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Every year, articles appear in the press revealing the secrets of the Great Pyramid. However, every time new questions arise to which scientists have no answer. Now everyone is hearing a new hypothesis, which, if not completely revealing, then comes close to this mystery.
The Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) took 20 years to build
It is known that the pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) was built over a period of 20 years. Basically, about 14 thousand people took part 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 how the Great Pyramids were built. However, scientific minds do not want to stop there. In their opinion, the simplest versions are not able to explain how the masterpiece was built ancient architecture in reality: he makes too much of an impression.
Thus, the French architect Jean-Pierre Houdin offers his own version of the construction technique. In 2006, he proposed an original hypothesis: the upper part of the pyramid (which is about 70% of the height) was built by the ancient Egyptians from the inside.
To understand why this hypothesis is relevant today, you should first take a short excursion into history.
IN last years There are so many versions that even simply listing them would take a lot of time. Of course, aliens with their anti-gravity technology occupy a special place. However, even in the 26th century BC there were many opportunities.
The most likely scheme is also the simplest. According to one hypothesis, workers dragged blocks of limestone using ropes and blocks along long embankments to the top. As an option, there is a spiral stone “path” laid out on the walls of the pyramid itself, along which the stones were delivered to the top. This scheme is characterized by a huge volume of earthworks.
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 and 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 during construction they combined ramps with levers.
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 with 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 heavier in weight than the limestone ones.
There was a hypothesis that the stone blocks were raised using wooden gateways, which were built on the growing walls. In addition, many of the described methods were built based on 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 it must also be based on stone blocks.
During the construction of the Cheops pyramid, ancient Egyptian engineers used a system of internal ramps and tunnels to construct the upper part of this structure...
According to Egyptologist Bob Brier, it's like building two pyramids. Moreover, the remains of such a ramp have not been found anywhere. Brier, by the way, is familiar to us from the recent discovery of construction defects in the Cheops pyramid.
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 “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, 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 still delights architects today. Consequently, "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 using the already discussed external ramp method, which, given the height of the structure, was not yet too bulky. But then the tactics were radically changed.
Houdin believes that the limestone blocks that formed the ramp for 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 Cheops pyramid
In addition, during the construction of new tiers, workers left a large corridor inside the walls, which spiraled upward. Along this corridor, new blocks were raised to the top of the structure. After the work was completed, the tunnel itself was completely hidden from view. Therefore, the road did not even have to be dismantled.
Houdin argues that the paradigm of conventional hypotheses was flawed. The pyramid could not have been built from the outside.
Using computer simulations last year, Houdin visualized his method of building a pyramid and proved that it works. It is interesting that indirect evidence of Jean-Pierre’s correctness was also found in Egypt, directly in the most ancient monument.
At approximately 90 meters in height on the northeastern edge of the Khufu pyramid, near the corner, there is a hole discovered by archaeologists an umpteenth time ago. Of course, Egyptologists are well aware of it, but they cannot say anything specific about the purpose of the room located behind the hole.
Recently, Bob Brier, who has become a proponent of Houdin's hypothesis, climbed inside this hole with a National Geographic team (for the first time, taking detailed photographs). What he saw surprisingly fit into the pattern with an internal inclined corridor.
The fact is that in order to rotate the lifted blocks by 90 degrees, when moving from one side 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 pharaoh's tomb was completed would it be possible to sequentially fill these openings with new blocks drawn 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 raised along the slope 90 degrees in order to push them into the next tunnel. It's like a train depot with a turntable that helps diesel locomotives turn around in cramped conditions to go in a new direction.
The corner sections of the spiral corridor, which were open until the last moment, allowed workers to turn the blocks being lifted 90 degrees using simple levers and ropes.
Brier saw behind the hole an L-shaped hall - the remnant of one such turn. It is located in the very place that Houdin's computer model predicted.
There should be two walled portals located at an angle of 90 degrees to one another. Behind them could well be those same tunnels, running not so deep under the surface of the walls. According to the French architect, the secret of the entire structure 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 only be deciphered by having a general plan in mind. If you simply climbed into this room without thinking about internal ramps and recesses, it will mean nothing to you.
This angular turn may well be the missing link in the Great Pyramid puzzle. Moreover, there is another trace in this story.
French archaeologists visited Giza in 1986 and 1998. They searched for hidden cavities in the Cheops pyramid using microgravimetry. Among other things, the researchers found a void under the queen’s chamber. This cavity, according to them, is the beginning of a corridor leading to the true burial place of Cheops. But in this case we are interested in another involuntary discovery of theirs.
This find 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 “gravimetricians” team, engineer Hui Don Bui. He showed him diagrams showing fluctuations in the density of the material inside the pyramid. One of the drawings showed a spiral-shaped structure running along the outer walls at some depth. Jean-Pierre immediately understood what it was.
According to Bob Brier, if he had not seen that diagram, he would have thought that construction using a twisted tunnel was just another theory. The information obtained by the French forced him to support Houdin's hypothesis.
And to find new hard evidence, says Jean-Pierre, you don’t need to drill into the pyramid or even get inside. To begin with, it will be enough to show these “phantom” corridors in thermal images of the pyramid.
Media files on Wikimedia Commons
Age of the pyramid
The architect of the Great Pyramid is considered to be Hemiun, the vizier and nephew of Cheops. He also bore the title "Manager of all Pharaoh's construction projects." It is assumed that the construction, which lasted twenty years (during the reign of Cheops), ended around 2540 BC. e. .
Existing methods for dating the time when construction of the pyramid began are divided into historical, astronomical and radiocarbon. In Egypt, the date for the start of construction of the Cheops Pyramid was officially established (2009) and 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 obtained with it have been criticized by many Egyptologists. Dates according to other dating methods: 2720 BC. e. (Stephen Hack, University of Nebraska), 2577 BC. e. (Juan Antonio Belmonte, University of Astrophysics in Canaris) and 2708 BC. e. (Pollux, Bauman University). Radiocarbon dating gives a range from 2680 BC. e. to 2850 BC e. Therefore, there is no serious confirmation of the established “birthday” of the pyramid, since Egyptologists cannot agree on exactly what year construction began.
First mention of the pyramid
The complete absence of 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 Arab legends [ ] . Herodotus reported (at least 2 millennia after the appearance of the Great Pyramid) that it was built under a despot pharaoh named Cheops (Greek: Cheops). Koufou), who ruled for 50 years, that 100 thousand people were employed in 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 about the middle pyramid of the Giza plateau that it was built 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 lift the stone, a long winding path to the grave was revealed,” without specifying which pyramid he was talking about; however, the pyramids of the Giza plateau did not have “winding” paths to the tomb at the time Herodotus visited them; on the contrary, the Descending Passage of BP Cheops is distinguished by careful straightforwardness. At that time, no other premises were known in the BP.
Appearance
Surviving fragments of the pyramid's cladding and the remains of the pavement surrounding the building
The pyramid is called "Akhet-Khufu" - "Horizon of Khufu" (or more accurately "Related to the firmament - (it is) Khufu"). Consists of limestone and granite blocks. It was built on a natural limestone hill. After the pyramid has lost several layers of cladding, this hill is partially visible on the eastern, northern and southern sides of the pyramid. Despite the fact that the Cheops pyramid is the tallest and most voluminous of all Egyptian pyramids, yet Pharaoh Snefru built the pyramids in Meidum and Dahshur (Bent Pyramid and Pink Pyramid), the total mass of which is estimated at 8.4 million tons.
Initially, the pyramid was lined with white limestone, which was harder than the main blocks. The top of the pyramid was crowned with a gilded stone - pyramidion (ancient Egyptian - “Benben”). The cladding shone in the sun with a peach color, like “a shining miracle to which the sun god Ra himself seemed to give all his rays.” In 1168, the Arabs sacked and burned Cairo. Residents of Cairo removed the cladding from the pyramid in order to build new houses.
Statistical data
Pyramid of Cheops in the 19th century
Map of the necropolis near the Cheops pyramid
- Height (today): ≈ 136.5 m
- Side angle (current): 51° 50"
- Side rib length (original): 230.33 m (calculated) or about 440 royal cubits
- Side fin length (current): approx. 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
- Foundation area (initially): ≈ 53,000 m2 (5.3 ha)
- Lateral surface area of the pyramid (initially): ≈ 85,500 m2
- Base perimeter: 922 meters
- Total volume of the pyramid without deducting the cavities inside the pyramid (initially): ≈ 2.58 million m3
- Total volume of the pyramid minus all known cavities (initially): 2.50 million m 3
- 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 average volume does not exceed 1.65 million (2.50 million m³ - 0.6 million m³ of rock 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 mortar in interblock joints); referring to a 20-year construction period * 300 working days per year * 10 working hours per day * 60 minutes per hour leads to a speed of laying (and delivery to the construction site) 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 about 12-14 m high in the center 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 is 210 (at the time of construction). Now there are 203 layers.
Concavity of the sides
Concavity of the sides of the Cheops pyramid
When the sun moves around the pyramid, you can notice an unevenness - a concavity in the central part of the walls. This may be due to erosion or damage from falling stone cladding. It is also possible that this was specially done during construction. As Vito Maragioglio and Celeste Rinaldi note, the pyramid of Mycerinus no longer has such concave sides. I.E.S. Edwards explains this feature by saying that the central part of each side was simply pressed inward over time by the large mass of stone blocks. [ ]
As in the 18th century, when this phenomenon was discovered, today there is still no satisfactory explanation for this architectural feature.
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 ideal, so deviations in the numbers are observed with different measurements.
Geometric study of ventilation tunnels
A study of the geometry of the Great Pyramid does not provide a clear 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: thus, the ratio of height to base is 14/22 (height = 280 cubits, and base = 440 cubits, 280/440 = 14/ 22). For the first time in world history, these quantities 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 (Pyramid of Khafre) or 7/5 (Broken Pyramid).
Some of the theories consider the pyramid to be an astronomical observatory. It is argued that the corridors of the pyramid accurately point towards the “pole star” of that time - Thuban, the ventilation corridors on the south side point to the star Sirius, and on the north side to the star Alnitak.
Internal structure
Cross section of the Cheops pyramid:
The entrance to the pyramid is at an altitude 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 the 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 plug can be found in Strabo, and its appearance can also be imagined based on the preserved slab that covered 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 10 meters lower by the Baghdad caliph Abdullah al-Mamun in 820. He hoped to find the pharaoh's countless treasures there, but found there only a layer of dust half a cubit thick.
Inside the Cheops pyramid there are three burial chambers, located one above the other.
Funeral "pit"
Underground Chamber Maps
A 105 m long descending corridor running at an inclination of 26° 26'46 leads to an 8.9 m long horizontal corridor leading to the chamber 5 . Situated below ground level in a limestone bedrock, it remained unfinished. The dimensions of the chamber are 14x8.1 m, it extends 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 in a southern direction for 16 m, ending in a dead end. At the beginning of the 19th century, engineers John Shae Perring and Richard William Howard Vyse cleared the floor of the chamber and dug a well 11.6 m deep, in which they hoped to discover a hidden burial chamber. They were based on the testimony of Herodotus, who claimed that the body of Cheops was on an island surrounded by a canal in a hidden underground chamber. Their excavations came to nothing. Later studies showed that the chamber was abandoned unfinished, and it was decided to build the burial chambers in the center of the pyramid itself.
Ascending Corridor and Queen's Chambers
From the first third of the descending passage (18 m from the main entrance), an ascending passage goes south at the same angle of 26.5° ( 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 other than the descending passage and the underground chamber. Al-Mamun was unable to break through these plugs and simply hollowed out a bypass to the right of them in the softer limestone. This passage is still in use today. There are two main theories about the traffic jams, one of them is based on the fact that the ascending passage has traffic jams installed at the beginning of construction and thus this passage was sealed by them from the very beginning. The second argues that the current 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 funeral 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 the 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 a vertical tunnel. Since no one has yet been able to move the plugs, the question of whether there is a vertical hole above them remains open.
In the middle of the ascending passage, the design of the walls has a peculiarity: in three places the so-called “frame stones” are installed - that is, the passage, square along its entire length, pierces through three monoliths. The purpose of these stones is unknown. In the area of the frame stones, the walls of the passage 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. The walls of this horizontal corridor are made of very large limestone blocks, on which false “seams” are applied, imitating masonry from smaller blocks . Behind western wall passage there are cavities filled with sand. The second chamber is traditionally called the “Queen’s Chamber,” although according to the ritual, the wives of the pharaohs were buried in separate small pyramids. The Queen's Chamber, lined with limestone, measures 5.74 meters from east to west and 5.23 meters from north to south; her maximum height 6.22 meters. There is a high niche in the eastern wall of the chamber.
Drawing 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 the ascending tunnel ( 12 )
Granite plug (1910)
Corridor to the ascending tunnel (on the left are closing blocks)
Grotto, Grand Gallery and Pharaoh's Chambers
Another branch from the lower part of the Great 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 to evacuate 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 at most. Grotto ( 12 ) is located at the “junction” of the masonry of the pyramid and a small, about 9 meters high, hill on the limestone plateau that lies at the base Great Pyramid. The walls of the Grotto are partially reinforced by 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 hollowed out in the already laid masonry, and not laid out, as evidenced by its irregular circular cross-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 upward (the so-called “false vault”), a high inclined tunnel 46.6 m long. In the middle of the Great Gallery along almost the entire length there is a square recess with a regular cross-section measuring 1 meter wide and 60 cm deep, and on both side protrusions there are 27 pairs of recesses of unknown purpose. The recess ends with the so-called. “Big step” - a high horizontal ledge, a 1x2 meter platform at the end of the Great Gallery, immediately before the hole into the “hallway” - the Antechamber. The platform has a pair of ramp recesses similar to those in the corners near the wall (the 28th and last pair of BG recesses). Through the “hallway” a hole leads into the funeral “Tsar’s Chamber” lined with black granite, where an empty granite sarcophagus is located. The sarcophagus lid 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 severely damaged, the northern one appears intact. The floor, ceiling, and walls of the chamber do not have any decorations or holes or fastening elements of anything dating back to the construction of the pyramid. The ceiling slabs have all burst along the southern wall and are not falling into the room only due to the pressure from the weight of the overlying blocks.
Above the “Tsar’s Chamber” there are five unloading cavities with a total height of 17 m discovered in the 19th century, between which lie monolithic granite slabs about 2 m thick, and above there is a gable roof made of limestone. It is believed that their purpose is to distribute the weight of the overlying layers of the pyramid (about a million tons) to protect the “King's Chamber” from pressure. In these voids, graffiti was discovered, probably left by workers.
Interior of the Grotto (1910)
Drawing of a Grotto (1910)
Drawing of the connection of the Grotto with the Great Gallery (1910)
Entrance to the Tunnel (1910)
View of the Great Gallery from the entrance to the room
Large 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 Tsar's chamber (1910)
"Ventilation" channel at the southern wall of the king's room (1910)
Ventilation ducts
From the "King's Chamber" and "Queen's Chamber" in the northern and south directions(first horizontally, then obliquely upward) the so-called “ventilation” channels 20-25 cm wide extend off. At the same time, the channels of the “Tsar’s Chamber”, known since the 17th century, are end-to-end, they are open both below and above (on the edges of the pyramid), then As 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 Queen's Chamber shafts do not reach the surface by about 12 meters, and are closed by stone Gantenbrink Doors, each with two copper handles. The copper handles were sealed with plaster seals (not preserved, but traces remain). In the southern ventilation shaft, the “door” was discovered in 1993 with the help of the remote-controlled robot “Upout II”; the bend of the northern shaft did not allow Then detect the same “door” in it by this robot. In 2002, using a new modification of the robot, a hole was drilled in the southern “door,” but behind it a small cavity 18 centimeters long and another stone “door” were discovered. 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. In 2010, a new robot was able to insert a serpentine television camera into a drilled hole in the southern “door” and discovered that the copper “handles” on that side of the “door” were designed in the form of neat hinges, and individual red ocher icons were painted 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 afterlife journey souls. And the “door” at the end of the channel is nothing more than a door to afterworld. That is why it does not reach the surface of the pyramid. At the same time, the shafts of the upper burial chamber have through exits to the outside and inside the room; it is unclear whether this is due to some change in ritual; Since the outer few meters of the pyramid's lining have been destroyed, it is unclear whether there were "Gantenbrink Doors" in the upper shafts. (could have been in a place where the mine was not preserved). In the southern upper shaft there is a so-called “Cheops niches” are strange extensions and grooves that may have contained a “door”. There are no “niches” at all in the northern upper one.
History of research
Recent ResearchThere are pyramids dedicated to them
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 Cheops pyramid are still unrevealed. This is one of the reasons why this huge structure attracts numerous 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 the numerous souvenir sellers and camel drivers who want to make money from curious tourists do not spoil general impression. Looking ahead, I will say that the Cheops Pyramid inside is not as stunning as the outside. And if you decide to save money on an “internal” excursion, you won’t 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, excursion tours are often very intense and do not allow time to get acquainted with the pyramidal structures inside. Therefore, be sure to clarify this point in advance if you still decide to come into contact with the secret from the inside.
History of construction
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 true this is. But it is clear that a lot of resources were spent. After all, the original height of the Cheops pyramid was 146.6 meters. But what is noteworthy is that it looks slightly 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. The stone blocks are carefully fitted to each other and held together with a special compound - pink gypsum “milk”. The walls have a slope of 52 degrees and embody the number "pi". This giant is located on an area of 5 hectares. The diagram 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 theft, the ancient Egyptians placed special mechanisms inside. But the traps of the Cheops pyramid, religious prohibitions and other tricks did not protect the structure from robbers.
There is also no exact information about how old the Cheops pyramid 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 - back in 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 Interesting Facts about the Cheops pyramid, confirmed by scientific research. Among them are those that still remain little known. And if you have never been here on an excursion, then you are unlikely to know that:
- For almost three thousand years, the Cheops pyramid was the tallest structure in the world. She gave the “Palm of Championship” only in 1311 - at that time construction was completed in Lincoln Cathedral. Sometimes the Eiffel Tower, built at the end of the 19th century, is mistakenly called the new record holder. In fact, before it there were structures higher than the Cheops pyramid. These are mainly temple buildings, as well as the Washington Memorial.
- Many consider the pyramid to be the tomb of a pharaoh. But this is a misconception, 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, were 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 were employed in construction Ancient Egypt who also have high professional qualifications. The dimensions and proportions of the Cheops pyramid are perfectly calculated, and the structure was built with impeccable precision.
- The Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt was first mentioned in writing 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 was unable 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 national holiday. However, this holiday appeared in Egypt quite recently - only in 2009, and has only a tentative relationship to the exact date of the start of construction. This hypothesis was put forward by scientists from Cambridge.
But, nevertheless, too many tourists gather here on this day, and if you want to explore 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 to know this wonder of the world with your own eyes.
Helpful 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 pyramid 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 slightly lower. This is the best preserved pyramidal complex in the entire country. The journey from Cairo takes about 20 minutes. Excursion tour can be purchased both directly in the capital and in any of the resorts. The road from Hugarda is approximately 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 ending up in an uncomfortable bus without air conditioning, which, given the high Egyptian temperatures, can ruin the entire 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 price for a child's ticket). You will also have to pay extra for photography inside.
- Be sure to check the weather forecast. If there is strong wind in the future, it is better to postpone the trip, as everything will be covered in sand. And don’t forget to take a hat - this will protect you from the heat and from pestering 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 very high. But you can take great photos in front of the most famous Egyptian monument in any case, and they will remind you of this exciting 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. Just a century and a half ago, it was the tallest building in the world, only in 1880 it was surpassed by two superstructured 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, each with a volume of more than a cubic meter, were used for its construction; this material would be enough to build a city with a population of one hundred thousand. Its weight is 6.5-7 million tons. If it were hollow, it would fit a space rocket launcher. According to experts, even an atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima would not have destroyed it.
It was built, according to the most common dating, in 2560-2540. BC e., although some scientists give dates about 150 years earlier. Inside the pyramid there 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 is 8 x 14 meters, height is 3.5 meters. It remained unfinished, as did the second, which is located in the core of the pyramid, exactly below 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; it was once called the “tomb of the queen.” The third chamber is the king’s tomb; unlike the other two, it is finished; the sarcophagus of Cheops was found in it. 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 granite slabs carefully fitted to each other; There are five unloading chambers above the ceiling, the total height of which is 17 meters. They take on the weight of about a million tons of rock 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 is hewn from one piece of brown-gray granite, without a date or inscription, and is quite 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 it since then. This sarcophagus looks like it was cast from metal. But the body of Cheops himself is not in it.
All three chambers have "hallways" and are all connected by corridors or shafts. Some mines end in a dead end. Two shafts lead out 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 there is another entrance to the pyramid, made in 820 by the Caliph Mamun, who hoped to discover the countless treasures of the pharaoh, but found nothing. This entrance is located about 15 meters lower than the previous one, almost in the very center of the northern 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 one, 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 only 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 located to the east of the pyramid, and its pediment had a length of 100 Egyptian cubits (52.5 meters); it was built of Tura limestone, had a courtyard with 38 square granite pillars, 12 of the same pillars stood in the vestibule in front of the small sanctuary. On both sides of it, about 10 meters, during excavations, two “docks” were found hollowed out in the limestone plateau, where the “solar boats” were probably kept; a third such “dock” was discovered 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 oldest ship in the world. Its length is 36 meters, and it is made of cedar.
The satellite pyramids also stand east of the Great Pyramid, although they were usually built further south. The pyramids are located from north to south “in 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 funeral chapel and a burial chamber, into which a steep shaft led; in addition, next to the first there was a “dock” for the “solar boat”. Most scientists 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 lack external cladding.
Apparently, it was planned to build another, larger one to the east of the first one, 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 a secret rock tomb for her a little further north. This tomb was actually hidden... until January 1925, when the photographer Reisner's tripod fell into the gap between the camouflage blocks. Then 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, boxes with the name of the queen, filled with jewelry. Canopic jars with her entrails and an alabaster sarcophagus were found, which, however, turned out to be empty. This is the first tomb of a member of the royal family from the Old Kingdom era to be found intact.
Great Pyramid was surrounded by a ten-meter stone wall. The ruins of the wall show that it was 3 meters thick and was 10.5 meters away from the pyramid. Near it, in the distance, there were mastabas (tombs) of dignitaries: almost a hundred of them have been preserved on the northern side, more than ten on the southern side, and about forty on the eastern side.
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 a center of attraction for tourists from all over the world. For many millennia, the Cheops pyramid remained the tallest structure on the planet.
History and secrets of the construction of the pyramid
The construction of the pyramid began 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 founding of the pyramid is considered August 23, 2560 BC 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 construction is described by Herodotus.
As for construction technology, everything here is also ambiguous. Some scientists seriously suggest that the tomb of Cheops was built by aliens. Its scale, the accuracy of mathematical calculations and the quality of construction are so amazing.
Interesting fact! It could take 20-40 years to build one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
For the construction of the Cheops pyramid, 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 specimens weighed several tens of tons. The methods of transporting and lifting them still remain a mystery.
Description of the structure
Visually, the Cheops pyramid looks like a stepped mountain. Its base covers an area of 53,000 square meters. m. Previously, the surface was covered with durable, cladding slabs shining in the sun, but now they are completely absent. Part of it was removed in 1168 by the Arabs who plundered the city, and part of it was taken by the Egyptians themselves to build houses.
The original height of the Cheops pyramid was 149 m. Over its centuries-old history, it has somewhat collapsed and subsided, 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 laid in layers. The height of each layer varies and ranges from 60-150 cm. This may indicate that there were periods of excess and shortage of labor during the construction process.
It is noticeable to the naked eye that pyramid faces are concave. Now none of the scientists is ready to answer for sure whether this is the result of subsidence of the structure or whether it was originally intended.
The entrance to the tomb of Cheops is located on its northern side at an altitude of almost 16 meters. It is formed by stones laid in a certain way.
Interesting fact! The true entrance to the Cheops pyramid has not been preserved; it is blocked with a granite plug. The entrance that tourists and researchers now use is a breach made by one of the Baghdad caliphs. He wanted to find the pharaoh's treasures in the building.
Internal structure of the pyramid
Inside the Cheops pyramid are burial chambers, connected by descending and ascending corridors. Main premises of the building:
- Pharaoh's burial chamber;
- unfinished chamber number 5;
- "Queen's Chamber"
- Large gallery.
From the entrance to the burial chambers there is a descending corridor, 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 to the pharaoh's burial chamber, you need to go through the ascending Great Gallery - a tunnel 2 m wide and 8.74 m high. At the bottom of the walls in the gallery there are paired ledges, the purpose of which is unknown. These can be containers for a lifting, locking or other massive mechanism.
The pharaoh's burial chamber is quite spacious. Its floor is located at a height of 43 m from the base of the structure. It is difficult to establish the exact height of the ceilings, since the surface of the floor and walls is highly deformed. Highly polished granite was used to finish the chamber. In the room there is a granite sarcophagus of Cheops, on which there are no inscriptions or decor, and the lid is missing.
"Queen's Chamber" should not be in the tomb of the pharaoh, since the wives of the rulers were buried separately. However, a 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 is extremely laconic inside. There are no wall inscriptions, rich decorations, or decor to be found there. It is assumed that if anything valuable was stored in the tomb, it was taken out long before the first researchers came there.
Interesting facts about the Cheops pyramid
The history of the Cheops pyramid has many interesting facts and scientific theories, mysterious rumors and legends. Not a single excursion 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 as an observatory for the ancient Egyptians, since its edges correspond to the four cardinal directions.
- 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, and mathematical quantities that were somehow incorporated into the structure.
- Contrary to popular belief, it is believed that the pyramid was not built by slaves, but by professional masons.
- Scientists have never been able to prove that the body of Cheops once lay in the sarcophagus of the tomb.
- Inside the pyramid there are narrow shafts, through 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 studies suggest that there are several more rooms inside it that have yet to be explored.
Visiting an attraction
Visits the Pyramid of Cheops about 3 million people per year. They explore not only one of the Seven Wonders of the World, but also the surrounding buildings. These are three satellite pyramids, ruins ancient temple, as well as a modern museum, where the main exhibit is an ancient Egyptian boat.
At night, tourists are shown a light and sound show, when each structure is illuminated with spotlights and their history and interesting facts are told. In a small shop you can buy memorable souvenirs.
