20/06/2017 GreatPyramidofGizaWikipedia

Coordinates:295845.03N310803.69E

GreatPyramidofGiza
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

TheGreatPyramidofGiza(alsoknownasthePyramid
ofKhufuorthePyramidofCheops)istheoldestand TheGreatPyramidofGiza
largestofthethreepyramidsintheGizapyramidcomplex
borderingwhatisnowElGiza,Egypt.Itistheoldestofthe
SevenWondersoftheAncientWorld,andtheonlyoneto
remainlargelyintact.

Basedonamarkinaninteriorchambernamingthework
gangandareferencetofourthdynastyEgyptianPharaoh
Khufu,Egyptologistsbelievethatthepyramidwasbuiltasa
tombovera10to20yearperiodconcludingaround2560
BC.Initiallyat146.5metres(481feet),theGreatPyramid
wasthetallestmanmadestructureintheworldformore Khufu
than3,800years.Originally,theGreatPyramidwascovered
bycasingstonesthatformedasmoothoutersurfacewhatis Coordinates 295845.03N310803.69E
seentodayistheunderlyingcorestructure.Someofthe Ancient Khufu'sHorizon
casingstonesthatoncecoveredthestructurecanstillbe name
seenaroundthebase.Therehavebeenvaryingscientific
Constructed c.25802560BC(4thdynasty)
andalternativetheoriesabouttheGreatPyramid's
constructiontechniques.Mostacceptedconstruction Type Truepyramid
hypothesesarebasedontheideathatitwasbuiltbymoving Height 146.5metres(481ft)or280cubits
hugestonesfromaquarryanddraggingandliftingthem (ancient)
intoplace. 138.8metres(455ft)(contemporary)
TherearethreeknownchambersinsidetheGreatPyramid. Base 230.4metres(756ft)or440cubits
Thelowestchamberiscutintothebedrockuponwhichthe Volume 2,583,283cubicmetres
pyramidwasbuiltandwasunfinished.Thesocalled[1] (91,227,778cuft)
Queen'sChamberandKing'sChamberarehigherupwithin
Slope 5150'24
thepyramidstructure.ThemainpartoftheGizacomplexis
asettingofbuildingsthatincludedtwomortuarytemplesin
honourofKhufu(oneclosetothepyramidandoneneartheNile),threesmallerpyramidsforKhufu'swives,an
evensmaller"satellite"pyramid,araisedcausewayconnectingthetwotemples,andsmallmastabatombs
surroundingthepyramidfornobles.

Contents
1 Historyanddescription
2 Materials
2.1 Casingstones
2.2 Constructiontheories
3 Interior
3.1 Queen'sChamber
3.2 GrandGallery TransparentviewofKhufu'spyramid
3.3 King'sChamber fromSE.Takenfroma3dmodel
3.4 Modernentrance
4 Pyramidcomplex
5 Boats
6 Looting
7 Seealso
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza 1/11
20/06/2017 GreatPyramidofGizaWikipedia

8 References
9 Externallinks

Historyanddescription
ItisbelievedthepyramidwasbuiltasatombforFourthDynastyEgyptian
pharaohKhufu(oftenHellenicisedas"Cheops")andwasconstructedovera
20yearperiod.Khufu'svizier,Hemiunu(alsocalledHemon),isbelievedby
sometobethearchitectoftheGreatPyramid.[2]Itisthoughtthat,at
construction,theGreatPyramidwasoriginally280Egyptiancubitstall(146.5
metres(480.6ft)),butwitherosionandabsenceofitspyramidion,itspresent
heightis138.8metres(455.4ft).Eachbasesidewas440cubits,230.4metres
(755.9ft)long.Themassofthepyramidisestimatedat5.9milliontonnes.
Thevolume,includinganinternalhillock,isroughly2,500,000cubicmetres
(88,000,000cuft).[3]

Basedontheseestimates,buildingthepyramidin20yearswouldinvolve
TimelineandmapoftheGreat installingapproximately800tonnesofstoneeveryday.Additionally,sinceit
PyramidofGizaandtheother consistsofanestimated2.3millionblocks,completingthebuildingin20
WondersoftheAncientWorld yearswouldinvolvemovinganaverageofmorethan12oftheblocksinto
placeeachhour,dayandnight.Thefirstprecisionmeasurementsofthe
pyramidweremadebyEgyptologistSirFlindersPetriein188082and
publishedasThePyramidsandTemplesofGizeh.[4]Almostallreportsarebasedonhismeasurements.Manyof
thecasingstonesandinnerchamberblocksoftheGreatPyramidfittogetherwithextremelyhighprecision.
Basedonmeasurementstakenonthenortheasterncasingstones,themeanopeningofthejointsisonly0.5
millimetrewide(1/50ofaninch).[5]

Thepyramidremainedthetallestmanmadestructureintheworldfor
over3,800years,[6]unsurpasseduntilthe160metretall(520ft)spireof
LincolnCathedralwascompletedc.1300.Theaccuracyofthe
pyramid'sworkmanshipissuchthatthefoursidesofthebasehavean
averageerrorofonly58millimetresinlength.[7]Thebaseishorizontal
andflattowithin15mm(0.6in).[8]Thesidesofthesquarebaseare
closelyalignedtothefourcardinalcompasspoints(withinfourminutes
ofarc)[9]basedontruenorth,notmagneticnorth,[10]andthefinished
basewassquaredtoameancornererrorofonly12secondsofarc.[11]

Thecompleteddesigndimensions,assuggestedbyPetrie'ssurveyand GreatPyramidofGizafroma19th
subsequentstudies,areestimatedtohaveoriginallybeen280royal centurystereopticoncardphoto
cubitshighby440cubitslongateachofthefoursidesofitsbase.The
ratiooftheperimetertoheightof1760/280royalcubitsequatesto2to
anaccuracyofbetterthan0.05%(correspondingtothewellknownapproximationofas22/7).Some
Egyptologistsconsiderthistohavebeentheresultofdeliberatedesignproportion.Vernerwrote,"Wecan
concludethatalthoughtheancientEgyptianscouldnotpreciselydefinethevalueof,inpracticetheyused
it".[12]Petrie,authorofPyramidsandTemplesofGizehconcluded:"buttheserelationsofareasandofcircular
ratioaresosystematicthatweshouldgrantthattheywereinthebuilder'sdesign".[13]Othershavearguedthat
theAncientEgyptianshadnoconceptofpiandwouldnothavethoughttoencodeitintheirmonuments.They
believethattheobservedpyramidslopemaybebasedonasimplesekedslopechoicealone,withnoregardto
theoverallsizeandproportionsofthefinishedbuilding.[14]In2013rollsofpapyruswerediscoveredwrittenby
someofthosewhodeliveredstoneandotherconstructionmaterialstoKhufu'sbrotheratGiza.[15]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza 2/11
20/06/2017 GreatPyramidofGizaWikipedia

Materials
TheGreatPyramidconsistsofanestimated2.3millionblockswhichmostbelievetohavebeentransported
fromnearbyquarries.TheTuralimestoneusedforthecasingwasquarriedacrosstheriver.Thelargestgranite
stonesinthepyramid,foundinthe"King's"chamber,weigh25to80tonnesandweretransportedfromAswan,
morethan800km(500mi)away.Traditionally,ancientEgyptianscutstoneblocksbyhammeringintothem
somewoodenwedges,whichwerethensoakedwithwater.Asthewaterwasabsorbed,thewedgesexpanded,
causingtherocktocrack.Oncetheywerecut,theywerecarriedbyboateitherupordowntheNileRivertothe
pyramid.[16]Itisestimatedthat5.5milliontonnesoflimestone,8,000tonnesofgranite(importedfrom
Aswan),and500,000tonnesofmortarwereusedintheconstructionoftheGreatPyramid.[17]

Casingstones

Atcompletion,theGreatPyramidwassurfacedbywhite"casing
stones"slantfaced,butflattopped,blocksofhighlypolishedwhite
limestone.Thesewerecarefullycuttowhatisapproximatelyaface
slopewithasekedof5palmstogivetherequireddimensions.Visibly,
allthatremainsistheunderlyingsteppedcorestructureseentoday.In
AD1303,amassiveearthquakeloosenedmanyoftheoutercasing
stones,whichwerethencartedawaybyBahriSultanAnNasirNasir
adDinalHasanin1356tobuildmosquesandfortressesinnearby
Cairo.Manymorecasingstoneswereremovedfromthegreatpyramids CasingstoneintheBritish
byMuhammadAliPashaintheearly19thcenturytobuildtheupper Museum. [18]
portionofhisAlabasterMosqueinCaironotfarfromGiza.These
limestonecasingscanstillbeseenaspartsofthesestructures.Later
explorersreportedmassivepilesofrubbleatthebaseofthepyramidsleftoverfromthecontinuingcollapseof
thecasingstones,whichweresubsequentlyclearedawayduringcontinuingexcavationsofthesite.

Nevertheless,afewofthecasingstonesfromthelowestcoursecanbeseentothisdayinsituaroundthebase
oftheGreatPyramid,anddisplaythesameworkmanshipandprecisionthathasbeenreportedforcenturies.
Petriealsofoundadifferentorientationinthecoreandinthecasingmeasuring193centimetres25
centimetres.Hesuggestedaredeterminationofnorthwasmadeaftertheconstructionofthecore,butamistake
wasmade,andthecasingwasbuiltwithadifferentorientation.[4]Petrierelatedtheprecisionofthecasing
stonesastobeing"equaltoopticians'workofthepresentday,butonascaleofacres"and"toplacesuchstones
inexactcontactwouldbecarefulworkbuttodosowithcementinthejointsseemsalmostimpossible".[19]It
hasbeensuggesteditwasthemortar(Petrie's"cement")thatmadethisseeminglyimpossibletaskpossible,
providingalevelbed,whichenabledthemasonstosetthestonesexactly.[20][21]

Constructiontheories

Manyalternative,oftencontradictory,theorieshavebeenproposed
regardingthepyramid'sconstructiontechniques.[22]Manydisagreeon
whethertheblocksweredragged,lifted,orevenrolledintoplace.The
Greeksbelievedthatslavelabourwasused,butmoderndiscoveries
madeatnearbyworkers'campsassociatedwithconstructionatGiza
suggestthatitwasbuiltinsteadbytensofthousandsofskilledworkers.
Vernerpositedthatthelabourwasorganizedintoahierarchy,consisting
oftwogangsof100,000men,dividedintofivezaaorphyleof20,000 ClaysealbearingthenameofKhufu
meneach,whichmayhavebeenfurtherdividedaccordingtotheskills fromthegreatpyramid.Ondisplayat
oftheworkers.[23] theMuseduLouvre.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza 3/11
20/06/2017 GreatPyramidofGizaWikipedia

Onemysteryofthepyramid'sconstructionisitsplanning.JohnRomersuggeststhattheyusedthesamemethod
thathadbeenusedforearlierandlaterconstructions,layingoutpartsoftheplanonthegroundata1to1
scale.Hewritesthat"suchaworkingdiagramwouldalsoservetogeneratethearchitectureofthepyramidwith
precisionunmatchedbyanyothermeans".[24]Healsoarguesfora14yeartimespanforitsconstruction.[25]A
modernconstructionmanagementstudy,inassociationwithMarkLehnerandotherEgyptologists,estimated
thatthetotalprojectrequiredanaverageworkforceof14,567peopleandapeakworkforceofroughly40,000.
Withouttheuseofpulleys,wheels,orirontools,theyusedcriticalpathanalysismethods,whichsuggestthat
theGreatPyramidwascompletedfromstarttofinishinapproximately10years.[26]

Interior
TheoriginalentrancetotheGreatPyramidis17metres(56ft)
verticallyabovegroundleveland7.29metres(23.9ft)eastofthecentre
lineofthepyramid.Fromthisoriginalentrance,thereisaDescending
Passage0.96metres(3.1ft)highand1.04metres(3.4ft)wide,which
goesdownatanangleof2631'23"throughthemasonryofthe
pyramidandthenintothebedrockbeneathit.After105.23metres
(345.2ft),thepassagebecomeslevelandcontinuesforanadditional
8.84metres(29.0ft)tothelowerChamber,whichappearsnottohave
beenfinished.Thereisacontinuationofthehorizontalpassageinthe
southwallofthelowerchamberthereisalsoapitduginthefloorof Diagramoftheinteriorstructuresof
thechamber.SomeEgyptologistssuggestthatthisLowerChamberwas theGreatPyramid.Theinnerline
intendedtobetheoriginalburialchamber,butPharaohKhufulater indicatesthepyramid'spresent
changedhismindandwantedittobehigherupinthepyramid.[27] profiletheouterlineindicatesthe
originalprofile.
At28.2metres(93ft)fromtheentranceisasquareholeintheroofof
theDescendingPassage.Originallyconcealedwithaslabofstone,thisisthebeginningoftheAscending
Passage.TheAscendingPassageis39.3metres(129ft)long,aswideandhighastheDescendingPassageand
slopesupatalmostpreciselythesameangle.ThelowerendoftheAscendingPassageisclosedbythreehuge
blocksofgranite,eachabout1.5metres(4.9ft)long.AtthestartoftheGrandGalleryontherighthandside
thereisaholecutinthewall.Thisisthestartofaverticalshaftwhichfollowsanirregularpaththroughthe
masonryofthepyramidtojointheDescendingPassage.AlsoatthestartoftheGrandGallerythereisthe
HorizontalPassageleadingtothe"Queen'sChamber".Thepassageis1.1m(3'8")highformostofitslength,
butnearthechamberthereisastepinthefloor,afterwhichthepassageis1.73metres(5.7ft)high.

Queen'sChamber

The"Queen'sChamber"[1]isexactlyhalfwaybetweenthenorthand
southfacesofthepyramidandmeasures5.75metres(18.9ft)northto
south,5.23metres(17.2ft)easttowest,andhasapointedroofwithan
apex6.23metres(20.4ft)abovethefloor.Attheeasternendofthe
chamberthereisaniche4.67metres(15.3ft)high.Theoriginaldepth
ofthenichewas1.04metres(3.4ft),buthassincebeendeepenedby
treasurehunters.

InthenorthandsouthwallsoftheQueen'sChamberthereareshafts,
whichunlikethoseintheKing'sChamberthatimmediatelyslope
upwards,arehorizontalforaround2m(6.6ft)beforeslopingupwards.
Thehorizontaldistancewascutin1872byaBritishengineer,Waynman RichardPococke'ssketchofPyramid
Dixon,whobelievedasimilarshafttotheKing'sChambermustalso ofCheopsfrom1754.
exist.Hewasprovedright,butbecausetheshaftsarenotconnectedto

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza 4/11
20/06/2017 GreatPyramidofGizaWikipedia

theouterfacesofthepyramidortheQueen'sChamber,theirpurposeisunknown.Attheendofoneofhis
shafts,Dixondiscoveredaballofblackdiorite(atypeofrock)andabronzeimplementofunknownpurpose.
BothobjectsarecurrentlyintheBritishMuseum.[28]

TheshaftsintheQueen'sChamberwereexploredin1993bytheGermanengineerRudolfGantenbrinkusinga
crawlerrobothedesigned,Upuaut2.Afteraclimbof65m(213ft),[29]hediscoveredthatoneoftheshaftswas
blockedbylimestone"doors"withtwoerodedcopper"handles".SomeyearslatertheNationalGeographic
Societycreatedasimilarrobotwhich,inSeptember2002,drilledasmallholeinthesoutherndoor,onlytofind
anotherdoorbehindit.[30]Thenorthernpassage,whichwasdifficulttonavigatebecauseoftwistsandturns,
wasalsofoundtobeblockedbyadoor.[31]

Researchcontinuedin2011withtheDjediProject.RealizingtheproblemwasthattheNationalGeographic
Society'scamerawasonlyabletoseestraightaheadofit,theyinsteadusedafiberoptic"microsnakecamera"
thatcouldseearoundcorners.Withthistheywereabletopenetratethefirstdoorofthesouthernshaftthrough
theholedrilledin2002,andviewallthesidesofthesmallchamberbehindit.Theydiscoveredhieroglyphs
writteninredpaint.Theywerealsoabletoscrutinizetheinsideofthetwocopper"handles"embeddedinthe
door,andtheynowbelievethemtobefordecorativepurposes.Theyalsofoundthereversesideofthe"door"
tobefinishedandpolished,whichsuggeststhatitwasnotputtherejusttoblocktheshaftfromdebris,but
ratherforamorespecificreason.[32]

GrandGallery

TheGrandGallerycontinuestheslopeoftheAscendingPassage,butis8.6
metres(28ft)highand46.68metres(153.1ft)long.Atthebaseitis2.06
metres(6.8ft)wide,butafter2.29metres(7.5ft)theblocksofstoneinthe
wallsarecorbelledinwardsby7.6centimetres(3.0in)oneachside.Thereare
sevenofthesesteps,so,atthetop,theGrandGalleryisonly1.04metres(3.4ft)
wide.Itisroofedbyslabsofstonelaidataslightlysteeperanglethanthefloor
ofthegallery,sothateachstonefitsintoaslotcutinthetopofthegallerylike
theteethofaratchet.Thepurposewastohaveeachblocksupportedbythewall
oftheGalleryratherthanrestingontheblockbeneathit,whichwouldhave
resultedinanunacceptablecumulativepressureatthelowerendoftheGallery.

AttheupperendoftheGalleryontherighthandsidethereisaholenearthe
roofthatopensintoashorttunnelbywhichaccesscanbegainedtothelowest
oftheRelievingChambers.TheotherRelievingChamberswerediscoveredin
18371838byColonelHowardVyseandJ.S.Perring,whodugtunnels TheGrandGalleryofthe
upwardsusingblastingpowder. GreatPyramidofGiza

TheflooroftheGrandGalleryconsistsofashelforsteponeitherside,51
centimetres(20in)wide,leavingalowerramp1.04metres(3.4ft)widebetweenthem.Intheshelvesthereare
54slots,27oneachsidematchedbyverticalandhorizontalslotsinthewallsoftheGallery.Theseformacross
shapethatrisesoutoftheslotintheshelf.Thepurposeoftheseslotsisnotknown,butthecentralgutterinthe
flooroftheGallery,whichisthesamewidthastheAscendingPassage,hasledtospeculationthattheblocking
stoneswerestoredintheGrandGalleryandtheslotsheldwoodenbeamstorestrainthemfromslidingdown
thepassage.[33]This,inturn,hasledtotheproposalthatoriginallymanymorethan3blockingstoneswere
intended,tocompletelyfilltheAscendingPassage.

AtthetopoftheGrandGallery,thereisastepgivingontoahorizontalpassagesomemetreslongand
approximately1.02metres(3.3ft)inheightandwidth,inwhichcanbedetectedfourslots,threeofwhichwere
probablyintendedtoholdgraniteportcullises.FragmentsofgranitefoundbyPetrieintheDescendingPassage
mayhavecomefromthesenowvanisheddoors.

King'sChamber
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza 5/11
20/06/2017 GreatPyramidofGizaWikipedia

SarcophagusintheKing'schamber
The"King'sChamber"[1]is10.47metres(34.4ft)fromeasttowestand
5.234metres(17.17ft)northtosouth.Ithasaflatroof5.852metres(19
feet2inch)abovethefloor.0.91m(3.0ft)abovethefloortherearetwo
narrowshaftsinthenorthandsouthwalls(oneisnowfilledbyan
extractorfaninanattempttocirculateairinsidethepyramid).The
purposeoftheseshaftsisnotclear:theyappeartobealignedtowards
starsorareasofthenorthernandsouthernskies,yetoneofthem
followsadoglegcoursethroughthemasonry,indicatingnointentionto
directlysightstarsthroughthem.Theywerelongbelievedby
Egyptologiststobe"airshafts"forventilation,butthisideahasnow
beenwidelyabandonedinfavouroftheshaftsservingaritualistic
purposeassociatedwiththeascensionofthekingsspirittothe
heavens.[34]

TheKing'sChamberisentirelyfacedwithgranite.Abovetheroof,whichisformedofnineslabsofstone
weighingintotalabout400tons,arefivecompartmentsknownasRelievingChambers.Thefirstfour,likethe
King'sChamber,haveflatroofsformedbythefloorofthechamberabove,butthefinalchamberhasapointed
roof.Vysesuspectedthepresenceofupperchamberswhenhefoundthathecouldpushalongreedthrougha
crackintheceilingofthefirstchamber.Fromlowertoupper,thechambersareknownas"Davison's
Chamber","Wellington'sChamber","Nelson'sChamber","LadyArbuthnot'sChamber",and"Campbell's
Chamber".ItisbelievedthatthecompartmentswereintendedtosafeguardtheKing'sChamberfromthe
possibilityofaroofcollapsingundertheweightofstoneabovetheChamber.Asthechamberswerenot
intendedtobeseen,theywerenotfinishedinanywayandafewofthestonesstillretainmasons'markspainted
onthem.OneofthestonesinCampbell'sChamberbearsamark,apparentlythenameofaworkgang.[35][36]

TheonlyobjectintheKing'sChamberisarectangulargranite
sarcophagus,onecornerofwhichisbroken.Thesarcophagusisslightly
largerthantheAscendingPassage,whichindicatesthatitmusthave
beenplacedintheChamberbeforetheroofwasputinplace.Unlikethe
finemasonryofthewallsoftheChamber,thesarcophagusisroughly
finished,withsawmarksvisibleinseveralplaces.Thisisincontrast
withthefinelyfinishedanddecoratedsarcophagifoundinother
pyramidsofthesameperiod.Petriesuggestedthatsuchasarcophagus
wasintendedbutwaslostintheriveronthewaynorthfromAswanand
ahurriedlymadereplacementwasusedinstead.
TheentranceofthePyramid
Modernentrance

TodaytouristsentertheGreatPyramidviatheRobbers'Tunnel,atunnelcreatedaroundAD820byCaliphal
Ma'mun'sworkmenusingabatteringram.[37]Thetunneliscutstraightthroughthemasonryofthepyramidfor
approximately27metres(89ft),thenturnssharplylefttoencountertheblockingstonesintheAscending
Passage.ItisbelievedthattheireffortsdislodgedthestonefittedintheceilingoftheDescendingPassageto
hidetheentrancetotheAscendingPassageanditwasthenoiseofthatstonefallingandthenslidingdownthe
DescendingPassage,whichalertedthemtotheneedtoturnleft.Unabletoremovethesestones,however,the
workmentunnelledupbesidethemthroughthesofterlimestoneofthePyramiduntiltheyreachedthe
AscendingPassage.ItispossibletoentertheDescendingPassagefromthispoint,butaccessisusually
forbidden.[38]

Pyramidcomplex
TheGreatPyramidissurroundedbyacomplexofseveralbuildingsincludingsmallpyramids.ThePyramid
Temple,whichstoodontheeastsideofthepyramidandmeasured52.2metres(171ft)northtosouthand40
metres(130ft)easttowest,hasalmostentirelydisappearedapartfromtheblackbasaltpaving.Thereareonly
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza 6/11
20/06/2017 GreatPyramidofGizaWikipedia

afewremnantsofthecausewaywhichlinkedthepyramidwiththe
valleyandtheValleyTemple.TheValleyTempleisburiedbeneaththe
villageofNazletelSammanbasaltpavingandlimestonewallshave
beenfoundbutthesitehasnotbeenexcavated.[39][40]Thebasaltblocks
show"clearevidence"ofhavingbeencutwithsomekindofsawwith
anestimatedcuttingbladeof15feet(4.6m)inlength,capableof
cuttingatarateof1.5inches(38mm)perminute.JohnRomersuggests
thatthis"supersaw"mayhavehadcopperteethandweighedupto300
pounds(140kg).Hetheorizesthatsuchasawcouldhavebeenattached
toawoodentrestleandpossiblyusedinconjunctionwithvegetableoil,
cuttingsand,emeryorpoundedquartztocuttheblocks,whichwould
haverequiredthelabourofatleastadozenmentooperateit.[41]
MapofGizapyramidcomplex
"PyramidofKhufu"referstothe Onthesouthsidearethesubsidiarypyramids,popularlyknownas
GreatPyramid. Queens'Pyramids.Threeremainstandingtonearlyfullheightbutthe
fourthwassoruinedthatitsexistencewasnotsuspecteduntiltherecent
discoveryofthefirstcourseofstonesandtheremainsofthecapstone.Hiddenbeneaththepavingaroundthe
pyramidwasthetombofQueenHetepheresI,sisterwifeofSneferuandmotherofKhufu.Discoveredby
accidentbytheReisnerexpedition,theburialwasintact,thoughthecarefullysealedcoffinprovedtobeempty.

TheGizapyramidcomplex,whichincludesamongotherstructuresthe
pyramidsofKhufu,KhafreandMenkaure,issurroundedbya
cyclopeanstonewall,theWalloftheCrow.MarkLehnerhas
discoveredaworker'stownoutsideofthewall,otherwiseknownas
"TheLostCity",datedbypotterystyles,sealimpressions,and
stratigraphytohavebeenconstructedandoccupiedsometimeduringthe
reignsofKhafre(25202494BC)andMenkaure(24902472
BC).[42][43]RecentdiscoveriesbyMarkLehnerandhisteamatthetown
andnearby,includingwhatappearstohavebeenathrivingport,suggest
thetownandassociatedlivingquartersconsistingofbarrackscalled
"galleries"maynothavebeenforthepyramidworkersafterall,but
ratherforthesoldiersandsailorswhoutilizedtheport.Inlightofthis
newdiscovery,astowherethenthepyramidworkersmayhavelived GroupphotoofAustralian11th
Lehnernowsuggeststhealternativepossibilitytheymayhavecamped BattalionsoldiersontheGreat
ontherampshebelieveswereusedtoconstructthepyramidsor Pyramidin1915.
possiblyatnearbyquarries.[44]

Intheearly1970s,theAustralianarchaeologistKarlKromerexcavated
amoundintheSouthFieldoftheplateau.Thismoundcontained
artefactsincludingmudbricksealsofKhufu,whichheidentifiedwithan
artisans'settlement.[45]MudbrickbuildingsjustsouthofKhufu'sValley
TemplecontainedmudsealingsofKhufuandhavebeensuggestedtobe
asettlementservingthecultofKhufuafterhisdeath.[46]Aworker's
cemeteryusedatleastbetweenKhufu'sreignandtheendoftheFifth
DynastywasdiscoveredsouthoftheWalloftheCrowbyZahiHawass
in1990.[47] Aerialphotography,takenfrom
EduardSpelterini'sballoonon21
November1904
Boats
Therearethreeboatshapedpitsaroundthepyramid,ofasizeandshapetohaveheldcompleteboats,thoughso
shallowthatanysuperstructure,ifthereeverwasone,musthavebeenremovedordisassembled.InMay1954,
theEgyptianarchaeologistKamalelMallakhdiscoveredafourthpit,along,narrowrectangle,stillcovered
withslabsofstoneweighingupto15tons.Insidewere1,224piecesofwood,thelongest23metres(75ft)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza 7/11
20/06/2017 GreatPyramidofGizaWikipedia

long,theshortest10centimetres(0.33ft).Thesewereentrustedtoaboatbuilder,HajAhmedYusuf,who
workedouthowthepiecesfittogether.Theentireprocess,includingconservationandstraighteningofthe
warpedwood,tookfourteenyears.

Theresultisacedarwoodboat43.6metres(143ft)long,itstimbersheldtogetherbyropes,whichiscurrently
housedinaspecialboatshaped,airconditionedmuseumbesidethepyramid.Duringconstructionofthis
museum,whichstandsabovetheboatpit,asecondsealedboatpitwasdiscovered.Itwasdeliberatelyleft
unopeneduntil2011whenexcavationbeganontheboat.[48]

Looting
Althoughsucceedingpyramidsweresmaller,pyramidbuilding
continueduntiltheendoftheMiddleKingdom.However,as
authorsBriarandHobbsclaim,"allthepyramidswererobbed"by
theNewKingdom,whentheconstructionofroyaltombsinadesert
valley,nowknownastheValleyoftheKings,began.[49][50]Joyce
TyldesleystatesthattheGreatPyramiditself"isknowntohave
beenopenedandemptiedbytheMiddleKingdom",beforethe
ArabcaliphAbdullahalMamunenteredthepyramidaroundAD
820.[37]
Comparisonofapproximateprofilesofthe
I.E.S.EdwardsdiscussesStrabo'smentionthatthepyramid"a GreatPyramidofGizawithsomenotable
littlewayuponesidehasastonethatmaybetakenout,which pyramidalornearpyramidalbuildings.
beingraisedupthereisaslopingpassagetothefoundations". Dottedlinesindicateoriginalheights,
Edwardssuggestedthatthepyramidwasenteredbyrobbersafter wheredataareavailable.InitsSVGfile,
theendoftheOldKingdomandsealedandthenreopenedmore (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co
thanonceuntilStrabo'sdoorwasadded.Headds:"Ifthishighly mmons/a/ac/Comparison_of_pyramids_SM
speculativesurmisebecorrect,itisalsonecessarytoassumeeither IL.svg)hoveroverapyramidtohighlight
thattheexistenceofthedoorwasforgottenorthattheentrancewas andclickforitsarticle.
againblockedwithfacingstones",inordertoexplainwhyal
Ma'muncouldnotfindtheentrance.[51]

HealsodiscussesastorytoldbyHerodotus.HerodotusvisitedEgyptinthe5thcenturyBCandrecountsastory
thathewastoldconcerningvaultsunderthepyramidbuiltonanislandwherethebodyofCheopslies.Edwards
notesthatthepyramidhad"almostcertainlybeenopenedanditscontentsplunderedlongbeforethetimeof
Herodotus"andthatitmighthavebeenclosedagainduringtheTwentysixthDynastyofEgyptwhenother
monumentswererestored.HesuggeststhatthestorytoldtoHerodotuscouldhavebeentheresultofalmosttwo
centuriesoftellingandretellingbyPyramidguides.[52]

Seealso
DjediProject
GoldenRatiodimensionsinEgyptianpyramids
IndexofEgyptrelatedarticles
Listofarchaeoastronomicalsitesbycountry
ListofEgyptianpyramids
Listoflargestmonolithsintheworldincludingasectiononcalculatingtheweightofmegaliths
Listoftallestfreestandingstructures
Pyramidinch
Pyramidion
Pyramidology
TheUpuautProject

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza 8/11
20/06/2017 GreatPyramidofGizaWikipedia

References
Notes

1."Bythemselves,ofcourse,noneofthesemodernlabelsdefinetheancientpurposesofthearchitecturethey
describe."Romer(2007),p.8
2.Shaw(2003),p.89
3.Levy(2005),p.17
4.Petrie(1883)
5.I.E.S.Edwards(1986)[1947].ThePyramidsofEgypt.p.285.
6.Collins(2001),p.234
7.ColeSurvey(1925)basedonsidelengths230.252m,230.454m,230.391m,230.357m
8.Lehner(1997),p.108
9.Petrie(1883),p.38For2600BC,bisectingthesemicircularpathofstar10iDraconisaroundtheNorthCelestial
Poleduringthehalfdaydarknessofamidwintereveningwouldeasilyprovideaccuratetruenorth.SeeNature
412:699(2001)furthersourcesanddiscussionavailableviaDIO(http://www.dioi.org/cot.htm#wkpf).
10.Petrie(1883),p.125
11.Petrie(1883),p.39
12.Verner(2003),p.70
13.PetrieWisdomoftheEgyptians1940:30
14.Rossi,Corina(2007),ArchitectureandMathematicsinAncientEgypt,CambridgeUniversityPress,ISBN9780
521690539
15.Stille,Alexander."TheWorld'sOldestPapyrusandWhatItCanTellUsAbouttheGreatPyramids"(http://www.smit
hsonianmag.com/history/ancientegyptshippingminingfarmingeconomypyramids180956619).Retrieved
20150927.
16.Lehner(1997)
17.Romer(2007),p.157
18."BritishMuseumLimestoneblockfromthepyramidofKhufu"(https://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/
highlight_objects/aes/l/limestone_block_from_the_pyram.aspx).britishmuseum.org.
19.Romer(2007),p.41
20.Clarke,SomersReginalEngelbach(1991).AncientEgyptianconstructionandarchitecture(https://books.google.co
m/?id=L0Uiat5EAaMC&pg=PA78&dq=mortar+%22great+pyramid%22#v=onepage&q=mortar%20%22great%20pyra
mid%22&f=false).DoverPublications.pp.7879.ISBN9780486264851.
21.Stocks,DenysAllen(2003).ExperimentsinEgyptianarchaeology:stoneworkingtechnologyinancientEgypt(http
s://books.google.com/?id=oLDuHvQODoIC&pg=PA182&dq=mortar+%22great+pyramid%22+surface#v=onepage&q
=mortar%20%22great%20pyramid%22%20surface&f=false).Routledge.pp.182183.ISBN9780415306645.
22."BuildingtheGreatPyramid"(http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/great_pyramid_01.shtml).BBC.3
February2006.
23.Verner(2001),p.7582
24.Romer(2007),p.327,329337
25.Romer(2007)
26."CivilEngineering"(https://web.archive.org/web/20070608101037/http://www.pubs.asce.org/ceonline/0699feat.html).
June1999.Archivedfromtheoriginal(http://www.pubs.asce.org/ceonline/0699feat.html)on8June2007.
27."UnfinishedChamber"(http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/pyramid/explore/khufuunfhi.html).PublicBroadcasting
Service.Retrieved11August2008.
28."LowerNorthernShaft"(http://www.cheops.org/startpage/thefindings/thelowernorthshaft/lowernorth.htm).The
UpuautProject.Retrieved11October2010.
29."WilltheGreatPyramid'sSecretDoorsBeOpened?"(https://web.archive.org/web/20120212091739/http://www.foxn
ews.com/scitech/2011/12/12/willgreatpyramidssecretdoorsbeopened/?test=faces).FoxNews.12December2011.
Archivedfromtheoriginal(http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/12/12/willgreatpyramidssecretdoorsbeopene
d/?test=faces)on12February2012.
30.Gupton,Nancy(4April2003)."AncientEgyptianChambersExplored"(http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/20
02/09/0910_020913_egypt_1.html).NationalGeographic.Retrieved11August2008.
31."Third"Door"FoundinGreatPyramid"(http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/09/0923_020923_egypt.htm
l).NationalGeographic.23September2002.Retrieved11August2008.
32."FirstimagesfromGreatPyramid'schamberofsecrets"(http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21028144.500firsti
magesfromgreatpyramidschamberofsecrets.html).NewScientist.ReedBusinessInformation.25May2011.
Retrieved25December2012.
33.Lehner,Mark(1997).TheCompletePyramids.London:ThamesandHudson.p.113.ISBN0500050848.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza 9/11
20/06/2017 GreatPyramidofGizaWikipedia

34.Jackson&Stamp(2002),p.79,104
35."Vyse,H.(1840)OperationsCarriedonatthePyramidsofGizehin1837:WithanAccountofaVoyageintoUpper
Egypt,andanAppendix.VolI."(https://archive.org/details/operationscarrie01howa).InternetArchive.Retrieved
15September2014.
36."DallasandDrZahiHawassinsidetheGreatPyramid"(http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00h590c).BBC.
Retrieved15September2014.
37.Tyldesley(2007),p.38
38.Tyldesley(2007),pp.3840
39.Shafer,ByronE.DieterArnold(2005).TemplesofAncientEgypt(https://books.google.com/?id=cv08amI7lkUC&pg
=PA51&dq=khufu+%22valley+temple%22#v=onepage&q=khufu%20%22valley%20temple%22&f=false).I.B.
Tauris.pp.5152.ISBN9781850439455.
40.Arnold,DieterNigelStrudwickHelenStrudwick(2002).TheencyclopaediaofancientEgyptianarchitecture.I.B.
Tauris.p.126.ISBN9781860644658.
41.Romer()
42."EgyptianPyramidsLostCityofthePyramidBuildersAERAAncientEgyptResearchAssociates"(http://ww
w.aeraweb.org/projects/lostcity/).aeraweb.org.
43."DatingtheLostCityofthePyramidsMarkLehner&AERAAncientEgyptResearchAssociates"(http://www.a
eraweb.org/lostcityproject/datingthelostcity/).aeraweb.org.
44."RuinsofBustlingPortUnearthedatEgypt'sGizaPyramids"(http://www.livescience.com/42902gizapyramidsport
discovered.html).Livescience.com.20140128.Retrieved20140821.
45.ZahiHawass:'"Giza,workmenscommunity",In:EncyclopediaoftheArchaeologyofAncientEgypt.Compiledand
editedbyKathrynA.Bard.London/NewYork1999,ISBN0415185890pp.423426
46.Hawass,ZahiAshrafSenussi(2008).OldKingdomPotteryfromGiza.SupremeCouncilofAntiquities.pp.127
128.ISBN9789773059866.
47.Hawass,Zahi."TheDiscoveryoftheTombsofthePyramidBuildersatGiza"(http://www.guardians.net/hawass/buil
dtomb.htm).Retrieved21October2010.
48."Khufu'sSecondBoat"(http://www.egyptpro.sci.waseda.ac.jp/ekhufu.html).InstituteofEgyptology.Tokyo,Japan:
WasedaUniversity.Retrieved20121226.
49.Brier1999,p.164(https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=jPgHx4gfJkIC&pg=PA164&dq=pyramids+robbed+end+of+
old+kingdom&ei=mBnaSIGxMpS4yQSR3ZSNDQ&client=firefoxa&sig=ACfU3U1nC_eucZoNlre6Lv0MOyhxeuYJ
pg).Books.google.co.uk.Retrieved19May2011.
50.Cremin2007p.96(https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=A0llBlzF6UgC&pg=PA96&dq=pyramids+robbed+end+of+
old+kingdom&ei=mBnaSIGxMpS4yQSR3ZSNDQ&client=firefoxa&sig=ACfU3U27n531SIdTdKUuMnSPKOWsv
weB_w).Books.google.co.uk.Retrieved19May2011.
51.Edwards(1986),p.99100
52.Edwards(1986),p.99091

Bibliography

Bauval,Robert&,Hancock,Graham(1996).KeeperofGenesis.Mandarinbooks.ISBN0749321962.
Brier,Bob&,Hobbs,A.Hoyt(1999).DailyLifeoftheAncientEgyptians.GreenwoodPress.ISBN9780313
303135.
Calter,PaulA.(2008).SquaringtheCircle:GeometryinArtandArchitecture.KeyCollegePublishing.ISBN1
930190824.
Clayton,PeterA.(1994).ChronicleofthePharaohs.Thames&Hudson.ISBN0500050740.
Cole,JH.(1925).DeterminationoftheExactSizeandOrientationoftheGreatPyramidofGiza.Cairo:Government
Press.SURVEYOFEGYPTPaperNo.39.
Collins,DanaM.(2001).TheOxfordEncyclopediaofAncientEgypt.OxfordUniversityPress.ISBN978019
5102345.
Cremin,Aedeen(2007).Archaeologica.FrancesLincoln.ISBN9780711228221.
Edwards,I.E.S.(1986)[1962].ThePyramidsofEgypt.MaxParrish.
Gahlin,Lucia(2003).MythsandMythologyofAncientEgypt.AnnessPublishingLtd.ISBN1842158317.
Hassan,Selim(1960).TheGreatPyramidofKhufuanditsMortuaryChapelWithNamesandTitlesofVols.IXof
theExcavationsatGiza(https://web.archive.org/web/20130129060146/http://www.gizapyramids.org/pdf%20library/h
assan_giza_10.pdf)(PDF).MinistryofCultureandNationalOrientation,AntiquitiesDepartmentofEgypt.Archived
fromtheoriginal(http://www.gizapyramids.org/pdf%20library/hassan_giza_10.pdf)(PDF)on29January2013.
Jackson,K.Stamp,J.(2002).Pyramid:BeyondImagination.InsidetheGreatPyramidofGiza.BBCWorldwide
Ltd.ISBN9780563488033.
Lehner,Mark(1997).TheCompletePyramids.London:ThamesandHudson.ISBN0500050848.
Levy,Janey(2005).TheGreatPyramidofGiza:MeasuringLength,Area,Volume,andAngles.RosenPublishing
Group.ISBN1404260595.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza 10/11
20/06/2017 GreatPyramidofGizaWikipedia

Lepre,J.P.(1990).TheEgyptianPyramids:AComprehensive,IllustratedReference.McFarland&Company.
ISBN0899504612.
Lightbody,DavidI(2008).EgyptianTombArchitecture:TheArchaeologicalFactsofPharaonicCircularSymbolism.
BritishArchaeologicalReportsInternationalSeriesS1852.ISBN9781407303390.
Oakes,LoranaLuciaGahlin(2002).AncientEgypt.HermesHouse.ISBN1843094290.
Petrie,SirWilliamMatthewFlinders(1883).ThePyramidsandTemplesofGizeh(http://www.ronaldbirdsall.com/giz
eh/index.htm).Field&Tuer.ISBN0710307098.
Romer,John(2007).TheGreatPyramid:AncientEgyptRevisited.CambridgeUniversityPress,Cambridge.
ISBN9780521871662.
Scarre,Chris(1999).TheSeventyWondersoftheAncientWorld.Thames&Hudson,London.ISBN9780500
050965.
Seidelmann,P.Kenneth(1992).ExplanatorySupplementtotheAstronomicalAlmanac.UniversityScienceBooks.
ISBN0935702687.
Shaw,Ian(2003).TheOxfordHistoryofAncientEgypt.OxfordUniversityPress.ISBN0198150342.
Siliotti,Alberto(1997).GuidetothepyramidsofEgyptprefacebyZahiHawass.Barnes&NobleBooks.ISBN0
760707634.
Smyth,Piazzi(1978).TheGreatPyramid.CrownPublishersInc.ISBN051726403X.
Tyldesley,Joyce(2007).Egypt:Howalostcivilizationwasrediscovered.BBCBooks.ISBN9780563522577.
Verner,Miroslav(2001).ThePyramids:TheMystery,Culture,andScienceofEgypt'sGreatMonuments.Grove
Press.ISBN0802117031.
Verner,Miroslav(2003).ThePyramids:TheirArchaeologyandHistory.AtlanticBooks.ISBN1843541718.
Wirsching,Armin(2009).DiePyramidenvonGizaMathematikinSteingebaut(2nded.).BooksonDemand.
ISBN9783837023558.

Externallinks
Pyramids(https://dmoztools.net/Arts/Architecture/Building
SeeTfd
WikimediaCommonshas
_Types/Pyramids/)atDMOZ
mediarelatedtoGreat
BuildingtheKhufuPyramid(http://www.cheopspyramide.ch/pyr PyramidofGiza.
amidbuilding.html)
"TheGizaPlateauMappingProject"(http://oi.uchicago.edu/research/projects/giz).OrientalInstitute.

Records
World'stalleststructure
Precededby Succeededby
c.2570BC1300AD
RedPyramid LincolnCathedral
146.6m

Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Great_Pyramid_of_Giza&oldid=786104491"

Categories: Buildingsandstructurescompletedinthe26thcenturyBC
PyramidsoftheFourthDynastyofEgypt Formerworld'stallestbuildings GizaPlateau Khufu
SevenWondersoftheAncientWorld BuildingsandstructuresinGiza TouristattractionsinEgypt

Thispagewaslasteditedon17June2017,at09:01.
TextisavailableundertheCreativeCommonsAttributionShareAlikeLicenseadditionaltermsmay
apply.Byusingthissite,youagreetotheTermsofUseandPrivacyPolicy.Wikipediaisaregistered
trademarkoftheWikimediaFoundation,Inc.,anonprofitorganization.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza 11/11