PLAN - WHAT PLAN?

© Seamus Chapman 15^th October 2002

WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT?

The dimensions, arrangement and position of the Grand Gallery/Ascending Passage complex suggests that it was intended to provide a security mechanism, by holding a series of stone blocks in the Gallery section, which could later be slid down the passage below, to completely seal it and protect any areas above. It would have been logical at the design stage, to specify a durable material such as granite for the prefabrication of all those components, which would provide protection, leaving more easily worked limestone for those areas, which would later become redundant.

In this design, granite would therefore be used to form the floor, roof and walls of the Ascending Passage and the plug blocks themselves, with limestone used to form the holding gallery. Mixing material by sealing a limestone passage with granite would have been an odd arrangement, as the function of durability would be lost. If the design also included a granite portcullis mechanism to protect a horizontal passage, then placing it at the base of the holding gallery would achieve this most effectively, as all sections below would be in granite and all sections above in limestone.

If this design had been implemented in the Great Pyramid, no further comment would have been forthcoming about the intentions of the builders. The walls, roof and floor of the Ascending Passage would be found formed from regularly shaped granite blocks and filled to its upper end, with granite plug blocks, with an overall length matching the length of the Grand Gallery. A granite portcullis immediately above would additionally protect the entrance to the Queen’s Chamber passage

WHAT DO WE FIND?

An unfinished Ascending Passage, with a length less than the Grand Gallery, formed in part by irregular limestone blocks, with one section cut later through the pyramid core. This crude passage is blocked only at its lower end by granite plug blocks, which represent only 20% of the capacity of the holding chamber and were easily dug round to gain entry to the rest of the passage and all the pyramid chambers above. The Queen’s Chamber and its passage at the base of the Gallery is unprotected, unfinished and without a sarcophagus. The Kings Chamber is found at the top of the Gallery, connected by a clumsy intersection through an unfinished Antechamber and portcullis, formed from blocks of both limestone and granite. The King’s Chamber floor is unfinished and the Relieving Ceilings above show evidence of contemporary cracking, settlement and mixed materials.

It would be unreasonable and unfair to suggest that this was a planned design.

WHAT EXPLANATION CAN WE OFFER?

Further examination shows that the height of all the blocks forming the walls of the King’s Chamber, are of similar height (2.29RC) to both the Plug blocks and the Ascending Passage. The blocks forming the Relieving Ceilings have similar dimensions and shapes to blocks forming the roof and floor of for example, the Descending Passage.

Interestingly, if the King’s Chamber and Relieving Ceilings were to be dismantled, the blocks of granite from which they are formed, would provide all the components necessary in quantity, material, dimensions and shape to complete a Grand Gallery/Ascending Passage complex to the more effective design described above.

The Relieving Ceilings would provide a typical roof and floor of a passage at least 50RC in length, and the walls of the King’s Chamber, passage walls with a perpendicular height of 2.29RC, to the same length, with the blocks remaining completing each end of the same passage and properly connect it to the Descending Passage below and the Grand Gallery above. The passage would then have a similar length to the Grand Gallery, be regularly shaped and have enough plug blocks to completely fill it.

This coincidence provides an opportunity to explore what might have occurred during the construction process to prevent an ideal sealing mechanism being installed, particularly so when all the missing components can be found elsewhere, now forming other features.

It would have taken a tremendous effort to both pre-fabricate and transport any granite blocks the 500 miles from Aswan to Giza. Those specified for the Great Pyramid were both large in number and dimensions, with many requiring accurate finishing. To complete an order of this size and on time would be a remarkable challenge and late delivery a distinct possibility, particularly so if the construction timetable of the pyramid relied on continuity.

Any components which did arrive late and missed installation in that section of the pyramid for which they were intended, would therefore automatically become surplus. The options available to the builders would be to either discard them, or use them elsewhere. They would also need to formulate an immediate solution, which would replace the missing materials and maintain something of the original plan, even if this meant employing inappropriate materials and construction methods. 

It might be that the King’s Chamber and its Relieving Ceilings were created only as a consequence of a decision to consume surplus blocks, which had originally been intended to provide a competent security system for the pyramid interior, but arrived too late to be installed in their designed location.

The effort required to implement this change in plan would support a view that pyramid building was also an economic event, with all work/product carefully catalogued and rewarded. This condition would force the builders to ensure that all significant material was consumed, even if this action produced a less than perfect result.

Some of the internal features in the Great Pyramid might therefore appear as found only as a consequence of unforeseen events, which had forced the builders to abandon their original design and replace it with a creative compromise. This would explain both the existence of the King’s Chamber and Relieving Ceilings themselves and the poor quality of materials, finishing and function of the Ascending Passage.

If it were found that some of the blocks forming the King’s Chamber walls were finished flat on their rear face, then this unnecessary feature here, might suggest that they were designed to be used elsewhere, possibly as passage plug blocks.

[The foregoing is just one of the subjects tackled in Seamus' new book, Building Egyptian Pyramids – Achieving the Impossible. It is described as follows: "This is a book, not only about moving heavy blocks of stone, but a systematic and detailed description of every aspect of pyramid building, which enabled the Ancient Egyptians to create their monuments. All the most massive are here, including the Great Pyramid. The author describes how the builders might have discovered and then employed, what he calls the Virtual Apex and Virtual Centrepoint methods, to accurately form each pyramid’s unique shape, using simple but effective geometry. In solving the problem of materials delivery, he has conceived and designed an original platform and ramp system. This enabled the stone blocks to be routinely delivered to all parts of a pyramid, including the external casing and continue with the same low gradient, all the way to the apex." - IL]