One of the greatest buildings ancient world located in Egypt. This building, since the completion of the construction, strikes with its grandeur and impeccable geometry. No wonder the ancient Greeks included the pyramid of Cheops in their list of the seven wonders of the world. This is the only miracle that has survived to this day.

The Pyramid of Cheops has become a real masterpiece. Modern researchers are amazed at the severity of proportions and the accuracy of geometric dimensions, with which the ancient Egyptians coped brilliantly. Some Egyptologists seriously believe that the builders of the 26th century BC could not have built such a structure in 22 years. They adhere to the theory of extraterrestrial origin of the pyramids.

The point of view of these researchers has the right to exist, especially since the arguments they present sometimes baffle opponents. The location of the pyramid and its proportions are so precise that in order to arrange them in accordance with the cardinal points, modern builders would require the use of the most accurate geodetic instruments. If the exact location of the pyramid of Cheops along the cardinal points is an accident, then the accident is very happy.

The current proportions of the pyramid of Cheops, or Khufu, are not what they were originally. The scientists were able to determine that maximum height pyramid in 2568 BC was 146.6 meters. The ratio of height and base, therefore, is 3.14 ...., that is, the number "Pi" from geometry. The point is the accuracy in which the ratio repeats the number "Pi". This precision is six decimal places. Archimedes did not know this meaning, he would have envied such accuracy, no doubt.

On the day the construction was completed, the pyramid of Cheops was 146.6 meters high. However, now, its height is much less than the original. There are two reasons for this decrease. One natural character is erosion. The second reason is artificial. Her name is man...

In 1301 Cairo experienced an earthquake. Most of the houses turned into piles of garbage. The same fate befell the mosques with skillful minarets. After the first shock, the Cairo authorities turned to a real storehouse of building materials - the pyramids of the pagans. They were seduced by the polished limestone slabs with which the pyramids were laid out. Following the path of least resistance, by reducing overhead costs, the Arabs began to remove the outer lining of the pyramids. Now only part of the facing on the upper tiers of the Khafre pyramid has been preserved. On the pyramid of Cheops, there is no outer lining left.

As a result of the barbaric dismantling, the height of the tallest pyramid in Egypt decreased by more than eight meters. Today's sources, speaking about the height of the pyramid of Cheops, do not shine with uniformity. The difference is 10-20 centimeters. On the one hand, such a discrepancy in data outrages pedants, lovers of accuracy. On the other hand, 10-20 centimeters now do not determine anything. After all, the original proportions are violated irrevocably and forever.

The Arabs who dismantled the pyramids did not ask subtle scientific questions. They were not interested in the theories put forward by modern scientists. They were interested in the momentary solution of domestic problems. They did not hesitate to cause damage to one of the seven wonders of the world. We can complain for a long time about the Arabs of the early 14th century. We can complain about inaccuracies in determining the true height of the pyramid. We can hypothesize about the creators of the pyramids. But the pyramids don't care. They continue to exist and outlive us with our emotions. They will continue to delight and thrill visitors who will disturb their centuries-old peace.

Media files at Wikimedia Commons

Pyramid age

The architect of the Great Pyramid is Hemiun, the vizier and nephew of Cheops. He also bore the title "Manager of all construction sites of the pharaoh." It is assumed that the construction, which lasted twenty years (the reign of Cheops), ended around 2540 BC. e. .

The existing methods of dating the time of the beginning of the construction of the pyramid are divided into historical, astronomical and radiocarbon. In Egypt, it was officially established (2009) and the date of the start of the construction of the Cheops pyramid is 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 derived from it have been criticized by many Egyptologists. Dates according to other dating methods: 2720 BC. e. (Stephen Hack, University of Nebraska), 2577 B.C. e. (Juan Antonio Belmonte, University of Astrophysics in Canaris) and 2708 BC. e. (Pollux, Bauman University). The radiocarbon method gives a range from 2680 BC. e. until 2850 BC e. Therefore, there is no serious confirmation of the established “birthday” of the pyramid, since Egyptologists cannot agree on exactly what year the construction began.

The first mention of the pyramid

The complete absence of a 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 Arabic legends [ ] . Herodotus reported (at least 2 millennia after the appearance of the Great Pyramid) that it was erected under a despot pharaoh named Cheops (Greek. Koufou), who ruled for 50 years, that 100 thousand people were employed in the 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 the middle pyramid of the Giza plateau, that it was erected 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 raise a stone, a long winding path to the grave opened," without specifying what kind of pyramid in question; however, the pyramids of the Giza plateau did not have "winding" paths to the tomb at the time of their visit by Herodotus; on the contrary, the Descending passage of the BP of Cheops is distinguished by careful straightness. And other premises in the BP at that time were not known.

Appearance

The surviving fragments of the facing of the pyramid and the remains of the pavement that surrounded the building

The pyramid is called "Akhet-Khufu" - "Horizon of Khufu" (or more precisely "Related to the sky - (this is) Khufu"). Consists of blocks of limestone and granite. It was built on a natural limestone hill. After the pyramid has lost several layers of lining, this hill is partially visible on the eastern, northern and southern sides of the pyramid. Despite the fact that the pyramid of Cheops is the tallest and most voluminous of all Egyptian pyramids, yet Pharaoh Snefru built the pyramids in Meidum and Dahshur (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, harder than the main blocks. The top of the pyramid was crowned with a gilded stone - a pyramidion (ancient Egyptian - "Benben"). The cladding shone in the sun with a peach color, as if "a shining miracle, to which the sun god Ra himself seemed to give all his rays." In 1168, the Arabs sacked and burned Cairo. The inhabitants of Cairo removed the lining from the pyramid in order to build new houses.

Statistical data

Pyramid of Cheops in the 19th century

Map of the necropolis near the pyramid of Cheops

• Height (today): ≈ 136.5 m
• Sidewall Angle (Now): 51° 50"
• Side rib length (original): 230.33 m (calculated) or about 440 royal cubits
• Side rib length (now): about 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
• Base area (originally): ≈ 53,000 m2 (5.3 ha)
• The area of ​​the side surface of the pyramid (initially): ≈ 85,500 m 2
• Base perimeter: 922 meters
• The total volume of the pyramid without deducting the cavities inside the pyramid (initially): ≈ 2.58 million m 3
• The 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 the average volume does not exceed 1.65 million (2.50 million m³ - 0.6 million m³ of rocky 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 the solution in the interblock seams); reference to a 20-year construction period * 300 working days per year * 10 working hours per day * 60 minutes per hour results in a paving (and delivery to the construction site) speed 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 with a height in the center of about 12-14 m 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 - 210 (at the time of construction). Now the layers are 203.

Side concavity

The concavity of the sides of the pyramid of Cheops

When the sun moves around the pyramid, you can notice the unevenness - the concavity of the central part of the walls. Perhaps the reason for this is erosion or damage resulting from the fall of the stone cladding. It is also possible that this was deliberately done during construction. As Vito Maragioglio and Celeste Rinaldi note, the pyramid of Menkaure no longer has such a concavity of the sides. I.E.S. Edwards explains this feature by the fact that the central part of each side was simply pressed inward from a large mass of stone blocks over time. [ ]

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

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 perfect, so deviations in numbers are observed with different measurements.

Geometric study of ventilation tunnels

The study of the geometry of the Great Pyramid does not give an unambiguous 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: for example, the ratio of height to base is 14/22 (height \u003d 280 cubits, and base \u003d 440 cubits, 280/440 \u003d 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, such as 6/5 (Pink Pyramid), 4/3 (Chefren's Pyramid) or 7/5 (Broken Pyramid).

Some of the theories consider the pyramid to be an astronomical observatory. It is alleged that the corridors of the pyramid point exactly towards the "polar star" of that time - Tuban, the ventilation corridors of the south side - to the star Sirius, and from the north side - to the star Alnitak.

Internal structure

Cross section of the pyramid of Cheops:

The entrance to the pyramid is at a height of 15.63 meters on the north side. Entrance form 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 cork can be found in Strabo, and its appearance can also be imagined based on the surviving slab that closed the upper entrance to broken pyramid Sneferu, father of Cheops. Today, tourists enter the pyramid through a 17-meter gap, which was made in 820 by the Baghdad caliph Abdullah al-Mamun 10 meters lower. He hoped to find the innumerable treasures of the pharaoh there, but found there only a layer of dust half a cubit thick.

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

Funeral "pit"

Underground Chamber Maps

A descending corridor 105 m long, inclined at 26° 26’46, leads to a horizontal corridor 8.9 m long leading to the chamber 5 . Located below ground level in a rocky limestone base, it was left unfinished. The dimensions of the chamber are 14 × 8.1 m, it is elongated 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 southward for 16 m, ending in a dead end. Engineers John Shae Perring and Richard William Howard Vyse cleared the floor of the chamber in the early 19th century and dug a 11.6 m deep well in which they hoped to find a hidden burial chamber. They were based on the evidence of Herodotus, who claimed that the body of Cheops was on an island surrounded by a channel in a hidden underground chamber. Their excavations turned up nothing. Later research showed that the chamber was left unfinished, and it was decided to arrange the burial chambers in the center of the pyramid itself.

Ascending Corridor and Queen's Chambers

From the first third of the descending passage (after 18 m from the main entrance) upwards at the same angle of 26.5 ° there is an ascending passage to the south ( 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, except for the descending passage and the underground chamber. Al-Ma'mun failed to break through these plugs and simply hollowed out a bypass in the softer limestone to the right of them. This passage is still in use today. There are two main theories about plugs, one of them is that the ascending passage has plugs installed at the beginning of construction and thus this passage was sealed by them from the very beginning. The second asserts that the present 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 burial 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 a 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 the vertical tunnel. Since no one has been able to move the traffic jams so far, the question of whether there is a vertical hole above them remains open.

In the middle of the ascending passage, the construction of the walls has a peculiarity: the so-called “frame stones” are installed in three places - that is, the passage, square along the entire length, pierces through three monoliths. The purpose of these stones is unknown. In the area of ​​the frame stones, the passage walls 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. . 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 rite, the wives of the pharaohs were buried in separate small pyramids. The "Queen's Chamber", lined with limestone, has 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.

Blueprint 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 ascending tunnel ( 12 )

Granite Plug (1910)

Corridor to the ascending tunnel (left - closing blocks)

Grotto, Grand Gallery and Pharaoh's Chambers

Another branch from the lower part of the Grand 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 for the evacuation of 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 from strength. Grotto ( 12 ) is located at the "junction" of the masonry of the pyramid and a small, about 9 meters high, hill on a limestone plateau lying at the base of the Great Pyramid. The walls of the Grotto are partially reinforced with 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 actually hollowed out in the already laid masonry, and not laid out, as evidenced by its irregular circular 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 upwards (the so-called “false vault”), a high inclined tunnel 46.6 m long. 1 meter wide and 60 cm deep, and on both side protrusions there are 27 pairs of recesses of unclear purpose. The deepening ends with the so-called. The “Big Step” is a high horizontal ledge, a platform of 1 × 2 meters at the end of the Great Gallery, directly in front of the entrance to the “entrance hall” - the Anterior Chamber. The site has a pair of recesses similar to the ramp recesses, recesses at the corners near the wall (the 28th and last pair of BG recesses). Through the "entrance hall" the manhole leads to the burial chamber "King's Chamber" lined with black granite, where an empty granite sarcophagus is placed. The lid of the sarcophagus 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 badly damaged, the northern one appears undamaged. The floor, ceiling, walls of the chamber do not have any decorations or holes or fasteners of anything related to the time of the construction of the pyramid. The ceiling slabs have all burst along the southern wall and do not fall into the room only due to the pressure of the overlying blocks by the weight.

Above the "King's Chamber" there are five discharge cavities discovered in the 19th century with a total height of 17 m, between which lie monolithic granite slabs with a thickness of about 2 m, and above - a gable ceiling of limestone. It is believed that their purpose is to distribute the weight of the overlying layers of the pyramid (about a million tons) in order to protect the "King's Chamber" from pressure. Graffiti has been found in these voids, probably left by workers.

Interior of the Grotto (1910)

Grotto drawing (1910)

Drawing connecting the Grotto with the Grand Gallery (1910)

Tunnel Entrance (1910)

View of the Grand Gallery from the entrance to the premises

Grand 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 king's chamber (1910)

Channel "ventilation" at the south wall of the king's room (1910)

ventilation ducts

From the "Chamber of the King" and the "Chamber of the Queen" in the northern and south directions(first horizontally, then obliquely upwards) the so-called “ventilation” channels 20-25 cm wide depart. as 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 during tapping in 1872. The upper ends of the shafts of the "Queen's Chamber" do not reach the surface of about 12 meters, and are closed with stone "Gantenbrink Doors", each with two copper handles. Copper handles were sealed with plaster seals (not preserved, but traces remained). In the southern ventilation shaft, the “door” was discovered in 1993 using the Upuaut II remote-controlled robot; the bend of the northern mine did not allow then to find in it the same “door” 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 was found and another stone "door". 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. A new robot in 2010 was able to insert a serpentine television camera through a drilled hole in the southern “door” and found that the copper “handles” on the other side of the “door” were designed in the form of neat hinges, and individual badges were applied in red ocher 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 Egyptians' ideas about afterlife souls. And the “door” at the end of the channel is nothing more than a door to the afterlife. That is why it does not go to the surface of the pyramid. At the same time, the shafts of the upper burial chamber have through exits to the outside and inside of the room; it is not clear if this is due to some change in ritual; since the outer few meters of the facing of the pyramid have been destroyed, it is not clear whether the "Gantenbrink Doors" were in the upper shafts. (could be in the place where the mine was not preserved). In the southern upper mine there is a so-called. "Cheops niches" - strange expansions and grooves, which, perhaps, contained a "door". In the northern upper there are no "niches" at all.

Research history

Recent Research

There are those dedicated to the pyramids

31-03-2017, 22:01 |

The Pyramid of Cheops is the only one of the seven wonders of the world that has survived to this day. Weight 5 million tons, height 146 meters, age 4500 years. The construction of the pyramid of Cheops is still shrouded in great mystery. Many scientists and Egyptologists make a number of assumptions about how it was possible to build such a massive structure at that time.

With the help of modern technology, one of the French architects managed to reproduce a fairly accurate picture. In general, the pyramids are a beautiful and mysterious sight. The massive structures of the pyramid - they were built without special techniques, only by the hands of the ancient Egyptians. It's very strange, and that's why it's so interesting.

Construction of the ancient pyramids of Egypt

To clarify the whole picture, let's go back during the construction of the pyramids. it's a manifestation. They became the gates for all pharaohs from the world of the living to the eternal world of the dead. The most impressive of the pyramids, the Egyptians built in one century. Initially, stepped pyramids were built, for example, the pyramid of Djoser in Sakar is like this.

But the first pyramid with even edges was built by the pharaoh from the IV dynasty Snefr. He was the father of Cheops. The special lining of the pyramids made them the earthly incarnation of the sun. Over time, the true cladding was borrowed from us by the construction of temples and mosques. We can meet such facing only at the base of the pyramid of Cheops and at the top of the pyramid of Khafre.

The Pyramid of Khafre was the last great pyramid in the history of Egypt. Then, after a century of grandiose construction, the whole country entered a difficult time for itself. The time of strife, climate change also occurred, droughts began to occur very often. This led to the fact that in a troubled time of civil strife, the secrets of building a pyramid were lost.

Recently, archaeologists found a settlement, in their opinion, it was there that the builders of the pyramid lived. This led to many discoveries. It became clear to Egyptologists how it passed - they lived quite decently, had good housing and plenty of food, ate meat, bread, drank beer. As it turned out, the builders were not. Previously, this point of view dominated.

Interestingly, the pyramid of Cheops was the highest in the world until the end19th century Recall that its height was 146 meters. The burial chamber of the pyramid is lined with granite blocks weighing more than 60 tons. It's all very strange and mysterious. How were the pyramids built? The amazing height and granite blocks inside the pyramid of Cheops are two big secrets.

Pyramid of Cheops construction viewpoint

Many tried to uncover the secret of the construction of this. Herodotus in the 5th century BC the idea was put forward to use levers made of wood. Another idea about the existence of mounds to the top of the pyramid, or ramps outside in the form of a spiral. These hypotheses are very common in history lessons. However, none of them contains a clear evidence base. There are no arguments that would allow us to say with 100% probability that this or that hypothesis is correct.

One French archaeologist came up with the idea that the construction of the pyramids took place from the inside with the help of a spiral tunnel. Before that, he conducted a series of studies of all hypotheses, examined the drawings. Soon he built his assumption about how they built. First, he should have done a technical analysis of his assumption. That is, to develop a theory of how such construction was implemented in practice.

In order to prove this hypothesis, everything had to be calculated. It can be said for sure that the Egyptians did not build ring-shaped tunnels. But they definitely knew how to build structures at right angles. So the idea of ​​​​building a ramp inside at an angle of 90 degrees came into development. If such a ramp existed, then it became possible to raise the blocks so high, even 146 meters.

Construction in detail of the pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops

So, the idea of ​​interior ramps. The slope of the ramps should not exceed 7%, otherwise it is simply unrealistic to raise the blocks high. At the corners, special open areas. They allowed to turn the blocks in the right direction and at the same time carried out ventilation of the tunnels. The ramp theory was good, but needed proof.

To verify all the calculations, it was necessary to enlist the support of prominent historians. The French architect began to look for interested Egyptologists. However, it was not possible to find those in France who would pay attention to his large-scale project. But one of the American Egyptologists responded to his proposal. Upon meeting, the American was struck by this theory.

Scientists go to find proof of their theory. It is worth noting that the pyramid of Cheops is an amazing sight. Tourists are allowed inside through a predatory passage. Exploring the pyramid from the inside, scientists tried to find at least some hints of an internal ramp. The joints between the blocks are amazing, they are just perfect, there are no gaps.

If you move through a narrow passage under the ceiling of the gallery, then it will lead to 5 layers of granite blocks. They form unloading strips above the king's chamber, it relieves the load from the ceiling of the lower chambers. Without this system, the pharaoh's chamber would have collapsed.

In addition, there is a special construction passage to the very top of the pyramid. It was there that scientists at the beginning of the XIX century. discovered the cartouche of Pharaoh Cheops. This is the main proof that this is the pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops.

By the way, if you are a tourist and want to get acquainted with the treasures of the pharaohs, then you need to go to the Cairo Museum. There are a million exhibits that will tell about ancient civilization Egypt. But only two exhibits are related to the pyramid of Cheops specifically - the statuette of Cheops made of ivory and the cedar sleigh. Lebanese cedar sled allows you to understand how the pyramid was built.

Stages of building a pyramid

During the reign of Cheops, not a single Egyptian had any idea what a wheel was. Stone blocks were transported on cedar skids. But, nevertheless, in terms of the level of technology, the Egyptians achieved great success. The genius of the pyramid builders still fascinates Egyptologists.

According to the theory of the French architect, there were two ramps. The first straight line goes from the base of the pyramid outside. It allows you to build the base of the pyramid and even more than half of the structure itself, while also building the pharaoh's gallery. Then a second ramp was built, which was already located inside the pyramid. According to the theory, after the construction of 43 meters of the pyramid, blocks for the king's chamber were raised to its surface. Then the outer ramp was dismantled and a second inner ramp was built from these materials.

To prove this theory, you need to find the remains of a ramp inside. Not far from Cheops, a temple of the Sun was built, it was built 100 years later. Interestingly, there is a passage inside that looks like an internal ramp. The temple itself would have been destroyed at the end of the 19th century, but there is a drawing of it. This is direct evidence that the Egyptians knew how to build such passages. Thus, there is a high probability that the same ramp was built in the pyramid of Cheops.

Pyramid of Cheops and construction features

In order for the shape to be ideal, according to the scientist, the outer blocks were first laid. Accordingly, the internal blocks were laid later. This sequence made it possible to visually control the surface and the angle of inclination of the building under construction. There is a broken pyramid in Dashur, its facing has been preserved. The thickness of the outer cladding blocks is much greater than that of the inner blocks. This also speaks in favor of the fact that the external polished blocks were installed first, and then the internal ones.

So, the outer polished blocks were laid, then another layer of blocks horizontally, and the rest of the space was filled with rough blocks as a filler. With this order of construction, it really could have been erected within 20 years. Such a date is indicated in the texts of the ancient Egyptians.

On the pyramid of Cheops, whitish lines are visible from the outside, it can be assumed that this is the ramp. Their latitude and slope correspond exactly to the figures in this theory. For accurate data, the pyramid needs to be scanned, and if there are fluctuations in density, then this will be the main evidence for the existence of the ramp. After research, fluctuations were found. The vibrations formed the shape of a spiral. Such results were given by microgramimetric research.

According to the microgramimetric study, the voids in the density of the pyramid formed a spiral shape. According to the data obtained, voids occupied 15% of the entire density of the Cheops pyramid. There is a notch on the northeastern edge of the pyramid; according to calculations, it runs right in the area of ​​​​the ramp. Maybe there was a building site where the Egyptians were unrolling the blocks. But it is difficult to explore this area, since after accidents it is forbidden to climb the pyramid.

The Pyramid of Cheops

But the authorities went to a meeting, and the Egyptologist, together with an assistant, climbed to look at the notch closer. However, no hint of a ramp could be found. But studies have proven for sure that there is a spiral cavity inside. Only here is another mystery - this is how the blocks for the king's chamber were raised. After all, only small blocks can be lifted along the inner ramp, but how the rest were delivered ... This is also a question-mystery for now. If you build a pyramid, then the outer ramp will not help deliver a block of 60 tons to the top. This requires 600 people who would work synchronously. And this is practically impossible.

Thus, the assumption of an internal ramp in the form of a spiral is viable, moreover, this version is more suitable than others for the construction of the pyramids. But there are some nuances that are still difficult to explain. It may well remain a mystery for many years to come.

Construction of the pyramid of Cheops video

The pyramid of Cheops was built around 2600 BC.

The pyramids are shrouded in mystery to this day. Many scientists have devoted their entire lives to unraveling the great construction and purpose of these majestic buildings. However, for several millennia, starting from the first research of Herodotus and ending with the present day, they have not brought the expected success. The main questions remained unanswered - who? when? why? We will tell you about the most reliable assumptions and versions collected by the best scientists over several centuries and related to the history of the Egyptian pyramids.

Already in antiquity, the pyramids were considered one of the main wonders of the world! Their number was about 100 pieces, located along the banks of the Nile River. If you look at all the pyramids from above, then their location is similar to a map of the starry sky. The largest, main pyramids are in Giza. The world-famous sphinxes, as well as temples and tombs of the pharaohs, are also located here. A very important factor of the pyramids is that all their faces are clearly located along the magnetic poles of the Earth! You probably already know the name of the three main pyramids? If not, then be sure to remember - the pyramid of Cheops, Mikerin and Khafre.

The largest pyramid - Cheops was erected by Khufu, who at that time was the pharaoh. The estimated most accurate date of construction is 2590 BC. The height of the pyramid is more than 146 meters, the length of each side is more than 241 m. The edges are located on the cardinal points with amazing accuracy, the angle of inclination is 52 degrees. The pyramid of Cheops occupies an area of ​​5.4 hectares, the base is aligned with the horizon with an accuracy of 3 centimeters. The pyramid consists of more than 2,350,000 stone blocks, each of which weighs about two and a half tons! Initially, the pyramid was covered with a white sandstone cladding to give it an accurate shape and long-term preservation. Unfortunately, the lining has not survived to this day.

The entrance to the pyramid is at a height of 14 meters. Inside there are no decorations, no inscriptions and drawings. For that, there are three chambers, the lower of which is located at a depth of 30 meters relative to the ground. The room is carved into the rock, in order to get to it you need to overcome 120 meters of a narrow corridor (1.1x1.0) at an angle of 27 degrees. After that, the remaining 9 meters, the angle changes to zero relative to the horizon. The tunnel ends with a burial chamber measuring (8.0x14.0x3.0).

Now the passage to the lower tier is closed, for which you can go up the stairs, and then along the corridor of 40 meters, which leads to the queen's chamber. The room with dimensions (5.5x5.2x6.3) is located clearly in the middle, at a height of 20 meters from the ground. There are two ventilation shafts in the walls, directed exactly to the north and south, but not facing the street.

Even higher is the "Great Gallery" - a corridor more than 48 meters long, with a ceiling height of 8.4 meters and an angle of inclination of 26 degrees. The walls are lined with polished limestone slabs in eight layers. At the end of the corridor is the main room - the tomb of the pharaoh with dimensions (10.5x5.3x5.8). The chamber is lined with black Aswan granite, each block of which weighs no less than thirty tons! Moreover, all the blocks are so well polished and fitted that even the thinnest knife blade cannot pass between them. The ceiling consists of 9 monoliths, each weighing more than 400 tons. Above them are unloading chambers 17 meters high, designed to keep the pharaoh calm. A gable roof was built over them, made of huge blocks that take on the weight of more than a million tons! We also note that the pharaoh's sarcophagus is much wider than the entrance to the chamber, and most likely it was hewn right here, from a large block of granite.

There are also ventilation chambers (0.2x0.2) with the exact north-south direction, but unlike the queen's chamber, here they go outside. In 817, Caliph Mamun was able to enter the tomb of the pharaoh, but found only an empty sarcophagus there, the remains of Cheops were never found.

The finds near the pyramid are also interesting. For example, in 1953, during excavations, the oldest ship in the world was discovered - a wooden boat, about 44 meters long, built without nails from cedar. On the wooden elements of which traces of silt were found, which means that at one time the boat was used for intended purpose. Ancient writings state that the pyramid was surrounded by a stone wall, which was 10 meters high and 3 meters wide. Nearby were located two temples - upper and lower. The upper one was to the east of the pyramid, built of Turkish limestone, it contained about 40 granite pillars. The lower temple was used for the first part of the funeral ceremony.

The essence of the whole system of buildings was most likely this - initially the remains of the pharaoh were delivered along the Nile to the lower temple, where, after the necessary preparations, they were sent to the upper temple along a long connecting corridor. In the upper temple, among the many columns, a funeral service and prayers for the repose of the pharaoh took place. After that, the body was taken to the lower chamber of the pyramid, where the pharaoh was carefully immured. On the four sides of the pyramid, immured in the rocks, there were four boats intended for traveling in the afterlife. The main pyramid was accompanied by three small satellite pyramids (base length 49 m), located in the same way as the upper temple, in the east. Moreover, each next of which (from north to south) is less than the previous one. It is believed that the companion pyramids were intended for the wives of the pharaoh.

There are other theories about the purpose of the pyramids. In those distant times, the pharaohs were ruled by a group of priests who possessed unearthly knowledge. It was a separate caste of people who called themselves the chosen ones. They knew mathematics, medicine, astronomy and other sciences very well. The level of education of the priests was many times higher than our understanding of the world. To the common man this knowledge was not available. The priests themselves chose their students, dedicating and teaching them in underground rooms located under the pyramids. The teachings assumed a connection with the universe and awareness of the essence of earthly existence. After that, the student was subjected to trials in the labyrinths of the pyramids, then in a secret sanctuary, under pain of death, they achieved complete obedience and an oath of non-disclosure of secrets. The priests could predict the future, thanks to their connection with the higher powers of the universe. Let's make a reservation right away, later the chosen ones disappeared, due to the so-called disconnection.

Modern scientists have found many confirmations of this - the 33-year duration of Christ, the date of the beginning of the Second World War. Back in 1964, Charles Smith suggested that the pyramids store information for understanding the prophecies from the Bible from the beginning of time to the second coming of God.

In 1994, a discovery was made using computer simulations to explain the location of the three main pyramids, which correspond exactly to the positions of the three stars in Orion's Belt, which at the time were crossing the Giza meridian. If this assumption is correct, then the age of the pyramids can be increased to 10,400 BC! The same Sphinx is a confirmation of this theory, because its gaze is turned exactly to the point where this constellation was located.

With the help of modern equipment, hidden tunnels were discovered under the sphinx itself, which, according to the legend, should lead to a chamber containing a capsule with a message for all mankind. Indeed, the chamber was found, it contained a black granite sarcophagus, unfortunately it turned out to be empty. For that, drawings were found on the walls of the tunnel leading to the chamber, which are predictions of the future of mankind. From there, it became known that our civilization is waiting for a series of cosmic cataclysms that will nightmare "Earth" for several millennia.

Cheops pyramid. Device. Riddles. Pyramids on the map. Dimensions. A photo

Today we will take a trip back several millennia, to the time of the ancient pharaohs and majestic pyramids. To do this, we will go to the Giza plateau - a suburb with a population of more than 3 million inhabitants, which is visited by tens of thousands of tourists every year. After all, it is here that the Great Pyramids of Egypt are located, and not in Cairo itself, as many used to believe. And it is this place that provides us with an amazing opportunity to see with our own eyes the only one of the 7 wonders of the world that has survived to this day - the pyramid of Cheops, as well as one of the most big statues in the world - the famous Great Sphinx. Just think, the complex has existed for more than 4500 years! My head is spinning from these numbers.

What is Giza, a suburb of Cairo, today.

The modern district of Giza looks poor and nondescript. Nothing special - lots of cars, people, shops, signs...

…sometimes not entirely clear.

Smiling inhabitants of modern Giza.

Ironically, the inconspicuous town is adjacent to one of the most famous ancient architectural complexes peace. What immediately catches your eye is an unusual combination of city buildings and the tops of the pyramids hanging over them. The majestic pyramids seem to beckon you, inviting you to come closer to open the veil of their secrets and legends.

GIZA PYRAMID COMPLEX

Information:
Giza pyramid complex
Location: Pyramids Road, Giza
How to get there: by bus: stop next to the Ramses Hilton hotel - 357 bus, or minibuses towards Giza; by metro: The Giza station, then by minibus or taxi to the pyramids; by taxi (20-30 pounds)
Cost: 80 LE, students - 40 LE
Opening hours: summer - 7:00-19:00, winter - 8:00-17:00
The ticket includes entrance to the Giza Plateau (viewing the pyramids from the outside), a visit to the Temple of Khafre in the valley (Valley Temple of Khafre), satellite pyramids of Cheops, and some separate small pyramids

Individual tickets:
Pyramid of Khufu - 200 LE, students - 100 LE; summer - 8:00-11:00, 13:00-18:00, winter - 8:00-11:00, 13:00-17:00; only 150 tickets are sold before the break and 150 after.
Pyramid of Khafre - 40 LE, students - 20 LE; Pyramid of Menkaure - temporarily closed;
Museum of the Solar Boat - 60 LE;
ISIC card discounts for students

Light show (Sound and Light Show)- daily at 19:00 - in English, 20:00 - German, Italian, Spanish, French (depending on the day of the week), 21:00 - in Arabic. Duration - about an hour. It is possible to translate into Russian, Japanese, Polish, Chinese and other languages ​​(through headphones, included in the price).
Phones: (+202) 338-57320, (+202) 338-47823, (+202) 338-67374

Photography is prohibited inside the pyramids. Shooting on a plateau with a tripod - 20 LE. Tickets for the plateau and separate tickets for the entrance to the pyramids of Cheops and Khafre, as well as to the light show, are sold near different entrances.

Briefly about the main thing. The Giza Plateau lies in the Libyan Desert. Here are the buildings of the times of the Old Kingdom (XXVI-XXIII centuries BC). The basis of the complex is 3 Great Pyramids along with their satellite pyramids. Also on the plan of Giza you can see the tombs of members of the families of the pharaohs and the nobility, a statue Great Sphinx, 4 cemeteries, several temples, a modern pyramid research center and a museum. To see all these buildings in detail, you will most likely need a whole day. I, unfortunately, did not have so much time, so only the most important objects are included in my article.

Complex plan:

And so the Great Pyramids look from a bird's eye view. You can even see them from the window of an airplane if you fly over Cairo. So during my first flight to Egypt, a good half of the passengers gathered at the windows when the captain announced that if we all moved to the right side of the cabin together, the plane would tilt from such a weight, and we could see the pyramids. It worked 🙂

In the evenings, the Sphinx hosts light shows on the theme of Ancient Egypt and the pyramids (Sound and Light Show) in several languages ​​(for an additional fee).

I want to warn you - be careful with such barkers. One friend told me the story of how her son was almost forcibly put on a camel and began to take pictures "absolutely free." But in order to remove the frightened guy from the hump of the proud ship of the desert, and return the camera to the mistress, they began to demand baksheesh. I had to threaten with guides and policemen. The moral of the story is this: you can ride, but be careful. In which case, immediately boldly declare that you will call the guide now, even if you came here alone. This, oddly enough, works. Just do not think that I dissuade you from the opportunity to do beautiful pictures on a camel. In my opinion, the idea is wonderful, the main thing is to agree on a price in advance 🙂

The Great Pyramids of Giza: the main decoration of the complex.

What kind of pyramids were not built in Ancient Egypt- stepped, broken, pink, huge or very tiny ... The most famous of them - the Great Pyramids - are located in the central part of the Giza complex, where they are located on the same line - from the largest to the smallest. This is the pyramids of Cheops (Khufu), Khafre (Khafre) and Menkaure (Menkaure).

!!Fact: As you know, these 3 pharaohs were related. Chephren was the brother or son of Cheops, and Menkaure was the son of Chephren.

Each of the pyramids has its own "satellite pyramids", where members of the families of the pharaohs are buried, and its own mortuary temple (see plan of the complex). Here they are, beauties, towering against the backdrop of Cairo.

From this angle, it seems that the pyramid with the "tip" is the largest in size, but in fact, it is the middle of the three - the Khafre pyramid.

The next photo shows the smallest pyramid of Menkaure with its tiny satellites. Menkaure and Cheops got 3 "satellite pyramids", but Chephren got only one.

Until now, scientists are arguing whether these pyramids were built by people or alien creatures, whether they were intended only for burials or had other secret meanings. To go back to the past for real, to look at least with one eye at the life of Giza several thousand years ago ... Oh, dreams ...

Pyramid of Cheops: along the corridors of one of the Wonders of the World.

Having snapped some “postcards”, I went inside the Cheops pyramid. The only one in our group. What kind of ignorant people are these? So, gentlemen, this is the largest and most famous of the Egyptian pyramids, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World that has managed to reach our days. Wow, I saw it with my own eyes! Another name for the pyramid of Cheops - great pyramid(Great pyramid). It was intended, in fact, for the burial of Pharaoh Cheops (or Khufu).

Her 3 satellites - standing next to each other are small pyramids - this is the pyramid of Queen Hetepheres (GIa) - the mother of Khufu, the pyramid of Queen Meritit I (GIb) - the 1st wife of Khufu, and the pyramid of Henutsen (GIc) - the 2nd wife of Khufu. One of them is visible in the photo.

!!Fact: Initially, the top of the pyramid of Cheops was gilded.

She probably has the most crowds of people than the other points of the complex combined. Everyone wants to touch it, smell it, lean against it, take a picture ...

Here are the main parameters of the Cheops pyramid:

• The height of the pyramid is 139 meters.
• The 4 sides of its base are 230 meters long each, with a slight difference.
• Materials for construction - limestone, basalt, granite.
• The total weight of the pyramid is more than 6 million tons. It consists of about 2.5 million stone blocks. The average size of each block is 1 m³, the average weight is 2.5 tons. The heaviest of them weighs as much as 35 tons.

You can climb on the blocks, which I did. The truth is not high, otherwise the guards will start to swear. A great chance to “touch the antiquity” by yourself.

As for the entrance, there are as many as 2 of them. Previously, they penetrated inside through the old entrance. The current one is located a little lower, and tourists pass through it today. It was once broken through the wall of the pyramid, hoping to find treasures there. Not found.

So, we go inside, passing through the open gate in the background. Unfortunately, this photo was the only "legal" inside the Cheops pyramid: for some reason, shooting is prohibited here. You have to leave the camera at the entrance at your own peril and risk. I resisted for a long time, it was elementary scary for the fate of my camera. True, in the end he was returned safe and sound. Further photos will be taken using the phone, which I carefully hid so that it would not fall into the hands of the guards 🙂

The first impression of the pyramid is subdued light and silence inside, long and very narrow corridors. Inside there are no statues or wall paintings, which are found, for example, in later tombs in. It has its own special atmosphere.

But, what was my disappointment when I found that you can only go through a few corridors and go into only a few rooms. I compared what is open to tourists with what is present on the plan of the pyramid, and realized that only a third is open for inspection. As a result, the entire hike down to the end point and back, if you do not consider every corner, took only a few minutes. That's the whole Great Pyramid. I read the comments on the Internet, and came to the conclusion that either I somehow missed the passages to the top, or at that time they were simply closed. I will explain what is at stake. Look at Cheops pyramid plan.

As we can see, there are 3 burial chambers inside it, one of which, for some reason, was not completed. Also, in the pyramid there is a system of corridors with big gallery. This is what I expected to see in theory. In fact, what I managed to get through - this is the path from the entrance (2) along the descending corridor (4) to the unfinished underground chamber (5). All, comrades! It's annoying.

Descending corridor (4).

The length of the corridor is 105 m. The descent takes place at a steep slope. If for some reason you want to stop in the middle, then this is unlikely to succeed if you do not want to delay the others: the passage is really narrow and does not even fit two people wide. Next comes short tunnel, leading to an unfinished underground chamber (5). I saw another passage closed with bars. Apparently, the missing part on the pyramid plan is hidden behind it.

Camera (5) It is a small nondescript room. That, in fact, is all. Maybe I didn't look there?

Finally, one more fact. In the 20th century, a large wooden boat was found in one of the rooms, disassembled into parts. Now it is in the Solar Boat Museum, located next to the pyramid. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to visit the museum.

Let's move on to another one of the most beloved points of the Giza complex by tourists - the statue of the Great Sphinx, the oldest surviving monumental statue in the world. Let me remind you that in ancient Egypt, the sphinx is a stone figure of a lion with a human head. For several millennia, he has been basking under the Egyptian sun, carefully guarding the plateau and its buildings.

The height of the Sphinx is 20 m, its width is 73 m. For its age, the statue has been perfectly preserved to this day, however, having lost its nose in the fight against sandy winds. The face of the mythical animal is turned towards the Nile, from where the sun rises. Scientists believe that it has a portrait resemblance to Pharaoh Mykerin, the "master" of one of the three Great Pyramids.

What kind of photos with the Sphinx are not taken by travelers coming here .. Some jump on its background, others try to hug it, and still others give it a kiss as hot as the Libyan desert. I was no exception. The Sphinx impressed me almost more than the pyramids themselves, and I think he deserved this kiss.

An annex is located next to the statue - sphinx temple. Together they form a single complex. Separate tickets for visiting the temple are not needed, as one of the barkers did not try to convince me of the opposite. As an usher, he, of course, tried to speak himself.

On this romantic frame with a kiss, I finish my story. Until we meet again with hot Egypt!