The great pyramid passages and chambers

PLATE CXXXVIII.

Co WELL SHAFT

TRIAL PASSAGES HEWN IN THE Fock EAST OF THE

GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZEH SHOWING THE/R WONDERFUL

VERTICAL SECTION Ns FROM NorRTH TO SouTH No Looking WesrT. SIMILARITY TO THE PASSAGE

\\ WA SYSTEM IN THE GREAT PYRAMID. \

PLAN

are aware that those who claim that the Great Pyramid also had a temple have a certain amount of justification for their belief, for fragmentary remains of a black-stone (basalt) pavement can be seen on the east side—Plates II & XVII. But owing to the large amount of debris which still lies at the east base, it is not certain that this pavement extended right in to the side of the Pyramid itself; and in any case its fragments are quite unlike the undoubted temple remains of the Second and Third Pyramids of Gizeh, or of the other pyramids further up the Nile. Again, there is no room on this side of the Great Pyramid for a temple of any size. The three small pyramids which are ranged along the east side of the Great Pyramid, are built too close to allow a temple even so small as that to the east of the Third Pyramid, to be erected here. But even if it could be proved that a small temple had been erected near the Great Pyramid, it would not follow that it had formed any part of the Pyramid as originally designed and completed by the ancient builders. Just as we know that the Great Pyramid of Gizeh, unlike the other pyramids of Egypt, was not built as a tomb, not only because there is no record of a body ever having been found in it, but also because of its symbolism, so we may be sure that it was not built in connection with an edifice for idolatrous worship such as was practised by the ancient Egyptians.

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