top of a rocky Hill, in the sandy Desart of _Lybia_, about a quarter of
a Mile distant Westward from the Plains of _Egypt_, the height of the
scituation giving Beauty as the solidity of the Rock does firmness to
the Superstructure. The Basis is exactly four square, and the North side
of it being measur’d by Mr. _Greaves_ with a _Radius_ of 10 Foot, was
found to be 693 _English_ Foot, and the Altitude being measur’d by its
Perpendicular, was found to be 481 Foot; but if taken as it ascends
inclining, then is it equal to the Basis, which is 693 Foot. To give a
true Idea of the just Dimensions of this _Pyramid_, we must imagine on
the sides of the Basis, which is exactly square, four equilateral
Triangles mutually propending, till they all meet at the top as it were
in a point; for so the _Perimeter_ of each Triangle comprehending 2079
Foot, and the _Perimeter_ of the Basis 2772 Foot, the whole Area of the
Basis will contain 480249 square Foot, or about 11 _English_ Acres of
Ground, which is a Proportion so monstrous, that it might seem
incredible were it not attested by the Ancients to be so much, and by
some of them more. The Ascent to the top of the _Pyramid_, from all the
sides without, is by Degrees or Steps; the lowermost Degree is near four
Foot in height, and three in breadth, which goes about the _Pyramid_ in
a level: The second Degree is like the first, only it retires inward
near three Foot; after the same manner is the third Row, and so the
rest, rising like so many Stairs one above another to the top, which
ends not in a point, but in a little flat, and is about 13 Foot broad,
being cover’d with nine Stones, besides two which are wanting at the
Angles. The Degrees by which we ascend are not of an equal depth, for
some are near four Foot, others want of three, and the higher we ascend,
the depth grows the less, and so in proportion does the breadth also.
These rows of Stones are much impair’d by the Weather, yet every Step,
which is but one single Stone, is at least 30 cubical Feet; the number
of Degrees from the bottom to the top is 207 or 208. Some of the
Ancients have reported, that this _Pyramid_ casts no Shadow, which must
be meant in the Summer-Time and at Mid-Day, for in the Winter Mr.
_Greaves_ saw it cast a Shadow at Noon. Thus far concerning the out-side
or Superficies of the greater _Pyramid_, with the Figure and Dimensions
of it; next Mr. _Greaves_ gives a particular Account of what he found
within it, of which, if the Ancients have been silent, he imputes it
chiefly to a reverend and awful Regard mix’d with Superstition, in not
presuming to enter those Chambers of Death, which Religion and Devotion
had consecrated to the Rest and Quiet of the Dead. And first he tells us
how he ascended on the North side 38 Foot, on an artificial Bank of
Earth, when he and his Company enter’d, [Sidenote: The _Entrance_.] with
Tapers in their Hands, thro’ a square narrow Passage three Foot broad
and 92 long, the Declivity of which was gradually so strait, that they
were forc’d, at the farther end, to creep on their Bellies. After this,
having pass’d thro’ a place in which they found ugly large Bats above a
Foot long, they enter’d the first Gallery, [Sidenote: First and second
_Gallery_.] the Pavement of which was of white and pollish’d Marble,
rising with a gentle Acclivity, being about five Foot broad, as many
high, and 110 Foot long: At the end of this begins the second Gallery, a
very stately piece of Work, and not inferiour, either in respect of the
curiosity of Art or richness of Materials, to the most sumptuous and
magnificent Buildings. ’Tis divided from the former by a Wall, thro’
which they pass’d stooping along a square hole, much about the same
bigness as the entrance of the _Pyramid_, but of no considerable length
yet level: At the end of this Hole on the right Hand, [Sidenote: The
_Well_.] they found the Well mention’d by _Pliny_ to be 86 Cubits in
depth, into which, he probably imagines, the Water of the River _Nile_
was brought by some secret Aqueduct, and _Bellonius_ thinks, out of this
Well the Workmen drew the Water which they drank, as likewise that it
serv’d them to dilute the Mortar they us’d in the Masons Work of the
Building; but others affirm, that after having descended 67 Foot strait
downwards, there is a square Window which leads into a Grot or Cave dug
out of a Hill found there, not of living or solid Stone, but of Sand
condens’d and press’d together; it extends in length from East to West
15 Foot lower, and consequently 82 from the top. There is a Way dug in
the Rock two Foot and half wide, whose descent downwards is very crooked
the length of 123 Foot, at the end of which it is fill’d with Sand and
Bats nastiness: As ’tis said a _Scotch_ Gentleman found it out, of whom
the _Sieur Thevenot_ makes mention in his Travels. _Le Bruyn_ thinks it
probable, that this Well was made to let down the Corps into, that were
put in the Cavities that are under the _Pyramids_, but would not venture
the Experiment of going down to see. _Greaves_ also thinks this Well was
the Passage to those secret Vaults, mention’d, but not describ’d by
_Herodotus_, which were hewn out of the natural Rock, over which this
_Pyramid_ was erected. This Well, says the former, is circular and about
three Foot over; the sides of it are lin’d with white Marble, and the
descent into it is by fixing the Hands and Feet in little open spaces,
cut into the sides within, opposite and answerable to one another in a
perpendicular. But by his measure, sounding it with a Line, he found it
only 20 Foot deep, the rest, as he supposes, has almost been damm’d up
and choak’d with Rubbage. Thence going strait forward the distance of 15
Foot, they entred another square Passage, opposite to the former and of
the same bigness, the Stones being very massy and exquisitely joyn’d;
this led, at the extent of 110 Foot, into an arch’d Vault or little
Chamber, standing East and West, about 20 Foot long, 17 broad and 15
high: The Walls were plaister’d over with Lime, but the Roof was cover’d
with large smooth Stones, which lay shelving and met above in a kind of
Arch or rather Angle. Returning back the same way they came, and being
out of this low and square Passage, they clim’d over it, and going
strait on in the trace of the second Gallery, on a shelving Pavement
(like that of the first) rising with an Angle of 26 Degrees, they at
length came to another Partition, being 154 Foot distant from the Well
below and the length of the Gallery. Here if we consider the narrow
Entrance or Mouth of the _Pyramid_ which descends, and the length of the
first and second Galleries that ascend, all of them lying as it were in
the same continu’d Line, and leading towards the middle of the
_Pyramid_, one may easily apprehend the Reason of that strange Eccho
within of four or five Voices, [Sidenote: A strange _Eccho_.] mention’d
by _Plutarch_, or rather of a long continued Sound, as Mr. _Greaves_
found by experience in discharging a Gun; for the Sound being carry’d
thro’ those Passages, and finding no vent outwards reflects on it self,
and causes a confus’d noise, which by degrees ceases. This Gallery is
built of white Marble, cut very exactly into spacious squares and
pollish’d; also the Roof and sides of the Wall are of the same Stone, so
closely joynted as scarce to be discern’d by the most curious Eye, and
tho’ the acclivity or rising of the Ascent make the Passage more
difficult and slippery, yet is it nevertheless very beautiful. The
height of this Gallery is 26 Foot, the breadth six, of which three are
to be allow’d for the way in the midst, which is set and bounded on both
sides with Seats (like Benches) of pollish’d Stone; each of these is
above one Foot in breadth and no less in depth. On the top of these
Benches near the Angle, where they close and joyn with the Wall, are
little Spaces cut in right angl’d parallel Figures, on each side
opposite to one another, intended, no doubt, for some other end than
Ornament. In casting and ranging the Marble in both the side Walls, all
the Courses, which are but seven, (so great are those Stones) lye and
flag over one another about three Inches, as is better to be conceiv’d
by Figure 2 at _p._ 314. than by any Description I can give.
[Illustration:
The inside of the First & fairest Pyramid.
_If we imagin the whole_ Pyramid _to be divided in y^e midst, by a_
Plan _extended from the North side to the South: the_ Entrance,
Galleries, _and_ Chambers, _with y^e several passages to them, will
appear in this manner_.
J. Nutting Sculp.
To M^r. John Thorpe, M.A.
of University College in Oxford, who has been pleas’d to encourage
this Work, this Plate is humbly dedicated by
His most humble Servant Thomas Greenhill.
]
[Illustration:
J. Kip Sculp.
To M^r. Joseph Whiston, Drugster, who has been pleas’d to encourage
this Work, this Plate is humbly dedicated by
His most humble Servant Thomas Greenhill.
]
[Sidenote: _Le Bruyn_’s Description of the _Gallery_.]
_Le Bruyn_ in his Voyage to the _Levant_, p. 139. writes more
particularly of this Gallery, after the following manner: ‘Being
return’d, says he, from the Horizontal Way, which is on the right Hand,
we enter’d the other on the left, which is six Foot four Inches wide,
and rises also the length of 162 Foot. On each side the Wall is a
Stone-Bench two Foot and half high, and pretty broad, which serves to
take hold by in going up, to which the Holes that are made almost every
step in the Wall, are of no small Service, yet are they altogether
confus’d and without order. It is not known by whom they were made; but
those that go to see the _Pyramids_ are extreamly oblig’d to them
however, for without these Holes it would be impossible to get up, and a
Man must likewise be very strong and in health that can do so by the
help of them, and the Stone-Bench by which one holds fast with one Hand
while the other holds the Candle; add to this, that a Man must make
large steps, because these Holes are six Hands breadth distant from each
other. This Ascent, which cannot be conceiv’d without admiration, may
well pass for what is most considerable in the _Pyramids_; for the
Stones which compose the Walls are as smooth as Looking-Glass, and so
well joyn’d together, that one would be apt to take them for one single
Stone. The same may be said of the Pavement. The Roof is here exceeding
high and so very sumptuous, that ’tis better to be represented than
describ’d; I therefore made this Draft of it, while my Countryman
_Adrian van Bierbeck_ rested himself on the Bench that is on the left
Hand, and some of our Company were already got up with their Lights into
the Chamber where the Tomb or Sepulchre is, which gave me opportunity to
take a view of all the Roof more at large.’
But to return to Mr. _Greaves_’s Account, he says, That after having
pass’d this Gallery, they enter’d another square Hole of the same
Dimension with the former, [Sidenote: Two _Anti-Closets_.] which brought
them into two _Anti-Closets_ lin’d with a rich and speckl’d sort of
_Thebaic_ Marble. The first of these had almost the same Dimensions as
the second. The second was thus proportion’d: The _Area_ was level, the
Figure of it oblong, the one side containing seven Foot, the other three
and a half, and the height was of 10 Foot. This inner _Anti-Closet_ was
separated from the former by a Stone of red speckl’d Marble, which hung
in two Mortices (like the Leaf of a Sluce) between two Walls, more than
three Foot above the Pavement, and wanting only two of the Roof. Out of
this Closet they enter’d another square Hole of the same wideness and
Dimensions with the rest, and near nine Foot long, all of _Thebaic_
Marble most exquisitely wrought, which landed them at the North end of a
very sumptuous Room. The distance from the end of the second Gallery to
this Entry is 24 Foot. [Sidenote: A spacious _Chamber_] This rich and
spacious Chamber, in which Art may seem to have contended with Nature,
the curious Workmanship being not inferiour to the rich Materials, lies
about the Center of the _Pyramid_. The Floor, Roof and Sides of it are
all compos’d of vast Tables of _Thebaic_ Marble, very gracefully siz’d
and plac’d. The nine Stones which cover the Roof are of a prodigious
length, like so many huge Beams traversing the Room, and supporting the
prodigious mass of the _Pyramid_ above: The length of this Chamber is
about 34 Foot, the breadth 17, the height 19 and a half. [Sidenote:
wherein stands _Cheops_’s Tomb.] Within this glorious Room stands the
Monument of _Cheops_ or _Chemmis_, of one piece of Marble, hollow
within, uncover’d at the top, and sounding like a Bell, without any
Sculpture or Embossment. But ’tis the common Opinion, after _Diodorus
Siculus_, that neither _Chemmis_ nor his Successor _Cephren_ were bury’d
in their _Pyramids_, because, says he, the People being over work’d by
them with hard Labour, threatned to tear their dead Bodies to pieces,
and throw them out of these Sepulchres, therefore they on their
Death-Beds commanded their Servants to bury them in some obscure Place,
_Diod._ Lib. 1. This Monument is of the same _Thebaic_ Marble with the
whole Room, being speckl’d with black, white and red Spots, and
resembling two Cubes finely set together, and hollow’d within. ’Tis
seven Foot three Inches and half long, in breadth and depth three Foot
three Inches and three quarters on the out-side, but within ’tis
something less, which shows that the Men of this Age are of the same
Stature with those that liv’d near 3000 Years ago, tho’ some famous Men
have thought the contrary. If any ask how this Monument could be
convey’d into this Chamber, since ’tis impossible for it to enter by
those narrow Passages in the _Pyramid_ which lead to it, I answer, It
must have been rais’d and convey’d up from without by some Engine,
before the Chamber was finish’d and the Roof clos’d: Thus far _Greaves_.
_Sandys_, p. 99. says, This _Pyramid_ which is the greatest of the
three, [Sidenote: How many _Workmen_ employ’d in the _Building_ it.] and
chief of the Worlds VII Wonders, employ’d 366000 Workmen continually in
building it for the space of 20 Years, in which Time they consum’d in
Radishes, Garlick and Onions only, 1800 Talents. Nor has Time, which
devours the proudest Structures, humbl’d this lofty Edifice, tho’ ’tis
very probably conjectur’d to have stood 3300 Years, and is now rather
old than ruinous, yet the North side is most worn by reason of the
humidity of the Northern Winds, which are here the moistest.
[Sidenote: The second _Pyramid_.]
The second _Pyramid_ is hardly distant the flight of an Arrow from the
first, and is all built of Stones of a whitish colour, nothing so large
as those of the first. The sides rise not by Degrees or Steps like those
of the former, but are smooth and equal, and the whole Fabrick seems
very entire, except on the South-side. Tho’ this _Pyramid_ is generally
thought to be inferiour to the first in Magnitude, yet by Mr.
_Greaves_’s Observation, the height and sides of the Basis are in both
equal. There is no Entrance into it, and therefore none can tell what
Chambers it contains; ’tis bounded on the North and West by two very
stately and elaborate Structures, being 30 Foot deep, and more than 1400
long, cut out of the hard Rock, and squar’d by a Chizzel, [Sidenote:
_Lodgings_ of the _Priests_.] which are suppos’d to be the Lodgings of
the Priests. They run along at a convenient distance, parallel to the
two sides of this _Pyramid_, and meet in a right Angle. The Entrance
into them is by square Openings, hewn out of the Rock, and much of the
same bigness with those of the first _Pyramid_. The hollow space within
is somewhat like a square and well proportion’d Chamber, cover’d and
arch’d above with the natural Rock: In most of these there was a Passage
opening into some other Apartment.
[Sidenote: The third _Pyramid_.]
The third _Pyramid_ is from the second about a Furlong, and tho’ it
appears at a distance to be of an equal height with the two former, by
reason of the advantage of its Scituation upon a higher rise of the
Hill, yet is it really much lower, each side of the Basis being but 300
Foot long, which wants near 400 of the two others. All the antient and
modern Writers generally agree, this _Pyramid_ was made of black
_Ethiopic_ Marble, whereas Mr. _Greaves_ assures us, on his own
Inspection, the whole Mass seems of a clear and white Stone, somewhat
choicer and brighter than that in either of the two other _Pyramids_;
but what the Stone within may be no Body can tell, since there never was
any Entrance into it. At some distance South-East of the biggest
_Pyramid_ stands the _Sphinx_, so famous among the Ancients: [Sidenote:
The _Sphinx_.] ’Tis a Statue or Image cut out of the main Rock,
representing the Head of a Woman with half her Breast, but is at present
sunk or bury’d in the Sand to the very Neck: It is an extraordinary
great Mass, but withal proportionable, altho’ the Head of it self be 26
Foot high, and from the Ear to the Chin 15 Foot, according to the
Measure the _Sieur Thevenot_ took of it. At a distance it seems five
Stones joyn’d together, but coming nearer one may discover what was
taken for the Joynings of the Stones, was properly nothing but the Veins
in the Rock. _Pliny_ says, this serv’d for a Tomb to King _Amasis_,
which is not improbable, since it is in a Part which was formerly a kind
of Burying-Place, and near the _Pyramids_ and Caves, which were nothing
but Places of Sepulture; and that according to his Calculation it was
102 Foot in compass about the Head, 62 high and 143 in length, for the
Body of it is suppos’d to resemble a Lion or Dog. Some will have it a
certain _Egyptian_ King caus’d this _Sphinx_ to be made in Memory of
_Rhodope_ of _Corinth_, with whom he was passionately in Love. They say,
among other Things, that when they consulted it at the rising of the
Sun, it answer’d like an Oracle; yet most believe this was done by the
cunning of the Priests, thro’ means of some hidden Pipes or Conduits
under Ground, and that the Well we describ’d in the great _Pyramid_ was
made use of for the same purpose; but what makes this appear to be
fabulous is, that there is no perforation or opening either at the
Mouth, Nose, Eyes or Ears. Many other the like Stories Authors have
rais’d of this Statue, affirming that by the Figure of a _Sphinx_, was
represented the Goddess _Momphta_, [Sidenote: It represented _Momphta_.]
who presided over all the Waters, and chiefly preserv’d and supply’d the
Causes of the Over-flowing of the River _Nile_; as also that thereby was
signify’d the State or Condition of that River, for as the Over-flowing
of the _Nile_ continues all the Summer, and during the Time of Harvest,
_viz._ in the Months of _July_ and _August_, and that in those two
Months, the Sun commonly runs thro’ the two Signs of _Leo_ and _Virgo_,
it was natural enough for the _Egyptians_, who had a great inclination
for _Hieroglyphics_ and misterious Representations, to make a Monster of
a Virgin and Lion, which they call’d _Sphinx_, and consecrated to the
River _Nile_; the representing of which lying on its Belly, was to
explain the Over-flowing of that River.
But to return again to the _Pyramids_, near which this _Sphinx_ stands,
[Sidenote: _Observations_ on the _Pyramids_.] we shall add these few
Observations of Father _Vansleb_ concerning them, _viz._ That they are
not built with Marble, but with a white sandy Stone exceeding hard; that
none of them are perfectly square, but have all two sides longer than
the others, which is plainly visible in the greater and the lesser
_Pyramid_: The North side is longer than that which stretches from East
to West, yet are they nevertheless built in very good Order, and each of
the three largest stand at the head of 10 lesser, which are not well to
be distinguish’d, by reason of heaps of Sand that lye before them. They
have all an Entrance that leads to a low Alley, which is exceeding long,
and has at the end a Chamber, where the antient _Egyptians_ plac’d the
Bodies of those Persons for whom the _Pyramid_ was design’d, tho’ this
Entrance is not to be seen in every one of them, because the Wind has
stopp’d it up with Sand. On the top of the largest _Pyramid_ was
antiently a Statue or _Colossus_: This appears in that it is not so
sharp as the others, but rather plain, and there are yet to be seen
great Holes, which were to keep the _Colossus_ from falling; but at
present there is nothing to be seen at top but many Letters of the Names
of Persons of all Nations, who had left them to witness they had been
there. Lastly, He makes no question but that this Place where the
_Pyramids_ are built, was the _Burying-Place_ of the old City of
_Memphis_, by reason all the _Arabian_ Histories inform us that this
City stood where the _Pyramids_ now are, over against old _Cairo_. He
also imagines the _Sphinx_ to be a Tomb, _First_, From its scituation in
a Place which was in former Ages a Burying-Place, and near the
_Pyramids_ and mortuary Caves. _Secondly_, That it appears to be a
Sepulchre from its Building; for in the hinder part is a Cave under
Ground, of a bigness answerable to that of the head, into which he
look’d by an Entrance that led into it, so that it could serve to no
other purpose than to keep a dead Corps.
[Sidenote: _Caves_ near the _Pyramids_.]
From the _Pyramids_, _Vansleb_ went to take a View of the _Caves_ that
are adjoyning, which formerly serv’d for Places to bury the Dead in: Of
these there are several hollow’d or cut in the side of a Rock, in bad
Order and without Symmetry on the out-side, but very even and well
proportion’d within: All of them have a square Well cut likewise out of
the Rock, in which the _Egyptians_ laid the Bodies of those for whom the
_Cave_ had been made, it serving them for a Tomb. The Walls of some of
these are full of _Hieroglyphic_ Figures, cut also in the Rock; in some
they are but small, in others very lively. In one, says he, I counted 16
great Figures, eight Men and as many Women, holding each other by the
Hand, with some other small Figures on each side.
[Sidenote: _Subterranean Caves._]
But to speak more particularly of the _Subterranean Caves_, near the
Borough of _Sacara_ in _Egypt_, we shall observe, that among the most
remarkable Things that were found, as well in the City of _Memphis_, as
some Miles round about it, the _Caves_ or Tombs under Ground were the
most considerable, and worthy the search of the Curious. It is on these
_Subterranean Caves_ that this City and several Places thereabouts were
built, as on so many Vaults, as the Ancients have written, and those
_Caves_ do by far surpass the _Catacombs_ of _Rome_ both in Grandeur and
Beauty; for the antient _Egyptians_, who maintain’d the _Metempsychosis_
or Transmigration of Souls from one Body to another, took care not only
to preserve their Dead from Putrifaction, but also endeavour’d to lay
them up in a secure and quiet Place of Burial: That they might therefore
take all manner of precaution against any alteration that might happen
to them from the Injuries of Air, Fire, or the length of Time, they did
not place their Dead in Places where the River _Nile_ might overflow,
nor in the open Fields, but either in _Pyramids_ of a more durable
continuance, or in _Subterranean Vaults_ built with great care of
Stones, or lastly, in _Caves_ cut out of the Rock it self, for which the
Region of _Memphis_ and Places adjoyning were very proper, because they
consist of a Rock, which is hid under the thickness of about a Foot and
half of Sand. [Sidenote: Their _Burying-Places_.] Their Burying-Places
then were _Subterranean Caves_ divided into several Apartments, roof’d
like great Halls, and with so many Windings, which went from one to the
other, that they resembl’d real _Labyrinths_ or _Meanders_. According to
the report of the antient _Egyptians_, there was such a vast number of
those _Subterranean Apartments_ which butted one against another, that
they extended some Miles in length, even to the Temple of _Jupiter
Ammon_, and the Oracle of _Serapis_, which was a great conveniency to
the Priests, who might hold a Correspondence with each other without
being scorch’d by the heat of the Sun, or incommoded by the Sands; so
that all those vast sandy Plains of _Egypt_ were hollow underneath, and
divided into numberless Apartments and Places for dead Corps. This seems
surprizing and almost incredible, but they that will consider the other
prodigious Works of the _Egyptians_, and make some Reflections on what
the antient Historians have wrote of the great and most antient City of
_Memphis_, and the almost infinite number of that People, will not find
this so impossible; besides what the _Arabian_ Authors say, that there
was formerly a Subterranean Communication between this City of _Memphis_
and that of _Heliopolis_, being several Miles assunder, and which pass’d
also under the Bed of the River _Nile_. The greatest part of the
Inhabitants of the Borough of _Sacara_, [Sidenote: How those of _Sacara_
get their _Livelyhoods_.] which is nearest those _Caves_ of the
_Mummies_ or _Embalm’d_ Bodies, and three good Hours Journey from the
_Pyramids_, get their Livelyhoods by digging into those _Caves_, and
taking out the _Mummies_, because their Tillage is not able to maintain
them by reason of the sterrility of the Soil, wherefore whoever has
occasion for their Service, may easily hire them for Money, to conduct
them into _Caves_ that are already open, to see them, or to dig for new
ones in the Sand, which have not hitherto been remov’d, for some of
these _Caves_ have not yet been discover’d, being hid in such manner
under the Sand, that there is no Stranger, nor hardly any Inhabitant of
the Country, that can be certain before-hand where any _Mummy_ may be
found: Besides, the _Europeans_ have from Time to Time caus’d so many to
be open’d, that they are become exceeding scarce.
[Sidenote: The _Entrance_ into these _Caves_.]