DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6552#0278
APPENDIX.
239
tration. For, although its length is appropriate as a tomh, he thinks
that the height and breadth are too great; besides, the Egyptian
sarcophagi were of a different shape, and were adorned with hiero-
glyphics, and, in his opinion, always placed in an upright position ;
whereas the one in question is placed upon the floor, north and
south, in the same direction as the entrance into the Pyramid.
He further remarks, that " this chest," upon being struck, emitted
the musical note (Etami), which corresponds with the chamber,
and might thereby be supposed to have similar proportions, had
not Professor Greaves found, by mensuration, that they were dif-
ferent. He further says, that, according to Herodotus, the tomb
of Cheops was in the vaults below ; and that it is therefore to be
presumed, that the Pyramid itself did not take the name of a
sepulchre from it: and, he adds, that even if the king had been
buried in it, that it still might have been a temple. Strabo appears
to Dr. Shaw to have been the only person among the antients who
was acquainted with the entrance. The ascent to it, he observes,
at present, is not considerable ; but, in the time of Strabo, it might
have been nearly half-way up the Pyramid, as the accumulation
of sand and of rubbish must have been very great since that
period. If it was open in the time of that author, the Doctor is
°f opinion that the descending passage was the only one then
known, and that it conducted to subterraneous apartments below;
or accounts would certainly have existed of the chambers of the
king and of the queen, and also of the chest, or sarcophagus, con-
tained in the former. He considers that the forced communica-
tion between the descending and ascending passages, corroborates
this idea. He conjectures, that the Great Pyramid may have a
communication with the Sphinx, and that underground passages
,nay, by possibility, exist, connecting it with secret chambers
m the other Pyramids.
He also adds the following mensurations, and other particulars,
of the Great Pyramid :—
H faces the four cardinal points. The entrance is on the
northern side, and about thirty feet to the eastward of the centre,
and forty-five feet from the ground.
Feet. Inches.
Perpendicular height of the Pyramid - - 500 0
Base - ... - 670 0
The descending passage.
Length - - - - 84 0
Square - - - - 3 6
Angle of descent, 35°.
239
tration. For, although its length is appropriate as a tomh, he thinks
that the height and breadth are too great; besides, the Egyptian
sarcophagi were of a different shape, and were adorned with hiero-
glyphics, and, in his opinion, always placed in an upright position ;
whereas the one in question is placed upon the floor, north and
south, in the same direction as the entrance into the Pyramid.
He further remarks, that " this chest," upon being struck, emitted
the musical note (Etami), which corresponds with the chamber,
and might thereby be supposed to have similar proportions, had
not Professor Greaves found, by mensuration, that they were dif-
ferent. He further says, that, according to Herodotus, the tomb
of Cheops was in the vaults below ; and that it is therefore to be
presumed, that the Pyramid itself did not take the name of a
sepulchre from it: and, he adds, that even if the king had been
buried in it, that it still might have been a temple. Strabo appears
to Dr. Shaw to have been the only person among the antients who
was acquainted with the entrance. The ascent to it, he observes,
at present, is not considerable ; but, in the time of Strabo, it might
have been nearly half-way up the Pyramid, as the accumulation
of sand and of rubbish must have been very great since that
period. If it was open in the time of that author, the Doctor is
°f opinion that the descending passage was the only one then
known, and that it conducted to subterraneous apartments below;
or accounts would certainly have existed of the chambers of the
king and of the queen, and also of the chest, or sarcophagus, con-
tained in the former. He considers that the forced communica-
tion between the descending and ascending passages, corroborates
this idea. He conjectures, that the Great Pyramid may have a
communication with the Sphinx, and that underground passages
,nay, by possibility, exist, connecting it with secret chambers
m the other Pyramids.
He also adds the following mensurations, and other particulars,
of the Great Pyramid :—
H faces the four cardinal points. The entrance is on the
northern side, and about thirty feet to the eastward of the centre,
and forty-five feet from the ground.
Feet. Inches.
Perpendicular height of the Pyramid - - 500 0
Base - ... - 670 0
The descending passage.
Length - - - - 84 0
Square - - - - 3 6
Angle of descent, 35°.