DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6552#0281
242
APPENDIX.
a portal, and several stones had been removed in search of it, hut
common square work, like that of the rest of the building, was
found behind the great stones which composed it. From this
entrance five different passages led, successively, to two chambers,
one below the other, in the middle of the Pyramid; and most of
these communications were about three and a half feet square, and
formed of white marble. He does not believe that the whole of
them were filled up with masonry, although the lower end of the
ascending passage had evidently been so. The Queen's Chamber,
he says, is coated with granite, and not with plaster, as Mr.
Greaves had asserted ; and he adds, that it was half full of stones,
taken from the excavation under the niche. He remarks, that
the well was also encumbered with rubbish. He examined the
groovings for the Portcullis, and the King's Chamber, together
with the granite Sarcophagus, and the excavation in the floor,
which, he supposed, was occasioned by the pavement having acci-
dentally fallen into some cavity beneath it. He says, that the
channels on the northern and southern sides were blackened by
the smoke of torches, inserted from time to time by travellers,
and were so full of stones and rubbish that they could not be
examined: but he concludes that they were intended to ventilate
the chamber. He also remarks, that the building, in general, did
not correspond with the account of Herodotus.
The Second Pyramid, although of the same size, appeared, from
the elevation of its site, higher than the great one, which it much
resembled; excepting that it had no entrance, that the upper
part was coated with granite, and that it was inaccessible. He
concludes, that Mr. Greaves must have been deceived by the
reports of others, and that he could not himself have examined
this Pyramid, because he states that its sides were smooth and
even ; and also that Herodotus must, in like manner, have derived
his information of the interior from other people, because he does
not appear to have entered it. He takes notice of the rock having
been cut away on the western side of the Second Pyramid,
and of the temples near it and the Third ; and observes, that
they were constructed with the same kind of stone as that used
in the Pyramids.
The Third Pyramid seemed to be constructed like the other
two, but was not so high by one hundred feet, nor had it any en-
trance. The Fourth Pyramid was one hundred feet less than the
Third, without coating or temple, and was likewise closed up. The
summit of it was terminated by a single great stone, like a pedestal,
APPENDIX.
a portal, and several stones had been removed in search of it, hut
common square work, like that of the rest of the building, was
found behind the great stones which composed it. From this
entrance five different passages led, successively, to two chambers,
one below the other, in the middle of the Pyramid; and most of
these communications were about three and a half feet square, and
formed of white marble. He does not believe that the whole of
them were filled up with masonry, although the lower end of the
ascending passage had evidently been so. The Queen's Chamber,
he says, is coated with granite, and not with plaster, as Mr.
Greaves had asserted ; and he adds, that it was half full of stones,
taken from the excavation under the niche. He remarks, that
the well was also encumbered with rubbish. He examined the
groovings for the Portcullis, and the King's Chamber, together
with the granite Sarcophagus, and the excavation in the floor,
which, he supposed, was occasioned by the pavement having acci-
dentally fallen into some cavity beneath it. He says, that the
channels on the northern and southern sides were blackened by
the smoke of torches, inserted from time to time by travellers,
and were so full of stones and rubbish that they could not be
examined: but he concludes that they were intended to ventilate
the chamber. He also remarks, that the building, in general, did
not correspond with the account of Herodotus.
The Second Pyramid, although of the same size, appeared, from
the elevation of its site, higher than the great one, which it much
resembled; excepting that it had no entrance, that the upper
part was coated with granite, and that it was inaccessible. He
concludes, that Mr. Greaves must have been deceived by the
reports of others, and that he could not himself have examined
this Pyramid, because he states that its sides were smooth and
even ; and also that Herodotus must, in like manner, have derived
his information of the interior from other people, because he does
not appear to have entered it. He takes notice of the rock having
been cut away on the western side of the Second Pyramid,
and of the temples near it and the Third ; and observes, that
they were constructed with the same kind of stone as that used
in the Pyramids.
The Third Pyramid seemed to be constructed like the other
two, but was not so high by one hundred feet, nor had it any en-
trance. The Fourth Pyramid was one hundred feet less than the
Third, without coating or temple, and was likewise closed up. The
summit of it was terminated by a single great stone, like a pedestal,