, these proportions were not used anywhere else, as, for example, some have height-to-base ratios, such as 6/5 (Pink Pyramid), 4/3 (Chefren's Pyramid) or 7/5 (Broken Pyramid).
Some of the theories consider the pyramid to be an astronomical observatory. It is alleged that the corridors of the pyramid point exactly towards the "polar star" of that time - Tuban, the ventilation corridors of the south side - to the star Sirius, and from the north side - to the star Alnitak.
Internal structure
Cross section of the pyramid of Cheops:
The entrance to the pyramid is at a height of 15.63 meters on the north side. The entrance is formed by stone slabs laid in the form of an arch, but this is a structure that was inside the pyramid - the true entrance has not been preserved. The true entrance to the pyramid was most likely closed with a stone plug. A description of such a cork can be found in Strabo, and its appearance can also be imagined based on the surviving slab that closed the upper entrance to the Bent Pyramid of Snefru, the father of Cheops. Today, tourists enter the pyramid through a 17-meter gap, which was made in 820 by the Baghdad caliph Abdullah al-Mamun 10 meters lower. He hoped to find the innumerable treasures of the pharaoh there, but found there only a layer of dust half a cubit thick.
Inside the pyramid of Cheops are three burial chambers located one above the other.
Funeral "pit"
Underground Chamber Maps
A descending corridor 105 m long, inclined at 26° 26’46, leads to a horizontal corridor 8.9 m long leading to the chamber 5 . Located below ground level in a rocky limestone base, it was left unfinished. The dimensions of the chamber are 14 × 8.1 m, it is elongated from east to west. The height reaches 3.5 m, the ceiling has a large crack. At the southern wall of the chamber there is a well about 3 m deep, from which a narrow manhole (0.7 × 0.7 m in cross section) stretches southward for 16 m, ending in a dead end. Engineers John Shae Perring and Richard William Howard Vyse cleared the floor of the chamber in the early 19th century and dug a 11.6 m deep well in which they hoped to find a hidden burial chamber. They were based on the evidence of Herodotus, who claimed that the body of Cheops was on an island surrounded by a channel in a hidden underground chamber. Their excavations turned up nothing. Later research showed that the chamber was left unfinished, and it was decided to arrange the burial chambers in the center of the pyramid itself.
Ascending Corridor and Queen's Chambers
From the first third of the descending passage (after 18 m from the main entrance) upwards at the same angle of 26.5 ° there is an ascending passage to the south ( 6 ) about 40 m long, ending at the bottom of the Great Gallery ( 9 ).
At its beginning, the ascending passage contains 3 large cubic granite “plugs”, which, from the outside, from the descending passage, were masked by a block of limestone that fell out during the work of al-Mamun. Thus, for the first 3000 years from the construction of the pyramid (including during the era of its active visits in Antiquity), it was believed that there were no other rooms in the Great Pyramid except for the descending passage and the underground chamber. Al-Ma'mun failed to break through these plugs and simply hollowed out a bypass in the softer limestone to the right of them. This passage is still in use today. There are two main theories about plugs, one of them is that the ascending passage has plugs installed at the beginning of construction and thus this passage was sealed by them from the very beginning. The second asserts that the present narrowing of the walls was caused by an earthquake, and the plugs were previously located within the Great Gallery and were used to seal the passage only after the burial of the pharaoh.
An important mystery of this section of the ascending passage is that in the place where the traffic jams are now located, in a full-size, albeit shortened model of the pyramid passages - the so-called test corridors north of the Great Pyramid - there is a junction of not two, but three corridors at once, the third of which is the vertical tunnel. Since no one has been able to move the traffic jams so far, the question of whether there is a vertical hole above them remains open.
In the middle of the ascending passage, the construction of the walls has a peculiarity: the so-called “frame stones” are installed in three places - that is, the passage, square along the entire length, pierces through three monoliths. The purpose of these stones is unknown. In the area of the frame stones, the passage walls have several small niches.
A horizontal corridor 35 m long and 1.75 m high leads to the second burial chamber from the lower part of the Great Gallery in a southerly direction. . Behind the western wall of the passage there are cavities filled with sand. The second chamber is traditionally called the "Queen's Chamber", although according to the rite, the wives of the pharaohs were buried in separate small pyramids. The "Queen's Chamber", lined with limestone, has 5.74 meters from east to west and 5.23 meters from north to south; its maximum height is 6.22 meters. There is a high niche in the eastern wall of the chamber.
Blueprint of the Queen's Chamber ( 7 )
Niche in the wall of the Queen's Chamber
Corridor at the entrance to the Queen's Hall (1910)
Entrance to the Queen's Chamber (1910)
Niche in the Queen's Chamber (1910)
Ventilation duct in the queen's chamber (1910)
Corridor to ascending tunnel ( 12 )
Granite Plug (1910)
Corridor to the ascending tunnel (left - closing blocks)
Grotto, Grand Gallery and Pharaoh's Chambers
Another branch from the lower part of the Grand Gallery is a narrow almost vertical shaft about 60 m high, leading to the lower part of the descending passage. There is an assumption that it was intended for the evacuation of workers or priests who were completing the "sealing" of the main passage to the "King's Chamber". Approximately in the middle of it there is a small, most likely natural extension - the "Grotto" (Grotto) of irregular shape, in which several people could fit from strength. Grotto ( 12 ) is located at the "junction" of the masonry of the pyramid and a small, about 9 meters high, hill on a limestone plateau lying at the base of the Great Pyramid. The walls of the Grotto are partially reinforced with ancient masonry, and since some of its stones are too large, there is an assumption that the Grotto existed on the Giza plateau as an independent structure long before the construction of the pyramids, and the evacuation shaft itself was built taking into account the location of the Grotto. However, taking into account the fact that the shaft was actually hollowed out in the already laid masonry, and not laid out, as evidenced by its irregular circular section, the question arises of how the builders managed to accurately reach the Grotto.
The large gallery continues the ascending passage. Its height is 8.53 m, it is rectangular in cross section, with walls slightly tapering upwards (the so-called “false vault”), a high inclined tunnel 46.6 m long. 1 meter wide and 60 cm deep, and on both side protrusions there are 27 pairs of recesses of unclear purpose. The deepening ends with the so-called. The “Big Step” is a high horizontal ledge, a platform of 1 × 2 meters at the end of the Great Gallery, directly in front of the entrance to the “entrance hall” - the Anterior Chamber. The site has a pair of recesses similar to the ramp recesses, recesses at the corners near the wall (the 28th and last pair of BG recesses). Through the "entrance hall" the manhole leads to the burial chamber "King's Chamber" lined with black granite, where an empty granite sarcophagus is placed. The lid of the sarcophagus is missing. Ventilation shafts have mouths in the "King's Chamber" on the southern and northern walls at a height of about a meter from the floor level. The mouth of the southern ventilation shaft is badly damaged, the northern one appears undamaged. The floor, ceiling, walls of the chamber do not have any decorations or holes or fasteners of anything related to the time of the construction of the pyramid. The ceiling slabs have all burst along the southern wall and do not fall into the room only due to the pressure of the overlying blocks by the weight.
Above the "King's Chamber" there are five unloading cavities with a total height of 17 m discovered in the 19th century, between which monolithic granite slabs about 2 m thick lie, and above - a gable limestone ceiling. It is believed that their purpose is to distribute the weight of the overlying layers of the pyramid (about a million tons) in order to protect the "King's Chamber" from pressure. Graffiti has been found in these voids, probably left by workers.
Interior of the Grotto (1910)
Grotto drawing (1910)
Drawing connecting the Grotto with the Grand Gallery (1910)
Tunnel Entrance (1910)
View of the Grand Gallery from the entrance to the premises
Grand Gallery
Grand Gallery (1910)
Drawing of the Pharaoh's Chamber
pharaoh's chamber
Pharaoh's Chamber (1910)
Interior of the vestibule in front of the king's chamber (1910)
Channel "ventilation" at the south wall of the king's room (1910)
ventilation ducts
From the “King’s Chamber” and the “Queen’s Chamber” in the north and south directions (at first horizontally, then obliquely upwards) the so-called “ventilation” channels 20-25 cm wide depart. At the same time, the channels of the “King’s Chamber”, known since the 17th century, through, they are open both from below and from above (on the faces of the pyramid), while the lower ends of the channels of the "Queen's Chamber" are separated from the surface of the wall by about 13 cm, they were discovered by tapping in 1872. The upper ends of the shafts of the "Queen's Chamber" do not reach the surface of about 12 meters, and are closed with stone "Gantenbrink Doors", each with two copper handles. Copper handles were sealed with plaster seals (not preserved, but traces remained). In the southern ventilation shaft, the “door” was discovered in 1993 using the Upuaut II remote-controlled robot; the bend of the northern mine did not allow then to find in it the same “door” by this robot. In 2002, using a new modification of the robot, a hole was drilled in the southern "door", but a small cavity 18 centimeters long and another stone "door" were found behind it. What lies next is still unknown. This robot confirmed the presence of a similar "door" at the end of the northern channel, but they did not drill it. A new robot in 2010 was able to insert a serpentine television camera through a drilled hole in the southern “door” and found that the copper “handles” on the other side of the “door” were designed in the form of neat hinges, and separate badges were applied in red ocher on the floor of the “ventilation” shaft. Currently, the most common version is that the purpose of the "ventilation" ducts was of a religious nature and is associated with the Egyptians' ideas about the afterlife journey of the soul. And the “door” at the end of the channel is nothing more than a door to the afterlife. That is why it does not go to the surface of the pyramid. At the same time, the shafts of the upper burial chamber have through exits to the outside and inside of the room; it is not clear if this is due to some change in ritual; since the outer few meters of the facing of the pyramid have been destroyed, it is not clear whether the "Gantenbrink Doors" were in the upper shafts. (could be in the place where the mine was not preserved). In the southern upper mine there is a so-called. "Cheops niches" - strange expansions and grooves, which, perhaps, contained a "door". In the northern upper there are no "niches" at all.
Research history
Recent ResearchThere are those dedicated to the pyramids
Of course, everyone knows where the Cheops pyramid is located. After all, this is one of the most outstanding monuments not only of Egypt, but of the entire planet. And despite the achievements of modern science, the secrets of the pyramid of Cheops are still unsolved. This is one of the reasons why this huge structure attracts many tourists, as well as the fact that it is the only wonder of the world that has survived to this day.
This place really has some special magnetism. And even numerous souvenir sellers and camel drivers who want to make money on curious tourists do not spoil the overall impression. Looking ahead, I will say that the Cheops pyramid inside is not as amazing as the outside. And if you decide to save on the "internal" tour, you will not lose much. Moreover, I would not recommend going inside for people with claustrophobia, breathing problems or heart problems. The corridors here are quite narrow, and the air is heavy and stuffy, despite the presence of ventilation ducts. By the way, sightseeing tours are often very rich and do not provide time to get acquainted with the pyramidal structures inside. Therefore, be sure to clarify this point in advance, if you still decide to get in touch with the secret from withinJ
Construction history
The most famous pyramidal structure owes its “birth” to Pharaoh Khufu, who ruled Egypt for at least 27 years. According to legend, a huge amount of money was spent on the creation of this great monument, which led to the weakening of the state. Scientists do not yet have a consensus on how this is true. But it is clear that a lot of resources have been expended. After all, the original height of the pyramid of Cheops is 146.6 meters. But what is remarkable, it looks somewhat lower than the neighboring building. And not only because she “lost” the top. The son of Cheops, building his pyramid, cheated a little by choosing a place 10 meters higher.
There are many versions of how the Cheops pyramid was built, consisting of 2.3 million stone blocks. Their total weight is approximately 6.5 million tons. Stone blocks are carefully fitted to each other and fastened with a special composition - pink gypsum "milk". The walls are sloped at 52 degrees and embody the number pi. This giant is located on an area of 5 hectares. The scheme of the Cheops pyramid clearly demonstrates that inside it is practically a monolith, in which there are only a few corridors, halls and ventilation ducts. To avoid plunder, the ancient Egyptians placed special mechanisms inside. But the traps of the Cheops pyramid, religious prohibitions and other tricks did not save the building from robbers.
There is also no exact information about how old the pyramid of Cheops is. Its age is estimated at only approximately 4.5 thousand years. But some researchers believe that the monument could have been erected much earlier - as early as the 11th millennium BC, and that representatives of extraterrestrial civilizations were involved in the construction.
There are many legends about this building. But I also picked up interesting facts about the pyramid of Cheops, confirmed by scientific research. Among them are those that are still little known. And if you have never been here on an excursion, then you are unlikely to be aware that:
- For almost three thousand years, the Cheops pyramid was the tallest building in the world. She gave the "palm" only in 1311 - at that time the construction of the Cathedral was completed in Lincoln. Sometimes the Eiffel Tower, built in the late 19th century, is mistakenly called the new record holder. In fact, even before it there were structures higher than the pyramid of Cheops. These are mainly temple buildings, as well as the Washington Memorial.
- Many consider the pyramid to be the tomb of the pharaoh. But this is a delusion, since the Egyptian ruler was buried in the Valley of the Kings, and his body was never inside the structure. But still there is a direct connection with the pharaoh. The pyramid functionally played the role of a kind of "suitcase". Within its walls are many things that, according to the ancient Egyptians, are necessary for a royal person in the afterlife.
- For a long time it was believed that the pyramids were built by slaves. But as modern researchers have proven, free residents of Ancient Egypt, who also had high professional qualifications, were employed in the construction. The dimensions and proportions of the Cheops pyramid are perfectly calculated, and the construction is built with impeccable accuracy.
- For the first time in writing, the Cheops pyramid in Egypt is mentioned in the works of Herodotus. The author describes his own impressions of visiting this religious building and shares the information he received from local priests. This work is dated 440 BC. However, Herodotus failed to obtain any valuable information, except for some geometric data.
- The Pyramid of Cheops has its own "birthday" The Egyptians celebrate it on August 23, and this day is a national holiday. However, this holiday appeared in Egypt quite recently - only in 2009, and has only a presumptive relation to the exact date of the start of construction. This hypothesis was put forward by scientists from Cambridge.
But, nevertheless, on this day too many tourists gather here, and if you want to see the main Egyptian attraction in a relaxed atmosphere, do not plan an excursion for this day. There are also other nuances that are useful to know if you are going to get acquainted with this wonder of the world with your own eyes.
Useful information
The Pyramid of Cheops on the map is located on the left and slightly south of Cairo, in Giza. It is from the Egyptian capital that it is most convenient to get to this pyramidal complex, where, in addition to the famous tomb of Khufu, you will also see the pyramids of the son and grandson of the pharaoh (Khephren and Mikerin), which are somewhat lower. It is the best preserved pyramid complex in the entire country. The journey from Cairo takes about 20 minutes. A sightseeing tour can be purchased both directly in the capital and in any of the resorts. The road from Hugarda is about 5-6 hours by bus, from Sherm al-Sheikh - from 7 to 8 hours.
- When buying excursions from these cities, do not focus on the cheapest offers - there is a risk of being in an uncomfortable bus without air conditioning, which, at high Egyptian temperatures, can spoil the whole impression of the excursion.
- Entrance to the territory is paid (80 and 40 EGP for adults and children, respectively). Entrance inside is paid separately - (200 EGP for adults and half the children's ticket). You will also have to pay extra for photography inside.
- Be sure to check the weather forecast. If there is a strong wind in the future, it is better to postpone the trip, as everything will be in the sand. And do not forget to take a hat - this is protection from both the heat and annoying sellers.
The number of internal visits is limited (300 people per day), so the chances of getting inside the pyramidal complex on your own, not as part of an excursion group, are not too high. But you can take magnificent photos against the backdrop of the most famous Egyptian monument in any case, and they will remind you of this fascinating journey for a long time.
) is truly a wonder of the world. From the foot to the top, it reaches 137.3 meters, and before it lost the top, its height was 146.7 meters. A century and a half ago, it was the tallest building in the world, only in 1880 it was exceeded by two built-on towers of the Cologne Cathedral (by 20 meters), and in 1889 by the Eiffel Tower. The sides of its base are 230.4 meters, the area is 5.4 hectares. Its initial volume was 2,520,000 cubic meters; now it is about 170,000 cubic meters smaller, because for centuries the pyramid was used as a quarry. About 2,250,000 stone blocks were used for its construction, each with a volume of more than a cubic meter; this material would be enough to build a city with a hundred thousand inhabitants. Its weight is 6.5-7 million tons. If it were hollow, it would include a launcher for space rockets. According to experts, even the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima would not have destroyed it.
It was built, according to the most common dating, in 2560-2540. BC BC, although some scientists give dates about 150 years earlier. Inside the pyramid are three chambers corresponding to the three stages of its construction. The first chamber is carved into the rock at a depth of about 30 meters below the base of the pyramid and not exactly in the middle of it; its area - 8 x 14 meters, height - 3.5 meters. It remained unfinished, as well as the second, which is located in the core of the pyramid, exactly under the top, at a height of about 20 meters above the base; its area is 5.7 x 5.2 meters, the vaulted ceiling reaches a height of 6.7 meters; once it was called the "tomb of the queen." The third chamber is the tomb of the king; unlike the other two, it is finished; in it was found the sarcophagus of Cheops. It was built at a height of 42.3 meters above the base and slightly south of the axis of the pyramid; its dimensions are 10.4 x 5.2 meters; height - 5.8 meters. It is lined with immaculately polished and carefully fitted granite slabs; above the ceiling there are five unloading chambers, the total height of which is 17 meters. They take on the weight of about a million tons of stone mass so that it does not press directly on the burial chamber.
The pharaoh's sarcophagus is wider than the entrance to the chamber. It was carved from a single piece of brownish-gray granite, without a date or an inscription, and rather badly damaged. It stands in the western corner of the tomb, right on the floor. It was placed here during construction, and, apparently, no one has moved since then. This sarcophagus looks like it was cast from metal. But the body of Cheops himself is not in it.
All three cells have "antechambers" and are all connected by corridors or shafts. Some mines end in a dead end. Two shafts lead from the royal tomb to the surface of the pyramid, going out approximately in the middle of the northern and southern walls. One of their purposes is to provide ventilation; perhaps there were others.
Discovery: Exploding history. Secrets of the Great Pyramid
The original entrance to the pyramid is located on the north side, 25 meters above the base. Now another entrance leads to the pyramid, punched in 820 by the caliph Mamun, who hoped to discover the pharaoh's untold treasures, but found nothing. This entrance is located about 15 meters lower than the previous one, almost in the very center of the north side.
The Great Pyramid was surrounded by no less labor-intensive and expensive buildings. Herodotus, who saw the road leading from the upper (mortuary) temple to the lower, which was lined with polished slabs and had a width of 18 meters, called its construction a work "almost as huge as the construction of the pyramid itself." Now some 80 meters of it have survived - the road disappeared at the end of the 19th century during the construction of the village of Nazlat es-Simman, now, like Giza, which has become part of Cairo. Somewhere in its place stood a lower temple, 30 meters high, but it probably fell victim to people looking for building material in ancient times.
Of the buildings surrounding the Great Pyramid, only the ruins of the upper (mortuary) temple and three satellite pyramids have survived. Traces of the temple were discovered in 1939 by the Egyptian archaeologist Abu Seif. As usual, it was to the east of the pyramid, and its pediment had a length of 100 Egyptian cubits (52.5 meters); it was built of Turkish limestone, had a courtyard with 38 square granite pillars, 12 of the same pillars stood in the vestibule in front of a small sanctuary. On both sides of it, about 10 meters away, during the excavations, two “docks” hollowed out in a limestone plateau were found, where “solar boats” were probably kept, the third such “dock” was found to the left of the road to the lower temple. Unfortunately, the "docks" turned out to be empty, but archaeologists were rewarded by the chance discovery of two more such "docks" in 1954. In one of them rested a perfectly preserved boat - the most ancient ship in the world. Its length is 36 meters, and it is made of cedar.
The satellite pyramids also stand to the east of the Great Pyramid, although they were usually built to the south. The pyramids are located from north to south "by height", the side of the square base of the first pyramid is 49.5 meters, the second - 49, the third - 46.9. Each of them had a stone fence, a mortuary chapel and a burial chamber, into which a sheer shaft led; in addition, next to the first was a "dock" for the "solar boat". Most scholars believe that these pyramids belonged to the wives of Khufu, of whom the first (main), according to ancient custom, was probably his sister. The names of the first two are unknown to us, the third was called Henutsen.
All three satellite pyramids are quite well preserved, only they are devoid of external cladding.
Apparently, to the east of the first one, it was supposed to build another one, of a larger size, but construction was stopped. According to one hypothesis, it was intended for Queen Hetepheres, the wife of the pharaoh Sneferu and Khufu's mother. In the end, Khufu decided to build for her a secret tomb in the rock a little to the north. This tomb was actually hidden ... until January 1925, when the photographer Reisner's tripod fell into the gap between the camouflage blocks. Then the members of the Harvard-Boston expedition carried out treasures for three months: thousands of small gold plaques, pieces of furniture and household utensils; gold and silver bracelets, cosmetic boxes with "shadows" for eyeliner, manicure knives, jewelry boxes with the name of the queen. Canopies with its insides and an alabaster sarcophagus were found, which, however, turned out to be empty. This is the first intact tomb of a member of the royal family of the era of the Old Kingdom.
The Great Pyramid was surrounded by a ten-meter stone wall. The ruins of the wall show that it was 3 meters thick and separated from the pyramid by 10.5 meters. Near it, in the distance, there were mastabas (tombs) of dignitaries: almost a hundred of them survived on the north side, more than ten on the south, about forty on the east.
The Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt is one of the oldest and well-preserved architectural monuments. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and is the center of attraction for tourists from all over the world. For many millennia, the pyramid of Cheops remained the tallest building on the planet.
History and secrets of the construction of the pyramid
The pyramid began to be built during the lifetime of Pharaoh Cheops (Khufu), for whom it was supposed to serve as a tomb. The exact date of foundation is unknown, although all possible research methods were used to establish it. Their results vary. Scientists call 2720 BC. e, 2577 BC. e. and 2708 BC. e. At the same time, in Egypt itself, the official date of the foundation of the pyramid is considered August 23, 2560 B.C. uh.
Another problem in establishing the age of the Cheops pyramid is that there is no mention of it in ancient papyri. For the first time in the 5th century BC. e. the building is described by Herodotus.
As for construction technology, everything is also ambiguous here. Some scientists seriously suggest that the tomb of Cheops was erected by aliens. So striking is its scale, the accuracy of mathematical calculations and the quality of construction.
Interesting fact! The construction of one of the Seven Wonders of the World could take 20-40 years.
For the construction of the pyramid of Cheops, a place with stable and dense soil was chosen. Main material - limestone, blocks of which were cut out of the rock, and then hewn. The weight of one block was 2.5 tons, and some copies - several tens of tons. The methods of their transportation and lifting are still a mystery.
Description of the building
Visually, the pyramid of Cheops looks like a stepped mountain. Its base covers an area of 53,000 square meters. m. Previously, the surface was covered with durable, cladding tiles shining in the sun, but now they are completely absent. Some of them were removed in 1168 by the Arabs who plundered the city, and some by the Egyptians themselves for the construction of dwellings.
The initial height of the Cheops pyramid was 149 m. Over the centuries, it has collapsed and sank somewhat, so now the landmark of Egypt is 11 meters lower. To understand the scale of construction, it is worth knowing that this is the height of a 50-story building.
The blocks in the pyramid are stacked in layers. The height of each layer varies and fluctuates in the range of 60-150 cm. This may indicate that during the construction process there were periods of excess and shortage of labor.
It is noticeable to the naked eye that the sides of the pyramid are concave. Now none of the scientists is ready to answer for sure whether this is the result of a subsidence of the structure or it was originally conceived that way.
The entrance to the tomb of Cheops is located on its northern side at a height of almost 16 meters. It is formed in a certain way by stacked stones.
Interesting fact! The true entrance to the pyramid of Cheops has not been preserved; it is blocked by a granite plug. The entrance that tourists and researchers now use is a breach made by one of the Baghdad caliphs. In the building, he wanted to find the treasures of the pharaoh.
The interior of the pyramid
Inside the pyramid of Cheops are burial chambers connected by descending and ascending corridors. The main premises of the building:
- burial chamber of the pharaoh;
- unfinished chamber number 5;
- "Queen's Chamber";
- Big gallery.
A descending corridor leads from the entrance to the burial chambers, the length of which is 105 m. In the first third it has a fork: one corridor continues to go down and leads to the unfinished chamber number 5, the second leads up to the tombs of the pharaoh and his wife.
To get into the burial chamber of the pharaoh, you need to go through the ascending Great Gallery - a tunnel 2 m wide and 8.74 m high. In the lower part of the walls in the gallery there are paired ledges, the purpose of which is unknown. These can be receptacles for a lifting, locking or other massive mechanism.
The burial chamber of the pharaoh is quite spacious. Its floor is located at a height of 43 m from the base of the structure. It is difficult to determine the exact height of the ceilings, since the surface of the floor and walls is severely deformed. Carefully polished granite was used to finish the chamber. In the room there is a granite sarcophagus of Cheops, on which there are no inscriptions and decor, there is no cover.
"Queen's Chamber" should not be in the tomb of the pharaoh, since the wives of the rulers were buried separately. However, the stepped niche in the room suggests that this is a female burial. The chamber has a rectangular shape and a gable roof supported by walls about 4.5 m high.
Interesting fact! The pyramid of Cheops inside is extremely laconic. There you will not find wall inscriptions, rich decorations, decor. It is assumed that if something valuable was stored in the tomb, it was taken out long before the first researchers came there.
Interesting facts about the pyramid of Cheops
There are many interesting facts and scientific theories, mysterious rumors and legends in the history of the existence of the Cheops pyramid. Not a single tour is complete without getting to know them.
Here are some of them:
- The approximate weight of the structure is 6.5 million tons.
- The construction took 2.25 million limestone blocks.
- Inside the pyramid, the temperature does not rise above +20 ℃, even if it is +50 ℃ outside.
- There is an assumption that the tomb of Cheops served the ancient Egyptians as an observatory, since its faces correspond to the four cardinal points.
- It is believed that the builders of the tomb had excellent knowledge about the circumference of the Earth, the speed of light, the golden ratio, mathematical quantities that were somehow incorporated into the structure.
- Contrary to popular belief, it is believed that the pyramid was built not by slaves, but by professional masons.
- Scientists have not been able to prove that the body of Cheops once lay in the sarcophagus of the tomb.
- Inside the pyramid there are narrow shafts, walking along which the wind makes certain sounds.
- There is a version that the Egyptians only rebuilt the pyramid, created by representatives of the previous civilization.
Note! Scanning of the pyramid and other modern research suggests that there are several more rooms inside that have yet to be explored.
Attraction visit
Visits the Pyramid of Cheops about 3 million people a year. They inspect not only one of the Seven Wonders of the World, but also the surrounding buildings. These are three satellite pyramids, the ruins of an ancient temple, as well as a modern museum, where an ancient Egyptian boat is exhibited as the main exhibit.
At night, tourists are shown a light and sound show, when each building is illuminated by searchlights and their history and interesting facts are told. In a small shop there is an opportunity to buy memorable souvenirs.
