The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-03-13
THE p 2AMIDS.


that his brain was not overtaxed.
THE 2, 3AMIDS.
They were Built fer seDuIehres By the
Ancient Egyptian Kings
The age of the pyramids is doubtful
The object for which they were built is
certain. There is no need here to ex-
anime curious speculations to which
their measures have, like the numbers of
Alanethos list, seemed to offer themselves
with a strange facility, like false lights
That LEAD traveller into the quicksands.
1hey were royal tOmbs, and nothing
more. We need not draw any idea of
astronomical use from tAeir facing the
cSF0lnaI points, whereas the Chaldean
pyramids pointed to them, nor, in the
case OF the great pyramid. from the en-
rlOus circumstance that at the time of its
building its entrance passage pointed to
the then polar star, Draconis- nor from
the excellent platform Ior astronomical
observation on its summit. nor fron its
ehlei measures being in exact Egvptisn
cublts, without fractions. There NAV
nave been religious reason for the orien
Vatlon OF this and other Egyptian pyras
mlds, but 1t is quite obvious that q
deviation OF direction would have pro-
ouced a dlsagreeable discord in the plac.
ing OF these geometrically-shaped build
lngs. IL was no use to point q passage
10 the poIe-star, as it had to be closed at
the completion of the structure. after the
kings sepulture. The platform did NOT
exist when the casing of the monument
was complete to its apex. the most
famous buildings of antiquity were cons
strueted or fu1 measures, without frse-
lions, IN all their chief dimensions. What
perhaps, originated in the difficulty of
observing due proportion when fractions
Igion. '' VI ~
Inc pyramids, then, were tombs If
kings. Each had its name. The Great
Pyramid was called ''the splendid :" the
second pyramid, strangely enough, " the
Great;" the third pyramid. the
Superior Each must have been the
chief object OF kings reign. Begun at.
or perhaps IN some cases before. his
accession, it was built on a plan which
allowed constant addition and speedv
completion. Thus the pyramids are the
measures OF the reigns of those who built
them, and happily in many cases we
know from the t0mbs around who these
roya! builders were. The main princi
pies OF an Egyption tomb of this age are
the same In the pyramids and in the
smaIier-bullt tO1bs, though the mode in
which the principles are carried out is
dlnerent. These smaller tombs consist
OF quadrangular mass of masonry like
an oblong truncated pyramid, having a
PIT entered from above descending to
sePulcnraI chamber cut in the rock
beneath and within is also q chapel
en- 'ered from an external door, and a
secret chamber to contain statues of the
dece@ ed. The pyramids represent the
purely sepulchrai part of these struc-
lures. In front of the entrance of each
was chapel, to which was probably
attached a secret chamber. The form
OF the pyramid is probably traceabIe to
the natural shapes of the desert noun
tains.
All Egyptian architecture is character
lied by the same sloping lines as these
mountains, varying like them from the
sharp inclination of the pyramids to the
very slight slope O. The built tombs, and,
1t may be added, OF all the great massive
gateWays OF the later temples. Whether
these forms were thus derived or not.
their adoption must have been due to
their extreme strength. The manner in
which the pyramids were constructed
was first shown in Professor Lepsius
Letters from Egypt" The object of
the royal builders was strength of posi-
ton, secure place of sepulture, and q
method by which the monument could
be gradually increased from wear tn
year, and finished with little DELAY when
the kings death made this necessary.
A site was chosen on the low table-land
of the Libyan desert, and slight eleva-
ton was selected as a peg on which the
structure should, as it were. be piveted,
In this core of rock sloping, descending
passage, usually entered from the north.
was cut of sufficient size for the conveys
ance of sarcophagus, leading 70 a
sePulchrat chamber. Above and around
the rock solid structure of masonry was
raised, of cubicsl form, but with slightly
sloping sides.
In the esse of the kings death at this
stage OF the work, the pyramid was at
once completed by the addition of slop-
ing lateral masses and a pyramidal cap
Roughly, this additional work did not
exceed in quantity the first construction,
excluding the excavation. If the king
lived on, the first construction was ems
larged on each of its four sides SO as to
form great platform, on which a Sec
Ond central mass raised, and q pyramid
of two degrees without filled in angles
was formed. At this stage the work
could be completed if necessary, or if
the king still lived each platform from
the lowest could be increased on the
same principle. The form of the pyramid
of steps at Kakkarah, the central lnonu~
ment of the Metropolis of Memphis, is a
good illustration of the general princi-
pies, and the change of anglo in the
southern pyramid of Dashour is valu-
able as a probable instance of hasty com.
pletion.
Did Barnum Ever Try This!