Secrets of the Egyptian pyramid of Cheops. Great Pyramid of Cheops Height of the Cheops Pyramid

Along the eastern edges, tourists cannot ignore one of the greatest mysteries of history - the pyramid of Cheops. The only surviving miracle of the Ancient World, of the seven existing ones, generates the interest of scientists, archaeologists, historians, astrologers and simply admirers of secrets. To questions of the kind: “Where are the pyramids of Cheops?” or “Why is it worth visiting them?”, We will be happy to answer in our article.

What are the dimensions of the Cheops pyramid?

To fully understand the greatness of this architectural masterpiece just imagine its dimensions. Just imagine, this is a huge structure weighing about 6.4 million tons, located in Giza, the Republic of Egypt. The height of the pyramid of Cheops, even after erosion by the wind, reaches 138 meters, the size of the base reaches 230 meters, and the length of the side rib is 225 meters. And it is with this pyramid that the greatest mysteries of Egyptian history are connected, over which scientists from all over the world are struggling.

The secret of the pyramid of Cheops - who built it and why?

The most common theory is that the pyramid was built as a tomb for the pharaoh Cheops or Khufu (as the Egyptians themselves call him). Adherents of this theory confirm their guesses with the pyramid model itself. On the basis of 53 thousand square meters there are three tombs, one of which contains the Great Gallery.

However, opponents of this version emphasize that the tomb intended for Cheops is not decorated in any way. Which is strange, because, as you know, the Egyptians were adherents of pomposity and wealth in the design of the tombs of their rulers. And the sarcophagus itself, which was intended for one of the greatest pharaohs in Egyptian history, was not completed. The edges of the stone box that were not hewn to the end and the missing cover indicate that the craftsmen did not take the issue of burial too seriously. In addition, the remains of Cheops himself were not found during any excavations.

Video - How was the pyramid of Cheops built?

The version with the tomb is replaced by the version that the pyramid is an astronomical structure. Astonishing mathematical calculations and the ability to see constellations in the night sky through corridor-type shafts provide astronomers with reasons for discussion.

Archaeologists and scientists around the world are trying to unravel the truth of Khufu's pyramid in Giza. However, based on the facts already obtained, it can be said with certainty that the author of the project was Hemion, a close relative and, concurrently, the court architect of Cheops. Under his strict guidance for 20 years, from 2560 BC. and until 2540 BC, more than three dozen builders, architects and laborers built a pyramid of huge granite blocks.

Some Egyptians and lovers of the occult perceive the pyramid as a religious object. They see a mystical pattern in the intersections of corridors and catacombs. But this idea has no sufficient basis, as well as the version of alien intervention. So, a certain circle of ufologists claims that only with the help of alien creatures could such a colossal work of architectural art be built.

What should a tourist know?

Tourists and admirers of Arab culture are only amused and inspired by the difference in versions and the general uncertainty that revolves around the pyramid of Cheops. Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors come to the foot of the granite structure in order to touch the history. And the locals are only happy about this - the visitors have all the conditions for educational excursions.

Twice a day, at 8 and 13 o'clock, a group of up to 150 people comes to the pyramid. Inside, they enter through a passage located on the north side. But, having finally arrived at the place of a kind of pilgrimage, not all visitors are ready for what the Cheops pyramid is like inside. The long, low, flanked passage makes some foreigners feel claustrophobic. And sand, dust and stale air can cause asthma.

But for those who overcame themselves and withstood the transition into the pyramid, all the architectural grandeur of Egyptian culture is revealed. Massive walls, the Grand Gallery, the general feeling of antiquity and authenticity - this is exactly what captivates guests.

On the south side, at the exit, tourists are offered to get acquainted with the exhibits, which are the fruits of many years of excavation. Here you can also look at the Solar Boat - one of the largest floating vehicles discovered in the entire history of the archaeological activity of mankind. Here you can buy souvenirs and commemorative figurines, T-shirts and so on.

Those who stay until late in the evening will be lucky enough to see the light show. Under the spotlights, the organizers create a unique, slightly mystical atmosphere, and tell mysterious stories about the pyramid and Egyptian culture.

Another point that visitors to the Cheops pyramid should pay attention to is the issue of photo and video shooting. Inside the building itself, there is a ban on any filming, as well as on the desire of some people to climb the pyramid itself. But, leaving the tomb and buying a souvenir, you can take countless pictures from any angle. In the photo, the pyramid of Cheops will sparkle with new colors and amaze with its geometric shapes.

However, you should be as vigilant as possible and not give your gadgets to strangers, other tourists and, in particular, local residents. Otherwise, you risk either never seeing your camera at all, or parting with an impressive amount to get it back.

From a purely practical point of view, there is nothing strange in this. As you know, in any tourist center of the world, the local population prefers to make a profit at any cost. Hence the inflated prices, and the propensity for fraud, and a large number of pickpockets. That is why you should be as vigilant as possible.

Pyramid of Cheops: interesting facts

The Pyramid of Cheops is a beautiful and amazing creation. She is an object of admiration for scientists, artists, writers, directors and many other people who are not afraid to solve mysteries. And before you head to Giza to the granite massif, you should read the stories about it. To do this, there are dozens of movies on the network. Such as, for example, the documentary "Unraveling the Mystery of the Cheops Pyramid" directed by Florence Tran. In it, the author tries to consider as broadly as possible the idea of ​​​​building, the mystery of creation and the true purpose of the pyramid of the great pharaoh.

Interestingly, despite the unfinished sarcophagi and the lack of unambiguous information about the architect of the Cheops pyramid, the inner mines are the biggest mystery. According to experts, reaching a width of 13 to 20 centimeters, the shafts run along the sides of the main rooms and have a diagonal exit to the surface. What is the specific purpose of these mines is still unknown. Whether it is ventilation, or secret passages, or a kind of air gap. Until today, science has no concrete information on this matter.

Video - Facts about the pyramid of Cheops

Just like with the process of building a pyramid. Materials for one of the seven wonders of the world were delivered from a nearby quarry. But it is still not known how large boulders weighing up to 80 tons were delivered to the construction site. Here again a lot of questions arise regarding the level of technological progress of the Egyptians. Or to the question of magic or higher intelligence.

What is the pyramid of Cheops really? Tomb? Observatory? Occult object? A message from alien civilizations? This we will probably never know. But each of us has a chance to go to Giza and, having touched history, put forward our own assumption.

The Pyramid of Cheops is one of the seven wonders of the world and the only one that has survived to this day. Cheops is the ancient Greek name of the Egyptian pharaoh, for whom the pyramid was erected as a tomb. in 2580 BC. The ancient Egyptian name for this pharaoh was Chufu. The pyramid is called Akhet-Khufu" which means "Horizon of Khufu". Became an architect Hemiun who was the nephew of Cheops. Construction took twenty years.

Location of the pyramid of Cheops

The first of the seven wonders of the world located southwest of Cairo, the capital of Egypt. The Pyramid of Cheops is one of the pyramids of the Giza Necropolis. Giza is a rocky plateau on which a large necropolis was built during the 4th Dynasty. The structure of the necropolis included several cemeteries, rock tombs, temples, a village of builders and Sphinx. The three great pyramids of Giza are worn names of pharaohsCheops, Khafre and Menkaure.

Description and dimensions

The pyramid has a square base. The sides of the pyramid were originally 230 meters and the height 150 meters. Currently, due to erosion, the size of the pyramid has slightly decreased. This pyramid is the largest of all the pyramids ever built on Earth, regardless of civilization and time. The total weight of the Cheops pyramid is estimated at about 6.25 million tons. The burial chamber is located below ground level and a 105-meter inclined corridor leads to it. Chamber size 14*8.1 meters, height 3.5 meters.

Construction work and materials

The stones of the Cheops pyramid are composed of basalt, limestone or granite. They were originally covered with a top layer of polished Tura limestone, which, however, for the most part has not survived to this day. The pyramid is built from cuboid stone blocks of various sizes, each of which weighs an average of 2.5 tons. In total, to create such an impressive structure, it took near2.3 million stone blocks. The work was carried out without any complicated mechanisms.

Inside, the pyramid is very different from its sister pyramids at Giza, as well as from other pyramids in Egypt. P Iramid of Cheops is the only pyramid with three burial chambers. In addition, this Egyptian pyramid has ventilation duct around which many myths have formed.

Side concavity

The pyramid has four sides that look perfectly straight, but in fact each of them is divided from top to bottom into two equal parts. Therefore, the pyramid of Cheops has eight sides. But this feature is very weakly expressed and is visible only at a time when the sun's rays illuminate both sides from the north and south. At these moments it can be seen that these one half of the side of the pyramid is in the shade, and the other in the sun.

Today the pyramid of Cheops is included in UNESCO heritage list and attracts the attention of tourists and archaeologists from all over the world. It is still fraught with a lot of secrets and mysteries. There are narrow tunnels inside the pyramid, the purpose of which is still unknown..

The world-famous Egyptian pyramid of Cheops inside is like a “Russian nesting doll” and consists of three pyramids of three pharaohs. The veil of mystery is lifted over one of the seven wonders of the world. Every creation of human hands has a meaning.

“Everything that arises must have some reason for its occurrence, for it is absolutely impossible to arise without a cause.” So said the ancient Greek philosopher and sage Plato in the 4th century BC. e. in his book Timaeus.

All mysteries are overcome by knowledge. Knowledge can be acquired or created. As a “tool for creation”, let's take our common sense, the logic of thinking and the knowledge of ancient people who used the ideas about the world at that distant time.

“What is comprehended with the help of reflection and reasoning is obvious, and there is an eternally identical being; but what is subject to opinion ... arises and perishes, but never really exists. (IV century BC, Plato, "Timaeus").

Russian nesting doll

What does it say that the pyramid of Cheops is a kind of “Russian nesting doll”, containing two more pyramids inside, one inside the other? To confirm the conclusion about the trinity of the pyramid of Cheops, let's start with the facts and consider the scheme of the pyramid in section.

Firstly, there are three burial chambers in the pyramid of Cheops. Three! From this fact it follows that the pyramid in different time there were three masters (three pharaohs). And each had its own separate burial chamber. After all, few of the living people come up with the idea of ​​​​preparing a tomb for themselves in three “copies”. In addition (as can be seen from the size of the pyramids), their construction is quite laborious for our time. Besides? archaeologists have already established that the pharaohs built pyramids-tombs for their wives separately and much smaller.

Egyptian historians have established that long before the construction of the pyramids in ancient Egypt in the 4th millennium BC. and earlier pharaohs were buried in structures called mastabas. Below in the picture is the appearance of the ancient crypt (mastaba) of Shepseskaf in Saqqara. It consists of underground and ground parts.

The pharaoh's mummy was located deep underground in an underground hall. In the ground part there was a prayer room with a statue of the pharaoh. In this statue after death (according to the ancient Egyptian priests) the soul of the deceased pharaoh moved. The halls in the mastaba above ground could be interconnected (or isolated from each other). Above these underground halls, a low, trapezoid, truncated pyramid was built from stone blocks.

Under the pyramid of Cheops there is an underground passage (4) at the end of which is a vast unfinished underground hall (5). From the hall there is also an exit (12) upward, which was made according to the theory of burial for the passage of the soul of the pharaoh to the above-ground part of the mastaba.

According to the plan of the section of the pyramid of Cheops, it can be concluded that if there is an underground hall (5) and there is a passage upward from it (12), then the upper prayer room of the mastaba should be in the center and slightly lower than the middle burial chamber (7). Unless, of course, by the beginning of the construction of his pyramid over the mastaba by the second pharaoh, these premises were not littered with stone, destroyed and survived to this day.

This conclusion (about the presence of internal mastaba halls in the center of the Cheops pyramid) is confirmed by the observations of French researchers - Gilles Dormayon and Jean-Yves Verdhart. In August 2004, while examining the floor in the middle burial chamber (7) with sensitive gravitational instruments, they discovered an unknown void below the floor at a depth of about four meters of impressive size, about the purpose of which at that time they had no versions.

According to the plan of the pyramid section, a narrow inclined almost vertical shaft (12) goes up from the underground burial pit (5). This passage should be connected to the above-ground prayer room of the mastaba. At the exit from the mine, at ground level under the base of the pyramid, there is a small grotto (expansion up to 5 meters in length). Apparently, in ancient times, when digging this grotto, they were already looking for a passage to the inner halls of the mastaba. It has been established that its walls consist of more ancient masonry that does not belong to the pyramid of Cheops. The passage ascending from the underground hall and the ancient masonry are nothing but the property of the first mastaba. From the expansion in the shaft (12) to the center of the pyramid, there should be a passage to the ground halls of the mastaba. This passage was most likely walled up by the builders of the second inner pyramid.

In appearance and according to archaeologists, the underground burial chamber (5) remained unfinished. In what condition are the prayer rooms in the upper above-ground part of the mastaba (which is the first of three in the pyramid of Cheops) and it remains to be seen by opening a passage in them.

The height of the first internal truncated pyramid (mastaba) according to the scheme of the section of the pyramid should be no more than 15 meters.

The presence of an unfinished burial structure (mastaba), located in the most advantageous place (at the top stone plateau in the town of Giza), served as an excuse for the second (before Cheops) unknown pharaoh to use this mastaba to build his pyramid over it.

In favor of the fact that the plateau in Giza was previously "settled" by ancient mastabas, the fact of the presence of the "Sphinx" there also speaks. The purpose of the Sphinx is to have a tomb (mastaba) in the form of a sculpture of a lion. The age of the "Sphinx" (the deity in which, according to the theory, the soul of the pharaoh should move) is estimated much older than the pyramids (about 5 - 10 thousand years).

In Egypt, by the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC, the Egyptian priests had a new worldview about the place of residence of the soul after death.

In this regard, the burials of the pharaohs in mastabas were replaced by more majestic structures - stepped pyramids, and later to "smooth" hewn pyramids. According to the ideas of the priests, after death, the soul of a person flew to life on the stars related to their souls. “The one who lives the time measured out to him properly will return to the abode of the star of his name.” Plato, Timaeus.

The burial chamber (7) belonging to the second inner pyramid (on the plan of the cross section) is located above the prayer part of the first mastaba. The corridor ascending to it (6) is laid along the wall of the mastaba, and the horizontal corridor (8) along its roof. Thus, these two corridors to the chamber (7) show the approximate overall dimensions of the first ancient internal truncated trapezoidal mastaba pyramid.

Second and third pyramids

This can be judged by the length of the two outgoing from the chamber (7) in opposite directions, the so-called (in modern terms) "ventilation ducts". These channels (one to the north and the other to the south) in a section of 20 by 25 cm, approximately 10-12 meters do not reach the border of the outer walls of the third pyramid.

The modern name of the channels "air ducts", of course, is incorrect. The deceased pharaoh did not need ventilation ducts. The canals had a completely different purpose. Channels - a path that points to the sky, oriented with great accuracy (up to a degree) to the stars, where, according to the ideas of the ancient Egyptians, the soul of the pharaoh will settle after death.

The northern channel was oriented to the star "Kokhab" in the constellation "Ursa Minor". At that time, due to the precession (shift of the Earth's axis), "Kochab" was the "Polar Star", around which the sky revolved. It was assumed that after death the pharaoh becomes one of the stars in her environment in the northern part of the sky.

The southern channel was aimed at the star "Sirius". In Egyptian mythology, "Sirius" was associated with the name of the goddess Sopdet (protector and patroness of all the dead).

At the time when the second pyramid was built, both channels from the burial room (7) reached the edge of the outer walls and were open to the sky. The burial chamber of the second inner pyramid of the pharaoh may also have been unfinished (judging by the lack of its interior design).

It is possible that the top of the second pyramid was not completed to the end (for example, there was a war, the pharaoh was killed, died prematurely from illness, an accident, etc.). But, in any case, the second pyramid was erected no lower than the height of the channels ("air ducts") emanating from the burial chamber (7) to the outer walls.

The second inner pyramid reveals itself not only with tightly closed channels and its own separate burial chamber, but most of all it is revealed to the outside by the bricked-up central entrance (1) to the pyramid of Cheops.

Obviously, it immediately catches the eye that the entrance, tightly walled up with huge granite blocks, is buried in the body of the third pyramid (approximately the same 10-12 meters as the channels from the second burial chamber).

During the construction of the third pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops, there was no point in lengthening this external entrance to the second pyramid. Therefore, after an increase along the perimeter of the walls at the third pyramid, the entrance turned out to be “drowned” inside.

The entrance gates of all buildings are always made out of several structures, and not buried in the depths of the structure. Approximately the same entrance, but taken out, is also at the pyramid of Khafre.

Cheops - the third owner of the pyramid

Archaeologists and historians, according to the decoding of hieroglyphs, found that the pyramid of Cheops was built not by slaves (as was previously thought), but by civilian builders, who, of course, had to be well paid for hard work. And since the volume of construction was huge, it was more profitable for Cheops to take an unfinished pyramid than to build a new one from scratch. The favorable location of the unfinished second pyramid, which was located at the very top of the plateau, also mattered.

Cheops began the construction of the third pyramid by dismantling the central part of the second pyramid. In the resulting "crater" at a height of about 40 meters from the ground, an antechamber (11) and a third burial chamber of the pharaoh (10) were built. The passage to the third burial chamber only needed to be extended. The ascending tunnel (6) was continued in the form of a large 8-meter high cone-shaped gallery (9).

The cone-shaped form of the gallery is not similar to the initial part of the ascending narrow passage. This indicates that the tunnel was not made at the same time and according to different external conditions.

After the third pyramid of Cheops was expanded on the sides, adding 10-12 meters on each side, the outgoing channels of the second pyramid from the chamber (7) turned out to be closed, respectively.

If the burial chamber (7) turned out to be empty, then the builders of the third pyramid had no reason to lengthen the old channels. From the outside, the channels were laid with new rows of wall blocks of the third pyramid, and from the inside, in the chamber (7), the outgoing channels were also walled up. In the burial chamber (7), the walled canals were discovered by treasure hunters (researchers) when they tapped the walls only in 1872.

In September 2010, English and German researchers launched a caterpillar robot into one of the narrow “air ducts” from the second burial chamber (7). Having risen to the end, he rested against a limestone slab 13 cm thick, drilled through it, inserted a video camera into the hole, and on the other side of the slab at a distance of 18 cm, the robot saw another stone barrier. Resting on a dead end, the search for scientists ended in nothing. The stone barrier is nothing but the blocks of the third pyramid.

The builders of the third pyramid of Cheops from the third burial chamber of the pharaoh laid new channels (10) for the "flight of the soul" to the stars.

If you carefully look at the section of the pyramid, then two pairs of channels (to the north and south) from the second and third chambers are not parallel! This is one of the "keys" to unraveling the mystery of the pyramid of Cheops.

The channels of the upper third chamber relative to the channels of the second chamber are rotated clockwise by 5 degrees. The northern pair of channels has inclinations of 32° and 37° (5° difference). The southern pair of channels, oriented towards the star Sirius, has inclinations of 45° and 39° (a difference of 6°). Here, an increase of 1 degree can be attributed to the own movement of the planet "Sirius" in its orbit. The discrepancy in the angles of inclination of the channels by 5 degrees is not accidental. Egyptian priests and builders very accurately recorded the position of the stars in the sky and clearly laid the direction of the channels to the stars (with an accuracy of minutes and seconds).

Then what's the matter

And the point here is that the axis of rotation of the Earth every 72 years is shifted by 1 degree, and every 25,920 years the axis of the Earth, rotating at an angle, like a "spinning top", makes a full circle of 360 degrees. This astronomical phenomenon is called precession. Plato called the total time of rotation of the Earth's axis in 25,920 years - "The Great Year".

When the Earth's axis shifts by 1 degree in 72 years, the angle of view towards all the stars (including the Sun) also changes by 1 degree. If the displacement of each pair of channels differs by 5 degrees, then it can be easily calculated that between the construction of the second pyramid (of an unknown pharaoh) and the third pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops, the difference is 5 x 72 = 360 years.

Egyptian historians say that Pharaoh Cheops (another pronunciation is Khufu) ruled in 2540-2560 BC. Counting "degree" years ago, we can say exactly when the second inner pyramid was built. Thus, the second pyramid was built in 2800-2820 BC.

In the pyramid of Cheops, in the only place under the ceiling (on powerful vaulted granite slabs like a roof over the third burial chamber) there is a nominal hieroglyph made by the workers who left their mark: "Builders, friends of Pharaoh Khufu." No other mention of the name of Cheops (Khufu) or the belonging of other pharaohs to the pyramid has yet been found.

Most likely, the third pyramid of Cheops was completed and used for its intended purpose. Otherwise, the pyramid of Cheops would not have been “sealed”. That is, a cork from several granite cubes would not be lowered into the ascending passage (6) from above and from the inside along an inclined plane. With these stone cubes, the pyramid was tightly closed for everyone for more than three thousand years (until 820 AD).

The ancient Egyptian name of the pyramid of Cheops is read in hieroglyphs as - "Horizon of Khufu". The name is literal. The angle of inclination of the side face of the pyramid is 51° 50'. This is the angle at which the Sun rose exactly at noon on the days of the autumn-spring equinox. The sun at noon, like a golden "crown", crowned the pyramid. Throughout the year, the Sun (ancient Egyptian God - Ra) walks in the sky in the summer above, in the winter below (just like the pharaoh in his possessions) and always the Sun (pharaoh) returns to his "home". Therefore, the angle of inclination of the walls of the pyramid indicates the path to the house of the “God of the Sun”, to the “house of the pyramid” of Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) - “the son of the God of the Sun”.

The sides of the walls are arranged at the angle of view of the Sun, not only in this pyramid. In the pyramid of Khafre, the angle of inclination of the sides of the walls is slightly more than 52-53 degrees (it is known that it was built later). In the pyramid of Menkaure, the slope of the faces is 51 ° 20′25 ″ (less than that of Cheops). Until now, historians did not know whether it was built earlier than the pyramid of Cheops or later. Now, given the open "degree time" of the Earth's precession, the smaller angle of inclination of the walls indicates that the Mycerinus pyramid was built not later, but earlier. In relation to the "degree age scale", the difference in the slope of the walls in 30 minutes corresponds to 36 years. In later Egyptian pyramids, for example, the pyramid of Pharaoh Khafre, respectively, the slope of the faces should be greater.

In Sudan (see the picture) there are many pyramids, the angle of inclination of the faces of which is much steeper. Sudan is south of Egypt and the Sun on the day of the spring-autumn equinox is higher above the horizon there. This explains the great steepness of the walls of the Sudanese pyramids.

In 820 AD Caliph Abu Jafar al-Mamun of Baghdad, in search of the innumerable treasures of the pharaoh at the base of the pyramid of Cheops, made a horizontal gap (2), which is currently used by tourists to enter the pyramid. The break was broken through to the beginning of the ascending corridor (6), where they ran into granite cubes, which went around to the right and thus penetrated the pyramid. But, according to historians, they did not find anything but “dust in half a palm” inside. If there was anything of value in the pyramid, then the caliph's servants took it. And what was left, everything was taken out for the subsequent time - 1200 years.

Judging by the appearance of the gallery (9), 28 pairs of ritual statues stood along its walls in rectangular recesses. However, the exact purpose of the recesses is not known. Two facts speak about the fact that there were statues. The first - the eight-meter height of the gallery made it possible to install statues. The second - on the walls there were large round peeling imprints from the solution with which the statues were attached to the walls.

I will disappoint those who were determined to find “miracles” in the construction of the Egyptian pyramids.

More than a hundred pyramids have been discovered in Egypt today, and they are all different from each other. The pyramids have different angles of inclination of the faces oriented to the Sun (because they were built at different times), there is a pyramid with a “broken side” at a double angle, there are stone and brick pyramids, smoothly lined and stepped, there are with a base that is not square, but rectangular shape, for example, Pharaoh Djoser.

There is no unity even among the neighboring pyramids in Giza. The Pyramid of Menkaure (the smallest of the three) at the base is not oriented strictly to the cardinal points. The exact orientation of the sides is not given importance. In the main pyramid of Cheops, the third (uppermost) burial chamber is located not in the geometric center of the pyramid and not even on the axis of the pyramid. In the pyramids of Khafre and Mykerin, the burial chambers are also not in the center. If the pyramids had some kind of secret secret, law or knowledge, the "golden section" and so on, then all the pyramids would have uniformity. But there is nothing like that in the pyramids. Below in the pictures are Egyptian pyramids of various shapes.

Former Egyptian minister of archeology and current chief expert on ancient Egyptian pyramids, Zahi Hawass, says: “Like any practitioner, I decided to test the assertion that food does not spoil in the pyramid. Divided a kilo of meat in half. I left one part in the office, and the other in the pyramid of Cheops. The part in the pyramid deteriorated even faster than in the office.”

What else can you look for in the pyramid of Cheops

Perhaps you can find the above-ground prayer room of the first pyramid - the mastaba. It would be worth drilling down several holes in the floor of the second (7) burial chamber until an internal cavity is found at the bottom.

Then from the grotto (12) find a walled passage to the halls (or lay it). For the pyramid, this will not have any damage, since there was originally a connecting entrance from the underground burial chamber to the mastaba's aboveground room. And you just have to find it. After the discovery of the interior of the mastaba, perhaps it will become known about the pharaoh - the owner of the first truncated trapezoidal mastaba pyramid.

Of great interest on the plateau in Giza is the mastaba-Sphinx. The stone body of the ancient Sphinx, located from west to east. Funeral burials were also made from west to east. Presumably, the Sphinx is an integral part of the elevated structure (mastaba) - the tomb of an unknown pharaoh.

Searches in this direction would expand the boundaries of knowledge of history ancient egypt. It is possible that even an earlier civilization, for example, the Atlanteans, whom the Egyptians deified, considering them to be progenitors, and referred to their ancient ancestors, as to the predecessor gods.

An identification study by American forensic scientists concluded that the face of the Sphinx does not look like the faces of the statues of the Egyptian pharaohs, but has distinct Negroid features. That is, the ancient ancestors of the Egyptians, including the legendary Atlanteans, had Negroid facial features and African origin.

It should be noted here that the Egyptian legend about the ancestors of the Atlanteans is indirect evidence of proximity to Egypt.

Probably, the burial chamber and the mummy of the ancient pharaoh of Negro origin is located under the front paws of the Sphinx, as the American psychic Edgar Cayce said about this. In this case, there should be a passage upward from the underground hall - the path for the resettlement of the “soul” of the pharaoh and subsequent life in the body of the Sphinx statue (according to the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians).

The Sphinx is a lion (a symbol of royal power) with a human head and the face of a pharaoh. It is possible that the face of the discovered mummy of the pharaoh (after plastic restoration) will turn out to be like “two drops of water” similar to the face of the Sphinx.

By analogy with the construction (of the later pyramids over the early ones), we can say that many other Egyptian pyramids had more than one owner. In this regard, confusion is revealed with the time of the life of the pharaohs and the time of the construction of their pyramids.

For example, Pharaoh Menkaure ruled later than Cheops, but his pyramid, according to the angle of the walls, in accordance with the calculations for the “years of precession”, was started 36 years earlier than the pyramid of Cheops. How can this be? The answer to this question is that the pyramid began to be built earlier (before Mykerin), but it was completed later, when the angle of inclination of the lower walls that had been started could no longer be changed.

On one of the side walls of the Menkaure pyramid there is a large vertical gap. Getting to the treasures of the pharaoh in the burial chamber inside the pyramid, the robbers dismantled part of the wall from top to bottom. In the thus formed "vertical section" of the section of the inner blocks of the pyramid, the following was revealed - with a certain, clearly defined boundary, the upper blocks were not stacked tightly and not as neatly as the lower ones. This confirms that the pyramid was being completed and that later builders did not carefully monitor the quality of laying the internal blocks.

At the same time, judging by the two underground halls under the pyramid of Menkaure (which belong to the tombs of the pharaohs during the construction of the mastabas), the funerary structure was begun many centuries earlier. Such a confusion of times suggests that inside the pyramid of Menkaure, as well as in the pyramid of Cheops, there should have been ground-based prayer rooms of the original mastaba belonging to the more ancient burial of the pharaoh. And in the body of the pyramid there should also be a chamber-tomb of the later burial of Pharaoh Mykerin.

The "curtain" of the centuries-old mystery over the secret of the Egyptian pyramid of Cheops is lifted. It remains to enter the open door.
This requires permission from the Egyptian authorities, which they give to research scientists with great reluctance.
The secret loses its attractive power when it is revealed.

But, despite this, the interest of tourists in the majestic buildings of the ancient world, which have survived to this day, does not disappear.

How the pyramid of Cheops was built

Another confirmation of the trinity of the pyramid of Cheops. In 2009, French architect Jean-Pierre Houdin, and later with the support of Egyptologist Bob Brier of the American University of Long Island, observed how roads were built in the mountains, put forward a similar erroneous assumption. about the construction technology of the Egyptian pyramid of Cheops. The fact that stone blocks were dragged to the pyramid, around its walls along inclined ramps and corridors, as if along a serpentine mountain road. This is a long and laborious journey. Following this, Jean-Pierre Houdin began to look for evidence for his hypothesis.

In support of his assumption, he accepted the research of a group of engineers from the French Academy of Sciences, who in 1986 scanned the interior of the Cheops pyramid for several months in order to find hidden cavities inside it. French researchers found wide bands around the perimeter of the pyramid at different heights with a density lower, by about 15% (see the Cheops pyramid gravimetry picture above). Areas with a density of 1.85 to 2.3 tons per 1 cubic meter are highlighted in different colors.

The French scientists could not explain why there are rarefied bands along the walls of the pyramid, and therefore the results of the study in the subsequent scientific world did not receive any discussion.

In June 2012, engineer Vladimir Garmatyuk uncovered the “secret” of the Cheops pyramid in Russia. Obvious evidence is given that the pyramid, like a kind of "Russian matryoshka" inside, consists of three pyramids of three pharaohs of different times. When it became known that inside the pyramid of Cheops (the third from the beginning of construction) there is an older (360 years earlier) second pyramid (see the picture - a recessed entrance to the second closed pyramid).

And there is an even more ancient first truncated pyramid (a mastaba that reveals itself in the underground hall under the pyramid and other signs), then the strips of material with a lower density inside the pyramid of Cheops found their explanation. The stripes show and confirm the separation of the bodies of the second and third pyramids.

How and how to explain it

The outer layer of the pyramid for the strength of the structure was laid out from hewn tightly packed blocks. Hence the high density of the outer layer of the walls. Whereas the inner rows of the pyramids consist of roughly fitted unhewn blocks. Therefore, the density of the inner rows of the pyramid is less.

See, for example, the picture below - the "insides" of the pyramid of Pepi II from South Saqqara. Outside the pyramid are tightly packed hewn blocks, and inside are ordinary stones mined from a horizontal cleavage of layered limestone deposits.

It is possible that the same thing happened inside the pyramid of Cheops (of course, not in the central part, where the burial chambers of the pharaohs are located) as a filler of the volume, a mound of stones, rubble and sand, delivered to the pyramid in baskets, was used. After all, this significantly reduced the cost and accelerated the construction of the pyramids. A mound of stones easily explains the same vast spaces rarefied in density that were discovered in 2017 by French and Japanese physicists when studying the interior of the pyramid with muon telescopes.

With an accurate measurement of the plane of the side faces of the pyramid of Cheops, it is noticeable that they have some concavity inward (to a depth of one meter). Indeed, for 4.5 thousand years since the construction of the pyramid, there have been many earthquakes, which over and over again gradually shook its contents. And because of this, the walls (since there is loose material inside the pyramid), due to their lower density, somewhat fell inward.

According to the gravimetry of the pyramid of Cheops (white) stripes along the perimeter of the walls of the second pyramid have a density of 1.85-2.05 tons per cubic meter. This just says that there is a mound of stone.

The third (outer visible today) pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops increased the second (inner) pyramid on the sides and in height by 10-12 meters. The inner unhewn blocks of the third pyramid are laid along the dense, hewn outer walls of the second pyramid. Therefore, French researchers of gravimetry in 1986 recorded a difference in the density of the material inside the pyramid, it is this (density difference) that creates the appearance of a "serpentine". This circumstance was noted by French researchers, but they could not explain.

Other arguments by Jean-Per Houdin and Bob Bryer, given in support of the assumption of the "serpentine" construction of the pyramid, each separately has its own explanation. Researchers in 2009 did not yet know that the Cheops pyramid consists of three different pyramids. For example, longitudinal stripes of stone blocks of the same color on the faces of the pyramid of Cheops, interpreted by them as “dusty roads” from transporting blocks, are explained by the uniform color of the stones mined in the quarry from one layer of rock.

The third pyramid was built up with stone blocks evenly in height and perimeter on the walls of the second pyramid, like “cream on a cake”. The stone was mined in one place, and therefore there is a similarity of blocks in color. In what order the stone blocks were mined, in such a sequence they were laid into the walls. When they took the blocks in another place, their color was somewhat different.

Or their other argument is a small pothole-depression on the edge near the top of the pyramid, which they called the transport corridor. The pothole may have been made after the pyramid was built, for example, as an unsuccessful attempt to get inside. Or the pothole could be made like:

• the guardhouse of the guards for giving a signal,

as a guard post for religious, ascetic, cult or other purposes.

The fact that the Cheops pyramid consists of three different pyramids, separated by hundreds of years of construction time, means that it was built by more than one generation of people, and there was no such great construction “in one breath”.

This significantly alleviates the troublesome problem of the complexity of building a pyramid, but does not cancel and does not in any way reduce the grandeur of the undoubtedly greatest building of the ancient Egyptian civilization in the history of mankind.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt is one of the oldest and well-preserved architectural monuments. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and is the center of attraction for tourists from all over the world. For many millennia, the pyramid of Cheops remained the tallest building on the planet.

History and secrets of the construction of the pyramid

The pyramid began to be built during the lifetime of Pharaoh Cheops (Khufu), for whom it was supposed to serve as a tomb. The exact date of foundation is unknown, although all possible research methods were used to establish it. Their results vary. Scientists call 2720 BC. e, 2577 BC. e. and 2708 BC. e. At the same time, in Egypt itself, the official date of the foundation of the pyramid is considered August 23, 2560 B.C. uh.

Another problem in establishing the age of the Cheops pyramid is that there is no mention of it in ancient papyri. For the first time in the 5th century BC. e. the building is described by Herodotus.

As for construction technology, everything is also ambiguous here. Some scientists seriously suggest that the tomb of Cheops was erected by aliens. So striking is its scale, the accuracy of mathematical calculations and the quality of construction.

Interesting fact! The construction of one of the Seven Wonders of the World could take 20-40 years.

For the construction of the pyramid of Cheops, a place with stable and dense soil was chosen. Main material - limestone, blocks of which were cut out of the rock, and then hewn. The weight of one block was 2.5 tons, and some copies - several tens of tons. The methods of their transportation and lifting are still a mystery.

Description of the building

Visually, the pyramid of Cheops looks like a stepped mountain. Its base covers an area of ​​53,000 square meters. m. Previously, the surface was covered with durable, cladding tiles shining in the sun, but now they are completely absent. Some of them were removed in 1168 by the Arabs who plundered the city, and some by the Egyptians themselves for the construction of dwellings.

The initial height of the Cheops pyramid was 149 m. Over the centuries, it has collapsed and sank somewhat, so now the landmark of Egypt is 11 meters lower. To understand the scale of construction, it is worth knowing that this is the height of a 50-story building.

The blocks in the pyramid are stacked in layers. The height of each layer varies and fluctuates in the range of 60-150 cm. This may indicate that during the construction process there were periods of excess and shortage of labor.

It is noticeable to the naked eye that the sides of the pyramid are concave. Now none of the scientists is ready to answer for sure whether this is the result of a subsidence of the structure or it was originally conceived that way.

The entrance to the tomb of Cheops is located on its northern side at a height of almost 16 meters. It is formed in a certain way by stacked stones.

Interesting fact! The true entrance to the pyramid of Cheops has not been preserved; it is blocked by a granite plug. The entrance that tourists and researchers now use is a breach made by one of the Baghdad caliphs. In the building, he wanted to find the treasures of the pharaoh.

The interior of the pyramid

Inside the pyramid of Cheops are burial chambers connected by descending and ascending corridors. The main premises of the building:

• burial chamber of the pharaoh;
• unfinished chamber number 5;
• "Queen's Chamber";
• Big gallery.

A descending corridor leads from the entrance to the burial chambers, the length of which is 105 m. In the first third it has a fork: one corridor continues to go down and leads to the unfinished chamber number 5, the second leads up to the tombs of the pharaoh and his wife.

To get into the burial chamber of the pharaoh, you need to go through the ascending Great Gallery - a tunnel 2 m wide and 8.74 m high. In the lower part of the walls in the gallery there are paired ledges, the purpose of which is unknown. These can be receptacles for a lifting, locking or other massive mechanism.

The burial chamber of the pharaoh is quite spacious. Its floor is located at a height of 43 m from the base of the structure. It is difficult to determine the exact height of the ceilings, since the surface of the floor and walls is severely deformed. Carefully polished granite was used to finish the chamber. In the room there is a granite sarcophagus of Cheops, on which there are no inscriptions and decor, there is no cover.

"Queen's Chamber" should not be in the tomb of the pharaoh, since the wives of the rulers were buried separately. However, the stepped niche in the room suggests that this is a female burial. The chamber has a rectangular shape and a gable roof supported by walls about 4.5 m high.

Interesting fact! The pyramid of Cheops inside is extremely laconic. There you will not find wall inscriptions, rich decorations, decor. It is assumed that if something valuable was stored in the tomb, it was taken out long before the first researchers came there.

Interesting facts about the pyramid of Cheops

There are many interesting facts and scientific theories, mysterious rumors and legends in the history of the existence of the Cheops pyramid. Not a single tour is complete without getting to know them.

Here is some of them:

• The approximate weight of the structure is 6.5 million tons.
• The construction took 2.25 million limestone blocks.
• Inside the pyramid, the temperature does not rise above +20 ℃, even if it is +50 ℃ outside.
• There is an assumption that the tomb of Cheops served the ancient Egyptians as an observatory, since its faces correspond to the four cardinal points.
• It is believed that the builders of the tomb had excellent knowledge about the circumference of the Earth, the speed of light, the golden ratio, mathematical quantities that were somehow incorporated into the structure.
• Contrary to popular belief, it is believed that the pyramid was built not by slaves, but by professional masons.
• Scientists have not been able to prove that the body of Cheops once lay in the sarcophagus of the tomb.
• Inside the pyramid there are narrow shafts, walking along which the wind makes certain sounds.
• There is a version that the Egyptians only rebuilt the pyramid, created by representatives of the previous civilization.

Note! Scanning of the pyramid and other modern research suggests that there are several more rooms inside that have yet to be explored.

Attraction visit

Visits the Pyramid of Cheops about 3 million people a year. They examine not only one of the Seven Wonders of the World, but also the surrounding buildings. These are three satellite pyramids, ruins ancient temple, as well as a modern museum, where an ancient Egyptian boat is exhibited as the main exhibit.

At night, tourists are shown a light and sound show, when each building is illuminated with spotlights and their story is told, Interesting Facts. In a small shop there is an opportunity to buy memorable souvenirs.