New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-05-07

Jew ULM, MINI, W ED
THE PYRAMIDS.
latereselo1 HnEersnatloA About the
Great BsypAlaa Monulnenss.
The great pyramid stands almost at
the beginning Of the first monumental
age. lts date would be before at least
3. Q. 1850 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. G. 1850 If
we would obtain the date Of the pyra-
mid. We must, therefore, surrender
s forty centuries. How much
we must add to them is yet to be dis
covered.
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
Ut Manetho's list, seemed to offer
themselves with q strange facility, like
false lights that lead . traveller into the
quicksands. They were royal tombs
and nothing more. We need not draw
any idea Of astrono mical 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 circumstance that at
the time Of its building its entrance
passage pointed to tie 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 a re-
ligious reason for the orientation of
this and the other Egyptian pyramids,
but it is quite obvious that q deviation
of direction would have produced dis.
agreeable discord in the placing Of
these geometrically-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 monu-
ment was complete to its apex. The
most famous buildings Of antiquity
were constructed of full measures with
out fractions in all their chief dimen-
sions. What perhaps originated in the
difficulty OF observing due proportion
when fractions 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, :. 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 plan which
allowed constant addition 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 t0mbs around who
these royal 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 QUAD
triangular mass of masonry, like an OBJ
long. truncated pyramid, having pit.
entered from above, descending to u
sepulchral chamber cut in the rock be.
meath; and within is also q chapel, en-
tered from an external door, and
secret chamber to contain statues of
the deceased. Thepyramids represent
the purely sepulchral part of these
structures. In front of the entrance of
each was chapel, to which was prob
ably attached a secret chamber.
The form of the pyramid is prob
ably traceable to the natural shapes OF
tho desert mountains. All Egyptian
architecture is characterized BY the
same sloping lines as these mountains,
varying like them from the sharp in
clination 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
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
Prof. Lepsius' Letters from Egypt"
The objects of the royal builders were
strength of position, secure place of
sepulture, and method by which the
monument could be gradually increased
from year to year and finished with
little delay when the Ring death made
this necessary. A site was chosen on
the low table land of the Libyian
desert, and slight elevation was
selected as q peg on which the structure
should, as it were, be pivoted. In this
core of rock sloping descending pass-
age, usually entered from the north,
was cut, of sufficient size for the con.
veyance Of sarcophagus leading to
sepulchral chamber. Above and around
the rock solid structure of masonry
was raised of cubical form but with
slightly sl0ping sides. In the case OF
the King death, at this stage of the
work, the pyramid was at once com.
pleted BY the addition of sloping lateral
masses and apyramidal cap. Roughly
this additional work did not exceed in
quantity the first construction. exclud-
ing the excavation. II the King lived
on, the first construction was enlarged
on each of its four sides, 80 as to form
q great platform on which q second
central mass was raised, and q pyramid
of two degrees without filled in angles
was formed. At this stage again 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 Sakkarah, the CEN
trail monument Of the metropolis Of
Memphis. issa good illustration Of the
general principle, aud the change Of
angle in the southern pyramid Of Da-
shoor. y valuable as . probable in
stance of hasty completion. .s..
The manner in which the pyramids
were built is thus clear enough; the
mechanical skill their construction
shows must remain 3 marvel. The
main materials were indeed quarried
from the limestone rock on which the
monuments stand, but the finest quail
ity used was brought from quarries on
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