perfectly rectangular -- the ceiling narrows to a roof that is corbelled, or roughly triangular-shaped. From here you can duck into the passage that leads to the King's Chamber or go back down the steep staircase to the bottom of the gallery. For a sense of scale, look for the visitor in both parts of the gallery. King's Chamber Length: 35 feet Width: 17 feet Height: 19 feet This is the chamber where King Khufu was ultimately buried. Unfortunately, all that remains in this sacred space is the king's sarcophagus, which is made of large blocks of red granite and, amazingly, lies on the exact central axis of the pyramid. Khufu's body and his earthly possessions were looted long before archeologists arrived, probably before the end of the Old Kingdom in circa 2218 B.C. Some of the colossal granite ceiling stones for the King's Chamber are more than 18 feet long and weigh 25 to 40 tons. This chamber, which lies about 300 feet below the apex of the pyramid, is a remarkable space in which to stand, and some visitors come from points far and near to meditate here. Khufu Boat In 1954, the Egyptian archeologist Kamal el Mallak made an astonishing discovery. In a pit at the foot of the Great Pyramid, he uncovered one of the world's oldest planked vessels. Buried in pieces by Khufu's son, the so-called Solar Barque may have carried the pharaoh's body across the Nile for burial, or it may have served solely