DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4669#0136
no THE LAND OF THE MONUMENTS
within it three distinct chambers, in the largest
was a wooden mummy case bearing the name of
Men-Kau-Ra and some human remains, both are now
in the British Museum ; a sarcophagus of basalt the
shape of an ancient Egyptian house was also found,
a remarkably elegant and interesting object of which
happily drawings were taken, as it was lost on the
passage home to England by the foundering of the
ship. It has been supposed that about five hundred
years after the death of Men-Kau-Ra this Pyramid
was appropriated by Queen Nitocris, the last of the
Vlth Dynasty, and that she enlarged it by making
another chamber, and by casing the exterior with
beautiful polished red granite blocks from Syene,
which must have presented a magnificent appearance.
This was the only Pyramid at Ghizeh entered by any
of our party. The Sheik of the Pyramids led the way.
The entrance is, as usual, upon the north side, about
thirteen feet from the ground, and with lighted
candles we proceeded down the long slanting shaft
which was for a portion of the way lined with granite,
the floor was covered with fragments of stone for
about one hundred feet, when an ante-chamber was
reached half filled with debris over which we had to
climb. Beyond this chamber were four portcullises,
closing the way after the body had been interred.
Beyond them a level passage led to a large chamber
in which the mummy case and remains of Men-Kau-Ra
were found. A steeply slanting shaft led to "the
Granite Chamber," in which was the basalt sarco-
phagus. The masonry is most beautiful—the granite
blocks are closely and perfectly fitted together, the
roof is ridged, and all surfaces beautifully polished.
This is probably the work of Nitocris. From this
within it three distinct chambers, in the largest
was a wooden mummy case bearing the name of
Men-Kau-Ra and some human remains, both are now
in the British Museum ; a sarcophagus of basalt the
shape of an ancient Egyptian house was also found,
a remarkably elegant and interesting object of which
happily drawings were taken, as it was lost on the
passage home to England by the foundering of the
ship. It has been supposed that about five hundred
years after the death of Men-Kau-Ra this Pyramid
was appropriated by Queen Nitocris, the last of the
Vlth Dynasty, and that she enlarged it by making
another chamber, and by casing the exterior with
beautiful polished red granite blocks from Syene,
which must have presented a magnificent appearance.
This was the only Pyramid at Ghizeh entered by any
of our party. The Sheik of the Pyramids led the way.
The entrance is, as usual, upon the north side, about
thirteen feet from the ground, and with lighted
candles we proceeded down the long slanting shaft
which was for a portion of the way lined with granite,
the floor was covered with fragments of stone for
about one hundred feet, when an ante-chamber was
reached half filled with debris over which we had to
climb. Beyond this chamber were four portcullises,
closing the way after the body had been interred.
Beyond them a level passage led to a large chamber
in which the mummy case and remains of Men-Kau-Ra
were found. A steeply slanting shaft led to "the
Granite Chamber," in which was the basalt sarco-
phagus. The masonry is most beautiful—the granite
blocks are closely and perfectly fitted together, the
roof is ridged, and all surfaces beautifully polished.
This is probably the work of Nitocris. From this