DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6552#0325
286
APPENDIX.
Pyramids to the south of the Third, in which, according to Dio-
dorus, were deposited the hodies of the wives of Chemmis, Che-
phren, and Mycerinus; and afterwards of the ruins on the eastern
fronts of the Second and Third Pyramids, which, he ohserves,
did not resemhle the temples in Upper Egypt. He concludes
with several observations respecting the Sphinx.
DR. WHITMAN (1801)
Observes, that the Pyramids of Gizeli are situated about ten miles
to the south-west of Cairo, upon elevated and rocky ground,
which is covered with white sand, and forms the boundary of
the Lybian mountains; and that their sides are opposite the four
cardinal points. He remarks, that the base of the Great Pyramid
had had different lengths assigned to it—from six hundred to
eight hundred English feet;—but that the French had ascer-
tained that the length of it was seven hundred feet, and the
height of the building six hundred feet. He found that the
First and Second Pyramids were nearly of the same size ; and that
the Third, although comparatively small, was also an enormous
structure, and it appeared to have been cased with red granite and
porphyry, as immense blocks of those stones were scattered around
the base. From the deep grooves which he had observed on
several of these blocks, he was led to believe " that they had
been originally connected together by metallic hoops or fastenings,
which having been corroded by time, by the occasional moisture
of the atmosphere, and by other causes, the blocks had been set
at liberty, and had successively fallen to the ground.''9 The other
Pyramids were built of calcareous blocks, of different qualities
and textures. He did not personally examine the interior of the
Great Pyramid, but collected the following particulars from his
companions; who informed him, that above the great chamber,
in which the sarcophagus or coffin is deposited, there is a
smaller apartment, about eighteen feet in length ; and that the
passage from the entrance is more than one hundred feet in
length, the ascending nearly of the same extent, and the great
' These groovings have apparently been caused by wedges in splitting the blocks
in order to prepare them for removal.
APPENDIX.
Pyramids to the south of the Third, in which, according to Dio-
dorus, were deposited the hodies of the wives of Chemmis, Che-
phren, and Mycerinus; and afterwards of the ruins on the eastern
fronts of the Second and Third Pyramids, which, he ohserves,
did not resemhle the temples in Upper Egypt. He concludes
with several observations respecting the Sphinx.
DR. WHITMAN (1801)
Observes, that the Pyramids of Gizeli are situated about ten miles
to the south-west of Cairo, upon elevated and rocky ground,
which is covered with white sand, and forms the boundary of
the Lybian mountains; and that their sides are opposite the four
cardinal points. He remarks, that the base of the Great Pyramid
had had different lengths assigned to it—from six hundred to
eight hundred English feet;—but that the French had ascer-
tained that the length of it was seven hundred feet, and the
height of the building six hundred feet. He found that the
First and Second Pyramids were nearly of the same size ; and that
the Third, although comparatively small, was also an enormous
structure, and it appeared to have been cased with red granite and
porphyry, as immense blocks of those stones were scattered around
the base. From the deep grooves which he had observed on
several of these blocks, he was led to believe " that they had
been originally connected together by metallic hoops or fastenings,
which having been corroded by time, by the occasional moisture
of the atmosphere, and by other causes, the blocks had been set
at liberty, and had successively fallen to the ground.''9 The other
Pyramids were built of calcareous blocks, of different qualities
and textures. He did not personally examine the interior of the
Great Pyramid, but collected the following particulars from his
companions; who informed him, that above the great chamber,
in which the sarcophagus or coffin is deposited, there is a
smaller apartment, about eighteen feet in length ; and that the
passage from the entrance is more than one hundred feet in
length, the ascending nearly of the same extent, and the great
' These groovings have apparently been caused by wedges in splitting the blocks
in order to prepare them for removal.