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

MYSTERY OF THE GREAT PYRAMID

Pyramid are the foundation-sockets cut in the rock at each corner (ABCD), and Petrie’s survey shows that the casingstones in the centre of the base were recessed, or set-back, a distance of 36 inches from the true square ABCD as defined by these sockets. The inner core-masonry is also recessed at the centre of each side as shown by the continuous outline WZTS. The recent survey, however, shows that the outer casing-stones were set out for the whole length of each side along the recessed line MN ; that is, on the inner square EFGH. This would appear to confirm Petrie’s reconstruction showing the casing-stones thinner towards the corners than at the centre, whereas had they been of uniform thickness throughout they would have taken the outline AMNBPOQC, etc., parallel with the inner core, thus bringing them to the corners marked by the sockets. Owing to the necessity of exaggerating these features in any diagram in order to make them clear, the construction involved appears of a much more unusual aspect than it would be in actual practice, since the amount of recessing, 36 inches, was infinitesimal when compared to the total length of a side (AB), over 750 feet. Only very careful instrumental observation, in fact, would show that such features existed at all.

The result is shown to be, therefore, that, for some reason or other the Great Pyramid was erected upon a base very slightly Jess than what its architect intended according to the lay-out of the corner sockets, the difference between the actual square base circuit and the designed square base circuit being one of 286 Pyramid inches. (See Note T.)

Now to carry out the correct angle of slope from base to summit as shown by the existing casing-stones, and as confirmed by reconstruction, this small error must have been introduced throughout the whole casing-stone surface, so that the circuit at any level was 286 inches

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