DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6552#0248
APPENDIX.
209
northern front, which declined at an angle of twenty-six degrees.
The incline began at the exterior of the Pyramid, and at about
the distance of ten palms a straight passage commenced at the
same angle, 92J feet in length, and 3-463 feet in breadth, but
which diminished considerably in height as it proceeded. The
forced passage, which was probably made by Al Mamoon, caliph
of Babylon, extended eighty-nine feet, was of various heights,
and much encumbered with rubbish. The Professor got over a
large block, eight or nine feet high, into the ascending passage,
the pavement of which was of marble, although the roof and sides
appeared to be of a different stone; The length of it was one
hundred and ten feet. He then entered the large gallery, by a
narrow horizontal passage, at the end of which, on the right-
hand side, he came to the well, and found that it was circular,
and not square as the Arabian writers describe ; it was three feet
wide, and was made of white marble, and places for the hands
and feet of persons descending had been excavated in it. It had
been, according to Pliny, eighty-six cubits in depth, but, as it was
partly filled up with rubbish, he could only measure with a line to
the depth of twenty-feet; he supposed that it conducted to the
vaults mentioned, but not described, by Herodotus. Having pro-
ceeded, on a level with the mouth of the well, for about fifteen
feet, he entered, by a low passage, a hundred and ten feet in
length, an arched vault or chamber, which was half full of
rubbish, and had an offensive smell. The length of it, east and
West, was nearly twenty feet, the breadth about seventeen, and the
height nearly fifteen. The roof met in a ridge in the middle, the
wall was plastered with lime, and had a glistening appearance.
He then mentions the niche on the eastern side of the room,
and the vague traditions that it communicated by a passage with
the Sphinx, or was a place for an idol. Having returned towards
the well at the end of the passage, he went up at the distance of
fifteen feet into the higher level of the great gallery, which like-
wise ascended at an angle of twenty-six degrees for the length
°f a hundred and fifty-four feet. It was built of white and
polished marble; was twenty-six feet in height, and in breadth
6-NA; the passage in the middle was S^ftfo feet; the ramps on
each side were I-ftfo f°ot wic*e' ancl as mucn ni depth. He
observed the holes in the ramps, and that the courses, seven in
number, of which the walls were formed, gradually contracted
towards the roof. At the upper end of the great gallery he
entered into two antechambers, formed of Thebaic marble. The
VOL. II. p
209
northern front, which declined at an angle of twenty-six degrees.
The incline began at the exterior of the Pyramid, and at about
the distance of ten palms a straight passage commenced at the
same angle, 92J feet in length, and 3-463 feet in breadth, but
which diminished considerably in height as it proceeded. The
forced passage, which was probably made by Al Mamoon, caliph
of Babylon, extended eighty-nine feet, was of various heights,
and much encumbered with rubbish. The Professor got over a
large block, eight or nine feet high, into the ascending passage,
the pavement of which was of marble, although the roof and sides
appeared to be of a different stone; The length of it was one
hundred and ten feet. He then entered the large gallery, by a
narrow horizontal passage, at the end of which, on the right-
hand side, he came to the well, and found that it was circular,
and not square as the Arabian writers describe ; it was three feet
wide, and was made of white marble, and places for the hands
and feet of persons descending had been excavated in it. It had
been, according to Pliny, eighty-six cubits in depth, but, as it was
partly filled up with rubbish, he could only measure with a line to
the depth of twenty-feet; he supposed that it conducted to the
vaults mentioned, but not described, by Herodotus. Having pro-
ceeded, on a level with the mouth of the well, for about fifteen
feet, he entered, by a low passage, a hundred and ten feet in
length, an arched vault or chamber, which was half full of
rubbish, and had an offensive smell. The length of it, east and
West, was nearly twenty feet, the breadth about seventeen, and the
height nearly fifteen. The roof met in a ridge in the middle, the
wall was plastered with lime, and had a glistening appearance.
He then mentions the niche on the eastern side of the room,
and the vague traditions that it communicated by a passage with
the Sphinx, or was a place for an idol. Having returned towards
the well at the end of the passage, he went up at the distance of
fifteen feet into the higher level of the great gallery, which like-
wise ascended at an angle of twenty-six degrees for the length
°f a hundred and fifty-four feet. It was built of white and
polished marble; was twenty-six feet in height, and in breadth
6-NA; the passage in the middle was S^ftfo feet; the ramps on
each side were I-ftfo f°ot wic*e' ancl as mucn ni depth. He
observed the holes in the ramps, and that the courses, seven in
number, of which the walls were formed, gradually contracted
towards the roof. At the upper end of the great gallery he
entered into two antechambers, formed of Thebaic marble. The
VOL. II. p