DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6551#0030
6
OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZEll.
and of granite, were lying around it; particularly on the
northern side, in which the above-mentioned excava-
tions had been made. Some of these had been taken
away at the centre; but the difficulty of removing the
heavy masses without the assistance of machinery, had
put a stop to the operation. Opposite the centre, and
at some little distance from the base of the Pyramid, a
pit about 20 or 30 feet square had been excavated in
the rubbish, the sides of which had been supported by
a revetment of large stones. Several blocks had been
forced from a pavement at the bottom of this pit, it would
seem in search of an entrance into the Pyramid, and many
others yet remained there, similar to those afterwards
uncovered to the eastward; but there was no appearance
that the Pyramid had ever been opened.
The three smaller Pyramids south of the third, and
the three east of the Great Pyramid, were more or less
dilapidated, but were closed up.
We took the angles of the entrance of the Great, and
of the Second, Pyramids; but, having no other instru-
ments than a fine edge and level, and the surface of the
stone being rough and uneven, notwithstanding the
exquisite regularity and perfection of the masonry, our
mensurations, probably, were wrong, as we afterwards
found that they did not accord with those taken subse-
quently with a theodolite, by Mr. Perring. We carefully
examined Davison's Chamber in the Great Pyramid ; and
the result of this examination was a conjecture, that it
formed a sort of entresol between the King's Chamber
and some large sepulchral apartment over it, to which
the inclined ceiling of the Great Passage was, probably,
an entrance. I also thought that the channels proceed-
OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZEll.
and of granite, were lying around it; particularly on the
northern side, in which the above-mentioned excava-
tions had been made. Some of these had been taken
away at the centre; but the difficulty of removing the
heavy masses without the assistance of machinery, had
put a stop to the operation. Opposite the centre, and
at some little distance from the base of the Pyramid, a
pit about 20 or 30 feet square had been excavated in
the rubbish, the sides of which had been supported by
a revetment of large stones. Several blocks had been
forced from a pavement at the bottom of this pit, it would
seem in search of an entrance into the Pyramid, and many
others yet remained there, similar to those afterwards
uncovered to the eastward; but there was no appearance
that the Pyramid had ever been opened.
The three smaller Pyramids south of the third, and
the three east of the Great Pyramid, were more or less
dilapidated, but were closed up.
We took the angles of the entrance of the Great, and
of the Second, Pyramids; but, having no other instru-
ments than a fine edge and level, and the surface of the
stone being rough and uneven, notwithstanding the
exquisite regularity and perfection of the masonry, our
mensurations, probably, were wrong, as we afterwards
found that they did not accord with those taken subse-
quently with a theodolite, by Mr. Perring. We carefully
examined Davison's Chamber in the Great Pyramid ; and
the result of this examination was a conjecture, that it
formed a sort of entresol between the King's Chamber
and some large sepulchral apartment over it, to which
the inclined ceiling of the Great Passage was, probably,
an entrance. I also thought that the channels proceed-