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A Visit To Khufu's World - Companion Guide To The Pharaoh PDF
A Visit To Khufu's World - Companion Guide To The Pharaoh PDF
Khufus World
A photographic record of the legacy of
Old Kingdom Egypt
Pharaoh Snefru
(top)
Pharaoh Khufu
The tomb of Hemiunu was located in the extensive cemeteries (shown in red) around the base
of Khufus own tomb, his monumental pyramid.
Here were buried the family of the Pharaoh and
the nobles as well as some of the workers who
worked on the pyramid. Extensive archaeological work is now being carried out on these longforgotten and overlooked cemeteries.
Khufus Pyramid
Pharaoh Khufus pyramid called Horizon of Khufu was completed shortly before his death in
c2566 B.C. Some of the subsidiary works such as
several of the boat pits were completed after
this death by his son and successor, Pharaoh
Djedefre.
The whole pyramid complex, which included
the mortuary temple, (partly restored in the
upper photo) would have taken about twenty
years to complete, with some 20,000 to 30,000
labourers and craftsmen working on the
complex. The entrance to the pyramid is shown
(bottom right) in the lower photo.
Khufus pyramid had a base length of 230.33
metres (756 feet) and a height of 146.59 metres
(481 feet). It had an angled slope of 51 degrees.
It was the largest of all of the pyramids built in
Ancient Egypt.
(next page, top)
(top)
Interior Chambers
and Passageways
The Grand Gallery leads to the burial chamber located in the very heart or middle of the
pyramid. The Gallery has a spectacular corbelled roof and is the largest open area inside
of the pyramid. The roof of the Gallery rises
up 8.74 metres (26 feet).
What was the purpose for this immense
Grand Gallery? Along the walls at regular
intervals are evenly-matched holes or sockets
for large wooden beams. These beams were
perhaps used to hold back the stone blocks to
be used in the sealing of the Ascending Passage below. The blocks would have been slid
down the Gallery and into the Ascending
Passage once the tomb was ready for its final
sealing.
Burial Chamber
(top left)
Air Shafts?
(top)
Subterranean Chamber
GOLD
CEREMONIAL ITEMS
JEWELRY
SYMBOLS OF OFFICE
FURNITURE
STATUES
CLOTHING
TOILETRIES
POTTERY
RELIGIOUS
FOOD
PAPYRUS
Nefertiabet
The Nile:
Bringer of Life
Everyday Life in
Khufus World
RIVER TRANSPORT
FISHING
NILE PERCH
HARVESTERS
CATTLE FARMERS
BAKERS
MUSICIANS
BREWERS
STONE MASONS
SOLDIERS
PRIESTS
SCRIBES
Available soon:
the sequel to THE PHARAOH