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OBSEEVATIONS EEGAEDINa PYRAMID NUMBERS. 



By R. M. Johnston, F.L.S. 

 (Diagrams.) 



The ancient structures of Egypt, especially tlae pyramids, 

 have ever been regarded with the most profound interest. 

 Travellers and historians find in them an everlasting theme 

 for description. G-eometricians also find in their designs, 

 magnitude and dimensions, much matter for scientific 

 speculations ; and the mystic inspired by their age, grandeur, 

 and mystery, is disposed to gather from their every feature 

 some more or less fancifully conceived revelation or miracle. 



Nor can we wonder at this. Egypt is the land of wonders. 

 Great pyramids covering acres of land ; colossi sitting silent 

 in granite thrones ; obelisks of prodigious height wonderfully 

 carved from a single stone ; and temples, sphinxes, and canals, 

 of stupendous proportions. When we consider that all these 

 monuments were hoary with age at the time of Herodotus, 

 and that a close study of their works and hieroglyphics 

 reveals that their builders had attained great knowledge in 

 astronomy, geometry, architecture, engineering, and various 

 arts, we may readily admit that our highest modern 

 civilisation was cradled in the land of the Pharaoh's. 



It is not my intention, however, to enter into the enquirv 

 of Egyptian civilisation at present. The observations which 

 I have to make are confined to the pyramid structures them- 

 selves. It is now well established that pyramidal structures 

 were peculiarly characteristic of the most ancient civilisations 

 of India, Babylon, Nineveh, Egypt, China, North America, 

 Mexico, and even in islands of the Pacific ; and that the 

 whole or greater part of them are associated with sepul- 

 tures for the dead. But while it is most probable that 

 originally such monuments were built solely for com- 

 memoration and for the preservation of the remains 

 of noble persons, there are also good reasons for 

 supposing that some of them — such as the Great Pyramid 

 of Gizeh or Cheops — fulfilled a double purpose. The Great 

 Pyramid of Cheops covers a space of about 13'05 acres. If 

 we make allowance for slight distui^bance, due to pressure of 

 the enormous superincumbent weight, we must assume that 

 its designer intended its base to form a perfect square, and 

 its shape a true pyramid. The various measurements of the 

 most competent engineers only show a variation of 11, 13, 

 and 19 inches in the length of each side, and with such 

 doubtful data the side has been variously estimated at between 

 9,129 and 9,164 inches, and the mean of the five most careful 



