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

THE HOUSE OF OSIRIS

“Southern Passage”’ (the First Ascending passage); of the “‘ Hidden Lintel ” (the Granite Plug) ; and the festival of ‘“‘ Osiris who dwells in the Roofed House’’, the Great Pyramid being thus described because it has a flat top like a roof, and does not rise to a pointed apex as all other pyramids in Eygpt do.

The whole progress of the departed, in fact, is described as taking place in some kind of house or building. ‘The Ritual is full of references to his going in and coming out, to his passing gates, doors, and staircases. And though the secret places of this building have doubtless a mystical significance as well, and refer to those secret places of the universe wherein, according to Egyptian belief, man, when set free from the flesh, was initiated into the mysteries of creation, yet, as that doctrine had to be learnt while still on earth, so was it necessary that there should be a building on earth wherein those places could be symbolized. And where shall we find such a building if not in that great house wherein, according to Egyptian tradition, that secret knowledge was enshrined—the House of Osiris—the Great Pyramid.

We have drawn attention to the peculiarity of the Great Pyramid having a truncated summit, a peculiarity which, from some aspects, makes it more conspicuous amongst its fellows on the Gizeh plateau than even its great size, as owing to the effect produced by perspective, if viewed from the south, the Second Pyramid will appear the largest, and the Great and Third much about the same size, whereas actually the last-named is far inferior.

From the fact that this peculiar feature, giving it the appearance of incompletion, is confined to the Great Pyramid—or, at least, for no other apparent reason—it has been generally assumed that it was originally finished like

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