, 1879-05-01
The Pyramids.

The great pyramid stands almost at
the beginning Of the first monumental
age. Its date would be before at least
B. c. 1880 by the length Of the second
and third chasms; in other words, the
length Of these two unknown periods
must be added to at least B. c. 1880 if
we would obtain the date Of the pyramid
We must, therefore, surrender Napo-
Icons fort centuries. How much we
must add TO them is YET to be discovered.
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 Manelho's list, seemed to offer them
selves with a strange facility, like false
lights that lead traveller into the quick
sands. They were royal tombs and
nothing more. We need not draw
any idea Of astronomical use from their
facing the cardinal points, whereas the
Chaldean pyramids pointed TO them,
nor. in the case of the great pyramid,
from the curious circumstances that at
the time Of its building its entrance
passage pointed to the then pole-star, a
Draconis, nor from the excellent plat.
form for astronomical observation on its
summit, nor from its chief measures
being in exact Egyptian cubits without
fractions. There may have been re-
ligious reason for the orientation of this
and the other Egyptian pyramids, but it is
quite obvious that deviation of direct
ion would have produced diSagreeable
discord in the placing of these geometri-
cally-shaped buildings 1t was no use to
point passage to the pole-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 constructed of iull measures with
out fractions in all their chief dimensions.
What perhaps originated in the difficulty
Of observing due proportion when fract-
ions were allowed, became matter of
religion.
The pyramids then were tombs of
kings. Each had its name. The great
pyramid was called ''the Splendid the
second pyramid, strangely enough, "the
Great" the third pyramid "lhe superior"
Each must have been the chief object of
kings reign. Begun at, or perhaps in
some cases before. his accession, it was
on plan which allowed constant ad-
dition and speedy completion. Thus
the pyramids are the measures Of the
reigns OF those who built them, and
happily in many cases we know from
the tombs around who these builders
were.
The main principles of an Egyptian
tomb, OF this age, are the same in the
pyramids and in the smaller built tombs.
though the mode in which the principles
are carried out is different. These
smaller tombs consist of quadrangular
mass of masonry, like an oblong trun.
Gated pyramid, having bit, entered
from above, decending 10 sepulchral
chamber cut in the rock beneath; and
within is also chapel, entered from an
external door, and secret chamber to
contain statues of the deceased. The
pyramids represent the purely sepulchral
part Of these structures In front OF the
entrance of each was chapel, to which
was probably secret chamber.
The form of the pyramids is probably
traceable to the natural shape of the
desert mountains. All Egyptian arch.
itecture is characterized by the same
sloping lines as these mountains, varying
like them from the sharp inclination of
the pyramids to the very slight slope
of the built tombs. and, it may be added,
of all the great massive gateways OF the
latter temples. Whether these forms
were thus derived or not, their adopt
ION mus; have been due 10 their ex'
treme strength.