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

tradition to the effect that the three pyramids were built as the result of a dream that appeared to King Surid, in which the Flood was foretold, 300 years before it occurred. This tradition has been preserved by the Copts.

Regarding Coptic traditions of the Great Pyramid, Dr. Sprenger tells us (Vyse’s Pyramids of Gizeh, vol. ii) that “the traditions of the ancient Egyptians were preserved by their descendants, the Copts, who were held in great esteem by the Arabs. . . . It may be remarked that the Arabian authors have given the same accounts of the Pyramids, with little or no variation, for above a thousand years; and they appear to have repeated the traditions of the ancient Egyptians, mixed up with fabulous stories and incidents, certainly not of Mahometan invention.”

The above tradition of Masoudi relates that Surid (or Shaaru), one of the kings of Egypt before the Flood, “built two great Pyramids . . . the reason for building them being a dream which occurred to Surid 300 years previous to the Flood.”

This dream was followed by a second vision, which so alarmed Surid that he assembled all the chief priests in Egypt to whom he related his two visions, which were interpreted to mean that “some great event would take place”. ‘“‘ The king then directed,’ Masoudi continues, “that the astrologers should ascertain whether the stars foretold any great catastrophe, and the result announced an approaching deluge. The king ordered them to inquire whether or not this calamity would befall Egypt ; and they answered ‘ Yes, the flood will overwhelm the land’... upon which the king ordered the Pyramids to be built,

1 “To the Copts . . . we owe the retention of a dialect of the ancient Egyptian language, and with it much that has tended to facilitate and elucidate the translation of ancient hieroglyphic texts. Hence the importance and yalue attaching to any traditions concerning the Great Pyramid that can be reliably identified as of Coptic origin.” (Davidson, The Great Pyramid, p. 89.)

II