DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3559#0009
6
PYRAMIDS OF ABOUSEIR.
MIDDLE PYRAMID.
PLATE VI.
The appearance of this Pyramid is that of a square mound; and the masonry is only visible where the rubbish has been
removed from the angles.
Supposed original.
Base ... 274 ft. 0 in.
Perpendicular Height 171 ft. 4 in.
Present.
213 ft.
107 ft.
The present entrance (see Plate VI. Fig. 4.) is by a forced excavation, cut down perpendicularly through the masonry
for about 40 feet into the regular passage, near a portcullis, which, as well as the inclined entrance leading down to it, remains
closed up with blocks of granite.* The passage is lined, and the portcullis is formed of the same material.
The horizontal passage from the portcullis to the apartment is 63 feet in length, 5 feet 10 inches in height, and 5 feet 1 inch
in width. For the distance of 24 feet from the portcullis it had been broken up, and was much encumbered with rubbish.
The width of the apartment appeared to have been 14 feet, but it could not be correctly ascertained, as the place was
filled up above the side walls with the fragments of the blocks which had belonged to the roof.
The roof had been formed by three tiers of blocks, 48 feet 6 inches in length. Many of them had been destroyed, but
upon the whole the interior was in a better state than that of the other two Pyramids. In Plate VI. the condition in which
it was found is likewise represented; and in the section Fig. 4 it may be observed that the roof-blocks had been laid with
different degrees of inclination, in order that the vacancy between the tiers might relieve the ceiling of the apartment from
the superincumbent weight.
The position of the granite block in the casing of the passages beneath the roof D, Fig. 4, is similar to that already
described in the account of the Northern Pyramid, and was no doubt intended for the same purpose.
Figs. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, shew the principal hieroglyphics; but it is to be observed, that nearly every block belonging
to the exterior contained larger or smaller inscriptions, written, upon the light-coloured stones with red ochre, and upon the
darker with white paint.
A was found upon two sides of a stone.
B the same.
D occurred several times, more or less distinctly.
All the characters were upon the blocks found on the exterior of the building, excepting C, which was upon a roof-block,
and was the only inscription observed at these Pyramids upon stone from Tourah; whereas the inscriptions found at Gizeh were
invariably upon the blocks from the Arabian Mountains.
GREAT PYRAMID.
PLATE VI.
It had been built in steps or degrees, which had been covered over with flat stones (see a, b, c, Fig. 1), and the space
between these and the casing was filled up with a rubble work of smaller stones; so that it appears to have been the original
intention to have left it in steps or degrees, like the present form of the Pyramid of Saccara.
The lower courses of the casing, and part of the entrance-passage, had been composed of granite. The masonry was somewhat
better than that of the two other Pyramids, and the mortar, composed of Nile earth, had been mixed up with a small quantity
of lime, or of pounded limestone.
Supposed
original.
Present.
JL>tlS6 ..«••••*
359 ft.
9 in.
325 ft.
Perpendicular Height
. 227 ft.
10 in.
164 ft.
From present Entrance to Apartment .
.
.
. 104 ft.
The entrance-passage, in the centre of the northern front, had an inclination of 26° 3'. The horizontal continuation of
it from D to D was constructed in the singular manner shewn in the cross section, Fig. 3, and a roof of inclined stones between
two walls, had relieved the passage from the superincumbent weight of the building.
The sides were however destroyed, and the roof had been broken up, with the exception of a few blocks, which had been
left at intervals to support the superstructure. A long piece of wood had been worked into the masonry at E, Fig. 1, which,
though rather shaky, was completely sound.f In many places over the blocks in the roof of the passage, a layer of split reeds
was found. The reeds were like those used in the East for pens, and had been striped with red paint.
The apartment had also been covered with a pointed roof of three courses of blocks. They were 45 feet in length, and
had extended from east to west, but had been destroyed with a mischievous perseverance, which was truly wonderful.
H, I, J, K, L contain hieroglyphics.
H reversed occurs in red upon a block in the passage.
I, J, K are inscribed over the apartment in black, where most of the stones are marked thus "Qj in red.
L was found upon a loose block near the entrance.
The view of the entrance shews the casing of the story or degree C in the section, Fig. 1. It was marked with horizontal
and with perpendicular lines, drawn in red ochre, and with a hieroglyphic at the rectangular intersections.
SMALL PYRAMID.
PLATE VI. Figs. 6 and 7.
Present Base . . . . .
Former ditto . . . . . .
Apartment, length, East and West
breadth, North and South
height ....
Recess at south-eastern corner, breadth .
depth .
Horizontal Passage from northern side, length
breadth
Feet.
Inches,
54
6
75
4
12
2
10
6
8
7
51
0
3
°9
14
0
2
5
Horizontal passage from northern side, height
Inclined Passage, leading eastward, length .
breadth
Angle . . .22°
10'
Feet.
Inches,
8
7
27
0
2
10
A shaft ascended from the upper part of the passage: its direction was not ascertained. It may have communicated with an
inclined passage from the northern side, or have led directly out of the building.
The apartment and the passages had been formed in excavations, and had been lined, paved, and roofed, with blocks from the
Mokattam.
* This is an additional proof that these buildings were merely tombs.
f Part of it has been sent to the British Museum, and the following certificate was given to Mr. Perring:— " Cairo, April 27, 1839-
"The piece of wood, taken by Mr. Perring from the Great Pyramid at Abouseir, must have been built in the masonry of the building at the time of its original erection__a considerable portion of the same still remaining inclosed amongst the stones that have not been
disturbed, and the mortar adhering to its surface, which could only have taken place when it was first laid on.
Signed,
Claude Hamilton."
PYRAMIDS OF ABOUSEIR.
MIDDLE PYRAMID.
PLATE VI.
The appearance of this Pyramid is that of a square mound; and the masonry is only visible where the rubbish has been
removed from the angles.
Supposed original.
Base ... 274 ft. 0 in.
Perpendicular Height 171 ft. 4 in.
Present.
213 ft.
107 ft.
The present entrance (see Plate VI. Fig. 4.) is by a forced excavation, cut down perpendicularly through the masonry
for about 40 feet into the regular passage, near a portcullis, which, as well as the inclined entrance leading down to it, remains
closed up with blocks of granite.* The passage is lined, and the portcullis is formed of the same material.
The horizontal passage from the portcullis to the apartment is 63 feet in length, 5 feet 10 inches in height, and 5 feet 1 inch
in width. For the distance of 24 feet from the portcullis it had been broken up, and was much encumbered with rubbish.
The width of the apartment appeared to have been 14 feet, but it could not be correctly ascertained, as the place was
filled up above the side walls with the fragments of the blocks which had belonged to the roof.
The roof had been formed by three tiers of blocks, 48 feet 6 inches in length. Many of them had been destroyed, but
upon the whole the interior was in a better state than that of the other two Pyramids. In Plate VI. the condition in which
it was found is likewise represented; and in the section Fig. 4 it may be observed that the roof-blocks had been laid with
different degrees of inclination, in order that the vacancy between the tiers might relieve the ceiling of the apartment from
the superincumbent weight.
The position of the granite block in the casing of the passages beneath the roof D, Fig. 4, is similar to that already
described in the account of the Northern Pyramid, and was no doubt intended for the same purpose.
Figs. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, shew the principal hieroglyphics; but it is to be observed, that nearly every block belonging
to the exterior contained larger or smaller inscriptions, written, upon the light-coloured stones with red ochre, and upon the
darker with white paint.
A was found upon two sides of a stone.
B the same.
D occurred several times, more or less distinctly.
All the characters were upon the blocks found on the exterior of the building, excepting C, which was upon a roof-block,
and was the only inscription observed at these Pyramids upon stone from Tourah; whereas the inscriptions found at Gizeh were
invariably upon the blocks from the Arabian Mountains.
GREAT PYRAMID.
PLATE VI.
It had been built in steps or degrees, which had been covered over with flat stones (see a, b, c, Fig. 1), and the space
between these and the casing was filled up with a rubble work of smaller stones; so that it appears to have been the original
intention to have left it in steps or degrees, like the present form of the Pyramid of Saccara.
The lower courses of the casing, and part of the entrance-passage, had been composed of granite. The masonry was somewhat
better than that of the two other Pyramids, and the mortar, composed of Nile earth, had been mixed up with a small quantity
of lime, or of pounded limestone.
Supposed
original.
Present.
JL>tlS6 ..«••••*
359 ft.
9 in.
325 ft.
Perpendicular Height
. 227 ft.
10 in.
164 ft.
From present Entrance to Apartment .
.
.
. 104 ft.
The entrance-passage, in the centre of the northern front, had an inclination of 26° 3'. The horizontal continuation of
it from D to D was constructed in the singular manner shewn in the cross section, Fig. 3, and a roof of inclined stones between
two walls, had relieved the passage from the superincumbent weight of the building.
The sides were however destroyed, and the roof had been broken up, with the exception of a few blocks, which had been
left at intervals to support the superstructure. A long piece of wood had been worked into the masonry at E, Fig. 1, which,
though rather shaky, was completely sound.f In many places over the blocks in the roof of the passage, a layer of split reeds
was found. The reeds were like those used in the East for pens, and had been striped with red paint.
The apartment had also been covered with a pointed roof of three courses of blocks. They were 45 feet in length, and
had extended from east to west, but had been destroyed with a mischievous perseverance, which was truly wonderful.
H, I, J, K, L contain hieroglyphics.
H reversed occurs in red upon a block in the passage.
I, J, K are inscribed over the apartment in black, where most of the stones are marked thus "Qj in red.
L was found upon a loose block near the entrance.
The view of the entrance shews the casing of the story or degree C in the section, Fig. 1. It was marked with horizontal
and with perpendicular lines, drawn in red ochre, and with a hieroglyphic at the rectangular intersections.
SMALL PYRAMID.
PLATE VI. Figs. 6 and 7.
Present Base . . . . .
Former ditto . . . . . .
Apartment, length, East and West
breadth, North and South
height ....
Recess at south-eastern corner, breadth .
depth .
Horizontal Passage from northern side, length
breadth
Feet.
Inches,
54
6
75
4
12
2
10
6
8
7
51
0
3
°9
14
0
2
5
Horizontal passage from northern side, height
Inclined Passage, leading eastward, length .
breadth
Angle . . .22°
10'
Feet.
Inches,
8
7
27
0
2
10
A shaft ascended from the upper part of the passage: its direction was not ascertained. It may have communicated with an
inclined passage from the northern side, or have led directly out of the building.
The apartment and the passages had been formed in excavations, and had been lined, paved, and roofed, with blocks from the
Mokattam.
* This is an additional proof that these buildings were merely tombs.
f Part of it has been sent to the British Museum, and the following certificate was given to Mr. Perring:— " Cairo, April 27, 1839-
"The piece of wood, taken by Mr. Perring from the Great Pyramid at Abouseir, must have been built in the masonry of the building at the time of its original erection__a considerable portion of the same still remaining inclosed amongst the stones that have not been
disturbed, and the mortar adhering to its surface, which could only have taken place when it was first laid on.
Signed,
Claude Hamilton."