THE EARLY TEMPLE AND PYRAMID BUILDERS. 99 



shown, the walls trend either northwest to southeast or northeast to 

 southwest. 



For Memphis, Sais, and Tanis, the evidence is afforded by the maps 

 ofLepsius. For Bubastis it depends upon the statement of Naville, 

 that the walls run " nearly from east to west," and with the hioseness 

 too often associated with such statements, it is not said whether true 

 or magnetic bearings are indicated. 



Associated with these east and west walls tliere is further evidence 

 of great antiquity. Bubastis, according to Naville,* has afforded traces 

 of the <late of Cheops and Chephren, and it is stated by Manetho to 

 have existed as early as the second dynasty. 



It is also generally known that the pyramids in Egypt are oriented 

 east and west. Nor is this all. One of the oldest, if not the oldest, 

 pyramid known, is a step jiyramid modelled on the ziggurat pattern, 

 the so-called " step pyramid of kSakkarah." The steps are six in num- 

 ber, and vary in height from 38 to 29 feet, their wi<lth being al)out 6 

 feet. The dimensions are 352 (north and south) x 39G (east and west) 

 X 197 feet. Some authorities think this pyramid Avas erected in the 

 first dynasty by the fourth king (Nenephes of Manetho, Ata of the 

 tablet of Abydos). The arrangement of chambers in this pyramid is 

 quite special. 



The claim to the highest antiquity of the step pyramid is disputed 

 by some in favor of the " false pyramid of Mediun. It also is really a 

 step pyramid 115 feet high, its outline, which conceals some of the steps, 

 shows three stages, 70, 20, and 25 feet high, but in its internal struc- 

 ture it is really a stej) pyramid of six stages. 



This pyramid must, according to Petrie, be attributed to Seneferu; 

 but De Rouge has given evidence to the contrary. t Seneferu was a 

 king of the fourth dynasty. 



We have at Dashour the only remaining abnormal pyramid, called 

 the blunted pyramid, lor the reason that the inclination changes at 

 about one-third of the height. This pyramid forms one of a group of 

 four, two of stone, and, be it carefully borne in mind, two of brick; their 

 dimensions are 700x700x320 feet; 020x620x321 feet; 350x350x90 

 feet, and 343 x 343 x 156 feet. 



One of these pyramids was formerly sup])osed to have been built by 

 Seneferu. If any of them had been erected by King Ousertsen III of 

 the twelfth dynasty, as was formerly thought, the hypothesis we are 

 considering would have been invalid. 



Only after Seneferu then do we come to the normal Egyptian pyra- 

 mid, the two largest at Gizeh, built by Cheops and Chephren (fourth 

 dynasty), being, so far as is accurately known, the oldest of the series. 

 (According to Mariette, the date of Mini is 5004 b. o., and the fourth 

 dynasty commenced in 4235 n. c.) 



* " Bubastis," preface, p. iv. t Maspero, ojj. cit., p. 59 



