DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15#0125
THE PROBLEM OF THE PYRAMIDS. 115
true direction of the north and south lines. But
assuming that his purpose was to provide in some
way for astronomical observation, a square base
with sides facing the cardinal points would not be
of much use. It would clearly give horizontal
direction-lines, north and south, east and west,
north-east and south-west, and north-west and
south-east. For if observers A South
were set at the four corners, A,
B, C, D, as in fig. 4, with suitable „
uprights, where dots are shown w
-at these corners, a line of sight
from D's upright to a's would d"
be directed towards the south,
from the same upright to B's would be directed
towards the south-west, and from the same to c's
would be directed towards the west. Lines of sight
from the other three uprights to each of the re-
maining ones would give the other directions named,
or eight directions in all round the horizon.
The only possible way in which the pyramid
could have been oriented so accurately as it has
been, was by stellar observations. Of all observa-
tions for that purpose, those made on the pole-star
of the time would have been the most effective. If
there is a star which the astronomer observes less
than another when using his observatory for that
true direction of the north and south lines. But
assuming that his purpose was to provide in some
way for astronomical observation, a square base
with sides facing the cardinal points would not be
of much use. It would clearly give horizontal
direction-lines, north and south, east and west,
north-east and south-west, and north-west and
south-east. For if observers A South
were set at the four corners, A,
B, C, D, as in fig. 4, with suitable „
uprights, where dots are shown w
-at these corners, a line of sight
from D's upright to a's would d"
be directed towards the south,
from the same upright to B's would be directed
towards the south-west, and from the same to c's
would be directed towards the west. Lines of sight
from the other three uprights to each of the re-
maining ones would give the other directions named,
or eight directions in all round the horizon.
The only possible way in which the pyramid
could have been oriented so accurately as it has
been, was by stellar observations. Of all observa-
tions for that purpose, those made on the pole-star
of the time would have been the most effective. If
there is a star which the astronomer observes less
than another when using his observatory for that