THE GREAT PYRAMID
EXPOSURE AND NEW ANALYSIS OF THE CONSTRUCTIVE SYSTEM
Alejandro Ricart Cabús
Georges Goyon, in the preamble to his work "Le secret des bâtisseurs des grandes pyramides", states that one of the most frustrating problems of egyptian archaeology is that the construction of the pyramids in Egypt still has not satisfactorily been solved.
The objective of this work is to expose and contend my theory about the method used by the ancient egyptians in the construction of the Great Pyramid of Gizeh.
The method of construction which I propose assigns the chambers and internal passages of the pyramid the principal mechanical function for its own construction; hypothesis which contradicts the most accepted version which attributes them as being exclusively funereal. Even though by means of this mechanism the construction of any pyramid would be feasible, from a certain level, it does not pretend to be an alternative theory about the construction of pyramids in general. Only the second pyramid attributed to King Khafre, due to its dimensions, would accept the same procedure to its advantage. The majority of investigators and archaeologists agree in two fundamental aspects with respect to the pyramids which polarize any investigation: their sepulchral function and the use of a ramp or inclined plane for their construction. The mechanical system of the chambers, does not exclude the validity of these two great parameters; furthermore, even though it questions important aspects of the same, it gives a satisfactory answer (from my point of view) to the severe interrogatives which derive from the actual approach.Claiming that the inclined plane or ramp reaches the vertex of the pyramid situated at more that 146m. from the base, generates insuperable engineering problems; due either to the length of the viaduct, the immense volume of the terreplein or the excessive unevenness of the plane when these obstacles were to be avoided (J. Ph. Lauer). If you opt for the model of enveloping ramps (N.F. Wheeler and Georges Goyon) or the zig zagging ones (Hölscher) the lack of stability occurs on the terreplein and the impossibility to manoeuvre on corners. All of the trials with lifting machines inspired by the controversial testimony of Herodotus (L. Croon, Strub Roessler, Legrain, A. Choisy, P. Hodges) are inoperative or improbable; in any case slow and unsafe. In the Cheops pyramid, the impossibility to use these machines is made all the more evident, due to the existence of the great blocks of granite of between 50 and 70 tons which make up the five flat ceilings of the King's Chamber. Attribute a funereal end to the whole complex structure of chambers and passages inside the Great Pyramid, implies accepting that two changes in plan were made during the construction of the factory (Petrie, Borchardt, Edwards, Grinsell, Vandier); in other words, improvisation in a brilliant and colossal work destined to maintain an entire egyptian town occupied during three decades. Countless incongruities and interrogatives succeed, both architectural, religious and historical when attempting to explain everything under the sole funereal aspect: design of the Great Gallery, violation and plunder of the tomb, location of the obstructive blocks before and during the burial, sealing of the access to the chambers, etc, etc. The Italian architects Maragioglio and Rinaldi, in their scholarly study of the pyramid, "L'Architettura delle Piramidi Menfite" part IV, convincingly explain the motives of their disagreement with the hypothetical changes in plan with respect to the original project. The acceptance of my constructive system would require the acknowledgement that the egyptian people, in such a remote era, had reached a technological level much higher than the one usually recognized. On the other hand, such a complex and precise mechanism, requires a long period of experimentation and perfection. The Great Pyramid is the result of a plan that had been perfectly outlined and carried out. No changes and no experiments were performed on the original project.
THEORY ABOUT ITS CONSTRUCTION
The constructive method I propose is the following: Firstly the rocky ground was levelled in the entire area destined to be the base of the pyramid by the proceeding of digging trenches perpendicular between themselves forming a grid. These excavations or furrows were filled with water in order to obtain the exact level. The parts of rock that protruded or flanged the water, were eliminated by sculpting them with chisels; nevertheless, they left natural rock terraces at different levels to prevent against possible sliding of the works in any direction. At the same time as the base of the pyramid was being built, the perforation of the subterranean duct or "Descending Passage" and the excavation of part of the "Grotto" with its corresponding descending extension or "Well-Shaft". Both ducts meet and communicate in their lower extreme, near to the level reserved for what would be the "Subterranean Chamber". This great subterranean chamber, due to its great dimensions, it called for the presence of various stone cutters working at the same time; consequently, if no remedy was made, a problem of lack of ventilation during excavation would be produced. In foresight of this inconvenience they made the torturous duct of the "Well-Shaft", diverted from the shortest route searching for the deepest area of the "Descending Passage"; even though, as we will see later on, this was not its only function.
The ramp.
The resource of a ramp or inclined plane was used up to the positioning of courses 60 and 61 of masonry which correspond to the levels immediately above the "King's Chamber"; whose slabs surround, without covering, the great blocks of granite which forms the first of the five ceilings of this magnificent dwelling.
The upper part of course 60, measures from the base of the pyramid 49,77 m.; exactly 95 "cubits" of 0,5239 m. (Newton's cubit). This was the maximum level or height of the ramp by means of which was also positioned course 61 complete and parts progressively smaller than the courses 62-71, following the continuation of the ramp on the terrace in construction*(Fig.1).
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Figure 1 Meaning that when constructed by means of an inclined plane the result was an incomplete pyramid of 50,44 m. high with a surface and 57,562 m. in the north facade. By means of this ramp they also lifted up the immense stones that form the five smooth ceilings of granite and those of limestone which, laid out in gables, crown the whole architrave. With all of them deposited on the ample terrace of the pyramid, they were lifted by levers and short inclined planes, on each new course until reaching their position on the corresponding level. The inclined plane designed for the haulage and ascent of the slabs, would be located on the South face of the pyramid. Their trajectory would stray about 10º in southwest sense *(Fig. 2).
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Figure 2 The embankment, with an incline of one part for each 18,538.., would have a length equivalent to the one that Herodotus assigned to the splendid roadway which cost the entire Egyptian nation ten years of work: 5 stages, about 924 m. and separated 883,533 m. from the foot of the pyramid. This equals an unevenness near to 5,4%, a very adequate slope for dragging the large stones which make up the royal chamber.
The mechanism
It is from the base of course 61, or the upper part of course 60, that the mechanism for elevation of the slabs by means of interior chambers comes into action. The disposition and functioning of the system which allowed the stones to be lifted was the following: The three great blocks of granite which form the obstructive wedge, at the beginning of the "Ascending Passage", were situated on the higher extreme of the "Great Gallery", immediately after the "Great Step" and mounted on wooden sleighs *(Fig.3).
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Figure 3 When the anchors which retained the sleighs were released, they precipitated down the slope of the gallery acting as a counterweight (of the exterior slab) which actions a large transmission chain which, in turn, produced the rotation of a roller located inside the "King's Chamber" *(Fig.4). The roller of the royal chamber, interlocked with another one whose mission was to rewind a thick rope, of about 12 cm. diameter, which penetrated by the duct or vent of the South face and, after crossing the nucleus of masonry of the pyramid, reaching the exterior to unite with the device which elevated the slabs situated at the end of the ramp or zone of arrival of the stones. The "Great Gallery" in its entire length and in both corbels is provided with 27 cavities or slots distributed to leave regular spaces between them. The mission of these cavities was to anchor some wooden posts which reached in height up to the second salient of the wall, forming a structure capable of resisting the impact of the counterweight sleighs against the constraints which were distributed in a regular way along a handrail attached to the structure of the gallery.
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The route necessary to reach the vertex of the pyramid, from the exterior ramp, is exactly three time the length serviceable or available to move each sleigh in the interior of the gallery *(Fig.5).
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Figure 5 This means that the sleighs were used separately and in a correlative way depending on the level where they were working. To position the first courses, as from the outside ramp, only the first counterweight was used; this kept stopping at a lower or more distant extreme as the courses or terraces were finished. Four courses above the hole of the air duct. the second counterweight also started to work as well as the first one; but whilst this one covered the whole length of the gallery without interruption, impacting against more and more distant extremes. The third counterweight only took part, along with the others, in the positioning of the final courses, end to end.
On the outside, the stones ascended mounted on runners and suspended by a crosspiece which slides over two wooden rails. These runners were fixed at a certain height parallel to facade of the pyramid and sustained by means of a wooden structure which was elongated by modules as the construction gained height. the driving motive kept movingto a higher level and, the space left by it was supplemented by a new section of rails.
The rails were supported by solid wooden posts, united to each other by means of cross reinforcements, and leaning on tiers formed by the absence of one of each three blocks of the own lining of the pyramid *(Fig. 6).
 Figure 6 Exterior elevator system |
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After unloading the stone on the pyramid, this had to be substituted by something which could pull the gallery counterweights until they reached the level of their starting point; meaning, next to the "Great Step".
The ascension of the counterweight sleighs was achieved by filling the area which was occupied by the stone with sand; although with a heavier weight. Two rows of workmen were situated on the gradient on either side of the rails, forming a double human chain, moving and ascending small sacks full of sand joined together by means of a rope. The sand used was always the same. It was unloaded onto the ascension platform, and when it reached the bottom it was rapidly lifted again, pulling the rope at the same time as other workmen, loaded and ascended another stone. In this manner when the slab was deposited on the terrace for its positioning, the sand, was ready to replace it.
Approximately 1.000.000 blocks or slabs were positioned in this way. I calculate that the pyramid would have in total, including the pyramidion, 217 courses of masonry which were constructed in the following way:
The 61 course complete and one part of 62 to 71, following the ramp or inclined plane, located on the outside and on the South face. The other 146and the complementary part of the courses 62 to 71, by means of the mechanism of the interior chambers.
The first counterweight would lift the slabs of 45 courses; in other words, it would complete the pyramid up to the higher level of course 106. The second counterweight, together with the first one, would lift the following 52 and would be cut off on the 158th. Finally, the third counterweight would intervene finishing off the pyramid with the final 59 courses, in their majority much smaller, with the exception of the last one or pyramidion.
The total volume of the pyramid was 2.591.701,60 cubic metres. The volume in the part destined to the mechanism of the chambers: 650.007,45 m3 *(Fig.7).
 Figure 7 Construction levels |
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The circuit covered by the elevator mechanism in the interior of the pyramid, occupied all of its chambers and galleries; except for he subterranean one *(Fig.8). Its most remote extreme reached the confluence of the "Ascending Passage" with the "Descending Passage" area that is today occupied by the obstructive granite wedge. In this point there was a drum which inverted the direction of the chain coming from the gallery. Due to this, the passage to the chambers of the workmen who were in charge of the operation of the mechanism, was not made through the "Ascending Passage" but by means of the subterranean one and the passage of the "Well-Shaft". This was the second and principal function of the irregular "passage of the thief".
 Figure 8 Circuit if the mechanism of the interior chambers |
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The area of confluence of the three passages (Grand Gallery, Ascending Passage and the Corridor of the Queen's Chamber) were provided with two tracks that united the gallery floor with the Ascending Passage; in such a way that the sleighs could run on them until reaching the North wall of the gallery. This design allowed the workmen to be situated in the first section of the flat corridor and have access to the lower part of the sleighs to make repairs or the corresponding maintenance to the runners.
The chain proceeding from the Ascending Passage, before returning to the gears situated over the Great Step to close the circuit, penetrated the inside of the Queen's Chamber where a great wheel lathe could be found *(Fig. 9); a very necessary mechanism to enable an effective control of the movement of the counterweights.
The chain was returned to the gallery by means of the gears which could be found in the confluence of the three passages or maintenance area.
 Figure 9 Elevated view of the Queen's Chamber, corridor with step an counterweight sleighs located in the maintenance zone |
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Due to the fact that the three counterweights had to intervene in a correlative way, it was necessary to have a mechanism for the coupling and uncoupling of the sleighs with the driving chain. The ropes which drove the connection clamps should always have just the right tension; this was the important mission of the "Antechamber" *(Fig 10).
 Figure 10 Route of the ropes in the Antechamber |
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By means of this construction system it is possible to deduce that, the exterior coating of the pyramid was put into position at the same time as the nucleus of masonry and one course ahead of this, with the exception of the space occupied by the ascension rails. This zone was finished from top to bottom (as the egyptian priests related to Herodotus) at the same time as they dismantled the whole framework of the exterior elevator system.
Each course of coating had to be put into position on the pyramid before its equivalent in the nucleus. In any other way it would have been impossible to be able to adapt them with such precision. This allowed working "from inside" in the positioning and millimetric adjustment of the stones. This avoided, the need of having a surrounding ramp and that of situating an inclined plane on each of the four faces. The coating stones were hauled over the terrace formed by the slabs of the nucleus and put into position forming a perimeter ledge. Later, the interior space was filled with slabs, firmly joined to the coating stones, avoiding matching joints. Nevertheless, to put the last courses and the pyramidion into position, a lateral terrace had to be built allowing outside operation; due to the fact that the work space is progressively reduced as the summit is reached. It is due to this that the axis of the chambers and the south vent are displaced from the apothegm of the pyramid *(Fig.11).
 Figure 11 Auxiliary terrace attached to the East face |
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Closed pyramid
Once the work has finished, the workmen took the counterweights off their sleighs and they left them on the gallery floors attached and ready for sliding.
They dismantled all of the machinery of the system which was removed through the "Ascending Passage".
From the "Grotto", the inferior channel of the "Well-Shaft was obstructed with the gravel and soil which, had been left there for this reason. This signified that the escape route of the workmen was not made by the "Well-Shaft" channel, but by the "Ascending Passage".
Once already out from the pyramid and by means of a very skill system of "remote control", the three counterweights were released and consequently they immediately rushed down the gradient of the "Ascending Passage" until being retained and encased in the straitness of this conduct on its beginning for the purpose.
The way leading to the chambers was thus blockaded till the men of Al-Mamún, in the IX century Ch.E., the tunnel in the ashlars close to the obstructing wedge was drilled and thus the "Ascending Passage" was discovered.
The automatic closing device which allowed the pyramid to be sealed from the outside without risk of being closed in and at the same time allowed the workmen to block up the well-shaft before leaving, was the following:
Thick ropes were introduced through both air vents (the ones used on the rollers of the Antechamber would do) and met in the frontal part of the first stopper block. There, on the frontal part, the extremes of the ropes were tied by means of an "Egyptian" knot, which has the peculiarity of coming instantly undone, regardless of how tightly the extremes have been tensed, when the incorporated split pin was released and which at the same time was very easy to move.
The confluence of the Grand Gallery and the Corridor of the Queen's Chamber was filled with salt, forming an embankment which united without presenting discontinuity, the floor of the gallery with the ascending duct. Then, they covered the whole floor of this passage with a fine coat of sand *(Fig.12).
 Figure 12 Method used in the obstruction of the Ascending Passage. |
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With the same saline product, used in the zone of confluence, they blocked up the restricted end of the "Ascending Passage".
Immediately afterwards, they abandoned the pyramid here and through the "Descending Passage". Everything was prepared to definitively close the accesses to the interior chambers.
Through the "Descending Passage" the rope that was united to the split pin was pulled. It slipped between the knots and when it fell, the knot became undone.
The blocks rapidly fell down the gallery slope; they crossed the salt bridge and entered into the "Ascending Passage". The sand deposited made the slipping easier. The salt stopper compressed in such a way that it was capable of retaining the train of blocks. The only thing left to do was dissolve the salt stopper so that the obstructive wedge would slowly descend to find the compressed zone and remain jammed in it without breaking.
The water needed to enable the saline dissolution came from outside through the channels of the "King's Chamber" *(Fig. 13).
Stone fixed like a stopper in each of the exterior exits of the air vents and in the cavities, corresponding to the posts of sustention of rails and steps, was the last operation before removing the large ramp of stone and adobe which allowed the construction of the first sixty one courses.
 Figure 13 Introduction of water to the interior of cameras |
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I calculate that about 400 workmen would be sufficient to attend all of the phases of the ascension system of the slabs.