The great pyramid passages and chambers

one, previous to M. Caviglia, who had detected the rock-cut continuation ; and this only because recent rains had washed away part of the concealing debris. He was able, however, only to penetrate down to a part about 80 feet short of the lower opening of the Well. Even the French savants, who visited the Gizeh Pyramids at the time of the French expedition to Egypt under Napoleon in 1799, though they carried on extensive operations at the Great Pyramid, appear not to have known that this passage extends below its junction with the First Ascending Passage. This is evident from an examination of the beautiful drawing which they published of the Great Pyramid’s passage-system.

546 Before the time of M. Caviglia, in 1817, therefore, the location of the lower terminal of the Well was a great mystery; and many theories were held regarding it. A common belief among the Arabs was that the Well led to the Sphinx; while others thought it communicated with the Second Pyramid. The many mythical tales concerning it were all calculated to heighten its mysterious character, and they aroused the curiosity of some of the earlier investigators sufficiently to lead them to explore its depth. As far back as 1652, their writings give evidence of a fairly accurate knowledge of most of the upper portion of the Well, and of the existence of the Grotto. Some even attempted to clear the shaft to its lower end, but, like M. Caviglia, were compelled through lack of air to give up their ambition.

547 Because of a statement made by Pliny (79 A.D.) to the effect that: ‘‘ Within the largest Pyramid there is a Well; the river is supposed to have been let in by it,’ the Well-shaft was believed by some to lead to a reservoir of water. Doubtless it is from Pliny’s account that this most peculiar shaft became known as ‘‘ The Well.” However, it is doubtful if Pliny’s informants really knew of the present Well-shaft. Sir J. Gardner Wilkinson expresses it as his opinion that Pliny’s statement rather referred to the Descending Passage; for he believes that there is conclusive evidence to show that the Pyramid’s upper passage-system was entirely unknown previous to Al Mamoun’s forced entry in 820 A.D.; a belief also shared by Professors C. Piazzi Smyth and Flinders Petrie, and by many other authorities.

548 Owing to the thick coating of dust, and the extreme roughness of the walls of the shaft, it is difficult to determine the level at which the core masonry of the Pyramid rests upon the natural rock; but it cannot be far above the Grotto. It appears to us as if the large core blocks rest directly on the top of the ten courses of small stones which line the upper half of the square shaft of the second vertical part. As I indicated before, these courses of small stones were built to continue the shaft through the Grotto; and the level of the rock on which they rest can be distinctly seen in our photograph —Plate CLI.

549 Professor Petrie points out that the ancient workmen must have cut and completed the Subterranean Chamber and the lower part of the Descending Passage in the rock, before commencing the erection of the superstructure of the Pyramid with its built continuation of the Descending Passage. So also with the Well, its lower part would probably be cut in the rock first, and then it would gradually be continued upward as the core masonry of the Pyramid was built up, course by course, until it reached its present outlet on the west side of the lower end of the Grand Gallery. But before proceeding to the erection of the Great Pyramid, the workmen would also probably level the surface of the foundation rock. That they did not do this in one plane, but in

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