The mystery of the Great pyramid : traditions concerning it and its connection with the Egyptian Book of the dead : with numerous illustrations

THEORIES AND TRADITIONS

in 2625 B.c., three years before the death of Khufu in 2622 B.c. Since the’ Deluge, according to Biblical chronology, fell in 2345 B.c., the Great Pyramid was commenced as tradition says, exactly 300 years before, and was completed the year indicated by the evidence given in the Pyramid itself. (Refer p. 106 in The Witness of the Great Pyramid.)

The whole work, therefore, in connection with the Great Pyramid, extended throughout four overlapping reigns ; those of Seneferu (the last king of the Third Dynasty), Shaaru (Surid), Khufu, and Khafra. This will explain why the first-named attempted to convert his original mastaba step-pyramid—the so-called “ false” pyramid of Meidoum (the Haram-el-Kabbadb)—into a true squarebased pyramid, and why his later pyramid at Dashur was constructed as a true pyramid from its foundation, the idea of which was given by the Great Pyramid.

The “ false ” pyramid of Meidoum was originally built as a mastaba—or “‘ bench ’’—tomb, a flat-topped structure, oblong in shape, with sides sloping inwards at an angle of about 75 degrees. Mastabas varied considerably in size, from about 170 feet long by 85 feet wide down to 26 feet long by 20 feet wide, and in height from 13 feet to 30 feet. Seneferu enlarged his original mastaba by adding two stages to it, thus increasing its height to over 120 feet, at the same time attempting to convert it into a squarebased pyramidal structure by adding layers of masonry at the side, the final process being to enclose it entirely in a smooth casing at a uniform slope from base to summit. Much of this casing has been stripped off for stone, showing the stepped form of the original masonry beneath it.

The burial chamber was in the surface of the rock, in the centre of the original mastaba, the masonry of which formed its roof. This chamber was reached by a long

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