DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3557#0008
c
THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZEH.
PLATE XIII.
FIG. I.-ENTRANCE INTO THE GREAT PYRAMID.
This View has been taken from a point rather below the floor of the entrance, otherwise the surface of the upper tier of stones,
which form the foreground, would have been visible, as they are laid at the same angle as the passage itself. The entrance is at
some distance from the present exterior of the building.
The large blocks placed en decharge over the entrance, have given rise to many conjectures. Some have imagined that an
immense portal existed, in contradiction not only to ancient testimony, but to the internal evidence of the building itself, by which
it is clear that the entrance was carefully concealed. Others have conceived that a succession of these stones was placed over the
passage in order to sustain the superincumbent weight of the structure; but upon examination square masonry is found immediately
behind them; and it may also be remarked that owing to the form of the Pyramid the upper end of the passage near the exterior
has no great weight to support.
The courses are inclined near the entrance, but gradually become horizontal like the rest of the building. The blocks forming
the Passage are laid perpendicularly to it.
PLATE XIII.
FIG. II.-CENTRAL EXCAVATION IN THE NORTHERN FRONT OF THE GREAT PYRAMID.
This Drawing, made from the ground in front of the Pyramid, comprehends the whole excavation from the base to the
entrance, to which a vast mound extended composed of large blocks and of rubbish, the effects of repeated excavations, and of other
acts of violence, as well as of the gradual decay of unnumbered years. From the form of the building the accumulation was most
considerable at the centre; it had never been removed, but had remained in the same state for many centuries, and had formed
the usual approach to the entrance.
It was in 1837 cleared away to the bottom, when three strata were observed; the lower, which only extended to about the
height of the casing-stones; and a second, which reached the excavation supposed to have been made by the Khalifs in the 9th
century, appeared to have been the result of two attempts to open the Pyramid, the first of which was probably made in very
early times. The entrance is 49 feet above the pavement, but the oblateness of the building deducts considerably from the
apparent height, and intercepts a view of the lower part of the entrance, as may be seen in the Drawing. A pavement, laid in
a step, extended to the distance of 33 feet 6 inches, and a chasm was also found in it, which had been broken into, and
partially examined, no doubt in search of the passage mentioned by Herodotus; this was afterwards excavated to the depth of 47
feet, and found to be a natural fissure in the rock. It had been originally filled up, covered over with masonry, and concealed by the
pavement.
PLATE XIV.
FIG. I.-EASTERN EXCAVATION IN THE NORTHERN FRONT OF THE GREAT PYRAMID.
In consequence of the discovery of the casing-stones and pavement at the centre of the northern front, another excavation
to the eastward of it was carried on through the mound of rubbish to the base of the Pyramid. The casing had been entirely
destroyed at this place, but several pieces of stone were found, which had evidently formed part of it, as they were of the same
consistence, and worked to precisely the same angle as the blocks at the centre. The remains of a pavement also appeared
about 12 or 13 feet wide, that no doubt had formerly surrounded the whole building.
The female figures introduced in these Drawings, represent the Arab girls employed to supply the workmen with water, of
which, as it may be supposed, the heat of the climate, and nature of the work carried on occasioned a great consumption. Their
usual dress consists of a blue loose gown, and a large black or chequered handkerchief thrown over the head, with which they
occasionally cover their faces, as they do not wear the black veil (called boorcko.)* Their hair, plaited with black strings, to
which brass rings are attached, hangs down their backs, and their heads are bound round by a smaller black handkerchief with
a coloured border; they generally wear a profusion of necklaces, rings, and ear-rings, and are tattoed on the chin, and other parts
of the face, and also on their arms and hands, which are often stained with henna. The water-jars are of a very picturesque
form, and have a slight concavity at the bottom to fit the shape of the head, which is protected by a piece of linen folded in
the form of a wreath, or by a corner of the large handkerchief gathered up beneath the jar, which occasions the drapery to fall
in square folds over the shoulders with the grace of ancient sculpture. Their features are often very handsome, their teeth extremely
beautiful, and their eyes naturally fine, although in many instances diseased by neglect, and by a constant exposure to the sand
and dust, so that one-eyed persons are frequently met with.
Their figures, when young, are wonderfully graceful and well formed, and also perfectly erect, although perhaps not inspired
with the air of liberty and independence, which more properly belongs to their wandering sisters of the Desert, notwithstanding
that they also pride themselves on being Bedoweens.f
The boys are well made and active, and capable of great exertion, and several of them are intelligent, and work extremely
well. The children of five or six years old, are also good-looking and animated notwithstanding the hardships and squalid
misery to which they are exposed, and with proper management would become a fine population. But the men, with a few
exceptions, are sullen, irrecoverably idle, deceitful, and totally insensible to good treatment, and therefore apparently incapable
of amelioration. Their clothing, like that of the Bedoweens of the Desert, should consist of a red tarbouse, a shirt, a pair of short
trowsers, and a white blanket, but most of these people have seldom any other covering than rags, and are generally barefooted
and it is remarkable with what perfect indifference and ease they pass over the sharp stones and thorns of the Desert.
PLATE XIV.
FIG. II.-WESTERN EXCAVATION IN NORTHERN FRONT OF THE GREAT PYRAMID.
This excavation was made for the same purpose as that to the eastward, and with nearly the same results.
bee Mr. Lane's work on Modern Egypt. -f- Nothing can be more striking than the majestic figures occasionally seen near the wells at Alexandria; long flowing robes of dark blue adorn their fine limbs with the
most classical drapery, and large silver bracelets and other ornaments call to remembrance the accounts of patriarchal times.
THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZEH.
PLATE XIII.
FIG. I.-ENTRANCE INTO THE GREAT PYRAMID.
This View has been taken from a point rather below the floor of the entrance, otherwise the surface of the upper tier of stones,
which form the foreground, would have been visible, as they are laid at the same angle as the passage itself. The entrance is at
some distance from the present exterior of the building.
The large blocks placed en decharge over the entrance, have given rise to many conjectures. Some have imagined that an
immense portal existed, in contradiction not only to ancient testimony, but to the internal evidence of the building itself, by which
it is clear that the entrance was carefully concealed. Others have conceived that a succession of these stones was placed over the
passage in order to sustain the superincumbent weight of the structure; but upon examination square masonry is found immediately
behind them; and it may also be remarked that owing to the form of the Pyramid the upper end of the passage near the exterior
has no great weight to support.
The courses are inclined near the entrance, but gradually become horizontal like the rest of the building. The blocks forming
the Passage are laid perpendicularly to it.
PLATE XIII.
FIG. II.-CENTRAL EXCAVATION IN THE NORTHERN FRONT OF THE GREAT PYRAMID.
This Drawing, made from the ground in front of the Pyramid, comprehends the whole excavation from the base to the
entrance, to which a vast mound extended composed of large blocks and of rubbish, the effects of repeated excavations, and of other
acts of violence, as well as of the gradual decay of unnumbered years. From the form of the building the accumulation was most
considerable at the centre; it had never been removed, but had remained in the same state for many centuries, and had formed
the usual approach to the entrance.
It was in 1837 cleared away to the bottom, when three strata were observed; the lower, which only extended to about the
height of the casing-stones; and a second, which reached the excavation supposed to have been made by the Khalifs in the 9th
century, appeared to have been the result of two attempts to open the Pyramid, the first of which was probably made in very
early times. The entrance is 49 feet above the pavement, but the oblateness of the building deducts considerably from the
apparent height, and intercepts a view of the lower part of the entrance, as may be seen in the Drawing. A pavement, laid in
a step, extended to the distance of 33 feet 6 inches, and a chasm was also found in it, which had been broken into, and
partially examined, no doubt in search of the passage mentioned by Herodotus; this was afterwards excavated to the depth of 47
feet, and found to be a natural fissure in the rock. It had been originally filled up, covered over with masonry, and concealed by the
pavement.
PLATE XIV.
FIG. I.-EASTERN EXCAVATION IN THE NORTHERN FRONT OF THE GREAT PYRAMID.
In consequence of the discovery of the casing-stones and pavement at the centre of the northern front, another excavation
to the eastward of it was carried on through the mound of rubbish to the base of the Pyramid. The casing had been entirely
destroyed at this place, but several pieces of stone were found, which had evidently formed part of it, as they were of the same
consistence, and worked to precisely the same angle as the blocks at the centre. The remains of a pavement also appeared
about 12 or 13 feet wide, that no doubt had formerly surrounded the whole building.
The female figures introduced in these Drawings, represent the Arab girls employed to supply the workmen with water, of
which, as it may be supposed, the heat of the climate, and nature of the work carried on occasioned a great consumption. Their
usual dress consists of a blue loose gown, and a large black or chequered handkerchief thrown over the head, with which they
occasionally cover their faces, as they do not wear the black veil (called boorcko.)* Their hair, plaited with black strings, to
which brass rings are attached, hangs down their backs, and their heads are bound round by a smaller black handkerchief with
a coloured border; they generally wear a profusion of necklaces, rings, and ear-rings, and are tattoed on the chin, and other parts
of the face, and also on their arms and hands, which are often stained with henna. The water-jars are of a very picturesque
form, and have a slight concavity at the bottom to fit the shape of the head, which is protected by a piece of linen folded in
the form of a wreath, or by a corner of the large handkerchief gathered up beneath the jar, which occasions the drapery to fall
in square folds over the shoulders with the grace of ancient sculpture. Their features are often very handsome, their teeth extremely
beautiful, and their eyes naturally fine, although in many instances diseased by neglect, and by a constant exposure to the sand
and dust, so that one-eyed persons are frequently met with.
Their figures, when young, are wonderfully graceful and well formed, and also perfectly erect, although perhaps not inspired
with the air of liberty and independence, which more properly belongs to their wandering sisters of the Desert, notwithstanding
that they also pride themselves on being Bedoweens.f
The boys are well made and active, and capable of great exertion, and several of them are intelligent, and work extremely
well. The children of five or six years old, are also good-looking and animated notwithstanding the hardships and squalid
misery to which they are exposed, and with proper management would become a fine population. But the men, with a few
exceptions, are sullen, irrecoverably idle, deceitful, and totally insensible to good treatment, and therefore apparently incapable
of amelioration. Their clothing, like that of the Bedoweens of the Desert, should consist of a red tarbouse, a shirt, a pair of short
trowsers, and a white blanket, but most of these people have seldom any other covering than rags, and are generally barefooted
and it is remarkable with what perfect indifference and ease they pass over the sharp stones and thorns of the Desert.
PLATE XIV.
FIG. II.-WESTERN EXCAVATION IN NORTHERN FRONT OF THE GREAT PYRAMID.
This excavation was made for the same purpose as that to the eastward, and with nearly the same results.
bee Mr. Lane's work on Modern Egypt. -f- Nothing can be more striking than the majestic figures occasionally seen near the wells at Alexandria; long flowing robes of dark blue adorn their fine limbs with the
most classical drapery, and large silver bracelets and other ornaments call to remembrance the accounts of patriarchal times.