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

chamber which he thought formed merely a division, or hollow floor, between the two main chambers above and below. Finding none, however, but merely another construction chamber like it, he tunnelled upwards again until he eventually reached the topmost space of all with its inclined roof-stones.

Though Col. Vyse failed in his main quest, his labours were by no means fruitless, for not only were these chambers interesting—and unique—in themselves as examples of constructional methods employed to meet exceptional circumstances, the discovery of Khufu’s name and that of his brother on the ceiling blocks revealed important evidence as to the date of construction, and the years within which the Pyramid was raised, evidence which has been shown in these pages as definitely settling important points sometimes overlooked or forgotten.

The cartouche, or oval, in which Khufu’s name is written, sometimes occurs on the blocks upside down, showing it was painted on before the stones were put in position. They cannot, therefore, have been put there after the Pyramid had been finished in order to appear to confirm a tradition ascribing the Great Pyramid to this monarch. On the contrary, their presence definitely proves the correctness of the ascription to Khufu.

Note Z: THE THRONE OF OsiRIS (page 98)

Describing an engraved tablet in the British Museum, Sir Wallis Budge writes: ‘‘ We see the god Osiris . . . seated in a shrine set upon the top of a flight of steps... That the god in the shrine is Osiris is beyond doubt, for he occupies the position at the top of the staircase ’’analogous to the ‘‘ Throne of Radiance” at the top of the Grand Gallery, itself analogous to a staircase“which in later days gained for Osiris the title of “ the god at the top of the staircase’. He is thus described, for example, in the 22nd chapter of the Book of the Dead, where the postulant petitions Osiris to “‘ have a portion with him who is on the top of the Step’”’, the very symbol by which the Throne of Osiris is represented in his House.

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