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The Role of The Pyramids in Melting Glass and Metals
The Role of The Pyramids in Melting Glass and Metals
The Role of The Pyramids in Melting Glass and Metals
Abstract
A drastic climate change between 6000 BCE and 3400BCE may have disrupted the pre-dynastic
Egyptian society and caused a drought, followed by hunger and deforestation.
In order to operate melting ovens for the production of metals and glass the Egyptian pharaoh
Djoser ordered the engineer Imhotep to build a suitable oven to melt materials by lightning strokes.
Several concepts have been tested and operated at the Giza pyramid complex until the lightning
strokes diminished and vanished in the drying climate.
At that time the pyramids may have been reshaped as burial monuments to honour the pharaohs.
Most of the metallic elements such as the lightning rods and copper wiring have been removed or
stolen. Only a few elements remained at their position.
Traces of copper and bronze have been found in the lower shafts of the Great Pyramid, but their
dimensions do not allow these elements to conduct the “normal” lightning's currents. These shafts
may have been used for overload conditions and sidestrokes of lightnings.
Around 1795 the “fourth” great pyramid at the Giza plateau has been dismantled.
Obelisks may be interpreted as simpler alternatives for melting ovens with lower heights. A simple
sketch for an experimental melting oven is given as a suggested setup to prove the possibility of
Egyptian melting processes without using to much wood for heating the materials.
The three words Djoser, Djed and Tjaty (vizier) may be linking the Djed-pillar as a revolutionary
invention with the responsible king Djoser and his inventive vizier Imhotep.
Introduction
The Famine Stela
In analogy to the Akkadian downfall a drastic climate change may also have disrupted the pre-
dynastic Egyptian society and caused a drought, followed by hunger and deforestation.
The Famine Stela is an inscription written in Egyptian hieroglyphs located on Sehel Island in the
Nile near Aswan in Egypt, which tells of a seven-year period of drought and famine during the reign
of pharaoh Djoser of the Third Dynasty. It is thought that the stele was inscribed during the
Ptolemaic Kingdom, which ruled from 332 to 31 BC. 1
The Famine Stela describes the 7 years of drought and famine in the 18th year of the reign of
Djoser, during which time the Nile has not flooded the farmlands. The text also describes how the
Egyptians are suffering as a result of the drought and that they are desperate and breaking the laws
of the land. Djoser asks the priests and Imhotep for help. Imhotep purifies himself, prays to the god
Khnum for help and offers “all good things” to him. As a response Khnum promises to to make the
Nile flow again. King Djoser is pleased with the news and issues a decree in which he orders
priests, scribes and workers to “restore Khnum´s temple”.
A seven-year famine was a motif common to nearly all cultures of the Near East. Egypt may have
experienced a gradually increasing deforestation and regular drought periods. Therefore Imhotep
may also have ordered to build a pyramid as a power station for melting metals and glass. These
power stations could be based on the power of lightning strokes, which may have been abundantly
available in a humid period of a hot summer and a flooded delta at the mouth of the river Nile.
The Flooding of the Nile is the result of the yearly monsoon waters from the Ethiopian Highlands
between May and August. Typical heights of flood were 45 feet (13.7 metres) at Aswan, 38 feet
(11.6 metres) at Luxor (and Thebes) and 25 feet (7.6 metres) at Cairo.[1].
It is estimated that by the applied method, in ancient Egypt, some 2 million up to a maximum of 12
million inhabitants could be nourished. By the end of Late Antiquity, the methods and infrastructure
slowly decayed, and the population diminished accordingly. By 1800, Egypt had a population of
some 2.5 million inhabitants2. Today the estimated population reaches over 104 million (July 2020
est.)3.
Independent from the food supply the deforestation diminished the available wood for melting the
metals and glass. Originally the experimental system at Djoser's pyramid to be followed by the
conglomerate of the complete Giza pyramid complex may have supplied a number of technical
melting stations, which could be powered by lightning strokes instead of monstrous piles of wood.
Fulgurites
The idea of using lightnings is induced by finding fulgurites which are defined as the natural tubes,
clumps, or masses of sintered, vitrified, and/or fused soil, sand, rock, organic debris and other
sediments that sometimes form when lightning discharges into ground.
The presence of fulgurites in an area can be used to estimate the frequency of lightning over a
period of time, which can help to understand past regional climates. Paleolightning is the study of
various indicators of past lightning strikes, primarily in the form of fulgurites and lightning-induced
remanent magnetization (LIRM) signatures.[1] 4.
For several hundred thousand years, the Sahara has alternated between desert and
savanna grassland in a 20,000 year cycle[8] caused by the precession of the Earth's axis
as it rotates around the Sun, which changes the location of the North African Monsoon.
The area is next expected to become green in about 15,000 years (17,000 AD). 8
During the last glacial period, the Sahara was much larger than it is today, extending
south beyond its current boundaries.[30] The end of the glacial period brought more rain
to the Sahara, from about 8000 BCE to 6000 BCE, perhaps because of low pressure
areas over the collapsing ice sheets to the north.[31] Once the ice sheets were gone, the
northern Sahara dried out. In the southern Sahara, the drying trend was initially
counteracted by the monsoon, which brought rain further north than it does today. By
around 4200 BCE, however, the monsoon retreated south to approximately where it is
today,[32] leading to the gradual desertification of the Sahara.[33] The Sahara is now as
dry as it was about 13,000 years ago.[26] 9
5 "Fulgurite (i.e., petrified lightning) from the Sanctuary of Zeus, Mt. Lykaion, Peloponessos, Greece". The University
of Arizona. Retrieved 2019-06-16. and "Excavating at the Birthplace of Zeus* – Mt. Lykaion Excavation and
Survey Project". Lykaionexcavation.org. 2003-07-20. Retrieved 2015-08-20.
6 Sponholz, Barbara & Baumhauer, Roland & Felix-Henningsen, Peter. (1993). Fulgurites in the southern Central
Sahara, Republic of Niger and their palaeoenvirnmental significance. Holocene. 3. 97-104.
10.1177/095968369300300201.
7 Vladimir A. Rakov, Lightning Makes Glass, 29th Annual Conference of the Glass Art Society, Tampa, Florida, 1999
8 Sahara
9 Desertification and prehistoric climate (Sahara)
By 3400 BCE, the Sahara was as dry as it is today, due to reduced precipitation and
higher temperatures resulting from a shift in the Earth's orbit.[32] As a result of this
aridification, it became a largely impenetrable barrier to humans, with the remaining
settlements mainly being concentrated around the numerous oases that dot the
landscape. Little trade or commerce is known to have passed through the interior in
subsequent periods, the only major exception being the Nile Valley. The Nile, however,
was impassable at several cataracts, making trade and contact by boat difficult10.
10 Egyptians (Sahara)
The Giza plateau
The Giza plateau may have been chosen for their strategic location at the border between the fertile
delta and the dry desert with large supply for sand, which may be needed to produce glass.
In 1737-1738 the naval captain and explorer Frederic Louis Norden (* 1708 - † 1742) visited Egypt
and Nubia and described the Giza pyramid complex.
To my surprise the explorer Norden noticed and described the 4 great pyramids of the Giza pyramid
complex in his excellent travelogue. In the meantime the fourth pyramid disappeared completely.
According to a video by Ancient Architects11 the 4th pyramid may have been dismantled in the 18th
century (1795 ?) to deliver materials for buildings in Cairo.
Norden's book describes the fourth pyramid as circa 100 feet high (50% of the height of the
Pyramid of Menkaure12). Norton also specifies the single square stone at the top of the forth
pyramid. In a footnote he quotes an author F. Vansleb who describes the pits at the great pyramids'
top as the pedestal of a statue.
A number of descriptions and video reports describe a great number of wells for various great and
small pyramis in the Giza pyramid complex. These wells are connected to the ground water levels,
which often requires 60-70m deep shafts.
The Giza plateau also contains isolated shafts13, which do not seem to belong to a pyramid.
However the Osiris Shaft (next to the Sphinx) may have been covered by a pyramid, which has
vanished in the past centuries14. The Osiris Shaft contains a “Dacite” sarcophagus at level 2, which
also may have been used a “sandbox” 15. This shaft does not contain any ceremonial decoration and
looks like a factory at a water well.
These pyramids may also have been constructed in several phases, beginning with small building
and ending as rather complex systems, in which the functionality of the elements easily may be
misunderstood.
3 Sketch for the location of the fourth great pyramid at the Giza plateau-
The fourth pyramid is positioned at the left side of this sketch and next to the Pyramid of Menkaure.
11 YouTube video: Locating the Lost Fourth Pyramid of Giza, Egypt | Ancient Architects
12 Menkaure's pyramid had an original height of 65.5 meters (215 feet) and was the smallest of the three major
pyramids at the Giza Necropolis. It now stands at 61 m (204 ft) tall with a base of 108.5 m.
13 First Time Exploring The Astonishing Osiris Shaft On The Giza Plateau
14 More Lost Pyramids at Giza in Egypt + 1743 Picture Special | Ancient Architects
15 The Giza "Osiris Shaft" ~ Huge Mystery
The location of the fourth pyramid has been documented at the left side of the Pyramid of
Menkaure in the following sketch of the Giza plateau:
4 Sketch of the location for the 4 great pyramids at the Giza plateau
As buildings become taller, lightning becomes more of a threat. Lightning can damage
structures made of most materials, such as masonry, wood, concrete, and steel, because
the huge currents and voltages involved can heat materials to high temperature, causing
a potential for fire. 17
The church tower of many European cities, which was usually the highest structure in
the city, was likely to be hit by lightning. Early on, Christian churches tried to prevent
the occurrence of the damaging effects of lightning by prayers.
Because of the high energy and current levels associated with lightning (currents can be
in excess of 150,000 A), and the very rapid rise time of a lightning strike, no protection
system can guarantee absolute safety from lightning. Lightning current will divide to
follow every conductive path to ground, and even the divided current can cause damage.
Secondary "side-flashes" can be enough to ignite a fire, blow apart brick, stone, or
concrete, or injure occupants within a structure or building.
Connections to the earth electrodes must not only have low resistance, but must have
low self-inductance18.
The pyramid should be built (1) to provide a low-resistance path for the lightning circuit and (2)
without flammable materials:
The heat generated as this electric current flows through flammable materials is the
hazard which lightning protection systems attempt to mitigate by providing a low-
resistance path for the lightning circuit.
The shafts in the Queen's Chamber were explored in 1993 by the German engineer
Rudolf Gantenbrink using a crawler robot he designed, Upuaut 2. After a climb of 65 m
(213 ft),[31] he discovered that one of the shafts was blocked by limestone "doors" with
two eroded copper "handles". Some years later the National Geographic Society created
a similar robot which, in September 2002, drilled a small hole in the southern door, only
to find another door behind it.[32]22 The northern passage, which was difficult to
navigate because of twists and turns, was also found to be blocked by a door.[33] 23
Research continued in 2011 with the Djedi Project. Realizing the problem was that the
National Geographic Society's camera was only able to see straight ahead of it, they
instead used a fibre-optic "micro snake camera" that could see around corners. With this
they were able to penetrate the first door of the southern shaft through the hole drilled in
2002, and view all the sides of the small chamber behind it. They discovered
hieroglyphs written in red paint. They were also able to scrutinize the inside of the two
copper "handles" embedded in the door, and they now believe them to be for decorative
purposes. They also found the reverse side of the "door" to be finished and polished,
which suggests that it was not put there just to block the shaft from debris, but rather for
a more specific reason.[34] 24
21 "Lower Northern Shaft". The Upuaut Project. Archived from the original on 29 July 2010. Retrieved 11 October
2010.
22 Gupton, Nancy (4 April 2003). "Ancient Egyptian Chambers Explored". National Geographic. Archived from the
original on 3 August 2008. Retrieved 11 August 2008.
23 "Third "Door" Found in Great Pyramid". National Geographic. 23 September 2002. Archived from the original on
27 July 2008. Retrieved 11 August 2008.
24 "First images from Great Pyramid's chamber of secrets". New Scientist. Reed Business Information. 25 May 2011.
Archived from the original on 6 January 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2012. - quoted from Queen's Chamber
(Great Pyramid of Giza) (status 6.2.2020)
Results of the Upuaut Project
The website Upuaut Project describes the traces of copper and the location of the channels.
• The upper shafts in the Great Pyramid have outlets on the exterior of the pyramid and are
open to the “King's chamber. “
• The lower shafts in the Great Pyramid have been designed to remain invisible until
Waynman Dixon opened these in 1872. These shafts had been separated 8cm from the
"Queen's Chamber."
• At least the southern lower shaft is blocked by a slab of limestone with two copper fittings.
These two copper fittings may represent two tiny copper conductors between the lightning rod and
the subterranean well.
The Pyramid Rover had also made a remarkable discovery in the northern shaft of the
Queen’s Chamber—another door, nearly identical to the one Gantenbrink discovered,
and at about the same elevation. The QCN door also had copper pins and also appeared
to be made of the higher-quality limestone and exhibited superior workmanship. Could
there be another chamber in QCN?
The first blocking slab in QCS (i.e., “Gantenbrink’s Door”) is located 63.6 meters from
the shaft’s entrance in the Queen’s Chamber, plus or minus .4 meters.
Djedi confirmed Pyramid Rover’s measurement of the thickness of the first blocking
slab as about 60 mm.
There is no explanation as of yet for the more corroded appearance of the right hand
loop, and what practical function they may have served, if any, remains a mystery. As
noted by the official report:
The loops are very small and would only permit an approximately 3 mm diameter
object to pass through them. They do not appear to be very well positioned for
functional purposes, as they are high up on the block. (Hawass, Whitehead, et at, p. 210)
The 3 mm contacts are rather small and probably cannot conduct the high energy and current levels
associated with lightning (currents can be in excess of 150,000 A).
25 Payne, Keith (7 March 2013). "The Djedi Project: The Next Generation in Robotic Archaeology". Em Hotep.
Archived from the original on 26 May 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2016
The fulgurites
There is a biblical quotation Exodus 9:23-24 NIV referring to the “lightning flashed down to the
ground”, which causes the generation of crystalline rocks named fulgurites:
23 When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the LORD sent thunder and hail,
and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt;
24 hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of
Egypt since it had become a nation.
There was a question in how far these fulgurites may be used as as an evidence that God and His
hold word line up with science26.
In the response John Oakes claimed two relevant issues: “the greatest concentration of Fulgurites
are in North Africa” and “It is not possible to date a fulgarite”:
In fact, the greatest concentration of Fulgurites are in North Africa. It is inconceivable
that fulgarite evidence could tell us anything one way or another about the plagues in
Egypt. It is not possible to date a fulgarite. Whether it is 1000 or 20000 years old is
nearly impossible to tell.
Another quotation in science (dated 2007) contradicts this impossibility of dating fulgarites and
even specifies the age at “roughly 15,000 years ago”, at “a time the Sahara was less arid”:
The Sahara fulgurite, the researchers report in this month's issue of Geology, formed
roughly 15,000 years ago. These findings corroborate other evidence that the Sahara
was less arid and more hospitable to plant life during this period27.
For the first time, researchers have successfully dated these unusual geological
formations, and the findings are providing a unique insight into the long-ago climate
and ecology of the Sahara desert.
26 Are fulgurites useful evidence to support the reality of the ten plagues in Egypt? - Posted on August 28, 2015 by
John Oakes wrote in Archaeology and the Bible, General, History, Q & A, Science and the Bible.
27 A Spark in the Sand Feb. 1, 2007 , 12:00 AM Posted in: https://science.sciencemag.org/ Chemistry
The shape of fulgurites
15,000 years ago the Sahara must have been a region with fair conditions to form fulgurites.
Fulgurites are formed when lightning strikes the ground, fusing and vitrifying mineral grains.[7]
The primary SiO2 phase in common tube fulgurites is lechatelierite, an amorphous silica glass.
The interior of Type I (sand) fulgurites normally is smooth or lined with fine bubbles, while their
exteriors are coated with rough sedimentary particles or small rocks.
Fulgurites can exceed tens of centimeters in diameter and can penetrate deep into the subsoil,
sometimes occurring as far as 15 m (49 ft) below the surface that was struck. [9]
Peak temperatures within a lightning channel exceed 30,000 K, with sufficient pressure to produce
planar deformation features in SiO2, a kind of polymorphism. This is also known as shocked quartz
[16].
6. Sand fulgurites from Algeria. On display at the San Diego County Fair, California, USA.
Public Domain - (source: fulgurite)
The classification of fulgurites
Fulgurites have been classified by Pasek et al. (2012)[17] into five types related to the type of
sediment in which the fulgurite formed, as follows:
• Type I - sand fulgurites with tubaceous structure; their central axial void may be collapsed.
• Type II - soil fulgurites; these are glass-rich, and form in a wide range of sediment
compositions, including clay-rich soils, silt-rich soils, gravel-rich soils, and loessoid; these
may be tubaceous, branching, vesicular, irregular/slaggy, or may display a combination of
these structures, and can produce exogenic fulgurites (droplet fulgurites)
• Type III - caliche or calcic sediment fulgurites, having thick, often surficially glazed
granular walls with calcium-rich vitreous groundmass with little or no lechatelierite glass;
their shapes are variable, with multiple narrow central channels common, and can span the
entire range of morphological and structural variation for fulguritic objects
• Type IV - rock fulgurites, which are either crusts on minimally altered rocks, networks of
tunnelling within rocks, vesicular outgassed rocks (often glazed by a silicide-rich and/or
metal oxide crust), or completely vitrified and dense rock material and masses of these
forms with little sedimentary groundmass
• Type V - [droplet] fulgurites (exogenic fulgurites), which show evidence of ejection (e.g.
spheroidal, filamentous, or aerodynamic),[3][18] related by composition to Type II and Type
IV fulgurites28
Photographs illustrate the following quotations in one of these papers describing the ash altar at Mt.
Lykaion: 33
In the 11th century BCE. Zeus is attested in Linear B documents from Crete and the
mainland from 1400-1200 BCE; in addition, this early form of the Greek language also
includes the word for "emenos" as well as a word for "fire altar" that might describe the
ash altar at Mt. Lykaion.
It was George Davis who first identified the glassy-like substance found in the ash altar
as fulgurite. Fulgurite is formed when lightning strikes sandy soil and vitrifies. Since the
ash altar does not contain sand, it is likely that the fulgurite was brought to the altar as a
dedication.
In artificially controlled productions of fulgerites the glass-like object may be integrated in a carrier,
made of copper, brass or any other suitable materials. The fulgurite may even be included in the
carrier by simply laying in a casting form, shaped as a clay cylinder containing the fulgurite and
filled with melted metals such as brass or copper. The melting temperature of the metal probably
does not harm the fulgurite.
As soon as a lightning strikes the earth the sand is instantly super heated (i.e., melted and fused).
The process produces glass-like hollow tubes (Fulgurites) of a few centimeters or even meters
length and a diameter of a few up to 10-20 centimeters.
The outer surfaces sand fulgurites are often rough with adhering, unfused Quartz sand grains. The
inner surfaces and openings of the tubes are usually smooth and glassy.
Rock Fulgurites are formed when lightning strikes the surface of a rock, melting and fusing the
surface, and sometimes the interior of the rock. The melting point of Si0 2 is 2950 oF. The name
Fulgurite is from the Latin: Fulgur (lightning).34
In an optimal process:
• The sand fulgurites should provide straight glass-like hollow tubes with a diameter of a few
up to 10-20 centimeters and 1-2 meters length.
• The outer surfaces sand fulgurites should be rough with adhering, unfused Quartz sand
grains.
• The inner surfaces and openings of the tubes should be smooth and glassy.
Melting metals
In the neighbourhood of a lightning strike small metallic objects may be melted. It is well known
that victims of a lightning strike are carrying melted coins in their pockets. Also jewellery and
metallic zip-elements may be destroyed. Experience in controlled melting metals with the help of
lightning strokes may have existed in the ancient societies, but definitely belonged to the magic arts
and had to be kept secret...
34 Fulgurite
The manufacturing of fulgurites in pyramids
Successful early civilizations may have needed respectable palaces for their rulers and kings.
Initially the available building materials may have been restricted to wooden structures, concrete
stones and monoliths. In the archaic eras metallic tools still had to be invented. The standard tools
may have been equipped with pieces of quartz or suitable stones.
Polishing and drilling could be done by using sand or suitable fulgurites, which may found in the
deserts. These elements had to be collected by inspecting the sand of the desert territories.
The sandbox
This discharge in a controlled environment might form a perfect fulgurite with a perfect shape,
diameter and length. The box (blue) may be located at the top of the pyramid and may be filled with
selected sand (yellow) from a specially chosen desert area or directly from the common soil.
For these optimized parameters a series of different types of pyramids may be helpful.
7. Sandbox with a
vertical arrow
The sandbox should be equipped with a bottom conductor (earthed by a connection to the earth).
The hot electrode should be a sharpened, 1-2m wooden arrow or copper rod, which had to be placed
in the centre of the sandbox.
Experiments with lightnings
In historical experiments swords were stuck with their handle into the ground to attract lightnings at
the sharp top of the blade. Sailors practised magical tricks by hanging swords in the rigging of their
ships to protect themselves against lightnings, but they did not really know what they were doing 35.
Some of these experiments are described by Livy.
Numa Pompilius ( 753–673 BC; reigned 715–673 BC) was the legendary second king of Rome,[1]
succeeding Romulus. Numa was a magician and experimented with lightnings.
Tullus Hostilius (r. 673–642 BC) was the legendary third king of Rome. He succeeded Numa
Pompilius and exercised experiments with the swords to attract the lightnings. However Tullus did
not undertake the ceremony correctly, and both he and his house were struck by lightning and
reduced to ashes as a result of the anger of Jupiter.[5] 36: Live describes this episode as follows:
It is said, that the king himself, turning over the commentaries of Numa, and
discovering therein that certain sacrifices, of a secret and solemn nature, had been
performed to Jupiter Elicius, shut himself up, and set about the performance of this
solemnity; but, not having undertaken, or conducted, the rites in due form, he not only
failed of obtaining any notification from the gods, but, through the resentment of
Jupiter, for being addressed in an improper manner, was struck with lightning, and
reduced to ashes, together with his house. Tullus reigned thirty-two years, highly
renowned for his military achievements37.
The diameter of a modern lightning rod may be chosen at 1cm. As a preferred material we may
choose a metallic rod with a sharp endpoint at the top, which “attracts” the electric field, but others
claim the optimal shape should be a rounded top. The lightning rod must be grounded by a suitable
metallic cable, which can discharge the heaviest lightning strokes.
8. First stage of the Great Pyramid (equipped with a sandbox and arrow) -
source: Kheops-coupe.jpg: MONNIER Franck derivative work: GDK (talk) – Public Domain
At the first development stage the shafts to the Queen's chamber may have been open channels in
which a copper conductor could be positioned between the bottom of the sandbox and the
groundwater.
Alternatively the copper conductors may also have been mounted in the (open?) gallery.
These conductors would have been removed at the dismantling episode. After the removal the lower
shafts may have been closed.
The dismantled pyramid may have been completed to become a virtual monument for the ruling
pharaohs.
The actual design of the Great Cheops Pyramid
The developing of an arid environment may have reduced the number of lightnings and diminished
the manufacturing output of the Sand Fulgurites. At the beginning of the copper and bronze age the
functionality of the manufacturing of fulgurites may be considered as inefficient.
At the Cheops age the pyramid might have been modernized by trying to locate a new sandbox at a
higher level, which improves the attraction of lightnings for the production of fulgurites.
In the end phase the fulgurites were to be replaced by metallic (iron) tools and the sandboxes could
be removed. The pyramid was to be adapted to a monument. The knowledge of its former
functionality had been lost.
In the meantime the knowledge of using pyramids may however have been spread around the globe.
Therefore another type of pyramid will be discussed in the next chapter.
9. Optimizing the productivity of the Great Pyramid (equipped with a sandbox and arrow)
source: Kheops-coupe.jpg: MONNIER Franck derivative work: GDK (talk) – Public Domain
The furrows in the 4 sides of the Great Pyramid
In a (German) video39 Dr. Artur Lipinski explains the slight (dotted) furrows in the 4 sides of the
Great Pyramid, which seem to provide a gutter for the rainwater or even the “current” which is
guided from the top to the earthlevel, respectively grounding points:
The slight furrows in the 4 sides of the Great Pyramid indicate a visionary architect, who from the
beginning knew how the system had to be functioning.
40 Leopoldo Batres
Designing the capacitor
If the great Teotihuacan pyramid was designed as manufacturing site for Sand Fulgurites the mica
layers may have been chosen to optimize the process of controlled melting of sand by a lightning
stroke.
In this case the sandbox with two electrodes should be inserted parallel to the capacitor between the
top of the pyramid respectively the earth electrode.
In the following sketch the mica layer of the capacitor in the pyramid is colored as a black line
between:
1. the “hot” red electrode (connected to the lightning rod) and
2. the blue electrode (“earth”, connected to the ground water level).
In this sketch the “sandbox” for the fulgurites is placed outside of the pyramid. The dimensions of
the Teotihuacan pyramid may be compared to the size of the first stage of the Cheops pyramid:
10. Model of the the Teotihuacan pyramid as a variant of the first stage of the Cheops pyramid
source: Kheops-coupe.jpg: MONNIER Franck derivative work: GDK (talk) – Public Domain
The calculation of the voltage pulse, which was to be expected at the stroke of a lightning may be
calculated by the following formulas for a mica layer of 70 mm and a charge Q = 15 Coulomb:
• The electric constant ε0 = 8.85 × 10-12 (F⋅m-1)
• The Relative permittivity εr of Mica (at room temperature under 1 kHz): εr = 3–6 [2] 41
• Before 1906 the surface (in the formula “A”) of the (original 70mm) mica layer in the
Pyramid of the Sun is estimated at 80 m x 80 m = 6400 m2. The quotient A/d = ~91428 (m).
• The capacity (C = εr.ε0.A / d) of the mica layer is 2700 nF.
• A normal lightning stroke may charge the capacitor to approximately 500 kV.
The dielectric strength of mica is 50 to 200 kV/mm. The breakdown voltage for a 70 mm mica layer
is 3.500 kV – 14.000 kV, respectively 3.5 MV- 14 MV.
41 Relative permittivity
d (mica layer) Capacity Voltage (V = Q/C) Voltage (V = Q/C) Voltage (V = Q/C)
C (rounded) at Q = 15 (C) at Q = 350 (C) at Q = 700 (C)
70 mm 2700 nF (→ 2.7 μF) 500 kV 11.7 MV 23.3 MV
140 mm 1350 nF (→ 1.35 μF) 1 MV 23.3 MV 46.7 MV
280 mm 675 nF (→ 0.625 μF) 2 MV 46.7 MV 93.33 MV
Theoretical voltage level at the mica capacitor after a stroke of a lightning
The video The Big Teotihuacan Mystery42, claims the mica came from a 3000 miles distant site in
Brasil and may be found in most buildings in Teotihuacan.
The pyrite
The items were found in the underground chambers in the Temple of the Feathered
Serpent in the ancient city Teotihuacan, 30 miles away from Mexico City. They are
thought to be at least 1,800 years old and are about 1.5 inches to 5 inches in size. Their
cores are made up of clay and other unknown organic materials, while their surfaces are
covered in pyrite, also known as "fool's gold," giving them a sparkling yellow coating. 43
Pyrite is a semiconductor material with a band gap of 0.95 eV.[17] Until the vacuum tube matured,
the crystal detector was the most sensitive and dependable detector available.
Iron pyrite is unstable at Earth's surface: iron pyrite exposed to air and water decomposes into iron
oxides and sulfate.
Sulfate released from decomposing pyrite combines with water, producing sulfuric acid, leading to
acid rock drainage. An example of acid rock drainage caused by pyrite is the 2015 Gold King Mine
waste water spill.
Pyrite oxidation is sufficiently exothermic that underground coal mines in high-sulfur coal seams
have occasionally had serious problems with spontaneous combustion in the mined-out areas of the
mine. The solution is to hermetically seal the mined-out areas to exclude oxygen44.
42 The Big Teotihuacan Mystery, Even Archaeologists Are Baffled By These Discoveries (6:11)
43 Hundreds of strange metallic spheres found in ancient ...
44 Pyrite
Ancient metallurgical sites
The copper sites in the South Sinai mountains
A paper titled Metallurgical sites of South Sinai (Egypt) in the Pharaonic Era by P Tallet (2011)
describes the large battery of at least 3000 furnaces dated at the Old Kingdom, around the 5th
Dynasty (ca 2500-2300 BC). The name of this site is Bir Nasb.
The layout of the site, on a well-ventilated platform close to sources of water and of the wood that
could be used as fuel, no doubt played a role in the choice of this position. The ore that was
processed here clearly did not come from the mines that were in the immediate vicinity.
Given the absence of significant deposits of slag it is also impossible—as was the case
for Bir Nasb—to propose an estimation of the quantity of ore that could have been dealt
with on the site.
The design of these furnaces is based on a fierce wind, which rapidly (1-2 hours) heats the oven to
temperatures of 1180°C up to 1250°C. The maximum temperature being reached after 2 hours was
1334°C, which is much higher than that required to reduce an ore such as malachite.
Some of these ovens have never been used. In these ovens there was no significant of slag, which
may illustrate an early abandonment of the site:
The first group of these has been destroyed by the simple fact of its prolonged use. The
stones that composed the uprights of these bloomeries have been shattered by heat and
are scattered over the slope below the structures. The second group, however, appears to
have never been used.
The Egyptians however may have been unaware of these methods. Maybe the lightning method
would provide enough concentrated power to melt the iron ores.
45 Early progress in the melting of iron - Why melting iron is such a weird process - Futurity
Descriptions of the four great pyramids from
Frederic Louis Norden's journal
The size of the fourth great pyrmid
• As to the fourth pyramid, it is still one hundred feet less than the third. It is likewise
without coating, closed, and resembles the others, but without any temple like the first. It
has however one particular deserving remark; which is, that its summit is terminated by a
single great stone, which seems to have served as a pedestal. It is, moreover, situated out of
the line o£ the others, being a little more to the west.
" THE sides of the pyramids are not equal; for in the greatest it is visible, and so in the
others, that the north side is longer than that which stretches from east to west.
" IN all the pyramids there are very deep wells cut in the rock, square, as I have seen in
more than ten." p. 84..47
Usually the discovered pyramidions are decorated with hieroglyphs, which indicate a relatively
recent age compared to the ancient monuments such as the great pyramids. Usually the pyramids do
not reveal any really ancient hieroglyphs and other decorations.
50 (footnote g, page 118) " In pyramide maxima est intus puteus oftoginta et fex cubitcrum, flumen illo admiussm
arbitrantur' P L I N . 1. xxxvi. c. 11. " THIS well, says GREAVES, may have been the passage to those secret vaults,
mentioned but not described by HERODOTUS, that were hewn out of the rock, over which this pyramid is erected.
By my measure, founding it with a line, it contains twenty feet in depth; and has been since PLINY'S time so
choaked with rubbish as to occasion the different mensurations." M. MAILLET imagine;, " That this well only a
passage for the workmen at the time of the building the pyramid.''
51 Source: Page 118 in Travels in Egypt & Nubia (English) (and appendix)
52 Source: Page 116 in Travels in Egypt & Nubia (English) (and appendix)
53 Source: Page 122 in Travels in Egypt & Nubia (English) (and appendix)
54 Source: Page 125 in Travels in Egypt & Nubia (English) (and appendix)
A suggested theory for a role of each pyramid
The etymology for the ancient Greek word πυραμίς (puramís), (Latin: pȳramis) is unknown, but in a
(German) video55 has been related to Pyr = Fire (flash), Ama = Moutain (hill).
According to some analysts the word “pyramid” may have been compared to the “Volcano”, from
which the fire is erupting. In contrast the pyramid had to be fed by the fire.
The word Pyramid is said to be derived from the Greek, ‘Piramis’ and ‘Piramidos’,
translatable as ‘Fire in The Middle’. This concept of ‘fire in the middle’ seems strange,
but could the symbolism in resemblance between an erupting volcanic mountain and a
pyramid be a valid supposition?
Studying the Egyptian culture we may be aware that at the beginning of the dynastic episode Egypt
suffered from a rather drastic climatic disorder, in which a humid phase evolved to a desiccating
phase and dry environment.
The Famine Stela describes the 7 years of drought and famine in the 18th year of the reign of
Djoser, during which time the Nile has not flooded the farmlands. The text also describes how the
Egyptians are suffering as a result of the drought and that they are desperate and breaking the laws
of the land. Djoser asks the priests and Imhotep for help. Imhotep purifies himself, prays to the god
Khnum for help and offers “all good things” to him. As a response Khnum promises to to make the
Nile flow again. King Djoser is pleased with the news and issues a decree in which he orders
priests, scribes and workers to “restore Khnum´s temple”.
Djoser may have searched for a solution to save the environment by inventing a modern power
supply which did not depend on the scarce firewood. He may have observed the melting capacities
of the lightnings, which had been abundant in prehistoric eras. The Sand Fulgurites may have
guided the religious head of the priests Imhotep to the lightning as a potential power supply.
The increase of the melting capacities might have been needed to solve the famine problem. The
concept of optimizing the melting oven required a few experimental designs to test the various
parameters. These experiments must be analyzed to find out how Imhotep and his successors solved
the required boundary conditions, which resulted in various inventions in the evolution phase of the
pyramids.
Due to the lack of the lightnings the productivity of the melting stations at the pyramids at
Giza ended ca. 2500 BCE, which may have inspired later generations to switch the functions of the
pyramids from melting materials to burial ceremonies.
The analysis of the pyramids reveals some special characteristics which illustrate the usage of
special materials and concepts for the application of electrical circuitries. These details will be
illustrated in the following chapter.
Each standard cubic blocks (Volume: 10m x10m x 10m) represents an electrical resistor R, which
depends on the dimensions of the block and the specific resistance ρ. For ρ = 300 Ωm the resistor
value is 30 Ω:
13 Resistor-element
14 Schematic
Djoser Pyramid R-element Layer Platform Resistor Dissipation
area -element
R1 1 20 x 20 m 7.5 Ω 67.0 %
R2 2 40 x 40 m 1.875 Ω 16.7 %
R3 3 60 x 60 m 0.83 Ω 7.4 %
R4 4 80 x 80 m 0.47 Ω 4.2 %
R5 5 100 x 100 m 0.30 Ω 2.7 %
R6 6 120 x 120 m 0.21 Ω 1.9 %
Total 100,00%
2 Characteristics of the Djoser Pyramid for ρ = 300 Ωm (for limestone)
67% of the lightning's energy is dissipated in resistor R1 at the upper level layer. The lightning's
current (30,000A) generates 225,000 Volt in the resistor R1 (layer 1), which corresponds to 6.75
GW respectively 6,750 Megawatt. The impulse of 30 μs dissipates 202,500 Joule in layer 1.
60 Source: Chapter (@ page 186) “Visit To The Pyramid Of Cheops”, from Full Text Of "Personal Recollections Of
Werner Von Siemens" Of The University California Translated By W. C. Coupland (1893)
61 Energietransformator "Pyr"amide? by Dr. Artur Lipinski (in German)
62 Lightning
An amount of 202,500 Joule (202.5 kWs) represents the heating energy of a 2 kW magnetron for
about 100 seconds63.
The average lightning however delivers 1 gigajoule of energy which contains enough energy to do
more work. The gigajoule (GJ) is equal to one billion (109) joules. 6 GJ is about the chemical
energy of combusting 1 barrel (159 l) of crude oil.[17] 64
In fact the pyramid may be considered as an internal resistor, which may be optimized as a current
limiter in case a short-circuit occurs. Without a limiter the lightning may expand its destructive
power to the melting system.
Thunderstorms may often be accompanied with heavy raining, which definitely influences the
current flows. The rain may even soak up the stones. In order to avoid rain the architects might have
ordered to cover the exterior walls with marble. Marble (ρ = 106 ••• 10965) is a much better isolator
than limestone. After completing the Djoser pyramid the architect Imhotep may have observed the
impact of lightnings and may have tested and optimized the concept of protecting the building
against damage by lightnings.
Dry sand is a good isolator with a ρ = 105 Ωm, but wet sand is specified with ρ = 1000 − 10 4 Ωm66.
Therefore it would be a good idea to build the plain open (unprotected against the rain) sandbox –
filled with desert sand – on top of the pyramid. A small rod may be put in the sand to guide the
lightning to the sandbox. The impact of the lightning should be guided to a specified location in the
sand, where the electric current should generate a fulgurite. If the sandbox is made of limestone the
bottom plate should spread the current over the platform from where the superfluous electric energy
is guided to the well at the underground level. Although most pyramids look similar the systems
may have been equipped with special unique test elements. One of these special characteristics is
the block on top of the fourth pyramid (which eventually may have carried or even been a
“sandbox” ?)
Other special elements such as water wells, shafts, remains of copper elements, corridors, the top
stone on the fourth pyramid of Giza and a large Grand Gallery in the Great Pyramid may have been
tested for their functionality in an electrical melting system.
The size of the Djoser pyramid is equivalent to the Pyramid of Menkaure. The fourth pyramid with
the top stone was smaller and may have tested the design of the top section with the sandbox.
In a certain sense all pyramids follow the same pattern, but the characteristic current handling may
be quite different. The main parameter is the size of the top platform. A small platform will raise the
resistor value of the top section.
A pyramidion is the uppermost piece or capstone of an Egyptian pyramid or obelisk which
associated the pyramids and obelisks as a sacred benben stone.[2]67 If the lightning hits the
pyramidion the metallic cover leads most of the energy to the next layer of limestone. The metallic
cover protected the underlying stone against the heating of a striking lightning and “not to reflect
the rays of the sun”.
During Egypt's Old Kingdom, pyramidia were generally made of diorite, granite, or fine
limestone, then covered in gold or electrum; during the Middle Kingdom and through
the end of the pyramid-building era, they were built from granite.[4] A pyramidion was
"covered in gold leaf to reflect the rays of the sun"; during Egypt's Middle Kingdom
pyramidia were often "inscribed with royal titles and religious symbols".[2]
16: Flat Top. Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops). Giza Plateau Egypt (Kurt Buzard)
67 pyramidion
One of the greatest mysteries of the Great pyramid is its missing capstones. They are those who
assume the pyramid was finished with a massive golden pyramidion, but others also suggest it was
always flat.
The Great pyramid contains an estimated 2,300,000 blocks, some of which are upwards of
50 tons. Like the pyramids built by his predecessor Snefru and those that followed on the
Giza plateau, Khufu’s pyramid is constructed of inner, roughly hewn, locally quarried core
stones, which is all we see today, and angled, outer casing blocks laid in even horizontal
courses with spaces filled with gypsum plaster68.
The latest study that caused quite a hype was led by scientists from ITMO University (Russia) and
the Laser Zentrum Hannover (Germany). Using methods of theoretical physics, scientists
investigated the electromagnetic response of the Great Pyramid to radio waves. They found that the
Great Pyramid can focus electromagnetic energy and have created a model of the pyramid resonant
electromagnetic response.
As explained by The Great Pyramid of Giza Might Focus Electromagnetic Energy in Its Chambers
in Science Alert,69 “electromagnetic radiation, including visible light, radio waves, and microwaves,
is radiating waves of oscillating electric and magnetic fields, and it’s all around us all the time.”
Using calculations, the researchers demonstrated that in the resonant state, the Great Pyramid was
able to concentrate electromagnetic energy inside its chambers but also well beneath its base, where
an unfinished chamber is located.
The conclusions were obtained based on numerical modelling as well as analytical methods of
physics.
“For example, we assumed that there are no unknown cavities inside, and the building material with
the properties of an ordinary limestone is evenly distributed in and out of the pyramid. With these
assumptions made, we obtained interesting results that can find important practical applications,”
says Dr. Sc. Andrey Evlyukhin, scientific supervisor and coordinator of the research.
Despite this discovery, mainstream scholars argue that it is very unlikely that the ancient Egyptians
knew about the electromagnetic properties of the pyramid, suggesting that this is just an interesting
coincidence of how the pyramids stand.
The research paper Electromagnetic properties of the Great Pyramid: First multipole resonances and
energy concentration was published in the Journal of Applied Physics. Resonant response of the
Great Pyramid interacting with external electromagnetic waves of the radio frequency range (the
wavelength range is 200–600 m) is theoretically investigated.
The Khafre pyramid
The Pyramid of Khafre, the second-tallest and second-largest of the Ancient Egyptian Pyramids of
Giza has a similar characteristic. Casing stones cover the top third of the pyramid, but
the pyramidion and part of the apex are missing. The bottom course of casing stones was made out
of pink granite but the remainder of the pyramid was cased in Tura Limestone.
The Khafre pyramid is equipped with various sizes of stones. At the top section (~50 layers) the
stones are larger and in the central section (visible on the photo are circa 12-15layers) the stones
are much smaller. The transit area may be observed in the following photograph:
A restored (limestone70) pyramidion belonging to the Red Pyramid of Pharaoh Snoferu, at Dahshur,
is now on permanent open air display beside the pyramid it was apparently intended to surmount 71.
The damage to the pyramidions may have resulted in the ideas to use this energy for melting
materials.
The outer shield of highly polished white limestone may also have guided the current along the
rainwater, which glides along the limestone and guides the current to the groundwater which had
been gathered in the gutter below the 4 side walls of the pyramid. The sheets of rain water may have
represented the normal flow of discharging currents.
The system also had to cover the exceptionally occurring heavier lightnings, which (with a more
than tenfold discharge current) may cause an overload for the pyramid's system:
The average positive ground flash has roughly double the peak current of a typical
negative flash, and can produce peak currents up to 400 kA and charges of several
hundred coulombs.[45][46] Furthermore, positive ground flashes with high peak
currents are commonly followed by long continuing currents, a correlation not seen in
negative ground flashes.[47]
As a result of their greater power positive lightning strikes are considerably more dangerous. Due to
the tendency for positive ground flashes to produce both high peak currents and long continuing
current, they are capable of heating surfaces to much higher levels.
70 A badly damaged white Tura limestone pyramidion, thought to have been made for the Red Pyramid of Sneferu at
Dahshur, has been reconstructed and is on open-air display beside that pyramid; it presents a minor mystery,
however, as its angle of inclination is steeper than that of the edifice it was apparently built to surmount.
71 Ivrienen - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Restauration_Project_at_the_Red_Pyramid_in_Dahshur.jpg
21 The discharging channels for a lightning stroke at the Great Pyramid
The pyramids of Snofru
11. Three construction phases (E1, E2, E3) for the Meidum pyramid (with marked sections for the current
state) - public domain from MONNIER Franck – public domain (Gemeinfrei)
Glass embedded in the Meidum Pyramid
Several teardrop-shaped marks and a trace of blue glass are found at the walls at a location, which
in the video is defined as the “masonry block of the lower chamber”72.
These findings are located in the lower section of the pyramid, where we are in the neighborhood of
the ground water wells. In a building which is designed to capture a lightning's energy the
connection to the ground water well must be considered as a mayor constructive element.
Meidum belongs to the oldest generation of the pyramidal concepts and an accidental collapse of
the outer section of the pyramid may have been caused by a lightning stroke inside the interior
structure.
The large current pulses to form the Sand Fulgurites may have chosen a irregular path towards the
water source. Usually the lightning's path may follow the channel of the lowest resistance, which
may be found in the neighborhood of humid locations between the rocks. The explosive heating of
the limestone's inclusions may destroy the local limestone construction and cause shifts in the
fundamental structure of the pyramid.
The currents of lightnings are well known for their irregular behavior. In engineering the conductors
for the main lightning currents may have been guided at the outside of the building, where no harm
can be done by explosive heating. In fact the outer surface of the Great Pyramid could be shaped of
polished marble to protect the pyramid against false conductance of currents inside the pyramid.
The optimal way for guiding the main current was the thin layer of rain water at the outer surface of
the Great Pyramid.
The vertical trace of (blue) glass in a narrow split in the limestone rock may have been caused by
melting limestone or other materials in a lightning stroke. Maybe an analysis of the glass'
components is helpful in finding the source for this glass.
72 Found in the video The Unsolved Mysteries of the Broken Pyramid at Meidum, Egypt at 30:00
The following photograph illustrates the traces of blue glass in the vertically oriented split at the
limestone wall of the “masonry block of the lower chamber”.
The pit which runs the width of the floor and is about 55cm wide, drops a vertical depth
through masonry of 2.14 metres from the pit’s northern face; at this depth it hits the floor of
the rock trench, but the pit carries on vertically for a further 78cm in the natural rock.73
The pit also connects the pyramid with the groundwater which is needed as a drainage for the
electrical currents:
“So what could be the function of the pit and the groove south of it? I suggest their
function was to protect the lower chambers from the elements. In the time that the
pyramid was erected, the climate might have been less arid than today. I recall a visit to
Giza where I was met by such a downpour of rain that would make Ireland proud. I
suspect such downpours of rain would have been a concern to the builders during
construction. A rough calculation shows that the pit would hold over 1000 litres of water
and it’s noticeable that the builders excavated into the rock a further 78cm. Today the
only visible part of the rock the visitor can see is in the shaft leading to the upper
chamber; here the stratification of the rock can be clearly seen and it looks quite porous.
I believe this extra excavation in the rock is a soakaway, to help the pit drain when
meteoric water found its way into the pit”74.
In this study the electrical losses caused by these manufacturing tolerances are neglected.
73 https://www.academia.edu/32410244/The_Meidum_Pyramid
74 (PDF) The Meidum Pyramid | Keith Hamilton - Academia.edu
75 Materials (Source: Great Pyramid of Giza)
The Obelisk as a special type of pyramid
The Obelisk may be considered as a special type of pyramid or a benben stone. The discharging
current however must pass the complete length of the obelisk, which has a considerable resistor
value.
The earliest temple obelisk still in its original position is the 68-foot (20.7 m) 120-metric-ton (130-
short-ton)[5] red granite Obelisk of Senusret I of the XIIth Dynasty at Al-Matariyyah in modern
Heliopolis.[6]
Granite has a specific resistance ρ = 300 − 3 ・ 104 Ωm (somewhat higher than limestone).
The obelisk symbolized the sun god Ra, and during the religious reformation of Akhenaten it was
said to have been a petrified ray of the Aten, the sun-disk.
Usually the Obelisk do not exceed 30 meters. Most Obelisks were used to mark graves and
underground burial chambers.
Various experiments have been done in which sand was used as a medium:
To begin, the obelisk was lying on a gravel and stone ramp. A pit in the middle was
filled with dry sand. Previous experiments showed that wet sand would not flow as
well. The ramp was secured by stone walls. Men raised the obelisk by slowly removing
the sand while three crews of men pulled on ropes to control its descent into the pit. The
back wall was designed to guide the obelisk into its proper place.
The scroll reads "Empty the space that has been filled with sand beneath the monument
of thy Lord."[32]
To erect the obelisks at Luxor with this method would have involved using over a
million cubic meters of stone, mud brick and sand for both the ramp and the platform
used to lower the obelisk.[33] 76
The pit in the middle of the obelisk's foundation could also be filled with sand to produce fulgerites.
However most of the obelisks have been removed, replaced or had their foundations modified in
later periods.
The largest known obelisk, the Great Stele at Axum, now fallen, at 33 metres (108 ft) high and 3 m
(9.8 ft) by 2 m (6 ft 7 in) at the base (520 metric tons or 570 short tons)[26] is one of the largest
single pieces of stone ever worked in human history.
Applying the formula for this stele with ρ = 300 Ωm, l = 33m and A = 3 x 2 = 6m2 result in R =
10,000 / 6 = 1666 Ω:
22 Resistor-element
77 Source: (Wikipedia) Step Pyramid - Lehner, Mark (1997). The Complete Pyramids. New York: Thames and
Hudson. pp. 80–93. ISBN 978-0-500-05084-2.
The similarity between the 4-layered pyramid and the Djed-symbol
Did the 4-step Djoser pyramid inspire the Egyptian philosophers to design the 4-layer Djed-symbol
as a symbol for stability?
25: Transfer of the Djoser Pyramid from the 4-layered in the 6-layered stage
The Dendera light, an inscription including a djed pillar, sometimes claimed to show electric
lighting. Especially the erecting of the obelisk in the centre of a pit which was filled with dry sand
may be identified in the rite of erecting the 4-layered Djed-pillars.
The snake-shaped wave symbol may be interpreted as a lightning, caught by the 4-layered pillar.
26 The so-called en:Dendera light in one of the crypts of en:Hathor temple at the en:Dendera
Temple complex in Egypt. From: Ancient Anomalies Of Giza Academia Can't Explain (at32:35)
The similarity between the obelisk and the Djed-symbol
In a side-view we also may understand the similarity between the Djed-symbol and the obelisk as
an alternative for the 4-layered pyramid.
The djed (Coptic ϫⲱⲧ jōt "pillar", anglicized /dʒɛd/)[1] is one of the more ancient and
commonly found symbols in ancient Egyptian religion. It is a pillar-like symbol in
Egyptian hieroglyphs representing stability. It is associated with the creator god Ptah
and Osiris, the Egyptian god of the afterlife, the underworld, and the dead. It is
commonly understood to represent his spine.
The rite of erecting the Djed-pillar (David: 125) has a variety of contexts and
interpretations; but seemingly all agree that it symbolised the renewal of life through the
rebirth of the person on whose behalf the ritual was performed.
Maybe the djed-symbol combined the obelisk and the 4-layer pyramid in one character for
stability:
The similarity between the words for Djoser, Djed and Tjaty (vizier)
The names Djoser and Djed have been based on a similar root “djo” / “dje”, which suggests a
common root for the pharaoh and the 4-layered column.
An inscription known as the Famine Stela and claiming to date to the reign of Djoser, but probably
created during the Ptolemaic Dynasty, relates how Djoser rebuilt the temple of Khnum on the island
of Elephantine at the First Cataract, thus ending a seven-year famine in Egypt. Some consider this
ancient inscription as a legend at the time it was inscribed. Nonetheless, it does show that more than
two millennia after his reign, Egyptians still remembered Djoser.
One of the most famous contemporaries of king Djoser was his vizier (tjaty), "head of the royal
shipyard" and "overseer of all stone works", Imhotep. At Djoser's time, Imhotep was of such
importance and fame that he was honoured by being mentioned on statues of king Djoser in his
necropolis at Saqqara78.
79 Page 101-130 (in Danish Royal Library) – Travels in Egypt & Nubia (English) by Frederick Lewis Norden (1757)
80 Johann Michael Vansleb (1635 – 1679) - Wikipedia
(111)
THE principal pyramids are-at the east south east of Giza, a village situated on the western shore of
the Nile, as I have already observed j and as several authors have pretended, that the city of
Memphis was built in this place, it is the reason that they commonly call them The pyramids cf
Memphis.
THERE are four of them, that deserve the greater! attention of the curious; for, tho' we see seven or
eight others in the neighbourhood, they are nothing in comparison of the former, especially since
they have been opened81, and almost entirely ruined.82
The four principal are almost upon the fame diagonal line, and distant one from another about four
hundred paces. Their four faces correspond precisely to the four cardinal points, the north, the
south, the east, and the weft. I have given two views of these ancient monuments -, the one taken
from ATTER-ENNABI, or from the great mosque of Deiretiin: the other drawn from the house of
the Kaimakan, at a league distance.
(112)
THE two most northerly pyramids are the greatest, and have five hundred feet perpendicular height.
The two others are much less, but have some particularities which occasion their being examined
and admired.
THE situation of the pyramids, with their adjacent parts, shews in what manner they have been
raised upon the rock, at the foot of the mountains. The rock not being throughout even, they have
smoothed it by the duffel ; as we discover in several places; and this artificial plain has a sloping on
the north side, and on the east side ; which favoured on the latter the making of divers causeways,
that gave convenience of transporting the materials necessary for the pyramids.
This plain may have fourscore feet of perpendicular elevation, above the horizon of the ground, that
is always overflowed by the Nile; and it has a Danish league in circumference.
81 Footnote d, page 111-112) 1 have mentioned before, from Dr. POCOCKE, who cites STRABO, " That there was in
the middle of the pyramids a stone, that might be taken out to open a way to the passage that led to the tombs. This
entrance was kept secret, and the pyramid appeared externally to be entirely closed up. The reason of these buildings
being thus, without any appearing entrance, seems to have been rightly assigned by M. MAILLET. The favourite
passion, says he, of the ancient Egyptians, was to make themselves in their life time sepulchres, where after their
death their bodies might be secure, not only from corruption, but moreover from all the attacks that the
maliciousness and violence of men might have contrived against such sacred repositories. This passion was not
peculiar to the vulgar; it extended itself even to sovereigns, who, much more than their subjects, were interested, that
their bodies after their death might not be exposed to any insult. The grandees and the lords of their court, who
shared their esteem or their favour, had the fame interest. Insomuch that we may fay that in this nation, every one
fought the most certain means for preserving themselves after their death, in proportion to the honours and
pleasures, that their rank, their riches, their dignity and employments procured them in their life. And with regard to
the design they had of securing their bodies from any insult, they could not have contrived more certain methods for
succeeding in it, than those they have employed in the structure of these famous monuments.
82 Page 111-112 (in Danish Royal Library) – Travels in Egypt & Nubia (English)
(113)
THOUGH this plain is a continual rock, it is however almost all covered with a flying sand, which
the wind brings thither from the high mountains adjacent.
They find in this land a great number of shells and petrified oysters, which is so much the more
surprising, as the Nile never rises high enough to overflow this plain : besides that, though it mould
reach thither, it could not be considered as the cause of them, since this river neither carries, nor has
throughout its whole course, any shell-fish83. It might be asked, from whence come these shells of
such kind as one finds on the pyramids themselves ?".
Mr. SCHEUCHZER would, I think, have some difficulty to suppose, that these are remains of the
universal food. In that cafe he would be obliged to fay, that the pyramids had been able to support
themselves against so terrible a deluge. Would not the miracle be thought by him too great ? I mail
add that, in this quarter, one finds those famous flint stones, which, on account of the Angularity of
their colours, are much more esteemed than the agat, and of which they make at Cairo snuffboxes,
and handles for knives.
(114)
83 " ALTHOUGH there are no (shell-fish in the Nile, yet they abound in the Red-sea; where MAILLET observes,
e
there are others of the mother-of-pearl kind, that are of an exquisite taste." And Dr. SKAW fays, " That there would
be no end of enumerating the great diversity of (hells which adorn the banks, or lye in the mallows, of the Red sea.
The concha Veneris is seen in a great variety of spots and sizes: whilst the turbinated and bivalve (hells of all kinds,
are not only common and in great luxuriancy of colours, but are also sometimes so exceedingly capacious, that there
have been found some, of the former fort, which were a foot and a half long, and of the latter, that were as much in
diameter. The very furniture and utensils of their houses are furnished by them ; the nautilus supplying the place of a
cup, and the buccinum that of a jar, whilst the concha imbricata is what they usually serve up their food in." p. 387.
Now the distance of the Red-sea from the pyramids is not so great, but that violent winds, which are frequent in such
countries, and carry away whole mountains of sand, might well be supposed to take up likewise some of the smaller
shells, and deposit them on this pyramids.
84 (Footnote f, page 114) S IR W. TEMPLE has elegantly applied the figure of a pyramid to forms of government, in
the following manner. " T H E safety and firmness of any frame of government, may be best judged by the rules of
architecture, which teach us, that the pyramid is of all figures the firmest and least subject to be shaken or
overthrown by any concussions or accidents from the earth or a i r ; and it grows still so much the firmer, by how
much broader the bottom and sharper the top.
"THAT government, which takes in the consent of the greatest number of the people, and consequently their desires and
resolutions to support it, may justly be said to have the broadest bottom, and to stand upon the largest compass of
ground; and if it terminate in the authority of one single person, it may likewise be said to have the narrowest top,
and so to make the figure of the firmed fort of pyramid.
"ON the contrary, a government which, by alienating the affections, losing the opinions, and crossing the interests of the
people, leaves out of its compass the greatest part of their consent; may justly be said, in the fame degree it thus
loses ground, to narrow its bottom ; and if this be done to serve the ambition, humour the passion, satisfy the
appetites, or advance the power or interest not only of one man, but of two, or more, or many that come to share in
the government: by this means the top may be justly said to grow broader, as the bottom narrower by the other. Now
by the fame degrees that either of these happen, the liability of the figure is by the fame lessened and impaired; so as
at certain degress it begins to grow subject to accidents of wind and of weather;
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IT is necessary to be very near this northern pyramid; and, as I may say, measure its own greatness
by itself, to be able to discern the. extent of this enormous mass. It is, as well as the others, both
great and small, without any artificial foundations. Nature has furnished it with them, by means of
the rock, which is in itself strong enough to support the weight, which truly is immense.
THE external part of the pyramid is chiefly built of great square stones, cut in the rock, which is
along the Nile, and where, even at this day, we see the caves, from whence they have taken them.
The size of these stones is not equal; but they have all the figure of a prism. The architect has
caused them all to be cut in this manner, that they may be placed one upon another, and be as it
were parted together. It might be thought, that each range mould form a step round the pyramid. But
it is not so in reality. The architect has only observed the pyramidal figure, without troubling
himself about the regularity of the steps.
THESE stones are nothing near so hard as might be imagined, on account of their having subsisted
so long a time. They owe their preservation properly to the climate, where they are ; which is not
subject to frequent rains. Notwithstanding this advantage, one observes, principally on the north
side, that they are rotten : so that these stones are very far from being so hard as those of Breme,
and of Bentheim. Their divers external lays are compacted only by the weight itself of the stones,
without lime, without lead, and without cramps of any metal. But, as to the body of the pyramid,
which is full of irregular stones, they have been obliged to employ there a mortar, mixed of lime,
earth, and clay. This is clearly remarked at the entrance of the second passage of the first pyramid,
which has been opened by force.
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ONE does not perceive the lead mark, to prove that it has been coated by marble; for tho' certain
travellers have conjectured so, by seeing the summit of the second pyramid coated with granite,
there is so little appearance of this, that we find not in the steps the least remains of granite or of
marble, and which it would not have been possible to take away in such a manner that none of it
mould have continued. It is true, that about this pyramid, and about some others, we perceive a
great quantity of little pieces of granite, and of white marble; but that does not appear to me to be a
proof, that the pyramids have been coated by them. Such sort of materials had been employed in the
inside, and in some temples, on the outride: thus it is more natural to presume, that these remains
are owing rather to the cutting of stones for employing them, or to the ruin of temples, than to the
detached pieces of marble from the coating of the pyramids.
THE pyramid, that I am describing, is three hours voyage from Old Cairo. To go thither, when the
Nile is low, you take water near the island of Rodda, and get yourself conveyed to Gize, by means
of a barque. The distance from thence is no more than a musket shot, and this you travel by land.
But when the waters have swollen to their highest pitch, you may go by water from Old Cairo quite
to the rock, on which the pyramids are built.
ITS entrance is on the north side. At its four angles, it is easily perceived, that the lower stones are
the first angular and fundamental stones; but beyond that, quite to the middle of each face, the wind
has formed a slope of sand, which on the north side rises so high, that it gives a commodious ascent
quite to the entrance of the pyramid.
THIS entrance, as likewise that of all the others, has been contrived under the cymatium of the
pyramid, about forty-eight feet above the horizon, and a little more inclined to the east than to the
weft. In order to discover it, they have cut, quite to that place, the shelving of the pyramid.
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THE architrave of the first passage, which begins at this opening, seems to promise a portal; but
after having caused it to be cut, without finding behind any thing but stones, like to those which
have been made use of for building the pyramid, they gave over the attempt of seeking any other
opening-, than that which they had already discovered.
THIS opening leads successively to five different passages, which, tho' running upwards and
downwards, and horizontally, tend all towards the south, and terminate into two chambers, the one
underneath, and the other in the midst of the pyramid.
ALL these passages, excepting the fourth, are almost of the fame size, namely three feet and a half
square. They are likewise all of the fame kind of fabrick, and lined on the four sides, by great stones
of white marble, so polished, that they would be unpassable, had it not been for the artifice they
have used. And even though we find there at present, from step to step, little holes cut for resting the
feet in, it costs still a great deal of trouble to advance forwards ; and he that makes a false step, may
depend upon it that he will fall backwards, in spite of his endeavours, quite to the place from
whence he set out.
IT is pretended, that all these passages have been closed, and filled up by great square stones, which
had been introduced thither, after the whole work was finished. This at least is certain, that the
extremity of the second passage has been flopped up ; for we see still two great square pieces of
marble, which cut off the communication between that and the first passage. But, to say the truth, it
is not large enough at the entrance, for a man easily to pass; and still less for introducing so great a
quantity of large stones as were necessary for flopping up the other passages.
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WHEN you have passed the two first (passages), you meet with a resting place, which has on the
right hand an opening, for a little passage, or well85, in which one finds nothing but bats, and
another little resting place. After having suffered there a good deal of inconvenience, you have the
disagreeableness of not feeing its outlet, on account of the sand which stops it up.
FROM the first resting-place, which I have mentioned, the third passage leads to a chamber of a
moderate size, half filled with stones, that have been taken from the wall en the right, in order to
open there another passage, which terminates not far distant in a niche. This chamber has a sharp-
railed vault, and is throughout coated with granite, formerly perfectly polished; but at present
extremely blackened by the smoke of torches, that are made use of for visiting this chamber.
AFTER having returned, by the same way, you climb up to the fourth passage, which is furnished
with a railed way on each side. The passage is very high, and has an arch that is almost sharp-
raised.
THE fifth passage leads to the upper chamber; and before you arrive at it, you find in the middle of
the passage a little apartment, which is somewhat higher than the passage, but not wider. It has on
each side an incision made in the stone, probably in order to introduce there thole stones, which
were designed to close up the entrance of the chamber, which, like the preceding, is coated, and
covered with great stones of granite.
85 (footnote g, page 118) " In pyramide maxima est intus puteus oftoginta et fex cubitcrum, flumen illo admiussm
arbitrantur' P L I N . 1. xxxvi. c. 11. "THIS well, says GREAVES, may have been the passage to those secret vaults,
mentioned but not described by HERODOTUS, that were hewn out of the rock, over which this pyramid is erected.
By my measure, founding it with a line, it contains twenty feet in depth; and has been since PLINY'S time so
choaked with rubbish as to occasion the different mensurations." M. MAILLET imagine;, " That this well only a
passage for the workmen at the time of the building the pyramid.''
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ONE finds, on the left side, a large urn, or, to speak more properly, a sarcophagus of granite, which
has merely the figure of a parallelepiped, without any ornament besides. All that can be said of it is,
that this piece is very well hollowed, and that it sounds like a bell, when you strike it with a key.
To the north of the sarcophagus, you perceive a very deep hole, made since the building of the
pyramid was finished. The reason of it is not known : It is however to be presumed, with a great
deal of probability, that there was underneath some cavity; for it looks as if the pavement had fallen
of itself, after the foundation of the chamber had funk in.
THERE is nothing else to see in this chamber, unless it be two very little passages, the one on the
north side, the other on the south. It is not possible to determine their use, nor their depth, because
they are choaked up with stones, and other things, which the curious have thrown into them, in
order to know how far they go.
86 (footnote h, page 120) '.* PLINY makes the difference in their height to be considerable; for assigning eight
hundred and eighty three feet to the former, he allows to the side of the basis of this but seven hundred and thirty
seven." 1. xxxvi. c. 12. According to Mr. GREAVES'S observation, " The stones are of a white colour, nothing so
great and vast as those of the first and fairest pyramid ; the sides rise not with degrees like shut, but are !all of them
plain and smooth."
<< The fourth pyramid >>
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As to the fourth pyramid, it is still one hundred feet less than the third. It is likewise without
coating, closed, and resembles the others, but without any temple like the first. It has however one
particular deserving remark; which is, that its summit is terminated by a single great stone, which
seems to have served as a pedestal. It is, moreover, situated out of the line o£ the others, being a
little more to the west.
THESE four great pyramids are surrounded by a number of others that are smaller, and which, for
the most part, have been opened. There are three of them to the east of the first pyramid; and two
amongst them are ruined in such a manner, that one discerns not in them even the chamber. To the
weft of the same pyramid, we find a great number of others, but all likewise ruined.
OPPOSITE the second pyramid, there are five or six of them, which have likewise been all opened;
and, in one, I have observed a square well, thirty feet deep. All the rest is filled with sand and
stones.
ABOUT three hundred paces to the east of the second pyramid, you see the head of the great and
famous SPHINX, which I have taken care to delineate 87.
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WE discover likewise, in the neighbourhood of the pyramids, some sepulchral grottos; and upon
some of them I have observed hieroglyphics, which prove that these sepultures were not made till
long after the foundation of the pyramids. They are all open, and stripped of all that had been
deposited in them. I visited several of them, and found nothing but the half of a little idol made of
earthen ware, and such as we find at present in great quantities in the neighbourhood of the
pyramids near Saccara (Saqqara), in the quarter that is called the mummy country.
To go and see these pyramids, as indeed the other antiquities of Egypt, they choose the winter
season, that is to say, from the month of November to the middle of April. That is the most proper
time ; the country is then every where dry ; whereas in summer, the inundation of the Nile renders
the greatest part of the antiquities inaccessible, because they want, in that country, little beats
commodious for going wherever you have a mind.
ANOTHER reason, moreover, renders the visiting the antiquities difficult and even hazardous
during the summer •, which is, that the Arabs descend, in that season, from the mountains, in order
to encamp along the Nile -, and as justice has not the liberty at that time to approach them, they
make no scruple of plundering strangers.
87 (Footnote I, page 121) D R . POCOCKE ….., " That this SPHINX is cut out of a solid rock. This extraordinary
monument is said to have been the sepulchre of AM A s i s , though I think it is mentioned by none of the ancient
authors, except PLINY, 1. xxxvi. t. it. I found by the quadrant that it is about twenty seven feet-high, the neck and
head only being above ground ; the lower part of the neck, or the beginning of the breast is thirty three feet wide,
and it is twenty feet from the forepart of the neck to the back; and thence to the hole in the back, it is seventy five
feet, the hole being five feet long ; from which to the tail, if I mistake not, it is thirty feet; which something exceeds
P L I N Y ' S account, who fays, that it is one hundred and thirteen feet long. The sand is risen up in such a manner,
that the top of the back only is seen ; some persons ha\re lately gor. to the top of the head, where they found a hole,
which probably ferved for the arts of the priests in uttering oracles ; as that in the back might be to descend to the
apartment! beneath." p. 46.
Terruit Aoniam volucris, leo, virgo, triformis
Sphinx, volucris pennis, pedibus fera, fronte puella.
AlJsONIUS.
M. MAILLET is of opinion, " That the union of the head of a virgin, with the body of a lion, is a fymbol of what
happens in this country, when the fun is in the signs of Leo and Virgo, and the Nile overflows.''' The wings were
probably added to the Sphinx; as emblematical of the fuga temperum.
WHEN you undertake, in the winter, to go and visit the pyramids, you endeavour to form a
company, as well to make the tour with more agreeableness, as to be in a condition to observe every
thing in a better manner. Thole that have already been there, give an emulation to the stranger by
their discourses, and assist him to make more exact researches, than he would do if he was alone.
Indeed, one is exposed to hear sometimes some absurd reasonings; yet there is always some
advantage to be got by a person that is able to make a due distinction of what is told him.
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IF you set out from Cairo, you make this tour in one day, or two •, and supposing that you would
make it in two, you are mounted upon asses, for every one of which you pay eleven parats. You then
go across the city; pass afterwards the calisch, which at this season is dry; go across likewise the
island of Rodda, where, on the left side, and behind the Mokkias, you take a barque, in which are
carried likewise the asses. You are landed at Giza, a village directly opposite Cairo. You do not stay
there: but continue your journey a league further, where you lodge in the house of the Kaïmakan,
who has always some chambers to spare. You pass the night there, though very indifferently, for you
find neither beds, nor any other conveniences -, besides that, you are pestered there by bugs ; but a
night is soon parted over, and you make shift as well as you can.
THE next day in the morning, after having paid a sequin for so miserable a lodging, you set out for
the pyramids. Before you arrive there, you pals through another little village, near which there is
commonly a camp of Arabs. You take with you two of them, that have a knowledge of the pyramids
; and continue on your journey, till you are arrived at the foot of the mountains, near which the
pyramids are situated; you then alight, to walk the rest of the way.
<< Visiting the first pyramid >>
WHEN you are got to the entrance of the first pyramid, you discharge some pistols, to fright away
the bats: after which you make the two Arabs enter, and remove the sand, which almost entirely
stops up the passage.
AFTER these necessary preliminaries, you must have the precaution to strip yourself entirely, and
undress even to your shirt, on account of the excessive heat, that there constantly is in the
pyramids88.
You enter, in this condition, into the passage; and every one has a wax candle in his hand; for the
torches are not lighted till you are in the chambers, for fear of causing too much smoke.
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WHEN you are arrived at the extremity of the gallery, where the passage is forced, you find an
opening, which has barely a foot and a half in height, and two feet in breadth. It is, however,
through this hole, that you are obliged to pass, by creeping. The traveller commonly lays himself on
the ground; and the two Arabs, that went before, take each one of his legs, and drag him thus
through this difficult passage, over sand and dull. Luckily this passage is no more than two ells in
length : otherwise this toil would be insupportable to any one that was not accustomed to it.
AFTER having passed this streight, you find a large place, where you commonly take breath, and
make life of some refreshments. This gives courage for penetrating into the second gallery, which is
well worthy of observation.
THESE passages, as I have already mentioned, are very slippery. Luckily they have cut, from step
to step, round holes, which cause you to advance commodiously enough, though always stooping.
AT the end of the second passage there is a resting places at the right hand of which is the opening,
which gives an outlet into the well; not by means of any steps, but a perpendicular pipe, and pretty
much as chimney-sweepers descend in a chimney.
AT the extremity of the resting place begins the third gallery, which, leads to the inferior chamber. It
runs horizontally, and in a strait line. You find, before the chamber, some stones, with which the
way is embarrassed ; but you get over that difficulty, although with a little trouble.
88 (Footnote k, page 123) The following anecdote from Mr. GREAVES will not be unacceptable, I imagine, to the
reader; as it contains the conversation he had on this subject with the incomparable Doctor KARVEY. " THAT I and
my company mould have continued so many hours in the pyramid, and live (whereas we found no inconvenience)
was much wondered at by Dr HARVEY, his Majesty's learned physician. For, said he, feeing we never breathe the
fame air twice, but still a new air is required to a new respiration (the Succus alibilis of it being spent in every
exspiration) it could not be, but by long breathing we should have spent the aliment of that small stock of air within,
and have been stifled, unless there were some secret tunnels conveying it to the top of the pyramid, whereby it might
pass out, and make way for fresh air to come in at the entrance below. To which I returned him this answer : that it
might be doubted, whether the fame numerical air could not be breathed more than once; and whether the succubus
and aliment of it could be spent in one single respiration ; seeing those urinatores, or divers under water for sponges
in the Mediterranean sea, and those for pearls in sinus Arabicus and Perficus, continuing above half an hour under
water, must needs often breathe in and out the fame air. He gave me an ingenious answer, that they did it by the help
of sponges filled with oil, which still corrected and fed this air; the which oil being once evaporated, they were able
to continue no longer, but mini ascend up, or die : an experiment moil certain and true. Wherefore I gave him this
second answer, that the fuliginous air we breathed out in the pyramid, might pass through those galleries we came
up, and so through the strait neck or entrance leading into the pyramid; and by the fame, fresh air might enter in and
come up to us. For as for any tubuli to let cut the fuliginous air at the top of the pyramid, none could be discovered,
within or without. He replied, they might be so small, as that they could not easily be discerned, and yet might be
sufficientto make way for the air, being a thin and subtile body. To which I answered, that the less they were, the
sooner they would be obstrusted with those tempests of sand, to which these deserts are frequently exposed : and
therefore the narrow entrance into the pyramid is often so choaked up with drifts of sand (which I may term the rain
of the deserts) that there is no entrance into it; wherefore we hire Moors to open the passage, and to remove the
sands, before we can enter into the pyramid. With which he relied satisfied."
t
ALL the inside of the chamber is, in like manner, covered with Hones ; and whoever would
undertake to examine the way, through which they have drawn them, would expose himself to the
fame ceremony that is practised in palling from the first gallery to the second •, for it is a forced
passage, narrow, and little frequented. There are but very few that have the curiosity to enter into it,
as it is known that the way does not reach far, and that there is nothing to fee in it but a niche.
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WHEN you have visited the lower chamber, you return back again, along the horizontal passage, to
get to the resting place, which deprives the fourth gallery of its acute angle, by which it joined the
second gallery, and obliges you to ascend upwards, by fattening your feet in some notches, made on
each side of the wall. It is by this means that you arrive at the fourth gallery, that goes with an
ascent. You advance on with crouching. For though tit is twenty-two feet in height, and has a raised
way on each side, it is, however, so steep and so slippery, that if you happen to fail of the holes,
made for facilitating the ascent, you Hide backwards, and return, in spite of yourself, quite to the
resting place.
THESE difficulties surmounted, you repose yourself a little at the end of the gallery, where you
meet with a little platform. You mull afterwards begin again to climb. But as you presently find a
new opening, where you can keep yourself erect, you soon forget that trouble, by contemplating a
fort of a little room, which at first is no more than a palm's breadth larger than the galleries, but it
enlarges itself afterwards on both sides; and at length, by stooping yourself for the last time, you
pass the remainder of the fifth gallery, which leads, in an horizontal line, to the upper saloon, of
which I have before given the description.
WHEN you are in this saloon, you commonly make some discharges of a pistol, to give yourself the
pleasure of hearing a noise, that resembles thunder ; and as there is then no hope of discovering
more than what others have already remarked, you resume the way by which you came, and return
in the fame manner, as well as with the fame difficulty, chiefly on account of the quantity of stones
and sand that embarrass the entrance.
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As soon as you are got out of the pyramid, you dress yourself; wrap yourself up well; and drink a
good glass full of strong liquor ; which preserves you from the pleurisy, that the sudden change
from an extremely hot air to a more temperate, might occasion. Afterwards, when you have
regained your natural heat, you mount up to the top of the pyramid, in order to have a prospect from
thence of the country round about, which is charming to behold. You there perceive, as well as at
the entrance, and in the chambers, the names of abundance of persons, that have visited, at different
times, this pyramid, and who were willing to transmit to posterity the memory of their travels.
<< Visiting the second pyramid >>
AFTER having well considered this first pyramid, you take leave of it, and approach the second,
which is very soon dispatched, because it has not been opened. You see there the ruins of a temple,
that it has on the east side; and, descending insensibly, you arrive at the SPHINX, whole enormous
size attracts your admiration, and at the fame time you conceive a fort of indignation at those, who
have had the brutality to disfigure strangely its nose. You visit likewise the other pyramids, both
great and small, and the adjacent grottos.
IF you want any other subject. to satisfy your curiosity, you need only approach two antique
bridges, which are situated to the east. a quarter rhumb north of Giza, and to the north a quarter
rhumb west of the pyramids. They are raised upon a plain, every year overflowed, at the time of the
increase of the waters of the Nile, at about half a league from the mountains, and at the same
distance from the first pyramid.
THE first of these bridges extends north and south, and the second east and west. They know not at
present the use of them. Their situation, in a tract of country that is not more exposed to the waters,
than the other plains, gives some surprise ; and it is not possible to conceive the reason of their
foundation, unless we suppose, that there was formerly a calisch in that place.
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THEIR fabrick, and the inscriptions that we read on them, mew, that they are the works of the
Saracens. That which extends from the north to the south has ten arches upon two hundred and forty
one feet in length, and twenty feet four inches in breadth. Their height above the horizon is twenty
two feet. They are built with great free-stones, almost as soft as that of Bentheim.
THESE two bridges, distant from each other four hundred paces, have adjoining a wall of bricks, in
the manner of a mole, and which begins at each extremity of the two bridges, but terminates in
nothing.
WHEN you have finished the examination of all these antiquities, you return back to the city, in the
fame manner as you went, except that you make the rout all at once without stopping any where.
THEY always take care, in this tour, to be accompanied by a janissary. Tho' he does no great
service, yet his presence occasions in the people certain respects, and serves at least to spare you the
trouble of turning out of the way, to give it to those that you meet. You pay him, for this journey, a
sendoucli, cr a sequin. The Arabs, that have accompanied the travellers, are well paid when you
give them twenty parats a man; insomuch that this tour may cost in all four sequins for the whole
company, without including in it provisions, which it is necessary not to forget to furnish yourself
with; for it is a chance, if you find in the villages any thing; but butter and eggs.
IN cafe you have a mind to make the tour in one day, the thing is feasible. It is necessary for that
purpose to set out very early in the morning from Cairo, and not to flop by the way. You may visit
commodiously every thing that there is to be seen, and return even in good time to Cairo. The
expense then will not amount to much more than the half. I have practised both these methods of
travelling it; and the last has pleased me most. For though we have not fo much time on our hands,
as when we make the tour in two days, yet there is (till enough ; and there is nothing but what a
traveller may perform in one day. For my part, I should chuse rather to go thither twice in this
manner, than once in the other.
<< Appendix 2 - The pyramids of Dagjour (Dahshur) >>
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THAT I may not resume the subject. again, I shall add here the description of the pyramids of
Dagjour, a name that they give to all the pyramids that are to the south of those of Memphis, though
the one are nothing else, properly speaking, but a continuation of the others.
THE pyramids of Dagjour terminate near Meduun, where there is the most southern of all. The
more distant you are from it, the more it strikes the sight -, but when you approach it near, it does
not seem of great consequence, being built only of large bricks, hardened by the fun ; which is the
reason that the Arabs, and the Turks, call it commonly The false pyramid.
You discover it at a great distance ; and so much the more distinctly, as it is not so near the
mountains, nor in the neighbourhood of the other pyramids. It is elevated upon a little hill of sand.
Its four sides are equal, and descend with a slope to the horizon, in form of a glacis. It has three or
four degrees or steps, the lowest of which may have twenty feet of perpendicular height.
THIS pyramid has not been opened; and it will, without doubt, continue secure from this insult,
became it makes but very little appearance. I imagine that no one will have a desire of attempting
the destruction of it, which would occasion too much expense and hazard.
AMONGST the other pyramids of Dagjour, of which the greater! part is situated near Sakarra
(Saqqara), there are only two that deserve any attention ; for the others are not very large. The one
of these has been opened; but as you can examine with more security, and more conveniency, the
inside of the great pyramid near Cairo, there are few travellers, that would expose themselves to go
and visit those of Sakarra. They reckon about a score of them there, both great and small, and which
present no unpleasing prospect.
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THESE pyramids are all situated at the foot of the mountains ; and it looks as if nature had
expressly contrived in this place a plain for that purpose. In effect, we find not in all Egypt the like ;
for not only is it of vast extent, but it is likewise so elevated above the ordinary horizon, that the
Nile never overflows it. When you confider well the situation of it, you will be easily convinced,
that it is at least very near the place where the ancient city of Memphis was built, and I could almost
dare to conjecture, that the pyramids, of which I am speaking, were contained in the inclosure of
that capital.
HOWEVER that may be, the pyramids of Dagjour do not differ from those that are opposite to
Cairo. They have, however, suffered more, since they are much more damaged : from whence one
may presume, that they are more ancient. There are two of them, which are not inferior in grandeur
to that of Cairo; but their fabrick is not so neat, nor so well contrived, as that of the others. Some are
built perpendicularly, and as it were by steps or stories ; it would not, however, be possible to mount
up by them, on account that each step, or story, is between thirty and forty feet high.
Appendix 3 - An archaic sensor for electrostatic energy
In a famous paper published at Poggendorf's Annals Werner von Siemens describes the archaic
sensor for electrostatic energy, which is caused by the chamsin, a dry, hot, sandy local wind
affecting Egypt and Israel. From the Arabic word for "fifty", these dry, sand-filled windstorms blow
sporadically in Egypt over a fifty-day period in spring, hence the name.
When the storm passes over an area, lasting for several hours, it carries great quantities of sand and
dust from the deserts, with a speed up to 140 kilometers per hour (87 mph; 76 knots), and the
humidity in that area drops below 5%. Even in winter, the temperatures rise above 45° C (113° F)
due to the storm.
During the North African Campaign in World War II, "Allied and German troops were several times
forced to halt in mid-battle because of sandstorms caused by the khamsin... Grains of sand whirled
by the wind blinded the soldiers and created electrical disturbances that rendered compasses
useless."[8]
At the top of the pyramid Werner von Siemens describes an obvious electrostatic phenomenon as a
“magical prickling sensation” and “loud crackling sparks of about 1 centimeter range”, which also
may have been experienced by the old Egyptian scientists:
In the finest weather we sailed through the Adriatic and Mediterranean, so rich in
historical associations, disembarked at Alexandria and traveled by the just opened
railway to Cairo, where we stopped a few days to give the ship Agamemnon, laden with
the cable, and which made the journey round the Cape of Good Hope, the necessary
time for arriving in Suez. I used this opportunity for an inspection of the town, which
interested me and my engineers in the highest degree by its rich historical memorials
and as the point of junction of the civilizations of Europe and Asia.
When on the 14th of April we visited the pyramid of Cheops we had the good fortune to
observe on its apex an interesting physical phenomenon, of which I subsequently gave
an account in PoggendorfF s Annalen under the title, "Description of unusually strong
electrical phenomena on the Cheops Pyramid near Cairo during the blowing of the
Chamsin.89"
During our donkey ride from Cairo to the pyramid there arose an unusually cold desert
wind, which was accompanied by a peculiar ruddy color of the horizon. During our
ascent or rather our transport by the Arabs, who always encamp by the Gizeh pyramids,
and do not allow the office to be taken from them of carrying or rather throwing the
visitors up the steps, each a yard high, the wind assumed a tempest-like force, so that it
was to a certain extent difficult to keep oneself upright on the flattened apex of the
pyramid.
The raised desert dust had now become so thick that it appeared like a white mist, and
altogether obscured the view of the ground. It gradually rose higher and higher, and
after some time wrapped even the summit on which I with my ten engineers was
standing. Then a remarkable hissing noise was heard, which could not have been caused
by the wind itself. One of the Arabs called my attention to the fact that by raising his
outstretched finger above his head a sharp singing sound arose, which ceased as soon as
he lowered his hand. I found this confirmed when I myself raised a finger above my
head; at the same time I noticed a prickling sensation in my finger.
In the further course of our experiments I had occasion to prove that electricity can also
be serviceable as an effective defensive weapon. The Arabs had at once observed with
manifest distrust the flashes darting from our wine bottles. They then held a brief
council, and at a signal every one of my companions was laid hold of, to be forcibly
transported down again, by the three men who had brought him there. I was standing
just on the highest point of the pyramid, a large stone cube in the center of the flattened
summit, when the sheikh of the tribe approached, and communicated to me through our
interpreter that the tribe had resolved we should immediately leave the pyramid. On
being asked the reason, he replied that we manifestly practised magic, and that might
injure the source of their livelihood, the pyramid.
When I refused to comply with his request, he made a dash at my left hand, whilst I
held the right with the well-coated bottle in a manifestly conjuring attitude - high above
my head. I had waited for this moment and now lowered the neck of the bottle slowly
towards his nose. When I touched it I myself felt a strong concussion, to judge from
which the sheikh must have received a violent shock. He fell speechless to the ground,
and several seconds elapsed, making me somewhat anxious, before with a sudden cry he
raised himself, and sprang howling down the steps of the pyramid with giant leaps.
When the Arabs perceived this, and heard the sheikh's continuous cry of "magic", they
one and all abandoned their prey and plunged after him. In a few minutes the battle was
over, and we were absolute masters of the pyramid.
Anyhow Napoleon had not such an easy "victory at the foot of the pyramids" as I had at
their summit! As the blowing of the Chamsin soon ceased, and the sun again brightly
illuminated the imperilled pyramid, the Arabs recovered from their terror, and
clambered up again so as not to lose the expected "backsheesh". Even at our peaceful
leave-taking however they evidently still regarded us with suspicion on account of our
magical powers.
Nor were there wanting some small adventures by sea during this cable-laying. The
weather was thoroughly calm and fine, as is always the case in the Red Sea, where a
rain-fall is a great rarity; only the enervating heat was inconvenient. My traveling
thermometer indicated by day nearly always 100 and by night 102 Fahr. , a temperature,
which with our northern strength is indeed borne tolerably long without difficulty, but
which in the long run becomes extremely troublesome. By day one lives in a perpetual
conflict with the sun, from whose rays head and back must be carefully protected. By
night the hoped for cooling is entirely wanting. The splendor of the starry southern
heavens with the truly Egyptian darkness of the nights is indeed imposing, but it does
not make up for the desired refreshing breeze90.
90 Source Chapter (@ page 186) “Visit To The Pyramid Of Cheops”, from Full Text Of "Personal Recollections Of
Werner Von Siemens" Of The University California Translated By W. C. Coupland (1893)
Contents
Abstract.................................................................................................................................................1
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................2
The Famine Stela.............................................................................................................................2
Fulgurites.........................................................................................................................................2
The required climate for abundant numbers of fulgurites...............................................................3
The motivation to build a pyramid..............................................................................................4
The Giza plateau .............................................................................................................................5
Basics for a lightning rod ....................................................................................................................7
Traces of Copper in the Great Pyramid of Giza...................................................................................9
The shafts in the Queen's Chamber..................................................................................................9
Results of the Upuaut Project .......................................................................................................10
Results of the Djedi Project...........................................................................................................10
The fulgurites......................................................................................................................................11
The shape of fulgurites..................................................................................................................12
The classification of fulgurites......................................................................................................13
A fulgurite found at the excavations at Mt. Lykaion.....................................................................13
The manufacturing of fulgurites....................................................................................................14
Melting metals...........................................................................................................................14
The manufacturing of fulgurites in pyramids.....................................................................................15
The manufacturing of Sand Fulgurites in Egypt............................................................................15
The sandbox..............................................................................................................................15
Experiments with lightnings..........................................................................................................16
The first phase of the pyramidal hill.........................................................................................16
The actual design of the Great Cheops Pyramid.......................................................................18
The furrows in the 4 sides of the Great Pyramid......................................................................19
The manufacturing of Sand Fulgurites in Teotihuacan..................................................................21
The problem in manufacturing of fulgurite-rods......................................................................21
The Pyramid of the Sun............................................................................................................21
The Mica Temple......................................................................................................................21
Designing the capacitor ............................................................................................................22
The pyrite.......................................................................................................................................23
The metallic spheres in Teotihuacan.........................................................................................23
The name pyrite....................................................................................................................23
Ancient metallurgical sites.................................................................................................................24
The copper sites in the South Sinai mountains..............................................................................24
Descriptions of the four great pyramids from Frederic Louis Norden's journal................................25
The size of the fourth great pyrmid...............................................................................................25
The statue at the greatest pyramid ................................................................................................25
The 4 great pyramids.................................................................................................................25
The well in the Great Pyramid..................................................................................................26
The sound of the sarcophagus in the Great Pyramid.................................................................26
The outlet to the well ...........................................................................................................26
A suggested theory for a role of each pyramid...................................................................................27
The "Age of the Pyramid Builders"...............................................................................................28
The characteristics of pyramidal concepts ...................................................................................29
The common characteristics of great pyramids at the Giza plateau..............................................32
The size of the blocks in the large pyramids.............................................................................32
The Great pyramid................................................................................................................32
The electrical characteristics of the Great Pyramid..............................................................33
The Khafre pyramid.............................................................................................................35
Calculating electrical impedances for the Great Pyramid.............................................................36
The characteristics of Great Pyramid.............................................................................................36
The pyramids of Snofru.................................................................................................................38
The Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid...................................................................................38
The Meidum Pyramid...............................................................................................................38
Glass embedded in the Meidum Pyramid.............................................................................39
The pit of the Meidum Pyramid...........................................................................................41
The role of precision......................................................................................................................41
The Obelisk as a special type of pyramid .....................................................................................42
Experiment for the a melting process with the help of lightnings.................................................43
Traces in the hieroglyphic language...................................................................................................44
The similarity between the 4-layered pyramid and the Djed-symbol .........................................45
The similarity between the obelisk and the Djed-symbol ...........................................................46
The similarity between the words for Djoser, Djed and Tjaty (vizier)..........................................46
Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................47
Appendices.........................................................................................................................................48
Appendix 1 - Extract “OF THE PYRAMIDS OF EGYPT”..........................................................48
<< Description of the first great pyramid >>............................................................................50
<< Description of the three other great pyramids >>................................................................53
<< The second pyramid >>..................................................................................................53
<< The third pyramid >>......................................................................................................53
<< The fourth pyramid >>....................................................................................................54
<< Visiting the first pyramid >>...............................................................................................56
<< Visiting the second pyramid >>...........................................................................................58
<< Appendix 2 - The pyramids of Dagjour (Dahshur) >>.............................................................59
Appendix 3 - An archaic sensor for electrostatic energy ..............................................................60