The Great Pyramid of Giza

The Great Pyramid of Giza (Pyramid of Khufu or The Pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and biggest among the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest and the only wonder that exists until now. Egyptologists believe that the pyramid was built as a tomb for the fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops in Greek) and constructed over a 14 to 20-year period concluding around 2560 BC. The Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years, the longest period of time ever held for such a record. Originally, the Great Pyramid was covered by casing stones that formed a smooth outer surface; what is seen today is the underlying core structure. Some of the casing stones that once covered the structure can still be seen around the base.

Underlying core structure of pyramid

Materials :

It is composed of over 2 ½ million blocks of limestone with most believed to have been transported from nearby quarries, which weigh from 2 to 70 tons each. The Tura limestone used for the casing was quarried across the river. The largest granite stones in the pyramid, found in the "King's" chamber, weigh 25 to 80 tons and were transported from Aswan, more than 500 miles away. Traditionally, ancient Egyptians cut stone blocks by hammering wooden wedges into the stone which were then soaked with water. As the water was absorbed, the wedges expanded, causing the rock to crack. Once they were cut, they were carried by boat either up or down the Nile River to the pyramid. It is estimated that 5.5 million tons of limestone, 8,000 tons of granite (imported from Aswan), and 500,000 tons of mortar were used in the construction of the Great Pyramid.

Casing stone made from limestone.

Measurements & Interior of Pyramid:

The pyramid’s base covers over 13 acres and its volume is around 90,000,000 cubic feet. You could build 30 Empire State buildings with its masonry. It is 454 feet high which is equivalent to a modern 48-story building. There are currently 203 courses or steps to its summit. Each of the four triangular sides slope upward from the base at an angle of 51 degrees 51 minutes and each side has an area of 5 1/2 acres. The joints between adjacent blocks fit together with optical precision and less than a fiftieth of an inch separates the blocks. The cement that was used is extremely fine and strong and defies chemical analysis. Today, with all our modern science and engineering, we would not be able to build a Great Pyramid of Giza. The Great Pyramid is thought to have been erected around 2600 BC during the reign of Khufu (Cheops). 

From the above diagram you can see that there are two systems of passages, a downward or descending system and an upward or ascending system. The entry into the pyramid is on the north side, which is about 56 feet above ground level. This entrance leads into the descending passage which slopes down at an angle of about 26 degrees. It is a narrow passage which measures about 3 1/2 feet wide by almost 4 feet high. The distance of this descending passage to the beginning of the horizontal Subterranean chamber passage is about 344 feet. This shorter horizontal section leads to the subterranean chamber. This large chamber is a strange place, measuring 46 X 27 feet with a height of about 11 feet. In the center of this chamber on the east side is a square pit which is about 10 feet deep, known as the "bottomless pit". It is called the "bottomless pit" since at the time of its discovery, it was not known how deep it was. Continuing from the subterranean chamber is a smaller passage (about 2 1/2 feet square) that runs horizontal for about 53 feet and ends in a blank wall.

Let us look at the ascending system of passages. As we start down the descending passage from the entrance, after about 97 feet, we come to where the ascending passage intersects with it. It is blocked by 3 large granite blocks. Following the ascending passage, (which has approximately the same dimensions as the descending passage), up at its 26-degree angle, after 124 feet, we finally arrive at a large open space. This is known as the grand gallery. It is a hall 153 feet long and 7 feet wide at the floor level. It is about 28 feet high. At this point of intersection, you can take one of two routes. You can continue going up the grand gallery and eventually end up in the King’s chamber or continue in a horizontal direction through another passage (127 feet long) and wind up in the Queen’s chamber. Also at this intersection (where the ascending passage meets with the grand gallery) is a hole which leads to a shaft (known as the well shaft) which connects with the descending passage below. This near vertical tunnel is about 3 feet in diameter. The King’s chamber measures about 34 feet by 17 feet and 19 feet in height. The Queen’s chamber measures 18 feet by 17 feet and 20 feet in height. It should be noted that the passages are all in the same vertical plane, parallel to the north-south axis of the pyramid. They are not in the direct centre of the pyramid but off 24 feet to the east of centre. Thus the entrance to the pyramid is not in the centre line of the north side, but to the east of it by 24 feet. Also all chambers extend westward from the vertical plane of the passage system, and none extend eastward.

    Entrance:

Ø  The original entrance to the Great Pyramid is 17 metres (56 ft) vertically above ground level and 7.29 metres (23.9 ft) east of the center line of the pyramid.

Ø  Today tourists enter the Great Pyramid via the Robbers' Tunnel dug by workmen employed by Caliph al-Ma'mun around AD 820. The tunnel is cut straight through the masonry of the pyramid for approximately 27 metres (89 ft), then turns sharply left to encounter the blocking stones in the Ascending Passage.

Descending Passage:

Ø  It slopes down at an angle of about 26 degrees.

Ø   It is a narrow passage which measures about 3 1/2 feet wide by almost 4 feet high.

Ø  The distance of this descending passage to the beginning of the horizontal Subterranean chamber passage is about 344 feet.

Ø  In the ceiling 97 feet down the descending passage there is a  granite plug which blocks the entrance to the ascending passage.  It is made of very hard quartz, mica and feldspar.  There are 3 granite plugs side by side. 

    Ascending Passage:

Ø  It is 39.3 metres (129 ft) long, as wide and high as the Descending Passage and slopes up at almost precisely the same angle.

Ø  The lower end of the Ascending Passage is closed by three huge blocks of granite, each about 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) long.

Grand Gallery:

Ø  It is a hall 153 feet long and 7 feet wide at the floor level and about 28 feet high. 

Ø  It continues upward at the same slope as the ascending passage.

Ø  at the start of the Grand Gallery there is a Horizontal Passage leading to the "Queen's Chamber".

 King’s Chamber:

Ø  

The King’s Chamber, made out of granite, measures about 34 feet by 17 feet and is about 19 feet high.

Ø  The only item ever found in pyramid is the coffer in the King's Chamber.  It is a lidless box cut from a solid block of granite.  It's dimensions are 6 feet 6 inches long, 2 feet 3 inches wide, and 3 feet deep.  It may have once had a sliding lid since there is a ridge along the top edge of the coffer.  It is chipped at one corner.

Ø  Above the roof of the King's Chamber are found a series of 5 cavities or chambers (relieving chambers). The first four, like the King's Chamber, have flat roofs formed by the floor of the chamber above, but the final chamber has a pointed roof.

i)              Davidson Chamber

ii)             Wellington Chamber

iii)            

Lady Arbuthnot's Chamber

iv)            Campbell's Chamber

   Queen’s Chamber:

Ø  The Queen's Chamber has a rough floor and a gabled limestone roof.  The name Queen's Chamber is a misnomer.  The custom among Arab's was to place their women in tombs with gabled ceilings (as opposed to flat ones for men), so this room came to be labelled by the Arab's as the Queen's Chamber.  The walls of this chamber are mysteriously encrusted with salt as much as much as 1/2 inch thick.  The chamber dimensions are 18 feet 10 inches by 17 feet 2 inches.  It has a double pitched ceiling 20 1/2 feet at its highest point, formed by huge blocks of limestone at a slope of about 30 degrees.