OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZEII.
99
is, however, a secret passage below the sarcophagus in
the tomb discovered by Signor Belzoni at Thebes.
Mr. Perring sent me several quarry-marks found upon
<3>
the stones taken up in Belzoni's Chamber; and said that
there were also many others, but that they were quite
illegible, and even these do not admit of any interpreta-
tion. No. 1. was found on all the four sides of a block.
The whole of the pavement in Belzoni's Chamber was
examined, and the sarcophagus removed from its place;
it was bedded in a fine cement, upon a large block of
granite, and great hopes were at first entertained that a
secret entrance was concealed beneath it; but, upon
further examination, the granite proved to be merely a slab
from twelve to eighteen inches in thickness; and as the
lower face of it was rough and irregular, it was bedded,
like the sarcophagus, in fine cement, or gypsum ; the rock
appeared solid in every other part; without the slightest
indication of a passage. Mr. Perring is still, however,
°f opinion that the principal chamber in this pyramid
is concealed.
99
is, however, a secret passage below the sarcophagus in
the tomb discovered by Signor Belzoni at Thebes.
Mr. Perring sent me several quarry-marks found upon
<3>
the stones taken up in Belzoni's Chamber; and said that
there were also many others, but that they were quite
illegible, and even these do not admit of any interpreta-
tion. No. 1. was found on all the four sides of a block.
The whole of the pavement in Belzoni's Chamber was
examined, and the sarcophagus removed from its place;
it was bedded in a fine cement, upon a large block of
granite, and great hopes were at first entertained that a
secret entrance was concealed beneath it; but, upon
further examination, the granite proved to be merely a slab
from twelve to eighteen inches in thickness; and as the
lower face of it was rough and irregular, it was bedded,
like the sarcophagus, in fine cement, or gypsum ; the rock
appeared solid in every other part; without the slightest
indication of a passage. Mr. Perring is still, however,
°f opinion that the principal chamber in this pyramid
is concealed.