18 ARCHITECTURE. 
establishes, however, one remarkable fact, viz. that during the thousands 
of years which have elapsed since the erection of this pyramid, the position 
of the axis of the earth has undergone no change whatever. 
The entrance to the pyramid is at present on the north-eastern side, upon 
the 25th course, and about 45 feet above the base. It is represented on pi. 
6, jig. 3. Having been closed with brickwork it was only accidentally 
discovered. A gallery sloping downwards, leads to a passage 3 feet, 5 inches 
in width and height, and 102 feet long, the entrance to which was blocked 
up by a large piece of granite which could not be removed, but a passage 
has been made around it. At the extreme end of this gallery is a platform, 
and on the right hand side a well cut in the rock, about 200 feet deep, but 
without water, even as low as 50 feet below the level of the Nile. Its 
extreme depth has, however, not been reached. At this floor a level passage 
branches off, about 118 feet in length, which leads first to a room called 
the queen’s apartment, which is 17 feet 10 inches in length, by 16 feet, 1 
inch wide, and empty; second, to another gallery, 125 feet long, 25 feet 
high, and 64 feet wide. On each side of this are benches 21 inches high 
by 19 inches wide, and at the end is another platform, communicating with 
another opening, 3 feet, 3 inches wide, 4 feet, 5 inches high, and 7 feet, 10 
inches long, forming the entrance to the upper room of the king, which is 
32 feet wide, 16 feet long, 18 feet high, and covered with polished granite, 
the southern side being the longest. At the western end is the granite 
sarcophagus, 7 feet, 1 inch long, 3 feet, 1 inch wide, 3 feet, 6 inches high. 
It is empty, and les due north and south; the lid is wanting. 
Near this pyramid is situated a figure of the Sphinx (pl. 6, fig. 6). It is 
cut from the rock on which it stands, and is still connected withit. Its height 
to the back is about 40 feet, and it was necessary to remove masses of rock 
to lower the surrounding ground, in order to exhibit its full dimensions. 
The figure is 117 feet long; the circumference of the headis 91 feet, the 
height from the belly to the top of the head 51 feet. There is an opening 
in the head in which the head-dress was fastened. The French, during the 
expedition to Egypt, after removing the surrounding sand by which it was 
covered up to the neck, discovered an opening between the fore legs of the 
figure, which soon proved to be a regular entrance, communicating by sub- 
terraneous passages cut through the rocks with the large pyramid. This 
accounts for there being no outer entrance to the pyramid, and for the 
different branches of the afore-mentioned galleries being secured by blocks 
of stone from the opposite side. At the same time also, it proves that the 
ancient Arabian authors were not mistaken in asserting that the different 
galleries and wells in the pyramid communicated with an entrance through 
an opening in the figure of the sphinx. 
From this short account of the remains of ancient Egyptian architecture 
an idea may be derived of the state of civilization of the nation which created 
it. Our highest admiration is due to the noble monuments of the talent, 
industry, and perseverance of a people, who maintained for hundreds and 
thousands of years an imposing style of architecture, uncorrupted and un- 
changed, and to whom the other nations are indebted for the transmission 
18 , 
