A short story about the construction of the Cheops pyramid. Pyramid of Cheops - the largest pyramid in Egypt

The Pyramid of Cheops is a monumental structure fraught with many facts and mysteries. Here are fifteen of them, most of which you've probably never heard of. We will not touch upon myths and legends - the most interesting facts about the Cheops pyramid based on real research

1. For about three thousand years, the Cheops pyramid was the tallest creation of human hands in the world. It was not until 1311 that Lincoln was built Cathedral, this building became the second tallest.
2. The construction of the pyramid took 20 years. It remains a mystery how such a monumental structure was erected so quickly with an archaic level of construction knowledge and disgusting logistics. The construction of other burial structures took much longer - from 50 to 200 years.
3. Pyramid of Cheops - an accurate compass. The edges of the Cheops pyramid are oriented to the cardinal points. The error is only 5 degrees. Such compliance is not easy to achieve even with the modern level of construction development. At first the correspondence was perfect, and only the constant movement of the Earth's north pole allowed a slight deviation to appear.

   3
   

4. The Pyramids of Cheops were visible from space. The construction of the structure took more than 2.2 million blocks of limestone. This loose building material would certainly have deteriorated over time if it had not been covered with granite cladding. There are no gaps between the cladding slabs; they are perfectly polished. When the lining was in place, the sunlight reflected from it was so bright that the structure of Cheops was probably visible from space.

   4
   

5. Constant temperature inside the building - 20⁰С. The Cheops Pyramid is a giant isothermal chamber - when the air temperature outside reaches 50⁰C, in this structure it does not rise above 20⁰C.

   5
   

6. There was never a pharaoh's burial in the Cheops pyramid. Many consider the Cheops pyramid to be the burial place of the pharaoh. In fact, the remains of the rulers were buried in the Valley of the Kings. And inside the thick walls were stored necessary things, which, according to the ancient Egyptians, helped the ruler in afterlife.

   6
   

7. Delivery of building materials was carried out in a way unknown to science. The methods used to build stone monsters can be explained high level construction organization. Huge stones were carved from quarries located on Mediterranean coast. It remains a mystery how they were transported hundreds of kilometers from the quarry to the construction site - the condition of the horse-drawn and water transport did not allow moving heavy stones over significant distances.

   7
   

8. The Pyramid of Cheops was built by free people. This structure was built by free architects and masons who came to the construction site from all over the Egyptian state. It is possible that slaves were used as labor, but there is evidence that most of the workers were free and built for money. By the way, this ancient temple about 100,000 people died.
9. The composition of the solution that fastened the blocks of the pyramid has not yet been solved. Lime and granite slabs are held together with a mysterious mortar that has no modern analogues. Grasping material was developed in the early Predynastic period. After cooling, the solution became stronger than stone and was not afraid of heat, dry winds, or time. Scientists do not know how and from what it was prepared.

   9
   

10. Even a blade cannot be inserted between the cladding of the pyramid.. The skill of the builders is admirable, who were able to fit the cladding so tightly that it is impossible to even insert a knife blade between the cladding slabs. Few modern buildings can boast of such quality of laying building materials.

    10
    

11. Pi and other oddities. The existence of the pyramid is confirmed by the fact that the Egyptians knew about the “golden ratio”, the number π and other constants used in geometry and architecture. Scientific proof of these formulas was developed by ancient Greek mathematicians a thousand years later.

    11
    

12. The inside walls of the Cheops pyramid are not covered with drawings or hieroglyphs. The walls of the corridors of the Cheops pyramid are empty - there are no numerous inscriptions and drawings on them. Egyptologists have found several dozen cartouches and inscriptions indicating the names of the builders who took part in the construction of the tomb. There were inscriptions of a technical nature that shed light on the technology of construction of this religious building.

    12
    

13. The ancient Greeks and Arabs knew about the Cheops pyramid. The first researchers of Egyptian antiquities were the Greeks. The mathematician Thales knew very well about the existence of the Cheops structure, and even measured the length of its shadow. The Arab scientist Abdullah Al Mamun attempted to penetrate the forbidden walls. He managed to do this, but did not discover any treasures or secret knowledge.
14. Napoleon was interested in ancient structures and during the Egyptian campaign he wished to visit the tomb of Cheops. But after the first minutes spent inside the ancient building, Napoleon felt so bad that he never returned to the issue of visiting ancient tombs. But he supported the interest of scientists in uncovering Egyptian secrets and subsidized several scientific expeditions.

    14
    

15. The birthday of the Cheops pyramid is a national holiday in Egypt. Modern Egyptians receive a good income from tourists visiting ancient monuments. They even approved the birthday of the Cheops pyramid - it is celebrated on August 23. Despite the fact that this date is very controversial, on this day the Egyptians celebrate the beginning of the construction of the tomb of Cheops.

We hope you liked the selection of pictures - Interesting Facts about the Cheops pyramid (15 photos) online good quality. Please leave your opinion in the comments! Every opinion is important to us.

) and Heliopolis millennia before the founding of Cairo. For over three thousand years (before the construction of the cathedral in Lincoln, England, ca. 1300)

The Great Pyramid was the tallest building on Earth. Since 1979, like many other pyramids of the complex " Memphis and its necropolises - the pyramid area from Giza to Dahshur", is a part World Heritage UNESCO.

Age of the pyramid

Architect Great Pyramid Hemiun, vizier and nephew of Cheops, is considered. He also bore the title "Manager of all Pharaoh's construction projects." It is assumed that the construction, which lasted twenty years (during the reign of Cheops), ended around 2540 BC. e.

Existing methods for dating the start of construction of the pyramid are divided into historical, astronomical and radiocarbon. In Egypt, the date for the start of construction of the Cheops Pyramid was officially established (2009) and celebrated - August 23, 2560 BC. e. This date was obtained using the astronomical method of Kate Spence (University of Cambridge). However, this method and the dates obtained with it have been criticized by many Egyptologists.

Dates according to other dating methods: 2720 BC. e. (Stephen Hack, University of Nebraska), 2577 BC. e. (Juan Antonio Belmonte, University of Astrophysics in Canaris) and 2708 BC. e. (Pollux, Bauman University). Radiocarbon dating gives a range from 2680 BC. e. to 2850 BC e. Therefore, there is no serious confirmation of the established “birthday” of the pyramid, since Egyptologists cannot agree on exactly what year construction began.

First mention of the pyramid

The complete absence of mention of the pyramid in Egyptian papyri remains a mystery. The first descriptions are found in the Greek historian Herodotus (5th century BC) and in ancient Arab legends. Herodotus reported (at least 2 millennia after the appearance of the Great Pyramid) that it was built under a despot pharaoh named Cheops (Greek: Cheops). Koufou), who ruled for 50 years, that 100 thousand people were employed in construction. for twenty years, and that the pyramid is in honor of Cheops, but not his grave. The real grave is a burial near the pyramid. Herodotus gave erroneous information about the size of the pyramid, and also mentioned about the middle pyramid of the Giza plateau that it was built by the daughter of Cheops, who sold herself, and that each building stone corresponded to the man to whom she was given.

Appearance

The pyramid is called "Akhet-Khufu" - "Horizon of Khufu" (or more accurately "Related to the firmament - (it is) Khufu"). Consists of limestone and granite blocks. It was built on a natural limestone hill. After the pyramid has lost several layers of cladding, this hill is partially visible on the eastern, northern and southern sides of the pyramid.

Despite the fact that the Cheops pyramid is the tallest and most voluminous of all Egyptian pyramids, yet Pharaoh Snofru built the pyramids in Meidum and Dakhshut (Bent Pyramid), the total mass of which is estimated at 8.4 million tons.

Initially, the pyramid was lined with white limestone, which was harder than the main blocks. The top of the pyramid was crowned with a gilded stone - pyramidion (ancient Egyptian - “Benben”). The cladding shone in the sun with a peach color, like “a shining miracle to which the sun god Ra himself seemed to give all his rays.”

In 1168, the Arabs sacked and burned Cairo. Residents of Cairo removed the cladding from the pyramid in order to build new houses.

Concavity of the sides

When the sun moves around the pyramid, you can notice the unevenness of the walls - the concavity of the central part of the walls. This may be due to erosion or damage from falling stone cladding. It is also possible that this was specially done during construction.

As Vito Maragioglio and Celeste Rinaldi note, the pyramid of Mycerinus no longer has such concave sides. I.E.S. Edwards explains this feature by saying that the central part of each side was simply pressed inward over time by the large mass of stone blocks.

As in the 18th century, when this phenomenon was discovered, today there is still no satisfactory explanation for this architectural feature.

Tilt angle

It is not possible to accurately determine the original parameters of the pyramid, since its edges and surfaces are currently mostly dismantled and destroyed. This makes it difficult to calculate the exact angle of inclination. In addition, its symmetry itself is not ideal, so deviations in the numbers are observed with different measurements.

In the literature on Egyptology, Peter Janosi, Mark Lehner, Miroslav Werner, Zahi Hawass, Alberto Scigliotti came to the same results in measurements, who believe that the length of the sides can be from 230.33 to 230.37 m. Knowing the length of the side and the angle at the base, they calculated the height of the pyramid - from 146.59 to 146.60 m. The slope of the pyramid is 51° 50", which corresponds to a seked (ancient Egyptian unit of measurement of slope, which is defined as the ratio of half the base to the height) of 5 ½ palms. Taking into account the fact that in one cubit (cubit) there are 7 palms, it turns out that with such a chosen seked, the double ratio of the base to the height is equal to 22/7, a well-known approximation of the number pi from ancient times, which, apparently, happened by chance, since other pyramids were chosen. other meanings for seked.

A study of the geometry of the Great Pyramid does not provide a clear answer to the question of the original proportions of this structure. It is assumed that the Egyptians had an idea of ​​​​the “Golden Section” and the number pi, which were reflected in the proportions of the pyramid: thus, the ratio of the height to half the perimeter of the base is 14/22 (height = 280 cubits, and the base = 220 cubits, semi-perimeter of the base = 2 ×220 cubits; 280/440 = 14/22). For the first time in world history, these values ​​were used in the construction of the pyramid at Meidum. However, for pyramids of later eras, these proportions were not used anywhere else, as, for example, some have height-to-base ratios like 6/5 ( Pink pyramid), 4/3 (Pyramid of Khafre) or 7/5 (Bent Pyramid).

Some theories consider the pyramid to be an astronomical observatory. It is argued that the corridors of the pyramid accurately point towards the “polar star” of that time - Thuban, ventilation corridors south side- to the star Sirius, and from the northern side - to the star Alnitak.

Internal structure

The entrance to the pyramid is at an altitude of 15.63 meters on the north side. The entrance is formed by stone slabs laid in the form of an arch, but this is the structure that was inside the pyramid - the true entrance has not been preserved. The true entrance to the pyramid was most likely closed with a stone plug. A description of such a plug can be found in Strabo, and its appearance can also be imagined based on the preserved slab that covered the upper entrance to the Bent Pyramid of Snefru, the father of Cheops. Today, tourists get inside the pyramid through a 17-meter gap, which was made 10 meters lower by the Baghdad caliph Abdullah al-Mamun in 820. He hoped to find the pharaoh's countless treasures there, but found there only a layer of dust half a cubit thick.

Inside the Cheops pyramid there are three burial chambers, located one above the other.

Funeral "pit"

A 105 m long descending corridor running at an inclination of 26° 26'46 leads to an 8.9 m long horizontal corridor leading to the chamber 5 . Situated below ground level in a limestone bedrock, it remained unfinished. The dimensions of the chamber are 14x8.1 m, it extends from east to west. The height reaches 3.5 m, the ceiling has a large crack. At the southern wall of the chamber there is a well about 3 m deep, from which a narrow manhole (0.7 × 0.7 m in cross-section) stretches in a southern direction for 16 m, ending in a dead end.

At the beginning of the 19th century, engineers John Shae Perring and Richard William Howard Vyse cleared the floor of the chamber and dug a well 11.6 m deep, in which they hoped to discover a hidden burial chamber. They were based on the testimony of Herodotus, who claimed that the body of Cheops was on an island surrounded by a canal in a hidden underground chamber.

Their excavations came to nothing. Later studies showed that the chamber was abandoned unfinished, and it was decided to build the burial chambers in the center of the pyramid itself.

Photos taken in 1910

John and Edgar Morton, Public Domain

Ascending Corridor and Queen's Chambers

From the first third of the descending passage (18 m from the main entrance), an ascending passage goes south at the same angle of 26.5° ( 6 ) about 40 m long, ending at the bottom of the Great Gallery ( 9 ).

At its beginning, the ascending passage contains 3 large cubic granite “plugs”, which from the outside, from the descending passage, were masked by a block of limestone that fell out during the work of al-Mamun. Thus, for the previous approximately 3 thousand years it was believed that there were no rooms in the Great Pyramid other than the descending passage and the underground chamber. Al-Mamun was unable to break through these plugs and simply hollowed out a bypass to the right of them in the softer limestone. This passage is still in use today. There are two main theories about the traffic jams, one of them is based on the fact that the ascending passage has traffic jams installed at the beginning of construction and thus this passage was sealed by them from the very beginning. The second argues that the current narrowing of the walls was caused by an earthquake, and the plugs were previously located within the Great Gallery and were used to seal the passage only after the funeral of the pharaoh.

An important mystery of this section of the ascending passage is that in the place where the traffic jams are now located, in the full-size, albeit shortened model of the pyramid passages - the so-called test corridors north of the Great Pyramid - there is a junction of not two, but three corridors at once, the third of which is a vertical tunnel. Since no one has yet been able to move the plugs, the question of whether there is a vertical hole above them remains open.

In the middle of the ascending passage, the design of the walls has a peculiarity: in three places the so-called “frame stones” are installed - that is, the passage, square along its entire length, pierces through three monoliths. The purpose of these stones is unknown. In the area of ​​the frame stones, the walls of the passage have several small niches.

A horizontal corridor 35 m long and 1.75 m high leads to the second burial chamber from the lower part of the Great Gallery in a southerly direction. The walls of this horizontal corridor are made of very large limestone blocks, on which false “seams” are applied, imitating masonry from smaller blocks . Behind the western wall of the passage there are cavities filled with sand.

The second chamber is traditionally called the “Queen’s Chamber,” although according to the ritual, the wives of the pharaohs were buried in separate small pyramids. The Queen's Chamber, lined with limestone, measures 5.74 meters from east to west and 5.23 meters from north to south; its maximum height is 6.22 meters. There is a high niche in the eastern wall of the chamber.

Grotto, Grand Gallery and Pharaoh's Chambers

Another branch from the lower part of the Great Gallery is a narrow, almost vertical shaft about 60 m high, leading to the lower part of the descending passage. There is an assumption that it was intended to evacuate workers or priests who were completing the “sealing” of the main passage to the “King’s Chamber.” Approximately in the middle of it there is a small, most likely natural extension - the “Grotto” (Grotto) of irregular shape, in which several people could fit at most.

Grotto ( 12 ) is located at the “junction” of the masonry of the pyramid and a small, about 9 meters high, hill on the limestone plateau lying at the base of the Great Pyramid. The walls of the Grotto are partially reinforced by ancient masonry, and since some of its stones are too large, there is an assumption that the Grotto existed on the Giza plateau as an independent structure long before the construction of the pyramids, and the evacuation shaft itself was built taking into account the location of the Grotto. However, taking into account the fact that the shaft was hollowed out in the already laid masonry, and not laid out, as evidenced by its irregular circular cross-section, the question arises of how the builders managed to accurately reach the Grotto.

The large gallery continues the ascending passage. Its height is 8.53 m, it is rectangular in cross-section, with walls slightly tapering upward (the so-called “false vault”), a high inclined tunnel 46.6 m long. In the middle of the Great Gallery along almost the entire length there is a square recess with a regular cross-section measuring 1 meter wide and 60 cm deep, and on both side protrusions there are 27 pairs of recesses of unknown purpose. The recess ends with the so-called. “Big step” - a high horizontal ledge, a 1x2 meter platform at the end of the Great Gallery, immediately before the hole into the “hallway” - the Antechamber. The platform has a pair of ramp recesses similar to those in the corners near the wall (the 28th and last pair of BG recesses). Through the “hallway” a hole leads into the funeral “Tsar’s Chamber” lined with black granite, where an empty granite sarcophagus is located. The sarcophagus lid is missing. Ventilation shafts have mouths in the “King’s Chamber” on the southern and northern walls at a height of about a meter from the floor level. The mouth of the southern ventilation shaft is severely damaged, the northern one appears intact. The floor, ceiling, and walls of the chamber do not have any decorations or holes or fastening elements of anything dating back to the construction of the pyramid. The ceiling slabs have all burst along the southern wall and are not falling into the room only due to the pressure from the weight of the overlying blocks.

Above the “Tsar’s Chamber” there are five unloading cavities with a total height of 17 m discovered in the 19th century, between which lie monolithic granite slabs about 2 m thick, and above there is a gable roof made of limestone. It is believed that their purpose is to distribute the weight of the overlying layers of the pyramid (about a million tons) to protect the “King's Chamber” from pressure. In these voids, graffiti was found, probably left by workers.

Ventilation ducts

So-called “ventilation” channels 20-25 cm wide extend from the “Tsar’s Chamber” and “Queen’s Chamber” in the northern and southern directions (first horizontally, then obliquely upward). At the same time, the channels of the “Tsar’s Chamber,” known since the 17th century, through, they are open both below and above (on the edges of the pyramid), while the lower ends of the channels of the “Queen’s Chamber” are separated from the surface of the wall by about 13 cm; they were discovered by tapping in 1872. The upper ends of these channels do not reach the surface by about 12 meters. The upper ends of the channels of the Queen's Chamber are closed by stone Gantenbrink Doors, each with two copper handles. The copper handles were sealed with plaster seals (not preserved, but traces remain). In the southern ventilation shaft, the “door” was discovered in 1993 with the help of the remote-controlled robot “Upout II”; the bend of the northern shaft did not allow this robot to detect the same “door” in it. In 2002, using a new modification of the robot, a hole was drilled in the southern “door,” but behind it a small cavity 18 centimeters long and another stone “door” were discovered. What lies next is still unknown. This robot confirmed the presence of a similar “door” at the end of the northern channel, but they did not drill it. In 2010, a new robot was able to insert a serpentine television camera into a drilled hole in the southern “door” and discovered that the copper “handles” on that side of the “door” were designed in the form of neat hinges, and individual red ocher icons were painted on the floor of the “ventilation” shaft. Currently, the most common version is that the purpose of the “ventilation” ducts was of a religious nature and is associated with the Egyptian ideas about the afterlife journey of the soul. And the “door” at the end of the channel is nothing more than a door to the afterlife. That is why it does not reach the surface of the pyramid. Pyramid of Queen Meritites (G1b)

Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu)
Great Pyramid of Giza
Arab. الهرم الأكبر or هرم خوفو
English Great Pyramid of Giza, Pyramid of Khufu or Pyramid of Cheops

Statistical data

• Height (today): ≈ 138.75 m
• Side angle (current): 51° 50"
• Side rib length (original): 230.33 m (calculated) or about 440 royal cubits
• Side fin length (current): approx. 225 m
• The length of the sides of the base of the pyramid: south - 230.454 m; north - 230.253 m; west - 230.357 m; east - 230.394 m
• Foundation area (initially): ≈ 53,000 m² (5.3 ha)
• Lateral surface area of ​​the pyramid (initially): ≈ 85,500 m²
• Base perimeter: 922 m
• Total volume of the pyramid without deducting the cavities inside the pyramid (initially): ≈ 2.58 million m³
• Total volume of the pyramid minus all known cavities (initially): 2.50 million m³
• Average volume of stone blocks: 1,147 m³
• Average weight of stone blocks: 2.5 tons
• The heaviest stone block: about 35 tons - is located above the entrance to the “King’s Chamber”.
• The number of blocks of average volume does not exceed 1.65 million (2.50 million m³ - 0.6 million m³ of rock base inside the pyramid = 1.9 million m³/1.147 m³ = 1.65 million blocks of the specified volume can physically fit in the pyramid, without taking into account the volume of mortar in interblock joints); referring to a 20-year construction period * 300 working days per year * 10 working hours per day * 60 minutes per hour leads to a speed of laying (and delivery to the construction site) of about a block of two minutes.
• According to estimates, the total weight of the pyramid is about 4 million tons (1.65 million blocks x 2.5 tons)
• The base of the pyramid rests on a natural rocky elevation about 12-14 m high in the center and, according to the latest data, occupies at least 23% of the original volume of the pyramid

History of research

Recent Research

There is a version that tries to explain the precise fit of individual blocks during the construction of the pyramid by the fact that the blocks were created from a concrete-like material by gradually raising the formwork and making the blocks on the spot - hence the precision of the fit. This version was proposed by the French chemist, Professor J. Davidovitz. Professor Davidowitz in the mid-twentieth century developed a method for creating so-called geopolymer concrete. Davidovits suggested that his discovery might have been known to the creators of the pyramids. Subsequent studies refuted this theory.

There are also non-scientific works on the pyramids by some researchers, such as Erich von Däniken and Christopher Dunn (The Mystery of the Ancient Egyptian Machines, 1984), based on outdated information from Sir William Flinders Petrie from the book The Pyramids and Temples of Giza (1883).

Around the pyramid

Pharaoh's boats

Near the pyramids, seven pits with real ancient Egyptian boats, dismantled into pieces, were discovered.

The first of these vessels, called "" or "Sun Boats", was discovered in 1954 by Egyptian architect Kamal el-Mallah and archaeologist Zaki Nour.

The boat was made of cedar and did not have a single trace of nails for fastening the elements. The boat consisted of 1224 parts; they were assembled by restorer Ahmed Youssef Mustafa only in 1968.

The dimensions of the boat are: length - 43.3 m, width - 5.6 m, and draft - 1.50 m. A museum of this boat is open on the south side of the Cheops pyramid.

The Pyramid of Cheops (Egyptian: Achet-Chufu) is a monument among the Seven Wonders of the World, which, according to Wikipedia, remains indestructible to this day. The pyramid belongs to the Giza plateau, which includes and.

Where is

The Pyramid of Cheops, Egypt, is located in the province, 30 km from Cairo, in the historical town of Giza, along El-Haram Street. The address only includes the name of the area and the street, since Al-Haram is an entire area of ​​burial tombs and historical monuments. On the map, the tomb of Cheops is located next to the Great Sphinx and two smaller pyramids - Hebren and Menkaure.

How to get there

There are several ways to get to the Giza Plateau and the Cheops Pyramid. If you are on vacation in the area of ​​Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh, the most in a simple way will go to excursion bus, following from almost every hotel. You can get there on your own.

From any region of Egypt need to go to Cairo. The most convenient way to do this is by bus, the schedule of which will allow you not to stay overnight in Giza, but to have time to see the sights alone during the day. Upon arrival in Cairo, take the metro to Giza station, then change to bus number 900 or number 997. This minibus will take you to Al-Haram in 15 minutes. You will have to walk to the pyramid. This path is laid through no less interesting sights, so you will walk 2 km without noticing fatigue.

Origin story

The history of the creation of the Pharaoh's pyramid remains shrouded in secrets and mysteries to this day. Previously, it was believed that the construction of the Cheops pyramid took the ancient Egyptians about 20 years, however, modern scientists give a different conclusion. Having studied rock art and records preserved from the time of the pharaoh, researchers state that the pharaoh ruled in Ancient Egypt for about 50 years, of which at least 40 lasted the construction of the tomb. Thus, when asked how many years the pyramid has existed, scientists give an approximate figure of 4 thousand years.

It is known that was an architect the ruler's nephew, Hemion, who worked for a long time on creating the project and drawing, relying on strong mathematical knowledge. Carefulness and scrupulousness reflected in the unimaginable durability of the building, thereby leading all modern scientists to a dead end.

Appearance

The pyramid was built on a limestone rock; the base of the building was framed by a low pulpit, which has not survived from those times. The material used was limestone blocks that could be ground. After this, the pyramid was covered twice. The weight of the middle block reached 2.5 tons, the constructed blocks were pulled from the Nile using a dozen ropes, after which the most labor-intensive part of the work began - lifting the block onto the foundation. There are theories that the lifting was also carried out using ropes and at an angle made of wooden beams. During the Arab attack on Cairo in the 12th century, modern capital was burned to the ground. Then the Egyptians began to remove the cladding to build and restore their houses.

Statistical data

The height of the Cheopsan pyramid today is 139 meters. According to some reports, the pyramid was originally 2 meters higher; this difference in meters appeared due to the gradual subsidence of the foundation into the sand.

Dimensions of the Cheops pyramid in meters: perimeter - 922 m, area - 5.3 hectares, length of the side edge - 930 m. Weight exceeds 4 million tons, and volume - 2.58 million m³.

Concavity of the sides

If you watch the pyramid for more than one hour, you will notice how, in the light of the sun, the unevenness of the sides of the pyramid appears. This discovery was made in the 18th century and continues to this day. remains a mystery of the Cheops pyramid. Scientist S. Edwards claims that the pyramid acquired such a disproportionate appearance over time, gradually sinking into the sand.

Tilt angle

The geometry of the pharaoh's tomb represents difficult riddle, the answer to which cannot be unambiguous. One of these questions remains the angle of inclination of the Cheops pyramid. Having approximate data on the length and height of the sides, a whole galaxy of scientists from around the world concluded that the angle exceeds 51 degrees. An interesting question remains about the existence of the theory of the “Golden Section” at this time. Since the value for sekeda (Egyptian unit of measurement) a number was chosen that was close in value to pi. Another mystery of geometry What remains is the arrangement of corridors and passages, which, according to Egyptologists, give reasons for calling the pyramid an astronomical observatory.

Internal structure

Now the entrance to the pyramid is in the north of the building in the form of an arch made of stone slabs. Tourists overcome a 17-meter corridor, built in 820, to see what is inside the Cheops pyramid. It is known that the original entrance has not survived, as it was closed in ancient times with a stone slab. The reason for the transfer of entry remains unknown. The internal structure of the Cheops pyramid includes 3 burial chambers, which are located one above the other.

Funeral "pit"

In his writings, Herodotus described in detail the pyramid that was being built during his lifetime. According to him, the 105-meter corridor leading to the base of the building is the road to the chamber in which the body of the deceased pharaoh Cheops. Thus, engineers in the 19th century cleared a passage underground. But the sarcophagus was not there, and scientists concluded that the chamber remained completely unfinished. From this the theory was derived that the chamber for the ruler should indeed have been placed at the bottom of the foundation, but in the end it was moved to the center.

Ascending Corridor and Queen's Chambers

At 18 meters from the entrance there is a corridor with an approximate height of 40 meters, which leads to the Great Gallery. At the beginning of this corridor there are three “plugs” made of granite, which block the passage to further corners of the construction. Previously it was believed that no rooms other than the descending corridor were built in the pyramid. However, Al-Mamun was able to pave a way around these traffic jams. It was believed that they served as an obstacle to the entrance to the King's chamber. Rising corridor has a mysterious design - a square corridor is riddled with “frame stones”, with small niches in the wall.

A horizontal corridor of 35 m leads to chamber 2 of the Great Gallery. The walls here are made of huge blocks, on which false seams are marked, creating the impression that the blocks are half the size. This chamber was called the "Queen's Chamber". It is lined with the same limestone and includes a high niche on one of the walls.

Grotto, Grand Gallery and Pharaoh's Chambers

From the Great Gallery there is another passage - a vertical shaft 60 meters high. It is believed that its purpose was an emergency exit for workers who were completing work on the “King’s Chamber.” In the middle of the room there is a “Grotto”, intended for several people. The walls here are made of stone, and the shaft was laid in an existing structure.

The King's Chamber has two relief cavities of 17 m above it, which were presumably formed in order to distribute the pressure of the blocks above the King's Chamber. The weight of the limestone blocks above the chamber reaches 1 million tons.

Ventilation ducts

The “Tsar’s Chamber” and the “Queen’s Chamber” each have two ventilation outlets, which have a through design. There are many versions about their purpose, but the most famous is the version of the afterlife movement of souls, according to which the soul of the deceased King rises through a canal.

History of research

A detailed study of the Cheops pyramid began in the 19th century by a group of Egyptologists who, from studying the external proportions and location of the pyramid, moved on to unraveling the secrets of the internal structure.

Recent Research

Scientists, puzzled by the question of the perfect fit of the blocks in size, put forward the theory that the formation of limestone was carried out right on the spot, without stopping the construction of the pyramid. Only this fact can explain the coincidence of all mathematical calculations.

Scheme of the Cheops pyramid

The Pyramid of Cheops is considered one of the most mysterious on the Giza Plateau. Interesting facts, legends and speculations attract hundreds of thousands of tourists on excursions every year.

• The area of ​​the pyramid is equal to the area of ​​10 football fields;
• Construction took approximately 2.2 million blocks;
• The usual understanding that the pyramid is the tomb of the King has been refuted by scientists who say that the pyramid was never used as a tomb and had a different purpose;
• There are also theories that the pyramid is a special calendar. The careful construction led to the fact that orientation in space using the pyramid will be more accurate than using the usual compass.

Video

After lengthy research, scientists have not found a solution to the mystery of the Cheops pyramid, but the process of excavation and study of details does not stop, maintaining the hope that someday people will still be able to understand the mysteries of the pyramid.

What to see nearby

The Pyramid of Cheops is not the only attraction in the area. When you come on a tour, you can get acquainted with other equally interesting buildings.

• Pharaoh's boats– 7 real boats were discovered during excavations near the pyramid. They are made from a single piece of cedar and have no marks for fasteners or nails. After reconstruction, the dimensions of the boats were established, the length of which is about 43 meters, width - 6 meters. There is a museum next to the pyramid, which houses all the samples.
• Pyramids of the Queens of Cheops– to the east of the pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops there are 3 much smaller pyramids. They were intended for the wives, the Queens of the Pharaoh. The first - Queen Meritites I - is currently almost erased from the ground, since 2/3 of its construction has sunk into the sand. The tomb of the pharaoh’s mother, Hetepheres I, who died during the reign of Cheops, is also located here.
4 ratings, average: 4,50 out of 5)


✓Tripster is the largest online excursion booking service in Russia.

✓Travelata.ru - search for the most profitable tours among 120 reliable tour operators.

✓Aviasales.ru - search and compare prices for air tickets among 100 agencies and 728 airlines.

✓Hotellook.ru - search engine for hotels around the world. Compares prices across many booking systems, finding the best.

✓Airbnb.ru is the most popular service in the world for renting housing from owners (often it turns out to be more convenient and cheaper than a hotel). Follow this link and receive $25 as a gift for your first booking.

✓Sravni.ru - travel insurance online, including for visas.

✓Kiwitaxi.ru is an international service for booking car transfers. 70 countries and 400 airports.

History of the construction of the Cheops pyramid

The construction of the pyramid began around 2560 BC. The architect was Hemion, the nephew of Pharaoh Cheops, who managed all the construction projects of the Old Kingdom at that time. The construction of the Cheops pyramid took at least 20 years, and, according to various estimates, more than one hundred thousand people were involved. The project required a herculean effort: workers extracted blocks for construction elsewhere, in the rocks, delivered them along the river and lifted them along an inclined plane to the top of the pyramid on wooden sleds. To build the Cheops pyramid, more than 2.5 million granite and limestone blocks were needed, and at the very top a gilded stone was installed, which gave the entire cladding the color of the sun's rays. But in the 2nd century, when the Arabs destroyed Cairo, local residents dismantled the entire cladding of the pyramid to build their houses.

For almost three millennia, the Cheops pyramid occupied the first place on Earth in height, giving the palm only in 1300 to Lincoln Cathedral. Now the height of the pyramid is 138 m, it has decreased by 8 m compared to the original one, and the base area is more than 5 hectares.

The Pyramid of Cheops is revered local residents as a shrine, and every year on August 23, Egyptians celebrate the day its construction began. No one knows why August was chosen, because there are no historical facts No evidence has been found to confirm this.

The structure of the Cheops pyramid

Inside the Cheops pyramid, the most interesting are the three burial chambers, which are located one above the other in a strict vertical line. The lowest one remained unfinished, the second belongs to the pharaoh’s wife, and the third belongs to Cheops himself.

To travel along the corridors, for the convenience of tourists, paths with steps were laid, railings were made and lighting was provided.

Cross section of the Cheops pyramid

1. Main entrance
2. The entrance made by al-Mamun
3. Crossroads, “traffic jam” and the al-Mamun tunnel made “bypass”
4. Descending corridor
5. Unfinished underground chamber
6. Rising corridor

7. “Queen’s chamber” with outgoing “air ducts”
8. Horizontal tunnel

10. Pharaoh's chamber with “air ducts”
11. Prechamber
12. Grotto

Entrance to the pyramid

The entrance to the Cheops pyramid is an arch formed from stone slabs, and is located on the north side, at a height of 15 m 63 cm. Previously, it was filled with a granite plug, but it has not survived to this day. In 820, Caliph Abdullah al-Mamun decided to find treasure in the pyramid and made a seventeen-meter gap 10 meters below the historical entrance. The Baghdad ruler found nothing, but today tourists enter the pyramid through this tunnel.

When al-Mamun made his passage, a fallen block of limestone blocked the entrance to another corridor - an ascending one, and behind the limestone there were three more granite plugs. Since a vertical tunnel was discovered at the junction of two corridors, descending and ascending, it was assumed that granite plugs were lowered down through it in order to seal the tomb after the funeral of the Egyptian king.

Funeral "pit"

The descending corridor, which is 105 meters long, descends underground at an inclination of 26° 26’46 and abuts another corridor 8.9 m long, leading to chamber 5 and located horizontally. There is an unfinished chamber measuring 14 x 8.1 m, running east to west in shape. For a long time it was believed that there were no other rooms in the pyramid except this corridor and chamber, but it turned out differently. The height of the chamber reaches 3.5 m. At the southern wall of the chamber there is a well about 3 m deep, from which a narrow manhole (0.7 × 0.7 m in cross-section) stretches southward for 16 m, ending in a dead end.

At the beginning of the 19th century, engineers John Shae Perring and Richard William Howard Vyse dismantled the floor of the chamber and dug a well 11.6 m deep, in which they hoped to discover a hidden burial chamber. They were based on the testimony of Herodotus, who claimed that the body of Cheops was on an island surrounded by a canal in a hidden underground chamber. Their excavations came to nothing. Later studies showed that the chamber was abandoned unfinished, and it was decided to build the burial chambers in the center of the pyramid itself.

Ascending Corridor and Queen's Chambers

From the first third of the descending passage (18 m from the main entrance), an ascending passage (6) about 40 m long, ending at the bottom of the Great Gallery (9), goes up at the same angle of 26.5° to the south.

At its beginning, the ascending passage contains 3 large cubic granite “plugs”, which from the outside, from the descending passage, were masked by a block of limestone that fell out during the work of al-Mamun. It turned out that for almost 3 thousand years scientists were sure that there were no rooms in the Great Pyramid other than the descending passage and the underground chamber. Al-Ma'mun was unable to break through these plugs and simply carved out a bypass to the right of them in the softer limestone.

In the middle of the ascending passage, the design of the walls has a peculiarity: in three places the so-called “frame stones” are installed - that is, the passage, square along its entire length, pierces through three monoliths. The purpose of these stones is unknown.

A horizontal corridor 35 m long and 1.75 m high leads to the second burial chamber from the lower part of the Great Gallery in a southerly direction. It is traditionally called the “Queen’s Chamber,” although according to the ritual, the wives of the pharaohs were buried in separate small pyramids. The Queen's Chamber, lined with limestone, measures 5.74 meters from east to west and 5.23 meters from north to south; its maximum height is 6.22 meters. There is a high niche in the eastern wall of the chamber.

Grotto, Grand Gallery and Pharaoh's Chambers

Another branch from the lower part of the Great Gallery is a narrow, almost vertical shaft about 60 m high, leading to the lower part of the descending passage. There is an assumption that it was intended to evacuate workers or priests who were completing the “sealing” of the main passage to the “King’s Chamber.” Approximately in the middle of it there is a small, most likely natural expansion - a “Grotto” of irregular shape, in which several people could fit at most. The grotto (12) is located at the “junction” of the masonry of the pyramid and a small, about 9 meters high, hill on the limestone plateau lying at the base of the Great Pyramid. The walls of the Grotto are partially reinforced by ancient masonry, and since some of its stones are too large, there is an assumption that the Grotto existed on the Giza plateau as an independent structure long before the construction of the pyramids, and the evacuation shaft itself was built taking into account the location of the Grotto. However, taking into account the fact that the shaft was hollowed out in the already laid masonry, and not laid out, as evidenced by its irregular circular cross-section, the question arises of how the builders managed to accurately reach the Grotto.

The large gallery continues the ascending passage. Its height is 8.53 m, it is rectangular in cross-section, with walls slightly tapering upward (“false vault”), a high inclined tunnel 46.6 m long. In the middle of the Great Gallery, along almost the entire length, there is a square recess with a regular cross-section, 1 meter wide and 60 cm deep, and on both side protrusions there are 27 pairs of recesses of unknown purpose. The recess ends with the “Big Step” - a high horizontal ledge, a platform of 1x2 meters, at the end of the Great Gallery, immediately before the hole into the “hallway” - the Antechamber. The platform has a pair of ramp recesses similar to those in the corners near the wall. Through the “hallway” a hole leads into the funeral “Tsar’s Chamber” lined with black granite, where an empty granite sarcophagus is located.

Above the “Tsar’s Chamber” are discovered in the 19th century. five unloading cavities with a total height of 17 m, between which lie monolithic slabs about 2 m thick, and above there is a gable ceiling. Their purpose is to distribute the weight of the overlying layers of the pyramid (about a million tons) to protect the “King’s Chamber” from pressure. In these voids, graffiti was found, probably left by workers.

A network of ventilation ducts leads from the cells to the north and south. The channels from the Queen's Chamber do not reach the surface of the pyramid by 12 meters, and the channels from the Pharaoh's Chamber reach the surface. Such branches have not been found in any other pyramid. Scientists have not reached a unanimous opinion whether they were built for ventilation or have anything to do with Egyptian ideas about the afterlife. At the upper ends of the channels there are doors, most likely symbolizing the entrance to another world. In addition, the channels point to the stars: Sirius, Tuban, Alnitak, which makes it possible to assume that the Cheops pyramid also had an astronomical purpose.

Surroundings of the Cheops Pyramid

At the eastern edge of the Cheops pyramid there are 3 small pyramids of his wives and family members. They are located from north to south, according to size: the base side of each building is 0.5 meters smaller than the previous one. They are well preserved inside; time has partially destroyed only the outer cladding. Nearby you can see the foundation of the mortuary temple of Khufu, inside of which were found drawings depicting a ritual performed by the pharaoh, it was called the Unification of the Two Lands.

Pharaoh's boats

The Pyramid of Cheops is the central figure of a complex of buildings, the location of which had ritual significance. The procession with the late pharaoh was transported along the Nile to the west bank on numerous boats. In the lower temple, to which the boats sailed, the first part of the funeral ceremony began. Next, the procession headed to the upper temple, where the prayer house and altar were located. To the west of the upper temple was the pyramid itself.

On each side of the pyramid, boats were walled up in rocky recesses, on which the pharaoh was supposed to travel through the afterlife.

In 1954, archaeologist Zaki Noor discovered the first boat, called the Solar Boat. It was made of Lebanese cedar, consisted of 1224 parts, and had no traces of fastening or joining. Its dimensions are: length 43 m and width 5.5 m. It took 16 years to restore the boat.

On the southern side of the Cheops pyramid there is a museum of this boat.

The second boat was found in a mine located east of where the first boat was found. A camera was lowered into the shaft, which showed traces of insects on the boat, so it was decided not to raise it and to seal the shaft. This decision was made by scientist Yoshimuro from Waseda University.

In total, seven pits were discovered with real ancient Egyptian boats, dismantled into parts.

Video: 5 Unsolved Mysteries of the Pyramids of Egypt

How to get there

If you want to see the Great Pyramid of Cheops, you need to come to Cairo. But there are practically no direct flights from Russia and you will have to make a transfer in Europe. Without a transfer, you can fly to Sharm el-Sheikh, and from there travel 500 kilometers to Cairo. You can get to your destination by comfortable bus, the travel time is approximately 6 hours, or you can continue the journey by plane, they fly to Cairo every half hour. In Egypt they are very loyal to Russian tourists; you can get a visa right at the airport after landing. It will cost $25 and is issued for a month.

Where to stay

If your goal is ancient treasures and you come to the pyramids, then you can choose a hotel in Giza or in the center of Cairo. There are almost two hundred comfortable hotels with all the benefits of civilization. In addition, Cairo has many attractions; it is a city of contrasts: modern skyscrapers and ancient minarets, noisy colorful bazaars and nightclubs, neon nights and quiet palm gardens.

Reminder for tourists

Don't forget that Egypt is a Muslim state. Men should simply ignore Egyptian women, because even an innocent touch can be considered harassment. Women must follow dress codes. Modesty and once again modesty, a minimum of bare areas of the body.

Tickets for organized excursions to the pyramids can be purchased at any hotel.

The pyramid area is open to the public in summer from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., in winter it is open half an hour less; the entrance ticket costs approximately 8 euros.

Museums are paid separately: you can see the Solar Boats for 5 euros.

To enter the Pyramid of Cheops you will be charged 13 euros; visiting the Pyramid of Chefre will cost less - 2.6 euros. There is a very low passage here and be prepared for the fact that you will have to walk 100 meters in a half-bent position.

Other pyramids, for example, the wife and mother of Khafre, can be viewed for free by presenting admission ticket to the zone.

The best time to view them is in the morning, immediately after opening. It is strictly forbidden to climb the pyramids, break off a piece as a souvenir and write “I was here...”. You can pay a fine for this that will exceed the cost of your trip.

If you want to take a photo of yourself against the backdrop of the pyramids or just the surrounding area, prepare 1 euro for the right to take photographs; photography is prohibited inside the pyramids. If you are offered to take a photo of you, do not agree and do not give the camera to anyone, otherwise you will have to buy it back.

Tickets to visit the pyramids are limited: 150 tickets are sold at 8 a.m. and the same number at 1 p.m. There are two ticket offices: one at the main entrance, the second at the Sphinx.

Each of the pyramids is closed once a year for restoration work, so you are unlikely to see everything at once.

If you don't want to walk throughout the Giza area, you can rent a camel. Its cost will depend on your bargaining ability. But keep in mind that they won’t tell you all the prices right away, and when you ride around, it turns out that you have to pay to get off the camel.

Tricky tip: The toilet is located in the Solar Boat Museum.

On the territory of the pyramid zone there are cafeterias where you can have a good lunch.

Every evening there is a light and sound show lasting one hour. It is held in different languages: Arabic, English, Japanese, Spanish, French. On Sundays the show is performed in Russian. It is recommended to separate your visit to the pyramids and the show over two days, otherwise you will not be able to fit in as many impressions.

Age of the pyramid

The architect of the Great Pyramid is considered to be Hemiun, the vizier and nephew of Cheops. He also bore the title "Manager of all Pharaoh's construction projects." It is assumed that the construction, which lasted twenty years (during the reign of Cheops), ended around 2540 BC. e. .

Existing methods for dating the start of construction of the pyramid are divided into historical, astronomical and radiocarbon. In Egypt, the date for the start of construction of the Cheops Pyramid was officially established (2009) and celebrated - August 23, 2560 BC. e. This date was obtained using the astronomical method of Kate Spence (University of Cambridge). However, this method and the dates obtained with it have been criticized by many Egyptologists. Dates according to other dating methods: 2720 BC. e. (Stephen Hack, University of Nebraska), 2577 BC. e. (Juan Antonio Belmonte, University of Astrophysics in Canaris) and 2708 BC. e. (Pollux, Bauman University). Radiocarbon dating gives a range from 2680 BC. e. to 2850 BC e. Therefore, there is no serious confirmation of the established “birthday” of the pyramid, since Egyptologists cannot agree on exactly what year construction began.

First mention of the pyramid

The complete absence of mention of the pyramid in Egyptian papyri remains a mystery. The first descriptions are found in the Greek historian Herodotus (5th century BC) and in ancient Arab legends [ ] . Herodotus reported (at least 2 millennia after the appearance of the Great Pyramid) that it was built under a despot pharaoh named Cheops (Greek: Cheops). Koufou), who ruled for 50 years, that 100 thousand people were employed in construction. for twenty years, and that the pyramid is in honor of Cheops, but not his grave. The real grave is a burial near the pyramid. Herodotus gave erroneous information about the size of the pyramid, and also mentioned about the middle pyramid of the Giza plateau that it was built by the daughter of Cheops, who sold herself, and that each building stone corresponded to the man to whom she was given. According to Herodotus, if “to lift the stone, a long winding path to the grave was revealed,” without specifying which pyramid he was talking about; however, the pyramids of the Giza plateau did not have “winding” paths to the tomb at the time Herodotus visited them; on the contrary, the Descending Passage of BP Cheops is distinguished by careful straightforwardness. At that time, no other premises were known in the BP.

Appearance

Surviving fragments of the pyramid's cladding and the remains of the pavement surrounding the building

The pyramid is called "Akhet-Khufu" - "Horizon of Khufu" (or more accurately "Related to the firmament - (it is) Khufu"). Consists of limestone and granite blocks. It was built on a natural limestone hill. After the pyramid has lost several layers of cladding, this hill is partially visible on the eastern, northern and southern sides of the pyramid. Despite the fact that the Cheops pyramid is the tallest and most voluminous of all the Egyptian pyramids, Pharaoh Sneferu built the pyramids in Meidum and Dakhshut (Broken Pyramid and Pink Pyramid), the total mass of which is estimated at 8.4 million tons.

Initially, the pyramid was lined with white limestone, which was harder than the main blocks. The top of the pyramid was crowned with a gilded stone - pyramidion (ancient Egyptian - “Benben”). The cladding shone in the sun with a peach color, like “a shining miracle to which the sun god Ra himself seemed to give all his rays.” In 1168, the Arabs sacked and burned Cairo. Residents of Cairo removed the cladding from the pyramid in order to build new houses.

Statistical data

Pyramid of Cheops in the 19th century

Map of the necropolis near the Cheops pyramid

• Height (today): ≈ 136.5 m
• Side angle (current): 51° 50"
• Side rib length (original): 230.33 m (calculated) or about 440 royal cubits
• Side fin length (current): approx. 225 m
• The length of the sides of the base of the pyramid: south - 230.454 m; north - 230.253 m; west - 230.357 m; east - 230.394 m
• Foundation area (initially): ≈ 53,000 m2 (5.3 ha)
• Lateral surface area of ​​the pyramid (initially): ≈ 85,500 m2
• Base perimeter: 922 m
• Total volume of the pyramid without deducting the cavities inside the pyramid (initially): ≈ 2.58 million m3
• Total volume of the pyramid minus all known cavities (initially): 2.50 million m 3
• Average volume of stone blocks: 1,147 m3
• Average weight of stone blocks: 2.5 tons
• The heaviest stone block: about 35 tons - is located above the entrance to the “King’s Chamber”.
• The number of blocks of average volume does not exceed 1.65 million (2.50 million m³ - 0.6 million m³ of rock base inside the pyramid = 1.9 million m 3 /1.147 m 3 = 1.65 million blocks of the specified volume can physically fit in the pyramid , without taking into account the volume of mortar in interblock joints); referring to a 20-year construction period * 300 working days per year * 10 working hours per day * 60 minutes per hour leads to a speed of laying (and delivery to the construction site) of about a block of two minutes.
• According to estimates, the total weight of the pyramid is about 4 million tons (1.65 million blocks x 2.5 tons)
• The base of the pyramid rests on a natural rocky elevation about 12-14 m high in the center and, according to the latest data, occupies at least 23% of the original volume of the pyramid
• The number of layers (tiers) of stone blocks is 210 (at the time of construction). Now there are 203 layers.

Concavity of the sides

Concavity of the sides of the Cheops pyramid

When the sun moves around the pyramid, you can notice the unevenness of the walls - the concavity of the central part of the walls. This may be due to erosion or damage from falling stone cladding. It is also possible that this was specially done during construction. As Vito Maragioglio and Celeste Rinaldi note, the pyramid of Mycerinus no longer has such concave sides. I.E.S. Edwards explains this feature by saying that the central part of each side was simply pressed inward over time by the large mass of stone blocks. [ ]

As in the 18th century, when this phenomenon was discovered, today there is still no satisfactory explanation for this architectural feature.

Observation of the concavity of the sides at the end of the 19th century, Description of Egypt

Tilt angle

It is not possible to accurately determine the original parameters of the pyramid, since its edges and surfaces are currently mostly dismantled and destroyed. This makes it difficult to calculate the exact angle of inclination. In addition, its symmetry itself is not ideal, so deviations in the numbers are observed with different measurements.

Geometric study of ventilation tunnels

A study of the geometry of the Great Pyramid does not provide a clear answer to the question of the original proportions of this structure. It is assumed that the Egyptians had an idea about the “Golden ratio" and the number pi, which were reflected in the proportions of the pyramid: thus, the ratio of height to base is 14/22 (height = 280 cubits, and base = 440 cubits, 280/440 = 14/ 22). For the first time in world history, these quantities were used in the construction of the pyramid at Meidum. However, for pyramids of later eras, these proportions were not used anywhere else, as, for example, some have height-to-base ratios, such as 6/5 (Pink Pyramid), 4/3 (Pyramid of Khafre) or 7/5 (Broken Pyramid).

Some of the theories consider the pyramid to be an astronomical observatory. It is argued that the corridors of the pyramid accurately point towards the “pole star” of that time - Thuban, the ventilation corridors on the south side point to the star Sirius, and on the north side to the star Alnitak.

Internal structure

Cross section of the Cheops pyramid:

The entrance to the pyramid is at an altitude of 15.63 meters on the north side. The entrance is formed by stone slabs laid in the form of an arch, but this is the structure that was inside the pyramid - the true entrance has not been preserved. The true entrance to the pyramid was most likely closed with a stone plug. A description of such a plug can be found in Strabo, and its appearance can also be imagined based on the preserved slab that covered the upper entrance to the Bent Pyramid of Snefru, the father of Cheops. Today, tourists get inside the pyramid through a 17-meter gap, which was made 10 meters lower by the Baghdad caliph Abdullah al-Mamun in 820. He hoped to find the pharaoh's countless treasures there, but found there only a layer of dust half a cubit thick.

Inside the Cheops pyramid there are three burial chambers, located one above the other.

Funeral "pit"

Underground Chamber Maps

A 105 m long descending corridor running at an inclination of 26° 26'46 leads to an 8.9 m long horizontal corridor leading to the chamber 5 . Situated below ground level in a limestone bedrock, it remained unfinished. The dimensions of the chamber are 14x8.1 m, it extends from east to west. The height reaches 3.5 m, the ceiling has a large crack. At the southern wall of the chamber there is a well about 3 m deep, from which a narrow manhole (0.7 × 0.7 m in cross-section) stretches in a southern direction for 16 m, ending in a dead end. At the beginning of the 19th century, engineers John Shae Perring and Richard William Howard Vyse cleared the floor of the chamber and dug a well 11.6 m deep, in which they hoped to discover a hidden burial chamber. They were based on the testimony of Herodotus, who claimed that the body of Cheops was on an island surrounded by a canal in a hidden underground chamber. Their excavations came to nothing. Later studies showed that the chamber was abandoned unfinished, and it was decided to build the burial chambers in the center of the pyramid itself.

Ascending Corridor and Queen's Chambers

From the first third of the descending passage (18 m from the main entrance), an ascending passage goes south at the same angle of 26.5° ( 6 ) about 40 m long, ending at the bottom of the Great Gallery ( 9 ).

At its beginning, the ascending passage contains 3 large cubic granite “plugs”, which from the outside, from the descending passage, were masked by a block of limestone that fell out during the work of al-Mamun. Thus, for the first 3000 years from the construction of the pyramid (including during the era of its active visits in Antiquity), it was believed that there were no other rooms in the Great Pyramid other than the descending passage and the underground chamber. Al-Mamun was unable to break through these plugs and simply hollowed out a bypass to the right of them in the softer limestone. This passage is still in use today. There are two main theories about the traffic jams, one of them is based on the fact that the ascending passage has traffic jams installed at the beginning of construction and thus this passage was sealed by them from the very beginning. The second argues that the current narrowing of the walls was caused by an earthquake, and the plugs were previously located within the Great Gallery and were used to seal the passage only after the funeral of the pharaoh.

An important mystery of this section of the ascending passage is that in the place where the traffic jams are now located, in the full-size, albeit shortened model of the pyramid passages - the so-called test corridors north of the Great Pyramid - there is a junction of not two, but three corridors at once, the third of which is a vertical tunnel. Since no one has yet been able to move the plugs, the question of whether there is a vertical hole above them remains open.

In the middle of the ascending passage, the design of the walls has a peculiarity: in three places the so-called “frame stones” are installed - that is, the passage, square along its entire length, pierces through three monoliths. The purpose of these stones is unknown. In the area of ​​the frame stones, the walls of the passage have several small niches.

A horizontal corridor 35 m long and 1.75 m high leads to the second burial chamber from the lower part of the Great Gallery in a southerly direction. The walls of this horizontal corridor are made of very large limestone blocks, on which false “seams” are applied, imitating masonry from smaller blocks . Behind the western wall of the passage there are cavities filled with sand. The second chamber is traditionally called the “Queen’s Chamber,” although according to the ritual, the wives of the pharaohs were buried in separate small pyramids. The Queen's Chamber, lined with limestone, measures 5.74 meters from east to west and 5.23 meters from north to south; its maximum height is 6.22 meters. There is a high niche in the eastern wall of the chamber.

Drawing of the Queen's Chamber ( 7 )

Niche in the wall of the Queen's Chamber

Corridor at the entrance to the queen's hall (1910)

Entrance to the Queen's Chamber (1910)

Niche in the Queen's Chamber (1910)

Ventilation duct in the queen's chamber (1910)

Corridor to the ascending tunnel ( 12 )

Granite plug (1910)

Corridor to the ascending tunnel (on the left are closing blocks)

Grotto, Grand Gallery and Pharaoh's Chambers

Another branch from the lower part of the Great Gallery is a narrow, almost vertical shaft about 60 m high, leading to the lower part of the descending passage. There is an assumption that it was intended to evacuate workers or priests who were completing the “sealing” of the main passage to the “King’s Chamber.” Approximately in the middle of it there is a small, most likely natural extension - the “Grotto” (Grotto) of irregular shape, in which several people could fit at most. Grotto ( 12 ) is located at the “junction” of the masonry of the pyramid and a small, about 9 meters high, hill on the limestone plateau lying at the base of the Great Pyramid. The walls of the Grotto are partially reinforced by ancient masonry, and since some of its stones are too large, there is an assumption that the Grotto existed on the Giza plateau as an independent structure long before the construction of the pyramids, and the evacuation shaft itself was built taking into account the location of the Grotto. However, taking into account the fact that the shaft was hollowed out in the already laid masonry, and not laid out, as evidenced by its irregular circular cross-section, the question arises of how the builders managed to accurately reach the Grotto.

The large gallery continues the ascending passage. Its height is 8.53 m, it is rectangular in cross-section, with walls slightly tapering upward (the so-called “false vault”), a high inclined tunnel 46.6 m long. In the middle of the Great Gallery along almost the entire length there is a square recess with a regular cross-section measuring 1 meter wide and 60 cm deep, and on both side protrusions there are 27 pairs of recesses of unknown purpose. The recess ends with the so-called. “Big step” - a high horizontal ledge, a 1x2 meter platform at the end of the Great Gallery, immediately before the hole into the “hallway” - the Antechamber. The platform has a pair of ramp recesses similar to those in the corners near the wall (the 28th and last pair of BG recesses). Through the “hallway” a hole leads into the funeral “Tsar’s Chamber” lined with black granite, where an empty granite sarcophagus is located. The sarcophagus lid is missing. Ventilation shafts have mouths in the “King’s Chamber” on the southern and northern walls at a height of about a meter from the floor level. The mouth of the southern ventilation shaft is severely damaged, the northern one appears intact. The floor, ceiling, and walls of the chamber do not have any decorations or holes or fastening elements of anything dating back to the construction of the pyramid. The ceiling slabs have all burst along the southern wall and are not falling into the room only due to the pressure from the weight of the overlying blocks.

Above the “Tsar’s Chamber” there are five unloading cavities with a total height of 17 m discovered in the 19th century, between which lie monolithic granite slabs about 2 m thick, and above there is a gable roof made of limestone. It is believed that their purpose is to distribute the weight of the overlying layers of the pyramid (about a million tons) to protect the “King's Chamber” from pressure. In these voids, graffiti was discovered, probably left by workers.

Interior of the Grotto (1910)

Drawing of a Grotto (1910)

Drawing of the connection of the Grotto with the Great Gallery (1910)

Entrance to the Tunnel (1910)

View of the Great Gallery from the entrance to the room

Large gallery

Grand Gallery (1910)

Drawing of the Pharaoh's Chamber

Pharaoh's chamber

Pharaoh's Chamber (1910)

Interior of the vestibule in front of the Tsar's chamber (1910)

"Ventilation" channel at the southern wall of the king's room (1910)

Ventilation ducts

So-called “ventilation” channels 20-25 cm wide extend from the “Tsar’s Chamber” and “Queen’s Chamber” in the northern and southern directions (first horizontally, then obliquely upward). At the same time, the channels of the “Tsar’s Chamber,” known since the 17th century, through, they are open both below and above (on the edges of the pyramid), while the lower ends of the channels of the “Queen’s Chamber” are separated from the surface of the wall by about 13 cm; they were discovered by tapping in 1872. The upper ends of the Queen's Chamber shafts do not reach the surface by about 12 meters, and are closed by stone Gantenbrink Doors, each with two copper handles. The copper handles were sealed with plaster seals (not preserved, but traces remain). In the southern ventilation shaft, the “door” was discovered in 1993 with the help of the remote-controlled robot “Upout II”; the bend of the northern shaft did not allow Then detect the same “door” in it by this robot. In 2002, using a new modification of the robot, a hole was drilled in the southern “door,” but behind it a small cavity 18 centimeters long and another stone “door” were discovered. What lies next is still unknown. This robot confirmed the presence of a similar “door” at the end of the northern channel, but they did not drill it. In 2010, a new robot was able to insert a serpentine television camera into a drilled hole in the southern “door” and discovered that the copper “handles” on that side of the “door” were designed in the form of neat hinges, and individual red ocher icons were painted on the floor of the “ventilation” shaft. Currently, the most common version is that the purpose of the “ventilation” ducts was of a religious nature and is associated with the Egyptian ideas about the afterlife journey of the soul. And the “door” at the end of the channel is nothing more than a door to the afterlife. That is why it does not reach the surface of the pyramid. At the same time, the shafts of the upper burial chamber have through exits to the outside and inside the room; it is unclear whether this is due to some change in ritual; Since the outer few meters of the pyramid's lining have been destroyed, it is unclear whether there were "Gantenbrink Doors" in the upper shafts. (could have been in a place where the mine was not preserved). In the southern upper shaft there is a so-called “Cheops niches” are strange extensions and grooves that may have contained a “door”. There are no “niches” at all in the northern upper one.