122 ANCIENT EGYPT. 



Structure is said to be about that of Lincoln's Inn Fields. 

 Herodotus, who visited Egypt in B.C. 465, states that the 

 stones used in the construction of the pyramid were raised 

 from the ground by means of machines made of short pieces 

 of wood, each stone being lifted one tier at a time; while 

 Diodorus Siculus, who was in Egypt B.C. 65, says that the 

 pyramid was 20 years in building, and that 260,000 men were 

 employed in the work. Magnesian limestone from Toorah, 

 and the nummulite limestone from the neighbourhood were 

 both used. Strabo, who examined the pyramid in B.C. 29, 

 considered the latter stones to be fossil lentils ( lenticularis ) 

 and barley! Some years ago I presented a piece of this 

 limestone, which I took from the pyramid, to the Society. 

 Some of the blocks are five feet in height by more than eight 

 feet long, with an outside angle of 51°, so you may imagine 

 that the ascent was by no means an easy one. I made it, 

 however, with the assistance of three lusty Arabs, two, each 

 holding an arm, and the third pushing behind. The view 

 from the top, which is 30 feet square in its present condition, 

 is very remarkable and extensive, by reason of the clear pure 

 air, and the flat nature of the surrounding country. All the 

 groups of pyramids in Egypt proper may be distinguished 

 from it, and the appearance of Cairo with its minarets is very 

 striking; the Great Sphinx lies immediately below you, and 

 the desert behind. This pyramid was classed by the Greeks 

 as among the seven wonders of the world. The entrance 

 to the passage leading to the sepulchral chamber was 

 most cunningly hidden. It was found about midway across 

 the north face, some 48 feet from the base. When the 

 entrance block had been removed an inclined plane was 

 revealed 376 feet long, 41 inches in width, by 47 inches in 

 height. The passage proved to be a cul-de-sac, but a block of 

 granite was discovered in the wall among the limestone ; and 

 cutting through the latter, so as to get round the harder stone, 

 an ascending gallery was reached, which branches off in two 

 directions. One of these branches ends in a room popularly 

 known as the Queen's Chamber, the other leads to the King's 



