The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-04-26
THE PYRAMIDS.
They were Built for SeBuscasF'es hy Tine
Ancient Egyptian KfnEs

Ancient Egyptian hfmEn-
The age of the pyramids is doubtful.
The object for which they were built Ii
certain. There is no need here to ex-
anime curious specnlations TO which
their measures have, like the numbers OF
Manetho's list, seemed to offer themselves
with a strange facility, like false lights
that lead traveller into the qulckssnds
They were royal tombs, and nothing
more. We need NOT draw any idea OF
astronomical use from their facing the
cardinal points, whereas the Chaidean
pyramids pointed to them, nor, In the
case of the great pyramid, 1rom the Gu
rious circumstance that at the time OF It's
building it's entrance passage pointed TO
the then polar star, q Draconis, nor from
the excellent platform Ior astronomical
observation ON Its summit, nor from Its
Chief measures being in exact Egyptian
cubits, without fractions. There may
have been religious reason for the orlen
tstion OF this and other Egyptian pyras
mids, but it is quite obvious that q
deviation of direcIioD would hase pro
duced disagreeable discord in the plac-
ing of these acknowledgement build
ings. 1t was no use to point q passage
to the pole-star, as it had to be closed 81
the completion OF the structure, after the
kings sepulture The platform did not
exist when 1be casing OF the monument
WIS complete to Its apex. Inc most
famous buildings OF antiquity were con-
structed of tull measures, without frac-
tions, in aIl their CHIEF dimensions. What,
perhaps, originated in the difficulty oi
observing due proportion when tracFlons
were allowed became q matter OF re-
Ligion.
the pyramids, then, were toubs OF
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
chie' object OF kings reign. Begun ct,
or perhaps III some cases before, his
accession, it was built ON q ptan which
allowed constant addition and speedy
completion. Thus the pyramids are the
measures of the reigns OF those who built
them, aud happily in many cases we
know from the tombs around who These
royal builders were. The main princi-
piles OF an Egyption tomb of this age are
the same in the pyramids and in the
smsllsr-built tombs, though the mode Id
which the principles are carried out rs
different. These smaller tombs eoneist
of quadrangular mass OF masonry like
BID oblong truncated pyramid, having q
PIT entered from above descending to q
sepulchrsI chamber cut in the rock
beneath; and Within is also chapel
entered from an external door, and q
secret chamber TO contain statues OF the
DECEASED. The pyramids represent the
purely sepuiehral part OF these strue-
lures. In front OF the entrance OF each
was q chapel to which was probably
attached secret chamber. The form
of the pyramid is probably traceabie TO
the natural shapes of the desert m0un-
t&lnE
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 OF the built tombs, and
it may be added, of all the great massive
gateways OF the later temples. Whether
TfltBG lOfulb NSiS dsJiAf.CN NJ IiOLj
their adoption must have been due TO
their extreme strength. The manner in
which the pyramids Were CONSTRUCTED
was first shown IN Professor Lepsius'
al latters from Egypt" the object Of
the r0yal builders was strength o. posi-
tiou, a secure place OF sepulture, and q
method by which the monument could
be gradually increased from year to
wear. and finished with little delay when
the king's death made this necessary.
A site was chosen on the low tabie-land
of the Libyan desert, and slight eleHa-
ton was selected az q peg on which the
STRUCTURE should, az it were. bespiyeted.
in this core of rock sioping, descending
passage, usually entered from the NORTH,
was cut of sufficient size for the convey
ance of q sarcophagus, Leading 10 q
sepulchra1 chamber. Above and around
the rock 8 solid structure of masonry was
raised, OF cubical form, but with slightly
slipping sides.
In the case of the kings death al this
stage of the work, the pyramid was at
once completed by the addition of alops
ing lateral masses and 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
IaJged on each Of It's four sides so as 10
form . great platform, ON which o seeN
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 principie. The form of the pyramid
OF steps at Kskkarah, the central lnonu,
ment Of the Metropolis Of Memphis is q
good illustrarion of the general princi-