DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8#0029
{ 28 )
guiar contents ; all credulously looking on the curioua
oblong rectangular granite chest, a fixture in the upper
chamber, as the coffin which had once contained the
corpse of the founder, some slightly measured it, others
reported how it rang like a bell, others that the lid had
been purloined ; and to complete the measure of absur-
dity, call it a sarcophagus : and all record it's dimensions
so vaguely, as to prove they thought precision unne-
cessary.
Mr. Greaves, however, in habits of correctness, for
he was professor of astronomy at Oxford, in his visit to
the pyramid, more than a century ago, measured this
granite Chest very carefully, and states it to be in
length ft7 Ίη.3ί English measure ; and he took great
pains to ascertain all other internal and external dimen-
sions, but the latter he measured on the adventitious
surface, like other visitors before him.
The French, however, while in possession of Egypt,
pushed their researches still further, and not only agree
with Mr. Greaves as to the length of the granite chest,
but moreover dug out the sands at the corners of the
pyramid, till they discovered the apophyge of the reclin-
ing sides ; and there taking the measure, from corner to
corner, at the very foundation, have ascertained the side
of the base to be just 400 of the Nilometer cubits at
Cairo = the great Egyptian stadium; in English
ft.729, in.7f. And the granite chest in the upper cham-
ber is exactly one hundredth part of the said side of base,
being 4 cubits of Cairo = ft.7, in. 3.552 English. Which
is but .052 of an inch more than Mr. Greaves states it,
who probably might have perceived that small fraction,
but on purpose omitted it, to retain the more simple
measure of i, and as of no sort of consequence in an ob-
ject he deemed to be a coffin. I have
guiar contents ; all credulously looking on the curioua
oblong rectangular granite chest, a fixture in the upper
chamber, as the coffin which had once contained the
corpse of the founder, some slightly measured it, others
reported how it rang like a bell, others that the lid had
been purloined ; and to complete the measure of absur-
dity, call it a sarcophagus : and all record it's dimensions
so vaguely, as to prove they thought precision unne-
cessary.
Mr. Greaves, however, in habits of correctness, for
he was professor of astronomy at Oxford, in his visit to
the pyramid, more than a century ago, measured this
granite Chest very carefully, and states it to be in
length ft7 Ίη.3ί English measure ; and he took great
pains to ascertain all other internal and external dimen-
sions, but the latter he measured on the adventitious
surface, like other visitors before him.
The French, however, while in possession of Egypt,
pushed their researches still further, and not only agree
with Mr. Greaves as to the length of the granite chest,
but moreover dug out the sands at the corners of the
pyramid, till they discovered the apophyge of the reclin-
ing sides ; and there taking the measure, from corner to
corner, at the very foundation, have ascertained the side
of the base to be just 400 of the Nilometer cubits at
Cairo = the great Egyptian stadium; in English
ft.729, in.7f. And the granite chest in the upper cham-
ber is exactly one hundredth part of the said side of base,
being 4 cubits of Cairo = ft.7, in. 3.552 English. Which
is but .052 of an inch more than Mr. Greaves states it,
who probably might have perceived that small fraction,
but on purpose omitted it, to retain the more simple
measure of i, and as of no sort of consequence in an ob-
ject he deemed to be a coffin. I have