Secrets of the Great Pyramid of Cheops. The secret of the Cheops pyramid is no more - its 'secret' has been revealed in Russia Amazing mysteries of the past Cheops pyramid story

During the construction of the most grandiose monument of antiquity, the Pyramid of Cheops, more than one year was spent and a huge number of slaves were involved, many of whom died at the construction site. This was the opinion of the ancient Greeks, among them Herodotus, one of the first historians who described this grandiose structure in detail.

But modern scientists do not agree with this opinion and argue: many free Egyptians wanted to work on construction sites - when agricultural work ended, it was an excellent opportunity to earn extra money (here they provided food, clothing and housing).

For any Egyptian, participating in the construction of a tomb for their ruler was a duty and a matter of honor, since each of them hoped that he would also be touched by a piece of pharaonic immortality: it was believed that the Egyptian ruler had the right not only to life after death, but could also take with him their loved ones (usually they were buried in tombs adjacent to the pyramid).

Ordinary people, however, were not destined to go to the afterlife - the exception was slaves and servants, who were buried with the ruler. But everyone had the right to hope - and therefore, when the housework ended, throughout for long years the Egyptians rushed to Cairo, to the rocky plateau.

The Pyramid of Cheops (or as it was also called, Khufu) is located near Cairo, on the Giza plateau, on the left side of the Nile, and is the largest tomb located there. This tomb is the tallest pyramid on our planet; it took many years to build and has a non-standard layout. A rather interesting fact is that during the autopsy, the ruler’s body was not found in it.

For many years now, it has been exciting the minds of researchers and admirers of Egyptian culture, who ask themselves the question: were ancient people able to build such a structure and is the pyramid not the work of representatives of extraterrestrial civilizations who erected it for only one clear purpose?

The fact that this tomb of stunning size almost immediately entered the list of the ancient seven wonders of the world does not surprise anyone: the size of the Cheops pyramid is amazing, and this, despite the fact that over the past millennia it has become smaller, and scientists cannot determine the exact proportions of the Cheops pyramid condition, since its edges and surfaces were dismantled for their needs by more than one generation of Egyptians:

The height of the pyramid is about 138 m (interestingly, in the year it was built, it was eleven meters higher);
The foundation has a square shape, the length of each side is about 230 meters;
The foundation area is about 5.4 hectares (thus, the five largest cathedrals of our planet will fit on it);
The length of the foundation along the perimeter is 922 m.

Construction of the pyramid

If earlier scientists believed that the construction of the Cheops pyramid took the Egyptians about twenty years, in our time, Egyptologists, having studied the records of the priests in more detail, and, taking into account the parameters of the pyramid, as well as the fact that Cheops ruled for about fifty years, refuted this fact and came to I conclude that it took at least thirty, and maybe even forty, years to build it.

Despite the fact that the exact date of construction of this grandiose tomb is unknown, it is believed that it was built by order of Pharaoh Cheops, who allegedly reigned from 2589 to 2566 BC. e., and his nephew and vizier Hemion was responsible for the construction work, using Newest technologies of its time, over the solution of which many scientific minds have been struggling for many centuries. He approached the matter with all care and meticulousness.

Preparation for construction

More than 4 thousand workers were involved in the preliminary work, which took about ten years. It was necessary to find a place for construction, the soil of which would be strong enough to support a structure of this scale - so the decision was made to stop on a rocky site near Cairo.

To level the site, the Egyptians, using stones and sand, built a waterproof square shaft. They cut out channels intersecting at right angles in the shaft, and the construction site began to resemble a large chessboard.

After that, water was released into the trenches, with the help of which the builders determined the height of the water level and made the necessary notches on the side walls of the channels, after which the water was released. The workers cut down all the stones that were above the water level, after which the trenches were filled with stones, thus creating the foundation of the tomb.

Works with stone

The building material for the tomb was obtained from a quarry located on the other side of the Nile. To obtain a block of the required size, the stone was cut down from the rock and hewn to the required size - from 0.8 to 1.5 m. Although on average one stone block weighed about 2.5 tons, the Egyptians also made heavier specimens, for example, the heaviest the block that was installed above the entrance to the “Pharaoh’s Room” weighed 35 tons.

Using thick ropes and levers, the builders secured the block on wooden runners and dragged it along a deck of logs to the Nile, loaded it onto a boat and transported it across the river. And then they again dragged it along the logs to the construction site, after which the most difficult stage began: the huge block had to be pulled to the very top platform of the tomb. How exactly they did this and what technologies they used is one of the mysteries of the Cheops pyramid.

One of the versions proposed by scientists implies the following option. Along a 20 m wide brick rise located at an angle, the block lying on skids was pulled upward with the help of ropes and levers, where it was placed in a clearly designated place. The higher the Cheops pyramid became, the longer and steeper the climb became, and the upper platform became smaller - so it became more and more difficult and dangerous to lift the boulders.

The workers had the hardest time when it was necessary to install the “pyramidon” - the topmost block 9 meters high (not preserved to this day). Since the huge boulder had to be lifted almost vertically, the work turned out to be deadly, and many people died at this stage of the work. As a result, the Cheops pyramid, after construction was completed, had more than 200 steps leading up and looked like a huge stepped mountain.

In total, it took the ancient Egyptians at least twenty years to build the body of the pyramid. The work on the “box” was not finished yet - they still had to lay them with stones and make sure that the outer parts of the blocks became more or less smooth. And at the final stage, the Egyptians completely lined the pyramid from the outside with slabs of white limestone polished to a shine - and it sparkled in the sun like a huge shiny crystal.

The slabs have not survived to this day on the pyramid: the inhabitants of Cairo, after the Arabs plundered their capital (1168), used them in the construction of new houses and temples (some of them can be seen on mosques today).

Drawings on the pyramid

Interesting fact: the outer side of the pyramid body is covered with curvilinear grooves of different sizes. If you look at them from a certain angle, you can see the image of a man 150 m high (possibly a portrait of one of the ancient gods). This drawing is not alone: on the northern wall of the tomb one can also distinguish a man and a woman with their heads bowed to each other.

Scientists claim that these Egyptians made the grooves several years before they finished building the pyramid body and installed the top stone. True, the question remains open: why did they do this, because the slabs with which the pyramid was subsequently decorated hid these portraits.

What the Great Pyramid looked like from the inside

A detailed study of the Cheops Pyramid showed that, contrary to popular belief, there are practically no inscriptions or any other decorations inside the tomb, except for a small portrait in the corridor leading to the Queen's Room.

The entrance to the tomb is located on the north side at a height exceeding fifteen meters. After burial, it was closed with a granite plug, so tourists get inside through a gap located about ten meters below - it was cut down by the Caliph of Baghdad Abdullah al-Mamun (820 AD) - the man who first entered the tomb with the aim of robbing it. The attempt failed because he found nothing here except a thick layer of dust.

The Cheops Pyramid is the only pyramid where there are corridors leading both down and up. The main corridor first goes down, then branches into two tunnels - one leads down to the unfinished funeral chamber, the second leads up, first to the Great Gallery, from which you can get to the Queen's Room and the main tomb.

From the central entrance, through a tunnel leading down (its length is 105 meters), you can get into a burial pit located below ground level, the height of which is 14 m, width - 8.1 m, height - 3.5 m. Inside the room, near Egyptologists discovered a well on the southern wall, the depth of which is about three meters (a narrow tunnel stretches from it to the south, leading to a dead end).

Researchers believe that this particular room was originally intended for the crypt of Cheops, but then the pharaoh changed his mind and decided to build a tomb higher for himself, so this room remained unfinished.

You can also get to the unfinished funeral room from the Great Gallery - at its very entrance a narrow, almost vertical shaft 60 meters high begins. Interestingly, in the middle of this tunnel there is a small grotto (most likely of natural origin, since it is located at the point of contact between the stonework of the pyramid and a small hump of limestone), which could accommodate several people.

According to one hypothesis, the architects took this grotto into account when designing the pyramid and initially intended it to evacuate builders or priests who were completing the “sealing” ceremony of the central passage leading to the tomb of the pharaoh.

The Pyramid of Cheops has another mysterious room with an unclear purpose - the “Queen's Chamber” (like the lowest room, this room is not completed, as evidenced by the floor on which they began to lay tiles, but did not complete the work).

This room can be reached by first going down the corridor 18 meters from the main entrance, and then going up a long tunnel (40 m). This room is the smallest of all, located in the very center of the pyramid, has an almost square shape (5.73 x 5.23 m, height - 6.22 m), and a niche is built into one of its walls.

Despite the fact that the second burial pit is called the “queen’s room,” the name is a misnomer, since the wives of Egyptian rulers were always buried in separate small pyramids (there are three such tombs near the tomb of the pharaoh).

Previously, it was not easy to get into the “Queen’s Chamber”, because at the very beginning of the corridor that led to the Great Gallery, three granite blocks were installed, disguised with limestone - so it was previously believed that this room did not exist. Al-Mamunu guessed about its presence and, being unable to remove the blocks, hollowed out a passage in the softer limestone (this passage is still in use today).

It is not known exactly at what stage of construction the plugs were installed, and therefore there are several hypotheses. According to one of them, they were installed even before the funeral, during construction work. Another claims that they were not there at all in this place before, and they appeared here after the earthquake, rolling down from the Great Gallery, where they were installed after the funeral of the ruler.

Another secret of the Cheops pyramid is that exactly where the plugs are located, there are not two, as in other pyramids, but three tunnels - the third is a vertical hole (though no one knows where it leads, since granite blocks with no one has moved the seats yet).

You can get to the tomb of the pharaoh through the Great Gallery, which is almost 50 meters long. It is a continuation of the upward corridor from the main entrance. Its height is 8.5 meters, with the walls narrowing slightly at the top. In front of the tomb of the Egyptian ruler there is a “hallway” - the so-called Antechamber.

From the Antechamber, a hole leads to the “Pharaoh's Chamber,” built from monolithic polished granite blocks, in which there is an empty sarcophagus made from a red piece of Aswan granite. (interesting fact: scientists have not yet found any traces or evidence that there was a burial here).

Apparently, the sarcophagus was brought here even before construction began, since its dimensions did not allow it to be placed here after the completion of construction work. The length of the tomb is 10.5 m, width – 5.4 m, height – 5.8 m.

The biggest mystery of the Cheops pyramid (as well as its feature) is its 20 cm wide shafts, which scientists call ventilation ducts. They start inside the two upper rooms, first go horizontally, and then go out at an angle.

While these channels in the Pharaoh’s room are through, in the “Queen’s Chambers” they begin only at a distance of 13 cm from the wall and do not reach the surface at the same distance (at the same time, at the top they are closed with stones with copper handles, the so-called “Ganterbrink doors”). .

Despite the fact that some researchers suggest that these were ventilation ducts (for example, they were intended to prevent workers from suffocating during work due to the lack of oxygen), most Egyptologists are still inclined to think that these narrow channels had religious significance and were able to prove that they were built taking into account the location of astronomical bodies. The presence of canals may well be related to the Egyptian belief about the gods and souls of the dead who live in the starry sky.

At the foot of the Great Pyramid there are several underground structures - in one of them, archaeologists (1954) found the oldest ship on our planet: a wooden cedar boat disassembled into 1224 parts, the total length of which when assembled was 43.6 meters (apparently , it was on it that the pharaoh had to go to the Kingdom of the Dead).

Is this tomb Cheops?

Over the past few years, Egyptologists have increasingly questioned the fact that this pyramid was actually intended for Cheops. This is evidenced by the fact that there is absolutely no decoration in the burial chamber.

The pharaoh's mummy was not found in the tomb, and the sarcophagus itself, in which it was supposed to be located, was not completely finished by the builders: it was hewn rather roughly, and the lid was missing altogether. These Interesting Facts make it possible for fans of theories of the alien origin of this grandiose structure to claim that the pyramid was built by representatives of extraterrestrial civilizations, using technologies unknown to science and for a purpose incomprehensible to us.

The Great Pyramid remains an invaluable treasure trove of information for historians to this day. However, it contains many unsolved secrets that stimulate the imagination of dreamers.

The title of our article is reminiscent of the title of one of the comics about Blake and Mortimer, “The Secret of the Great Pyramid.” The author of this series, the Belgian Edgar P. Jacobe, contributed to the legends that surround this extraordinary structure. Indeed, at all times, the wildest rumors have circulated about the Cheops Pyramid (also known as the “Great Pyramid”) and its purpose. It invariably fascinates Egyptologists, travelers, astronomers and even mystics who seek esoteric meaning in everything. A variety of theories have been put forward regarding its purpose: it has been called an astronomical observatory, a place of worship, and even proof of the existence of an alien civilization.

Many are still convinced that this monument hides unexplored galleries and secret rooms. Be that as it may, everyone - both scientists and art connoisseurs - admires this miracle of architecture Ancient world, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World that has reached us almost intact. It must be said that this pyramid really has everything to stimulate the imagination. This structure, surrounded by desert, is perfect, its shape is amazing, and its architecture is surprisingly flawless: the difference between each of its sides (the length of which is two hundred and thirty meters) does not exceed twenty centimeters, and in some places the stone blocks fit together so tightly that that even a knife blade cannot be inserted between them.

For many centuries, the pyramid has never ceased to amaze people. Let us remember that before the construction of the Eiffel Tower in 1887-1889, it was the tallest monument ever built by man. Archaeologists and adventurers who climbed it in the 19th century were treated to a magnificent view, undoubtedly the most impressive in Egypt. These early Egyptologists made an invaluable contribution to science: after all, until the moment they rediscovered the pyramids, these structures were almost completely buried under the desert sands. At the same time, the names and long-lost stories of many pharaohs and queens were found. However, some of the most intriguing mysteries are still unrevealed.

WHAT DID CHEOPS LOOK LIKE?

Despite the monument he left, and although teachings have proven that his reign was a period of prosperity, very few portraits of the pharaoh have survived. He who was undoubtedly one of the most powerful monarchs of Egypt is depicted only twice: the first portrait of him is a headless figurine from Ivory, found by British archaeologist Flinders Petrie. This explorer turned over entire mountains of sand to find the head of the ruler. In addition to it, a bas-relief carved on a rock in the Sinai desert has reached us. On this ancient monument, Cheops is depicted killing a Bedouin leader in front of the god Thoth, the ibis-headed clerk.

Sun or stars?

The location of the pyramid and its orientation in relation to the pyramids of Khafre and Mikerin has become a topic for many research work. Why was the Cheops pyramid built? A variety of hypotheses have been put forward on this score, from the very convincing to the most ridiculous. The first Christians believed that the pharaohs stored grain in it; by the way, this is the explanation mentioned in the Bible. Astronomers, in turn, argued that its architecture was related to the position of the stars (as was its location in relation to the pyramids of Khafre and Mikerin). Indeed, if you look closely, you will notice that the ventilation shafts of the Cheops pyramid correspond to the position of the stars in the sky, for example, the North Star or the constellation Orion.

However, in recent works Historians and other scholars usually conclude that it, like all the other pyramids in the area, was built to facilitate the ruler's journey into the underworld. Thus, the pyramid is a kind of ladder, a “power plant” that sends the soul of the deceased to another world. Or rather, we still don’t know what exactly was supposed to happen to the soul of Cheops: whether it was supposed to go to the kingdom of Ra, or whether it was destined for a different fate. Perhaps this is exactly what is said in one of the verses of the Pyramid Texts: “O king, you are the shining star, the companion of Orion.” Perhaps Pharaoh Cheops should have become a star?..

Secrets of the structure

There are only three rooms in the Cheops pyramid: the main burial chamber, which is called the king’s room, the central chamber, which is called (but erroneously) the queen’s room, and an unfinished underground room. We know some of the main events associated with the construction of the pyramid. So, we know that the plan of the pyramid changed during the construction process. For example, behind the entrance there was originally a corridor leading to an unfinished room. Another corridor, rising upward, makes a sharp turn and leads to a large gallery, which, in turn, leads to the burial chamber. Other, much narrower passages, reminiscent of ventilation shafts, connect the two main rooms with the surface of the pyramid.

Construction

How many Egyptians worked to build the pyramid? Nobody knows for sure. Some researchers claim that over twenty years, about one hundred thousand people were involved in the work. Contrary to popular legend, most of them were peasants who were engaged in the construction of the pyramid only during the three months that the Nile flood lasted. We also know that four thousand hired workers lived near the construction site throughout the year. Another question: how did the Egyptians drag the stones needed to build the pyramid, whose total weight is several million tons? This is one of the greatest mysteries in history.

Over the decades, scientists have invented all sorts of options. Today, the existence of lifting mechanisms, pulleys, is almost unanimously rejected. Indeed, it seems unlikely that the Egyptians used such devices. But they probably had ramps at their disposal along which they dragged stone blocks to the site of construction of the pyramid. One source helps illuminate this issue: a fresco discovered by archaeologists in the tomb of a certain Djehuti-Hotep, in the town of El Bersheh. It dates from approximately 1850 BC. e.

This colorful work depicts with great skill how several teams of workers drag a huge stone statue. It can be assumed that in a similar way the Egyptians dragged heavy stone blocks for the Cheops pyramid. And finally, the last detail regarding the construction of this monument: in the pyramid, or more precisely, in the ventilation shaft of the queen’s room, a granite stone crusher and a metal hook were discovered. They were apparently forgotten here by careless workers. If their authenticity is further proven, these things will become the only tools that have come down to us that were used in the construction of the pyramid.

THE SO-CALLED QUEEN'S ROOM

This is a misnomer for a small empty room, which in fact, apparently, was never intended for the royal wife. However, the first researchers of the pyramid who discovered it decided to give it the beautiful name “queen’s room.” Today, archaeologists suggest that this room was intended for Cheops himself, but during the construction process, after the original plan was changed, it was abandoned.

Paths to another world

Among the mysteries surrounding the Great Pyramid, we also note the mysterious passages, the first of which were discovered by archaeologists in the 19th century. No other pyramid has similar passages, and the most experienced specialists are struggling with the question of their purpose.

Perhaps these passages served as symbolic paths to another world, intended for two divine incarnations of Cheops: the sun god and the falcon Horus, the god of heaven and light. It should be clarified that Cheops really had a very special religious philosophy. He proclaimed himself the god of the sun during his lifetime, unlike his predecessors, who received this title only after death.

Two such passages open out high above the ground, and the third is still not fully explored. This mysterious passage, twenty centimeters wide, gradually rises upward. Its tilt angle is forty degrees, and its length is at least sixty meters. It starts in the so-called queen's room and leads south. As archaeologists discovered earlier, from the upper chamber, the king's room, two other "ventilation passages" with the same orientation lead to the north and south, exiting high above the ground. However, where the passage starting in the queen’s room leads is still unknown exactly. After carefully examining it, the scientists noticed that after sixty meters or so it ends in a thick door with copper handles.

What is hiding behind this door? An interesting question, especially since no other pyramid has similar passages. To solve this mystery, in September 2002, in collaboration with the Egyptian Council of Antiquities, archaeologists launched a Pyramid Rover robot inside. Under the gaze of television cameras, this small device covered sixty meters, climbing the passage at an angle of forty degrees, and finally reached the door.

He made a hole through it and stuck a tiny camera inside. But, unfortunately, the spectators, tensely awaiting the outcome, did not see anything special behind it: “Pyramid Rover” ended up in front of... another door! An ultrasound examination showed that its thickness is about nine centimeters. Thus, the mystery remains unsolved, and fans of Ancient Egypt can continue to dream about the mysteries of the Great Pyramid. Perhaps there is a treasure in this cache?

Where did the mummies go?

Cheops' mother, Queen Hetepheres, had the good fortune to be buried in the only surviving tomb Ancient kingdom. The thieves did not reach her tomb, and inside they discovered amazing treasures, jewelry, furniture and even the queen’s internal organs, properly embalmed and placed in traditional jars. However, one oddity caught the archaeologists' eyes: Hetepheres's sarcophagus was empty. Where is the mummy buried?..

Another mystery of this story: Cheops, like any high-ranking person, or rather, like any Egyptian, was probably embalmed after death and, undoubtedly, with all care. It is also very likely that the Great Pyramid became his final refuge, his tomb. However, surprisingly, not a single mummie of the pharaohs who built them was discovered in the pyramids on the Giza plateau. As is known, tomb robbers who visited the pyramids over the past centuries were interested primarily in gold and funerary furniture, leaving mummies in their place. What did they do with the remains of Cheops? And if there was no Cheops mummy in the Great Pyramid, then why was it built?

For two hundred years, scientists have been studying the Cheops pyramid. During this time, they used different methods of analysis, launched special robots into the middle of the pyramid, and carried out a wide variety of measurements. It seemed that within such a period the pyramid should have revealed all its secrets, but the next discovery shocked even seasoned researchers.

Mysteries of the Cheops pyramid

One of the Seven Wonders of the World has remained a subject of study for more than 200 years. At the same time, the next study reveals a new secret and leads to the emergence of more and more new questions.

The exact date of construction of the pyramid is unknown, since the radiocarbon method used to study the age of the pyramid suggests only an approximate date: from 2680 BC. e. to 2850 BC e. The initiator of the construction was Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops), and the pyramid itself was for a long time the tallest building in the world. However, even today its dimensions remain very impressive, especially considering the time in which construction was carried out. In fact, all work was carried out manually or using simple mechanisms.

In 2017, a papyrus was discovered describing a method for transporting huge blocks. In order to deliver them to the foot of the pyramid, the Egyptians had to divert water from the Nile by laying artificial canals across the Giza plateau. It was along them that the blocks were transported to the construction site on wooden boats connected by ropes.

The Cheops Pyramid is the only one where there are corridors leading both up and down. The main one first goes down, then splits into two more, one of which goes down, and along the second you can go up to the Great Gallery. Already along the gallery you can go to the Queen’s Room and directly to the tomb itself. The tunnel leading down is the passage to the unfinished funeral chamber. The mystery remains that the tomb intended for the burial of the pharaoh turned out to be actually empty.

Already in the 21st century, pyramid researchers discovered voids in the mysterious structures. It turned out that in addition to the three main chambers located inside the pyramids, there are additional rooms.
They tried to study them using different methods, including with the help of robots, but the purpose of the fourth room discovered by scientists is still unknown.

It is noteworthy that in the walls of the main corridor, through which you can get to the Main Tomb, there are quite unusual channels. Researchers are inclined to believe that these channels are elements of some kind of large security system that serves to protect the pharaoh from marauders and desecrators.

New discoveries

One of the three chambers, believed to be a funeral chamber, is actually a mysterious trap designed to protect the pyramid from looters. However, even the corridor leading to the Main Tomb can be deadly.

Pyramid researchers still do not give up trying to unravel all the secrets of the amazing structure. IN Lately scientists began to use special muon scanners to detect yet undiscovered chambers inside the pyramid. At the same time, the resonating properties of waves were studied. It was assumed that the pyramid could be a giant resonator capable of focusing and amplifying waves.

Physics researchers used a computer model of the pyramid, subjecting it to a powerful attack with radio waves. The results of this experiment were very impressive. It turned out that the pyramid actually has the property of accumulating waves by interacting with them.
Initially, energy accumulates inside the Royal Chamber. Then a powerful flow is directed downwards, actually into a deception chamber, which is located at the very bottom, in the area of the foundation. At the same time, the greatest effect was obtained when using waves of 333 and 230 meters.
The researchers intend to continue their experiments, now using other types of waves. They have no doubt that the results in this case will be positive.

The value of this study lies in the fact that this property of the Cheops pyramid, as well as other Egyptian pyramids can be successfully used in modern world not only to create radio waves, but also for special nanoparticles capable of focusing light.

If this assumption turns out to be correct, then this property will be the first step towards the creation of completely new gadgets, which previously could only be read about in science fiction books. It is assumed that this could lead to the creation, among other things, of a light computer, which will be radically different from its predecessors.

True, these assumptions still need to be verified by conducting dozens of experiments. Scientists believe that the results of the new research may be quite unexpected.

Ancient Egypt has been exciting the minds of scientists and ordinary people since the Great Sphinx was first cleared of sand. And although the land of the pharaohs still keeps many secrets under its sands.

In the eastern regions, tourists cannot ignore one of the greatest mysteries of history - the Pyramid of Cheops. The only surviving miracle of the Ancient World, out of seven existing ones, generates the interest of scientists, archaeologists, historians, astrologers and simply fans of mysteries. To questions like: “Where are the pyramids of Cheops?” or “Why is it worth visiting them?”, we will be happy to answer in our article.

What are the dimensions of the Cheops pyramid?

To fully understand the greatness of this architectural masterpiece, it is enough to imagine its dimensions. Just imagine, this is a huge structure weighing about 6.4 million tons, located in Giza, a republic of Egypt. The height of the Cheops pyramid, even after wind erosion, reaches 138 meters, the size of the base reaches 230 meters, and the length of the side edge is 225 meters. And it is with this pyramid that the greatest mysteries of Egyptian history are connected, over which scientists around the world are struggling.

The mystery of the Cheops pyramid - who built it and why?

The most common theory is that the pyramid was built as a tomb for Pharaoh Cheops or Khufu (as the Egyptians themselves call him). Proponents of this theory confirm their guesses with the pyramid model itself. On a base of 53 thousand square meters there are three tombs, one of which houses the Great Gallery.

However, opponents of this version emphasize that the tomb intended for Cheops is not decorated in any way. Which is strange, since, as is known, the Egyptians were adherents of pomp and wealth in the design of the tombs of their rulers. And the sarcophagus itself, which was intended for one of the greatest pharaohs in Egyptian history, was not completed. The edges of the stone box that were not completely hewn and the missing lid indicate that the craftsmen did not take the issue of burial too seriously. In addition, the remains of Cheops himself were not found during any excavations.

Video - How was the Cheops pyramid built?

The version with the tomb is being replaced by the version that the pyramid is an astronomical structure. Astonishing mathematical calculations and the ability to see constellations in the night sky through corridor-type shafts provide astronomers with reasons for debate.

Archaeologists and scientists around the world are trying to unravel the truth of Khufu's pyramid in Giza. However, based on the facts already obtained, we can say with confidence that the author of the project was Hemion, a close relative and, concurrently, the court architect of Cheops. Under his strict leadership for 20 years, from 2560 BC. and until 2540 BC, more than three dozen builders, architects and laborers built a pyramid from huge granite blocks.

Some Egyptians and lovers of occult sciences perceive the pyramid as a religious object. They see a mystical pattern in the intersections of corridors and catacombs. But this idea does not have sufficient basis, as does the version of alien intervention. Thus, a certain circle of ufologists argues that only with the help of alien creatures could such a colossal work of architectural art be built.

What should a tourist know?

Tourists and admirers of Arab culture are only amused and inspired by the difference in versions and general uncertainty that revolves around the Cheops pyramid. Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors come to the foot of the granite structure to experience history. And local residents are only happy about this - all conditions for educational excursions have been created for visitors.

Twice a day, at 8 and 13 o'clock, a group of up to 150 people comes to the pyramid. They enter inside through a passage located on the north side. But, having finally arrived at the place of a kind of pilgrimage, not all visitors are ready for what the Cheops Pyramid is like inside. The long, low passage, compressed on the sides, causes an attack of claustrophobia for some foreigners. And sand, dust and stale air can cause asthma.

But for those who overcame themselves and withstood the transition inside the pyramid, all the architectural grandeur of Egyptian culture is revealed. Massive walls, the Grand Gallery, the general feeling of antiquity and authenticity - this is exactly what captivates guests.

On the south side, at the exit, tourists are invited to get acquainted with exhibits that are the fruits of many years of excavations. Here you can also look at the Solar Boat - one of the largest floating vehicles discovered in the entire history of archaeological activity of mankind. Here you can buy souvenirs and commemorative figurines, T-shirts and so on.

Those who stay until late in the evening will be lucky enough to see the light show. Under the spotlight, the organizers create a unique, slightly mystical atmosphere and tell mysterious stories about the pyramid and Egyptian culture.

Another point that visitors to the Cheops Pyramid should pay attention to is the issue of photography and video shooting. Inside the building itself, there is a ban on any photography, as well as on the desire of some people to climb the pyramid itself. But, after leaving the tomb and buying a souvenir, you can take countless pictures from any angle. In the photo, the Cheops pyramid will sparkle with new colors and amaze with its geometric shapes.

However, you should be as vigilant as possible and not give your gadgets to strangers, other tourists and, especially, local residents. Otherwise, you risk either never seeing your camera at all, or parting with an impressive amount to get it back.

From a purely practical point of view, there is nothing strange in this. As you know, in any tourist center in the world, the local population prefers to make a profit at any cost. Hence the inflated prices, and the tendency to fraud, and big number pickpockets. Therefore, you should be as vigilant as possible.

Pyramid of Cheops: interesting facts

The Pyramid of Cheops is a beautiful and amazing creation. She is the object of fascination for scientists, artists, writers, directors and many other people who are not afraid to solve mysteries. And before heading to Giza to the granite massif, it is worth reading the stories about it. There are dozens of movies online for this purpose. Such as, for example, the documentary “Unraveling the Mystery of the Cheops Pyramid” directed by Florence Tran. In it, the author tries to explore as broadly as possible the idea of construction, the mystery of creation and the true purpose of the pyramid of the great pharaoh.

Interestingly, despite the unfinished sarcophagi and the lack of clear information about the architect of the Cheops pyramid, the greatest mystery is the internal shafts. According to experts, reaching a width of 13 to 20 centimeters, the shafts run along the sides of the main rooms and have a diagonal exit to the surface. The specific purpose of these mines is still not known. Either this is ventilation, or secret passages, or a kind of air gap. Until now, science has no specific information on this matter.

Video - Facts about the Cheops pyramid

The same goes for the process of building a pyramid. Materials for one of the seven wonders of the world were delivered from a nearby quarry. But it is still not known how large boulders weighing up to 80 tons were delivered to the construction site. Here again a lot of questions arise about the level of technological progress of the Egyptians. Or to the question of magic or higher intelligence.

What is the Cheops pyramid really? Tomb? Observatory? Occult object? A message from alien civilizations? We will probably never know this. But each of us has a chance to go to Giza and touch history and make our own assumptions.

“The Pyramid of Cheops, like a “Russian nesting doll,” consists of three pyramids of three pharaohs.”

The curtain has been opened over the thousand-year-old “secret” of one of the wonders of the World - the Pyramid of Cheops

Mysteries are overcome by knowledge. Knowledge can be obtained or created.

Every creation of human hands has meaning. “...Everything that arises must have some reason for its occurrence, for it is absolutely impossible to arise without a cause.” (IV century BC, Plato, Timaeus).

What does it mean that one of the "Seven Wonders of the World" The Cheops pyramid is similar to a “Russian nesting doll”, containing within itself two more pyramids, one inside the other?

Let's think, understand the facts and create new knowledge on this basis.
As a “tool for creation” let’s take common sense, the logic of thinking and knowledge of people who used ideas about the world at that distant time.
“What is comprehended through reflection and reasoning is obviously an eternally identical being; and that which is subject to opinion... arises and dies, but never really exists.” (IV century BC, Plato, Timaeus).

So, let's start with the facts.
Firstly, there are three burial chambers in the pyramid. - Three! It never occurs to any living person to prepare a tomb for himself in three “copies.” Moreover, as can be seen from the size of the pyramids, this was quite a troublesome and time-consuming task. Egyptian archaeologists have established that for their wives the pharaohs built separate structures of a much smaller size and the “family structure” in the pyramids of the pharaohs was not established. From this fact it follows that the pyramid has different time there were three masters (three pharaohs), and therefore each had his own burial chamber.

To confirm this conclusion, consider a cross-section of the pyramid (what it is).

Egyptian historians have established that long before the construction of the pyramids in ancient Egypt in the 4th millennium BC. and even earlier, pharaohs were buried in deep underground halls where the mummy was located. In the ground part, on top of the hall, a low, trapezoidal truncated pyramid was built. Everything together was called mastaba (crypt). Inside, in the ground room of the mastaba, there was a prayer room with a statue of the pharaoh, into which after death (according to the ancient Egyptians) the soul of the pharaoh moved. The halls in the room could also be isolated from each other.
Looking at the cross-section plan of the Cheops pyramid, we can conclude that the upper prayer room of the mastaba, which has not been discovered to date (no more than 15 meters high) located in the center, just below the middle burial chamber (7). Unless, of course, when the second pharaoh began construction of his pyramid over the mastaba, it was not destroyed, crushed, plundered and preserved in volume.
The conclusion about the presence of a mastaba room on the base of the plateau in the center of the Cheops pyramid is also confirmed by the research of French scientists Gilles Dormayon and Jean-Yves Verdhart. In August 2004, while examining the middle burial chamber (7) with sensitive gravitational instruments, they discovered an impressively sized void underneath it at a depth of about four meters.

Also in the pyramid there is a narrow inclined-vertical shaft (12), built for the passage of the pharaoh’s soul from the underground burial pit (5) to the top. The passage should connect to the above-ground prayer room of the mastaba. At the exit of the mine, at the level of the surface of the plateau under the base of the pyramid, there is a small grotto (expansion up to 5 meters) the walls of which are partially reinforced more ancient masonry, not belonging to the pyramid. The ascending shaft and ancient stonework are nothing more than belonging to the first mastaba. From the grotto (12) to the center of the pyramid there should be an entrance to scale, which, most likely, was walled up by the builders of the second pyramid (due to its uselessness).

According to archaeologists, the underground burial “pit” (5) remained unfinished. Perhaps for the same reason, the upper above-ground part of the mastaba with the prayer room remained unfinished ( what remains to be seen). The presence of an unfinished burial structure, located in the most advantageous place (on the top of a stone plateau) served as an excuse and moral basis for the second (before Cheops) pharaoh to take a mastaba to build a second pyramid over it.
The fact that the age of the Sphinx is estimated to be much older than the pyramids (about 5-10 thousand years) also supports the fact that the Giza plateau was previously “inhabited” by ancient mastabas.

By the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC. in Egypt, burials in mastabas were replaced by more majestic structures - step pyramids, and even later to smooth ones. The Egyptians also developed a different worldview about the place of residence of the soul after death. – The soul flies to a new life in the stars. “Whoever lives the time allotted to him properly, will return to the abode of the star named after him" (Plato, Timaeus).

The burial chamber (7) belonging to the second inner pyramid (on the cross-sectional plan) should be located above the prayer part of the first mastaba. The corridor ascending to the chamber (6) is laid along the wall of the mastaba, and the horizontal one (8) along its roof. Thus, one can “see” the approximate contours of the first ancient internal truncated, trapezoidal mastaba pyramid.

Second inner pyramid ten meters on each side is smaller than the current outer third pyramid of Cheops. This can be judged by the length of the two so-called (in modern times) “ventilation ducts” emanating from the chamber (7) (with a cross section of 20 by 25 cm). These channels (according to the section plan) do not reach the boundary of the external walls by approximately ten meters. The name of the channels - air ducts, of course, is not correct. The deceased did not need any ventilation ducts. The channels had a different purpose. This is one of the “keys” to solving the mystery of the pyramid. Channels are pointing, skyward path, oriented with great accuracy (up to a degree) to those stars where, according to the ideas of the ancient Egyptians, the soul of the pharaoh would settle after death. When the second pyramid was built, the channels from the burial chamber (7) reached the edge of the outer walls and were open to the sky.
The second burial chamber of the pharaoh was probably also unfinished (judging by the lack of its interior decoration). This suggests that the entire pyramid was not completed (for example, there was a war, the pharaoh was killed, died prematurely from illness, an accident, etc.). But, in any case, the second pyramid was already built no lower than the height of the channels emanating from the burial chamber (7) to the outer walls
The second inner pyramid reveals itself not only with hermetically sealed canals and its own burial chamber, but also with the now walled-up central entrance (1) to the pyramid. This entrance, approximately the same 10 meters (as the channels), turned out to be recessed inside the outer wall of the third pyramid.
The entrance, built before Cheops, was not extended to the boundaries of the outer wall of the third pyramid, and therefore, after adding the perimeter of the walls of the third pyramid, the entrance turned out to be “recessed” inside. Entrance gates are always somewhat placed outside the structure, rather than buried deep within the body of the structure.

The next in line, the third owner of the pyramid was Pharaoh Cheops (Khufu).
Archaeologists and historians, according to the decoding of hieroglyphs, have established that the Cheops pyramid was built not by slaves (as previously thought), but by civilian builders, who, of course, had to hard work pay well. And since the volume of construction was enormous, it was more profitable for the pharaoh to take an unfinished pyramid than to build it from scratch, thus it was “tempting” to use the unfinished work. Again, as in the first case, the most advantageous location played its role - at the top of the plateau.
The construction of the third pyramid began with the dismantling of the central part of the unfinished second. In the resulting “funnel” at a height of approximately 40 meters from the ground, a pre-chamber (11) and the third burial chamber of the pharaoh (10) were built. The passage to the third chamber only needed to be extended. The ascending tunnel (6) was continued in the form of a large 8-meter high cone-shaped gallery (9). The cone-shaped shape of the gallery, which is not similar to the first initial part of the ascending passage, indicates that the passage was not made at one time, but at different times according to two different projects.

After the third pyramid was expanded “at the hips”, adding about 10 meters on each side, the old outgoing channels for the “exit of the soul” from the chamber (7) turned out to be closed. If the burial chamber (7) did not involve burial, then the builders of the third pyramid had no reason to extend the old channels. The channels were simply covered with new rows of wall blocks.
In September 2002, English research scientists launched a caterpillar robot into one of the narrow “air ducts” from the middle burial chamber. Having risen to the end, he rested against a limestone slab 13 cm thick, drilled it, and on the other side of the slab at a distance of 18 cm, the robot saw another stone barrier. These are the blocks of the wall of the third pyramid.

During the construction of the third burial chamber of Pharaoh Cheops, new channels (10) were laid from it for the “flight of the soul” to the stars. If you look closely at the section of the pyramid, the channels from the second and third chambers are almost parallel. At one time they were aimed at the same stars. Almost parallel, but not quite! The channels from the upper third chamber, relative to the channels of the second, are slightly rotated clockwise by 3-5 degrees. This is not an accident. Egyptian builders very scrupulously recorded the position of the stars in the sky and their direction. - Then what's the matter?

The Earth's rotation axis shifts by 1 degree every 72 years, and every 25,920 years, the Earth's axis, rotating with an inclination like a spinning top, makes a full circle. This astronomical phenomenon called precession. The ancient Egyptian priests knew about the declination of the Earth's axis and its swing around the poles. Plato called the rotation time of the Earth's axis 26 thousand years - “The Great Year”.

When the Earth's axis shifts by one degree over 72 years, the angle of view in the direction of the desired star also changes by 1 degree (including the angle of view on the Sun). If the displacement of a pair of channels differs by approximately 3-5 degrees, then we can calculate that the difference between the unfinished construction of the second pyramid and the time when the construction of the third pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops (Khufu) began is 216 -360 years.
Egyptian historians say that Pharaoh Khufu reigned from 2540-2560 BC. By measuring “degree” years ago, we can tell when the second inner pyramid was built.
In the entire Cheops pyramid, in the only place under the ceiling, on the powerful vaulted granite slabs above the third burial chamber, there is a hieroglyph made by workers - “Builders, friends of Pharaoh Khufu.” No other mention of the names and affiliations of the pharaohs to the pyramid has yet been found.

Most likely, the third pyramid of Cheops was completed and used for its intended purpose. Otherwise, the entrance (1) would not have been closed with granite slabs, and a plug of several granite cubes would not have been lowered from the inside along an inclined plane into the ascending passage (6). Thus, the pyramid was tightly closed to everyone for three thousand years (until 820 AD).

The ancient Egyptian name of the Cheops pyramid is read in hieroglyphs - “Horizon of Khufu”. The name has a literal meaning. The angle of inclination of the side face of the pyramid is 51° 50". - This is the angle at which the Sun rose exactly at noon on the days of the autumn - spring equinox. The Sun at noon, like a golden “crown” crowned the pyramid. Throughout the year, the Sun (ancient Egyptian God - Ra ) walks across the sky higher in summer, lower in winter (just like the pharaoh in his domains) and the Sun (pharaoh) always returns to his “home.” Therefore, the angle of inclination of the walls of the pyramid points to the house of “God - the Sun” and to the horizon of the “house - pyramids" of Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) - "son of the Sun God"

The edges of the walls are arranged at an angle to the Sun not only in this pyramid. In Khafre's pyramid, the angle of inclination of the wall faces is slightly more than 52-53 degrees (it is known that it was built later). In the Mikerin pyramid, the slope of the faces is 51°20′25″ (less than that of Cheops). Historians did not know whether it was built before the Cheops pyramid or later. But, now, taking into account the “degree time”, the less steep angle of inclination of the walls (if the builders were not mistaken) indicates that it was built earlier. In relation to the “degree age scale”, a difference in slope of 30 minutes corresponds to 36 years. In later Egyptian pyramids, the slope of the faces should accordingly be higher.

There are also many pyramids in Sudan, the slope of which is much steeper. Sudan is significantly south of Egypt and the Sun on the day of the spring - autumn equinox stands much higher above the horizon there. This explains the steepness of the walls of the Sudanese pyramids.

In 820 AD. The Baghdad caliph Abu Jafar al-Mamun, in search of the countless treasures of the pharaoh, made a horizontal break (2) at the base of the Cheops pyramid, which is used to enter the pyramid to this day. The breach was made to the beginning of the ascending corridor (6), where they ran into granite cubes, which were bypassed to the right and thus penetrated into the pyramid. But, according to historians, they found nothing but “half a cubit’s worth of dust” inside. If there was anything valuable in the pyramid, the caliph’s servants took it, and what they left, they took it all out over the next 1200 years.

Judging by appearance gallery (9), it looks like there were 28 pairs of ritual statues along its walls in rectangular recesses. (The exact purpose of the recesses is not known). The fact that tall statues stood there is evidenced by two facts - the eight-meter height of the gallery, and also on the walls there were large round peeling imprints from the mortar with which the inclined statues were attached to the walls. (see photo galleries on Wikipedia).

I will disappoint those who are mystically inclined to find “miracles” in the design of the pyramids.
Over a hundred pyramids have been discovered in Egypt today, and they are all different from each other. There are different angles of inclination of the faces oriented towards the Sun (because they were built at different times), there is a pyramid with a “broken side” at a double angle, there are stone and brick pyramids, lined and stepped, there are even ones with a rectangular base (of Pharaoh Djoser) . There is no unity even among the three pyramids at Giza. The smaller of the three, the Mykerinus pyramid, at its base is not oriented strictly to the cardinal points. That is, the orientation of the sides is not given any importance. In the main pyramid of Cheops, the third (upper) burial chamber is not located in geometric center pyramid and not even on the axis of the pyramid. In the pyramids of Khafre and Mikerin, the burial chambers are also off-center. If there was some kind of secret law, secret or knowledge in the pyramids, " golden ratio” and so on, then everyone would have uniformity. - But there is nothing like that.

Bent pyramid of Sneferu in Dahshur, 26th century BC. e.

Step pyramid of Djoser in the Sahara 2600 BC. e.

Minister of Archeology of Egypt and leading current expert on ancient pyramids Zahi Hawass says: “Like any practitioner, I decided to check the statement that food does not spoil in the pyramid. Divided a kilogram of meat in half. I left one part in the office and the other in the Cheops pyramid. The part in the pyramid deteriorated even faster than in the office.”

What else can archaeologists do today in the Cheops pyramid? – Perhaps, try to find the above-ground prayer room of the first mastaba, for which we could drill down (vertically or obliquely in the edges and corners) several holes in the floor of the second (7) burial chamber, until an internal cavity is discovered below. It is better to find a walled passage from the grotto (12) or re-pave it. This will not be detrimental to the pyramid, since there was originally a connecting entrance from the burial pit to the above-ground mastaba room. All you have to do is find it. Then it will become known about the owner of the first mastaba - a truncated trapezoidal pyramid.

Pyramid of Cheops at Giza.

The Sphinx is of much greater interest in Egyptian Giza.

The stone body of the ancient Sphinx is located from west to east. Burial chambers and burials were also made from west to east. It can be assumed that the Sphinx is component The above-ground structure is the tomb of an unknown pharaoh.
Searches in this direction would expand the boundaries of knowledge of history ancient egypt. Or an even earlier civilization, for example, the Atlanteans, whom the Egyptians deified and attributed to their ancient ancestors and predecessor gods.

An identification study by American criminologists concluded that the face of the Sphinx does not resemble the faces of the statues of Egyptian pharaohs, but has Negroid features. That is, the ancient ancestors of the Egyptians - including Atlanteans had Negroid facial features and African origin.

Looks like a burial chamber and a mummy ancient pharaoh of Negro origin is located under the front paws of the Sphinx. In this case, there must be a passage upward from the underground hall - a path for the relocation of the “soul” of the pharaoh, for subsequent life in the body of the Sphinx statue (according to the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians).

Sphinx - lion (symbol royal power) with a human head and the face of a pharaoh. It is likely that the face of the discovered mummy of the pharaoh (after plastic restoration) will turn out to be “two peas in a pod” similar to the face of the Sphinx.
The veil of secrecy has been lifted over the “secrets” of Egyptian structures in Giza. Now, all that remains is to “enter”, permission from the Egyptian authorities is required, which they give to research scientists with great reluctance.

Vladimir Garmatyuk (Vologda) http://viperson.ru/wind.php?ID=655412