Discoveries made in Egypt. 259 
vernal equinox passed into the latter sign, had then adopted the 
practice of counting the signs from Aries. Had more modern 
astronomers adopted the same procedure, the nominal commence- 
ment of this equinox would have been transferred to Pisces when 
the equinox passed from the stellar Ram into that of the Fishes. 
Astronomical utility, the Reviewer conceives, might have beer. 
in contemplation when the main passages leading from the 
northern faces were constructed. They “ are invariably inclined 
downwards, in an angle of about 27°, more or less, with the ho- 
rizon, which gives a line of direction not far removed from that 
point in the heavens where the north pole-star now crosses the 
meridian below the pole. The observation of the passage of this, 
or some other star, across this part of the meridian, would give 
them an accurate measure of sidereal tinie—a point of the first 
importance in an age when no other instruments than rude solar 
gnomons, or something still more imperfect, were in use. Indeed 
(continues the Reviewer) we know not of any method that could 
more effectually be adopted for observing the transit of a star 
with the naked eye, than that of watching its progress across the 
mouth of this long tube; and some one or more of these lumi- 
naries, when on the meridian below the pole, must have been 
seen in the direction of the angular adits.” From Mr. Caviglia’s 
statement it is to be inferred that he actually saw the pole-star 
when at the bottom of the main passage: ‘* and if so, we have 
not yet got the true measure of the angle which these passages 
form with the horizon. This would be very desirable, as it might 
lead to most important results; especially if it should be found 
that the difference in the angles of the adits of the pyramids of 
Gizeh, Saccara, and Dashow corresponded with the difference 
of the latitudes of those places; for we might then be almost 
certain that they were intended to observe the passage over the 
meridian, of some particular star, whose altitude, when below the 
pole, was equal to the angle of the adit. If this suggestion be 
well founded, it would not be difficult, by calculation, to deter- 
mine which of the stars (in Ursa Major most probably) might be 
Seen to pass across the mouth of the shafts about the supposed 
time of building the pyramids, and thereby fix with more pre- 
cision the period at which these stupendous edifices were erected.” 
That the pyramids were intended in some way for astronomical 
purposes has long been suspected; but we have never before met 
with the rational snggestion offered in the Quarterly Review, to 
account for the inclination given to the principal passages. 
R 2 XLI. On 
