The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1880-10-08


Hsw the Pyramids ,rere B.Hf.
Brugsch Boy, the eminent Egyptol-
ogist, says, in his work on Egypt
From the far distance you see the
giant forms Of the pyramids, as Il
they were regularly crystalized noun.
tains, which the ever creating nature
has called forth from the rock, 10 lit
themselves up toward the vault Of
heaven. Aud yet, they are but
tombs, built by the hands Of men,
which have been the admiration and
astonishment alike Of the ancient and
modern world. Perfectly adjusted to
the cardinal points Of the horizon,
they differ in breadth and height, As
is shown by the measurements of the
three oldest. rs follows: /. The Pyr-
amid Of Khuia-height, about 5000
feet; breadth. 7iG feet 2. Pyramid
of Khafra-heighi. Az . feet; breadth
5000 feet. :. Pyramid Of Menkara
height. POS feet; breadth. 1929
feet.
The construction of these enormous
masses has long been an insolublo
mystery, but later generations have
succeeded in solving the problem.
According to their ancient usages and
customs, the Egyptians, while they
still sojourned in health and spirits,
were ever mindful to turn ;heir looks
to the region where the departing Ra
took leave Of life, where the door Of
the grave opened, where the body,
well concealed, at length found rest,
TO rise again TO new existence, after
an appointed time Of long, long years,
while the soul, though bound to the
body, was at liberty TO leave the grave
aud return to it during the daytime,
in any form it chose. In such be-
lief, it was the custom betimes to dig
the grave in the form Of a deep shaft
in the rock, and above this eternal
dwelling to raise a superstructure of
sacrifcial chambers, sometimes only a
hall, sometimes several apartments,
and to adorn them richly with colored
writings and painted sculptures, as
was becoming to house Of pleasure
and joy. The King began his work
from his accession. As soon as he
mounted the throne, the sovereign
gave orders to a nobleman, the master
OF all the buildings of his land, to
plan the work and cut the stone. The
kernel of the future edifce was raised
on the limestone soil Of the desert, in
the form OF a small pyramid built in
steps, Of which the well constructed
aud finished interior formed the
Kings eternal dwelling, with his stone
sarcophagus lying on the rocky floor.
Let us suppose that this first building
was finished while the Pharaoh still
lived IN the bright sunlight. A sec
ond covering was added, stone by
stone, on the outside of the kernel; a
third to the second, and to this even a
fourth; and the mass of the giant
building grew greater the longer the
King enjoyed existence. And then.
at last, when il became almost impos-
sible TO extend the area of the pyra.
mid further, casing of hard stone,
polished like glass, and fitted accurate.
ly into the angles of the steps, covered
the vast mas Of the sepulcher, pre-.
senting gigantic triangle on each of
its four faces.
More thah seventy such pyramids
once rose on the margin of the desert,
each telling of a King of whom it was
once the tomb and monument. Had
not the greater number of these sep.
ulchers of the Pharaohs been destroyed
almost to the foundation, and had the
names Of the builders Of those which
still stand been accurately preserved,
it would have been easy for the in.
quirer to prove and make clear by
calculation what was origipally,and Of
necessity, the proportion between the
masses of the pyramids and the years
of the reigns Of their respective build
ers.