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Pyramids:
(Form and function).
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Pyramids - Form and function.
Pyramids were constructed by several cultures and continents around the ancient world.
The origin of the pyramid form
-
Egyptologists claim that the pyramid
design developed (in
Egypt) from the mud-brick
Mastaba's of the first dynasty, into the stepped pyramid, then finally
the traditional, flat-sided, stone pyramids, all in a period of around 100
years. (This theory also lays the groundwork for the claims that pyramids
were built to house the bodies of dead pharaohs).
(Left to right - Saqqara-1st dynasty Mastaba
3504,
Saqqara-Djoser-step, Giza-Khafre)
This theory is undoubtedly on firm ground, but it is also true that
the funerary aspects of the structures diminish at the same time at the
astronomic and geometric influences increase. For example, in the 0 - 2nd
dynasty royal cemetery at Abydoss, mounds, boat-pits and the proto-false
door can all be seen, but there is no evidence of the pyramid shape,
cardinal orientation, or polar shafts, suggesting the introduction of an
unknown influence in the third dynasty.
What's the point? - There is much talk of the 'Primeval mound' in Egyptian
text, and there have been suggestions that the Giza plateau may be
that very place. It is also suggested that the pyramid shape originated
from the primeval mound, represented in form by the ben-ben, then the
obelisk. this idea is supported by the fact that the Memphite pyramids were
aligned to Heliopolis.
The same shape is repeated in an 'inverted' form inside the pyramids.
Red pyramid, corbelled roof (left) and 'queen's'
chamber of Great pyramid (right)
Causeways - All
the 'memphite' pyramids were attached to the Nile via a causeway.
Remnants of the Saqqara causeway, offer a
glimpse of the original structures.
Causeways were an important feature of early-dynasty
pyramid complexes,
and while
their purpose is undoubtedly ceremonial, their exact function is completely
unknown.
(The ceiling of the Saqqara causeway originally covered
along its entire length, and was completely
covered with painted
stars)
The Function of a Pyramid:
-
It has long been argued that the original purpose of pyramids was
funerary. While this may hold true for some later pyramids it is by no
means the case for all as there are still
no
original human
internments from any Pyramid in Egypt, and only one in S. America at
Palenque. In addition:
- The Ziggurat of Ur, Iraq (below) -
Was a '7 Step-pyramid', and is officially classified as a 'Solar
Temple'.
Note the buttress
walls - similar in style to contemporary
Saqqara.
Neteru, offerings or inscriptions, which are all
noticeably absent from the earliest and largest pyramids at Giza, Dashur and Meidum pyramids. The pyramids of Giza,
Dashur and Meidum also have extremely small passages, which is contrary to
other Egyptian tombs, where ample room is provided in the passages or
shafts for manoeuvring the sarcophagi.
As well as the traditional funerary association, pyramids
are also credited with geometric and astronomical functions.
Q). Is it possible that all
the evidence of geometric and astronomic influences is accidental?
A). There is no doubt that geometry was involved in the design of the Giza pyramids (amongst
others). The inclusion of mathematical constants in the dimensions suggest an advanced knowledge of mathematics, such as:
- The figure Pi ∏ (3.14), in the overall dimensions.
- 3:4:5 triangle in the 'Kings chamber'
- Sacred mean (1.618), in the ground-plan of the Ghiza
pyramids.
(Click here for
more about the geometry of Ghiza)
A). There is also no doubt
that the pyramids of the fourth and fifth dynasties (at least), were built
to incorporate astronomical observations, such as:
- They were all
cardinally aligned.
- They all had Polar
passages.
- They were all aligned
to Heliopolis.
(see below)
- The design feature visible in this
overhead photo of the 'Great' pyramid at Giza, is only seen in one other
pyramid, that of Menkaure, also at Ghiza. Strangely, it was
not
used on Khafre's pyramid, which sits at the centre of the complex, and
attaches to the
Sphinx and
Valley temple via a
causeway.
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The Dashur (Snoferu) pyramids.
The Snoferu dilemma
-
Egyptologists believe (confusingly) that Snoferu, the father of Cheops, had the
following
three pyramids built for him.
 
Left
to right - Dashur (Bent), Dashur (Red), Meidum.
The Dashur pyramids remained a site of worship for well over 1,000 years.
Snoferu's cult was still alive in the new kingdom. The traditional names of
the pyramids are:
The Red pyramid - 'Snofero's northern pyramid'
The 'Bent' pyramid - 'Snoferu's southern pyramid
Meidum - 'Djed Snoferu' Sneru endures''
A
decree from the time of Pepi I (6th Dynasty), which exempts the priests of
'the
two
pyramids of Snoferu' from certain taxes, was written in relation to the 'Red'
and 'Bent' pyramids at Dashur. Cartouches of Snoferu have also been found on both
pyramids (On the corner-stones and upper chambers of the 'Bent' pyramid),
but none yet on the Meidum pyramid.
The
information above suggests that the Meidum pyramid may have been constructed for another Pharaoh,
although that
still leaves two pyramids attributable to Snoferu.
Note - Snoferu is only credited with a reign of just 23 years (2,575
- 2,551 BC) (2), suggesting that he managed to move three times the
amount of stone as his son, Cheops (Khufu), but in only half the time.
Note - Each of the pyramids was built in a
completely different architectural style, with the bent pyramid showing two
separate styles alone (The bottom courses of masonry curve upwards at the
corners, while the top half are built horizontally as at Giza).
It is noticeable that the two Dashur pyramids which
are
attributable to Snoferu align to Heliopolis, as
do other pyrmaids built in the 4th-5th Dynasties (see below).
These facts cast a long shadow on the 'pyramids
as tombs' theory.
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Pyramids - Cross cultural similarities.
The arrangement of the pyramids at
Teotihuacan (Left),
have been compared with those at Ghiza (Right).
The layout of the pyramids at both sites have been
compared with Orion's belt (Above)
The similarity in arrangement of pyramids is also seen in the newly
discovered pyramids in Italy (see below) ,
and is also a common feature with English
stone
circles.
The Pyramid of the Sun at
Teotihuacán has the same base dimensions and is half the height of the
'Great' pyramid at Ghiza. This means that the Pyramid of
the Sun incorporates 'Pi' in the following way:
(4 x
Π) x h = Perimeter / Circumference of base.
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The alignment of Egyptian Pyramids.
It has been shown that
many of the larger Egyptian pyramids from the fourth and fifth dynasties
align to Heliopolis.
Pyramid sight lines at Abusir,
Saqqara and
Giza
It was Hans Goedicke who made some early
suggestions. But they were not published first in a scientific journal, but
in a newspaper in 1983. And what does the theory say? Well, Goedicke noticed
that there seems to be a common constructional element at several
necropolises: one corner of each structure is often on a straight line with
the same corner of other structures in the necropolis. These alignments are
found at Giza (south-east corners of Khufu, Kaphere and Menkaure), Abusir
(north-west-corner of the pyramids of Sahure, Neferirkare und Neferefre),
Saqquara (south-east-corners of Sekhemkhet, Djoser, Userkaf und Teti) - and
even between necropolises as Goedicke thinks that the east face of Userkaf's
Pyramid is aligned with the same face of Khufu's Pyramid several kilometres
to the north.
Goedicke later concluded that these sight lines were aimed at the
solar temple at Iunu (Heliopolis).
It appears that there are more alignments
to be found at each site ...
Verner notes also that at
Abusir, the 'Unfinished pyramid' was finally determined to have belonged
to Neferefre, a suggestion which finds support in its placement at the
southwest of the Abusir complex, suggesting a chronological placement. He
says:
'As a precise geodetic measurement has confirmed, its
northwest corner is on a line that already connected Sahure's and
Neferirkare's pyramids and represented the basic axis of the pyramid
necropolis at Abusir' (3).
As we can see,
Giza has two sets of corner-alignments, not one.
Should we arrive at the
conclusion that there was an overall design for the Giza complex, and a
specific one too, then we are able to open our eyes to a new set of possibilities. It is also important to determine whether the great
pyramid itself (and all of its chambers), was built from an original
design. There are various definitive studies that show exactly that.
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Middle eastern Pyramids
We
have made mention of the Ziggurat of Ur, Iraq (right)
a '7 Step-pyramid', which is officially classified as a 'Solar
Temple'. The similarity in style with Djoser's step pyramid at Saqqara
is too strong to ignore.
Both structures were built with mud bricks, built in
steps, and both are surrounded by the same relief pattern on the walls
(although at Saqqara this pattern is transposed onto the compound wall
rather than on the pyramid itself as at Ur).
While it is generally accepted that these structures
were the precursors to the fantastic building phase of the fourth dynasty
builders at Giza, the process of evolution from one form to the other is
still only guessed at. It is probable that at some time during this period
an integration of ideas occurred that resulted in the final design for a
pyramid complex which included cardinal alignment, causeway, smoothed
faces, internal passages, blocking stones, portcullises and numerous other
features, all built in stone.
The pyramids still stand as a
testament to the achievements of the builders. Egyptologists have found
themselves under constant pressure from researchers over the years to
broaden their theory that pyramids simply served as large funerary
structures. (Even though many have astronomical features included into their
design, and the fact remains that no original internments have ever been
found).
The Saqqara
Complex -
Saqqara was the northern Royal
funerary complex in Ancient Egypt. 'Djoser's'
step-pyramid is considered by Egyptologist's to be the Oldest Pyramid
in the world. However, the observation of similar construction techniques at
the Ziggurat of Ur (A stepped-pyramid, the use of mud-fired bricks, similar
buttress walls), suggests that the two structures were contemporary.
The Saqqara step-pyramid was built with
mud-fired bricks,
identically fashioned (With mud and straw packed wooden frames), to bricks
made in Mesopotamia long before the time of Djoser.
The
Photo (left) shows a part of the original enclosure walls.
(note the similarity in style to the buttress walls on the Ziggurat of Ur (Above).
(More about
Saqqara)
The Giza Complex - The Giza complex has long been recognised as
one of the most spectacular achievements from ancient times. The origin and
purpose of the site has been the subject of debate for thousands of years.
(Click here to explore the Giza complex
in detail).
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South American Pyramids.
- In 1964, aerial photography identified nearly 1,000
pyramid sites in
Peru (1)
Although the South American
pyramids were undoubtedly constructed at a later date, there are certain
construction features that suggest an 'old world' influence. For example:
Teotihuacan
(The City of the Gods) -
It was
suggested by Stansbury Hagar that the city had been built as a 'map of
heaven'. During the 1960's and 1970's a comprehensive mathematical survey
was carried out by Hugh Harleston Jr. He found that the principle structures
line up along the street of the dead (and beyond), and that the city was a
precise scale model of the solar system, including Uranus, Neptune and Pluto
(not rediscovered until 1787, 1846 and 1930 respectively. (21).
Both
the arrangement and the dimensions of the pyramids at
Teotihuacan (above),
have been compared with those at Ghiza
As well as having similar construction features on
both continents, there are many other examples of Old-world/New-world
cross-culturality, creating the strong possibility that pyramid
building and solar worship were imported from the 'old world' to the
'new world'. (Click
here for more about pre-Columbian contact between the 'old world'
and 'new world').
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Chinese Pyramids.
The Chinese pyramid fields are becoming
recognised as one of the greatest pyramid concentrations in the world. The
image below is from the region of Xian, which has over 100 pyramids in it.
- More to follow soon -
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European Pyramids
Europe is the home to several pyramids,
with more being re-discovered each year. The following examples illustrate
that the tradition of pyramid building was far from restricted to Egypt.
Silbury Hill -
Officially,
Silbury Hill,
in England is not a proper pyramid. However, its smooth exterior hides the
several man-made steps which constitute the main bulk of the structure.
These (still unconfirmed) pyramids
have been discovered in Bosnia -
Near the city of Visoko, 30km north of Sarajevo, there are
five
stone pyramids of monumental size, claims the Bosnian archeologist Semir
Osmanagiĉ, who lives and works in the USA.
Greece - At least
16 ancient pyramids are known across Greece. Examination by 'Optical
Thermoluminescence' has determined that the oldest one dates to a
staggering 2,720 BC. For more on this amazing news - follow this link...
http://www.ancientgr.com/Unknown_Hellenic_History/Eng/HELLENIC_PYRAMIDS.htm
Lastly -
News of
another European discovery which has been recently made: three pyramids
were discovered thanks to satellite and aerial imagery in northern Italy,
in the town of Montevecchia - 40 km from Milan.
  They
are the first pyramids ever discovered in Italy and the dimensions are
quite impressive; the highest pyramid is 150 meters tall. They are stone
buildings, as recent excavations have proved. However, they are now
completely covered by ground and vegetation, so that they now look like
hills.
The inclination degree of all the three pyramids is
apparently 42 °
43' (As seen on the 'Bent' and 'Red' pyramids at
Dashur) and it has been
suggested that there is a perfect alignment with the Orion constellation (a
suggestion which appears valid, if the photo - right is correct).
There appear to be similarities with the Egyptian pyramids. At the moment,
little is known about their origin or age.
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