PYRAMID 



PYRAMIDS 



Pyramids. 



Diagram indicating the arrangement of the chambers, passages, 

 and air channels in the Great Pyramid 



and disorganize mucus in such a 

 way as- to facilitate its removal are 

 of an acid nature, such as vegetables 

 and fruits. Artificial methods 

 which help to prevent pyorrhoea 

 are of a similar nature, that is to 

 say, rubbing or brushing the gums, 

 and the use of a slightly acid 

 mouth-wash. See Dentistry; Teeth ; 

 consult also Chronic General Perio- 

 dontitis, J. F. Colyer, 1916. 



Pyramid. In geometry, a poly- 

 hedron, one of whose faces, the 

 base, is a figure of three or more 

 sides, i.e. polygon, and the others 

 triangles. The latter meet at a 

 point, the vertex of the pyramid. 

 When the base is a regular polygon 

 and the vertex is on the perpen- 

 dicular to the base from its centre 

 point, the pyramid is called a 

 regular pyramid. 



Pyramids. Monumental struc- 

 tures on a polygonal base, usually 

 square, with triangular sides, 

 generally in one plane, sloping to 

 an apex. The word is the grecised 

 form of an Egyptian term. Con- 

 jectured at various times to be 



astronomical observatories, stand- 

 ards of measurement, treasure- 

 houses, and even Joseph's granaries, 

 these monuments, originated in 

 early dynastic Egypt, are simply 

 gigantic tombs, each pyramid de- 

 signed for a single interment. 



About 75 examples remain in the 

 necropolis field of Memphis, on the 

 left bank of the Nile between Abu 

 Roash and Dahshur. They stand 

 on the desert edge just beyond the 

 cultivated alluvium, above high- 

 Nile. The design emerged from the 

 mastaba-tomb, and a transitional 

 form occurs in the step-pyramid at 

 Sakkara, erected by Tcheser of the 

 Illrd dynasty. This comprised a 

 limestone mastaba, periodically 

 enlarged until it became a quad- 

 rangular turret in seven diminish- 

 ing stages. 



At the end of the Illrd dynasty 

 Seneferu, when erecting at Medum 

 a similar structure, formulated the 

 pyramid type by adding casing 

 blocks to impart continuous slope 

 to the sides, and removing the 

 funerary chapel to the outside. 



The present step-like appearance of 

 this pyramid results iroin the de- 

 molition of the casing. The original 

 height was proportioned to the 

 circuit of the base as the radius of 

 a circle to its circumference, the 

 dimensions being 7 and 44 times a 

 unit of 25 cubits. This made the 

 angle of slope in the finished 

 pyramids 50 to 55, whereas in its 

 present uncased form Medum has 

 reverted to 75, the normal angle 

 of slope of mastaba-tombs. 

 .. Seneferu's successor Khufu 

 (Cheops) produced the great 

 pyramid of Gizeh, the only one of 

 the " seven wonders of the world " 

 still extant, and the most stu- 

 pendous work of human hands. 

 The proportions repeated those of 

 Medum, the unit being lengthened 

 to 40 cubits. This gave a height of 

 481 ft., a base line of 775 ft., and a 

 volume of 88,500,000 cub. ft. of 

 masonry, weighing 6,840,000 tons. 

 It comprised 2,300,000 blocks 

 averaging 2 tons apiece, piled in 

 210 horizontal courses upon 12 

 acres. The disappearance of the 

 casing blocks enables modern 

 tourists to clamber over the 3 ft. 

 courses to the truncated summit. 

 The entrance, 48 ft. up the N. 

 face, was sealed by a block pro- 

 tecting a system of passages to 

 three main chambers. From the 

 entrance a passage descends to an 

 unfinished chamber 10 1J ft. below 

 the plateau level. This was aban- 

 doned, and an ascending passage 

 formed at 60 ft. from the entrance. 

 Thence a horizontal gallery di- 

 verged to the so-called queen's 

 chamber, perhaps utilised for the 

 statue of the king. The upward 

 ascent, enlarged into a grand gal- 

 lery, leads to the king's chamber, 

 containing a granite sarcophagus, 

 now lidless. This chamber was 

 lined and roofed with massive 

 granite blocks, floated down- 

 stream from Assuan. 



Herodotus and Diodorus de- 

 scribed the reputed methods pur- 

 sued by the pyramid-builders. 

 Khufu was computed to have em- 

 ployed 100,000 men during the 



Pyramids. 



Sectional views of the Second and Third Pyramids of Qizeh, showing the extent of the excavations and the 

 portion removed in the attempt to reach the sepulchral chamber of the Third Pyramid 



