DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17#0078
58 PYRAMIDS AND PROGRESS.
white mounds from which it seems to rise when seen from a distance. These
are entirely composed of chippings of the beautiful white Tourah stone, of which
the courses of the outer casing were composed. AU this casing has disappeared,
but in 1891, during his masterly survey of the district, Pétrie discovered, deep
down under the banks of the débris, and twenty feet outward from the present
almost vertical sides, a number of the ancient casing blocks in their original
position, and I had the pleasure of seeing these. The original slope of the
completed pyramid had the same angle as that of the Pyramids of Gizeh. Now
we see only the great core of nearly perpendicular masonry in several tiers,
beautifully built without mortar, and of huge blocks fitting so closely that a
knife-edge would scarcely be admitted into the joints. The work is as good
as in the Great Pyramid of Gizeh, though the principles of construction are
entirely different. It is believed to be much more ancient. Dr. Pétrie advances
several theories as to its possibly being one of the earliest of such structures,
and others that it was a sort of experiment in pyramid-building. He supposes
it to be a glorified and enlarged "mastaba" made into a pyramid by adding
successive stages. Whether these theories be right or wrong, the result is grand.
Even in its present ruined state it is by far the most commanding and imposing
of all the pyramids. Seen from a distance, it seems to dominate the whole
country and hold itself aloft on the finest situation for such a monument in all
the land of Egypt. When one is close to it or under it, its vast sides seem
to tower up to the skies, inaccessible. No one has climbed to its summit. It
is the eyrie of a brood of eagles. The utter loneliness of the old-world monu-
ment, never visited by mankind, suits the solitary king of birds for the dwelling
of himself and his secluded family. Dr. Pétrie thinks, that it is the tomb of
Sneferu, a king who reigned 3990 b.c., but it is probably much older. But,
if this be No. 1 of good pyramid-building, how did masons arrive at such
perfection, for it is a masterpiece? No "'prentice hand's" attempt is here. It
is the perfection of strength and wise construction. Not a crack or "settle-
ment " of any kind in the whole work. It is as strong and sound as when it
left its builders' hands 5,000 or 6,000 years ago.
The Temple of the Medum Pyramid was on the east, contrary to later usage.
It was found by Pétrie, and was nearly perfect. It had been used and restored
during Dynasty XVIII., but, unfortunately, Ramses the Great, of the Nine-
teenth Dynasty, began to destroy the splendid pyramid, stealing the stone for
his own buildings. Spoliation has gone on from that day to this, and the
mounds of stonecutters' chippings, forty feet deep, show the wicked work, and
the little temple was buried underneath them. The door Dr. Pétrie found on
the north side was also buried beneath the ruins, but is now accessible. The
white mounds from which it seems to rise when seen from a distance. These
are entirely composed of chippings of the beautiful white Tourah stone, of which
the courses of the outer casing were composed. AU this casing has disappeared,
but in 1891, during his masterly survey of the district, Pétrie discovered, deep
down under the banks of the débris, and twenty feet outward from the present
almost vertical sides, a number of the ancient casing blocks in their original
position, and I had the pleasure of seeing these. The original slope of the
completed pyramid had the same angle as that of the Pyramids of Gizeh. Now
we see only the great core of nearly perpendicular masonry in several tiers,
beautifully built without mortar, and of huge blocks fitting so closely that a
knife-edge would scarcely be admitted into the joints. The work is as good
as in the Great Pyramid of Gizeh, though the principles of construction are
entirely different. It is believed to be much more ancient. Dr. Pétrie advances
several theories as to its possibly being one of the earliest of such structures,
and others that it was a sort of experiment in pyramid-building. He supposes
it to be a glorified and enlarged "mastaba" made into a pyramid by adding
successive stages. Whether these theories be right or wrong, the result is grand.
Even in its present ruined state it is by far the most commanding and imposing
of all the pyramids. Seen from a distance, it seems to dominate the whole
country and hold itself aloft on the finest situation for such a monument in all
the land of Egypt. When one is close to it or under it, its vast sides seem
to tower up to the skies, inaccessible. No one has climbed to its summit. It
is the eyrie of a brood of eagles. The utter loneliness of the old-world monu-
ment, never visited by mankind, suits the solitary king of birds for the dwelling
of himself and his secluded family. Dr. Pétrie thinks, that it is the tomb of
Sneferu, a king who reigned 3990 b.c., but it is probably much older. But,
if this be No. 1 of good pyramid-building, how did masons arrive at such
perfection, for it is a masterpiece? No "'prentice hand's" attempt is here. It
is the perfection of strength and wise construction. Not a crack or "settle-
ment " of any kind in the whole work. It is as strong and sound as when it
left its builders' hands 5,000 or 6,000 years ago.
The Temple of the Medum Pyramid was on the east, contrary to later usage.
It was found by Pétrie, and was nearly perfect. It had been used and restored
during Dynasty XVIII., but, unfortunately, Ramses the Great, of the Nine-
teenth Dynasty, began to destroy the splendid pyramid, stealing the stone for
his own buildings. Spoliation has gone on from that day to this, and the
mounds of stonecutters' chippings, forty feet deep, show the wicked work, and
the little temple was buried underneath them. The door Dr. Pétrie found on
the north side was also buried beneath the ruins, but is now accessible. The