Howard-Vyse, Richard William Howard: Operations carried on at the Pyramids of Gizeh in 1837: with an account of a voyage into upper Egypt, and Appendix (Band 1) (London, 1840)

OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZEII. 169

tered, and in which Sign or Belzoni worked, until he was
obliged to desist from the loose and irregular construc-
tion of the building. In many parts the stones have
collapsed, and a good deal of rain-water and drifted sand
have penetrated, from time to time, from the north-west,
through the loose joints of the masonry. The excavation
must have been made with great difficulty, and Signor
Belzoni's statement was not exaggerated, for when I
attempted, on the 10th of March, to work in this place,
the men hesitated to proceed; and, as there was no great
chance of success, I gave it up. It is probable that most,
if not all of these magnificent tombs, have been violated
soon after their erection; but it will be afterwards seen
that the three larger pyramids, and many of the smaller,
were subsequently opened by Mussulmen, and apparently
about the same time. Signor Belzoni found the regular
entrance, concealed under a mound, which is now higher
than the top of it, and obstructed only by loose stones
and sand,9 and it is remarkable how well the forms of
the pyramids are calculated for the concealment of an
entrance near the centre of their fronts, as the loose
stones and rubbish produced by decay, or by violence,
chiefly accumulate over these parts. I also observed
that the lower portcullis in this pyramid, which had been
forced out of its socket, moved up into a solid groove;
and, concluding that the portcullis in the upper passage
was similarly constructed, I gave up the idea of its re-
moval, and raised it to a sufficient height, so that a
person could conveniently enter. Signor Belzoni had only
lifted it eight inches, which I ordered to be marked.

f See Athanasi's statement in Appendix.