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Built presumably in the middle of the XXVI century BC. e. the structure with a height of 143.9 m was called Urt-Khafra (“Khafra is great” or “Honored Khafra”).

Olaf Tausch, GNU 1.2

Although Khafre's pyramid is inferior in size to that of his father Khufu, its position on a higher hill and its steeper slope make it a worthy rival to the Great Pyramid.

Two rather large chambers and two crossing passages that lead to a horizontal corridor represent a rather modest space in relation to Khufu's pyramid.

Mstyslav Chernov, CC BY-SA 3.0

The burial chamber located under the pyramid is no longer lined with granite, although this protective material was used in abundance inside the pyramid (the high passage itself, fences and sarcophagus), as well as outside (lining the foundation of the pyramid and temples).

The roof of the chamber was provided by a vault on the rafters, regarded as more durable than the horizontal crossbars of Khufu's pyramid.

Bigworld, CC BY-SA 3.0

The classically shaped rectangular sarcophagus of Khafre made of superbly polished granite was placed in the lining of the burial chamber. The canopic niche placed near Khafre's sarcophagus was an innovation that would become common at a later time.

Now this pyramid is in good condition, although its dimensions have decreased somewhat, and today they are 210.5 m × 210.5 m at the base and 136.4 m in height.

Hajor, GNU 1.2

In the time of the pharaohs, the pyramid of Khafre was just an element of the mortuary complex, which included a small satellite pyramid, probably built for the wife of Khafre, an enclosure wall, a mortuary temple, a road, a temple in the valley and a port, which also had to be built.

The current state of preservation of the complex allows us to say that all of its elements have been completed. The temples of Khafre, which became models for the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom, were built from multi-ton blocks of granite and limestone.

Mstyslav Chernov, CC BY-SA 3.0

Stone blocks at the entrance to his mortuary temple reach a length of 5.45 m and weigh up to 42 tons. These were vast buildings: 113 m by 49 m - a mortuary temple, and 45 m by 50 m - a temple in the valley, the preserved height of which is currently 13 m.

Given the found fragments, total sculptural works of the lower temple of Khafre has more than 200 statues. Among them is the famous remarkably preserved statue of the king, made of dark green diorite. The ruler proudly sits on the throne with a smart scarf on his head and a uraeus on his forehead, and behind him flies the falcon-like god Horus.

Description of the pyramid

The base of the pyramid is a square with sides of 210.5 meters (originally 215.3 meters or 410 royal cubits). The error from a perfect square is no more than 8 cm. Parallel approach is almost ideal and is equal to 1’15".

The side faces are oriented along the four cardinal points with an error of no more than 5'26". The curvature of the sides due to deformation leads to an error from the correct one in the upper part of the pyramid by 3'46".

The angle of inclination of the faces is 53°10' and 52°02', which is very close to the theoretical value corresponding to a slope of 4/3. This slope of the Egyptian triangle ( right triangle with sides 3,4,5, with a theoretical angle of inclination of 53°07’48"), was mentioned in four sections of the Papyrus of Ahmes.

The pyramid originally had a height of 143.9 meters (275 royal cubits). It was covered with limestone, which is still visible today at 45 meters from the very top.

The pyramid was decorated with a pink granite pyramidion, which is now lost. We have no information about whether the granite was decorated with limestone, gypsum or gold.

Despite the fact that none of the ancient Egyptian pyramids retained a pyramidion at its top, almost all the stones of its fastening were preserved at the pyramid of Khafre, forming a small square platform with a square recess in plan: this feature makes this pyramid unique and allows us to know how fixing pyramidions on the tops of the pyramids.

The granite sarcophagus, together with the lid, has also been perfectly preserved; it is identical in design to the worse-preserved Cheops sarcophagus, just as the Cheops sarcophagus has several drilled holes along the shoulder and in the lid, apparently locking the sarcophagus with copper cylinders.

The “cap” of the facing preserved at the top of the pyramid is in an extremely dilapidated state, and forms “cornices”, which makes climbing to its top extremely difficult even for experienced climbers. If from time to time permission is given for scientists to climb the top of the pyramid of Cheops, the issuance of permits for the same for the pyramid of Khafre is not practiced by anyone.

Construction stages

Apparently, Khafre did not differ in good health; 2 stages of its construction are clearly traced in the design of the Khafre pyramid.

First, a much smaller pyramid blank was made, with a burial chamber lower, in case the pharaoh suddenly died.

This is indicated by a niche in the corridor opposite the entrance to it - this is the so-called "room for operating the sarcophagus", often found in the design of the tombs.

Since this precaution turned out to be superfluous, later the pyramid was built up to the observed dimensions, with the transfer of the tomb higher and to the south, and the original tomb was turned into a repository of funeral inventory.

Pyramid of Khafre

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Helpful information

Pyramid of Khafre
more precisely - Khafra
Arab. هرم خفرع
translit. Harm Khafra"
English Pyramid of Khafre or Pyramid of Chephren

Cost of visiting

entrance to the territory: USD 8
Entrance to the Pyramid of Khafre: USD 4

Opening hours

• summer: 8:00-17:00
• winter: 8:30-16:00

Address and contacts

Cairo, Giza, the road to the Pyramids,
Cairo, Giza, Pyramids Road, The Pyramids

Location

Located next to the Great Sphinx, as well as the pyramids of Cheops (Khufu) and Menkaure on the Giza Plateau.

Statistics data

Height: 143.9 m (275 royal cubits)

Height today: 136.4

Side length: 215.3 m (410 royal cubits)

Tilt angle: 53° 10'

Volume of the pyramid: 2,211,096 m³

How to get to Giza on your own

The plateau overlooked by the pyramids is most easily reached by taxi (USD 3-6), naming the Mena House Hotel in Giza.

You can also take a bus from Tahrir Square and Ramesses Station (USD 0.3).

Best time to visit

It is better to visit the pyramids in the early morning or in the evening, when it is not so hot and there are fewer tourists.

Barkers and scammers

Barkers will be waiting for you, convincing you to ride a camel and scammers, posing as either controllers or guides.

Ignore them and calmly go to the ticket office, which are located near the Mena House hotel.

September 27, 2017 | Category:

The Pyramid of Khafre is the second largest pyramid in the Giza plateau. It stands out against the background of neighboring pyramids due to the facing at the top and the central position. It also looks like the biggest one from the outside. What else is known about this ancient tomb?

Khafre or Khafra (literally "like Ra") - 4th pharaoh of the 4th Dynasty ancient kingdom. He ruled somewhere between 2570 and 2530 BC. Khafren was the son of Cheopas, but he inherited the throne after the death of his brother Djedefre. Khafre's wives included his half-sisters and nieces. This is where reliable information about the personality and reign of Khafre ends. But more or less accurately you can describe his appearance. Back in the 19th century, archaeologists discovered a perfectly preserved statue of a pharaoh made of dark green diorite.

Greek historians, who wrote their writings 2,000 years after the death of the named pharaoh, describe him as a cruel despot. They associate the construction of the Khafre pyramid with the oppression of the people and other injustices. For example, Diodorus Siculus writes that fearing the revenge of the people after death, Khafra ordered his relatives to rebury his mummy in a secret place.

Description of the pyramid

Dimensions. The height of the pyramid is 136.5 m (in antiquity 143.9 m), and the length of the side is 215.3 m. The Khafre pyramid has the shape of a regular quadrangular figure with sides of 210.5 m. on a steep high hill makes it a worthy rival of the tomb of Khafre's father. IN currently the difference in height is only half a meter.

internal organization

Peculiarities. A cladding of red granite and white limestone, preserved at the top, once covered the entire pyramid. The pyramid of Khafre is shaped like a classic right-angled triangle, in which the aspect ratio is 3/4/5.

What is inside? In the tomb of Khafre there is only one burial chamber, in which the pharaoh's sarcophagus was located. The area of ​​the burial room is 71 m², which is comparable to the size of Tutankhamun's tomb. In the 19th century, the Italian Egyptologist Giovanni Belzoni found here the bones of a bull, which, most likely, were brought by robbers. It is worth noting that two tunnels lead to the burial chamber, which connect at the entrance to the room.

Interesting facts from the history of the pyramid

Diorite statue of Khafre

• According to the initial plan, the pyramid of Khafre was supposed to surpass the tomb of Cheops, but soon after the start of construction, the project was changed.
• It is believed that in ancient times, the top of the Khafre pyramid was decorated with a special stone "benben", which was associated with the myth of the creation of the world by the god Atum. According to one hypothesis, this stone was covered with gold, decorated with inscriptions and weighed several tons.
• The tomb of Khafre, like other Egyptian pyramids, was surrounded by a stone fence 3 m thick. Not far from it was a companion pyramid, which, most likely, was built for the wife of the pharaoh.
• The funeral cult at the pyramid of Khafre continued until the "first transitional period." But already at the beginning of the Middle Kingdom, Amenemhat I ordered the destruction of part of the temple complex of the tomb in order to use the resulting stone to build his own pyramid.
• The Pyramid of Khafre, like the other tombs at Giza, was plundered several thousand years ago, presumably during the era of the "First Intermediate Period" when anarchy gripped Egypt. In 1372, the Arabs opened the tomb, but did not find anything of value. The only thing left by the robbers was an empty granite sarcophagus with a broken lid.

The simplicity of the layout of the passages of Khafre's tomb leads some archaeologists to the idea that in addition to the main burial chamber, there is an additional hiding place in the pyramid. So, we can assume that scientists have not yet revealed all the secrets of this pyramid.

Unlike the pyramids that stand alone in the desert, the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom, having built three tombs on the Giza plateau, created a real cemetery city, with tombs, temples, roads and sidewalks.

They buried here not only the pharaohs, their wives and servants, but also the closest relatives, as well as courtiers - in a word, everyone who wanted to follow their master to the other world in the hope that he would give them life after death (all these people, except servants were of noble origin - the road to eternity was closed to ordinary people forever).

What do the great pyramids of Giza look like?

• the pyramids of Cheops Khafre and Mykerin;
• temples leading to them, located at the beginning of the memorial road and in one of which Egyptologists discovered a triad - a unique ancient statue of Pharaoh Mikerin and two goddesses accompanying him;
• satellite pyramids with deceased wives;
• four cemeteries where the closest relatives and courtiers were buried;
• The most ancient and mysterious monument of our world is the statue of the Sphinx.

This necropolis is so famous that one of its tombs, the pyramid of Cheops, has long been considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and the Giza pyramids themselves recently nearly topped the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World. This did not happen only because the Egyptian authorities, for some reason, decided not to take part in the competition - and withdrew the application. This did not prevent this unique complex from being awarded the title of an honorary candidate: too many people wanted to see these tombs in the list.

The great pyramids of Giza are located on the west coast of the Nile, in the suburbs of Cairo, in Egypt - and on geographical map of the world they can be found at the following coordinates: 9° 58′ 32.72″ s. sh., 31° 7′ 49.53″ E e. They were built on a rocky plateau, not far from the quarry, from which the builders removed limestone blocks for the construction of the body of the tombs.

As for the exterior, it was made from better white limestone, which was mined in the quarries of Tura, and the granite that was used in the construction of passages and burial chambers was brought from Aswan, located at a distance of 800 km towards the equator.

Tomb of Cheops

The central tomb is the Great Pyramid of Cheops, the largest tomb in the world, the height of which was 149 m in the year it was completed (now it is 11 m lower). This tomb is interesting in that it is the only pyramid where there are corridors leading both up and down.

Another mystery of the Cheops pyramid is its ventilation ducts leading out of the burial rooms. This tomb is unique in that it has as many as three crypts, while two of them are clearly unfinished and work on them was stopped during construction. There is a suspicion that not a single burial room was used for its intended purpose: for some reason, the pharaoh was not buried in this tomb.

Tomb of Khafre

An interesting fact: the Pyramid of Khafre is considered the most compact building in our world - despite the fact that total area the tomb exceeds 16 thousand square meters. m, the amount of free space in it is less than 1/100 percent. The Khafre pyramid was built half a century later than the central tomb and is located less than two hundred meters from it.

Interestingly, despite the fact that the pyramid of Khafre is three meters lower than Cheops, due to the greater angle of inclination and the shorter length of the base, it looks much higher. The fact that this tomb is located on the highest point of the plateau greatly enhances the optical illusion.

At the temple belonging to this pyramid, one of the most valuable finds of ancient Egypt was found - a statue of Pharaoh Khafre, made of dark green diorite. She depicts the pharaoh, proudly seated on a pedestal, behind which is the god Horus in the form of a falcon.

Inside, Khafre's pyramid has an extremely simple layout - two corridors and two burial rooms carved into the rock, one of which was planned at the very bottom of the tomb in case Pharaoh Khafren died prematurely. Khafre's pyramid has two entrances - the main one is at a height of 15 m, the second one is at the very bottom. The pyramid of Khafre no longer has any rooms or mines.

Tomb of Menkaure

The Pyramid of Menkaure is located on the south side and looks a little out of the way. overall picture, because it is significantly inferior in size to the two neighboring tombs: its height is only 66 meters. The pyramid of Mikerin is interesting in that there is a lack of unity of planning inside it (this gives scientists reason to assert that Mikerin was not the direct heir to the throne, so when he reigned, the tomb had to be rebuilt and enlarged).

Despite this, the pyramid of Menkaure was considered the most beautiful of all the tombs: during the reign of this pharaoh, the development of sculpture was at a very high level. Sculptures of the triad are considered striking examples of this time, an example of which is the statue of Pharaoh Mikerin surrounded by two goddesses, depicted on the temple of the pharaoh, located not far from the pyramid.

The Mykerin Pyramid is also interesting because it was decided to use two finishing materials for its cladding at once: at the bottom - slabs of Aswan granite, at the top - of white limestone. The pyramid of Menkaure managed to keep its decoration for several millennia, until early XVI Art., until the Mamluks reached it, who removed the cladding.

The tomb built by Mikerin belongs to two periods at once: it completes the era when huge tombs were built and forms a new standard - since that time, the height of the tombs has been at the same level and deviations from the norm almost do not exceed twenty meters.

Great Sphinx

Guarding the pyramids of Giza is a huge Sphinx, which is located on the eastern side of the Pyramid of Khafre. At the moment, this sculpture of a half-lion, half-man, whose height is 20 meters, is considered the oldest monument of mankind - it is interesting that the statue was carved from a limestone rock.

Unlike the pyramids, which the Egyptians took care of, the sphinx was given much less attention, so it was periodically covered with sand to such an extent that it disappeared from the face of the earth for many centuries - until the ruler came to power, who came to his senses and ordered the monument to be dug up. These works were so hard that the Sphinx from the sand for a long time managed to release only partially - and it was fully dug out only in the twenties of the last century.

Mysteries of the ancient pyramids

Despite the fact that when exactly the Giza pyramids were erected is still unknown, it is generally accepted that they were erected during the Old Kingdom (XXVI-XXIII centuries BC), during the reign of representatives of the IV-V dynasties. Given the age of these structures, Egyptologists cannot help wondering how ancient people could build structures of this type with such mathematical and geometric accuracy. Many scientists are struggling with this clue, the secrets of the pyramids have not yet been solved.

Many are surprised by the triangular shape of the tombs - despite the fact that it is not completely clear why the ancient Egyptians settled on this particular design, there are, of course, assumptions. For example, according to one version, in this way, they tried to reproduce the shape of the mountains on which the gods lived, according to another, they perceived the pyramids as stairs, along which the spirit of the ruler could rise to heaven.

As for the most famous Egyptian tombs, if you look closely at the map on which they are located, you will notice that the three main pyramids of Giza are located inside the rectangle that is formed when the centers of two identical circles are located on each other's circles. The researchers noticed that the pyramids of Cheops Khafre and Menkaure are located on a line that clearly corresponds to the Fibonacci spiral.

Another interesting fact that scientists could not pass by is that all the structures on the Giza plateau, both the tombs of the pharaohs and other tombs, are in perfect harmony with each other (first of all, this concerns height, angles of inclination, their relative position). ).

Interestingly, the secrets of the pyramids of Giza are especially intriguing to mathematicians and astrologers, who like to reflect on them with a ruler and compass in their hands. For example, among interesting facts What they found is the data that if the height of the pyramid of Cheops is multiplied by a million, the distance from the Earth to the Sun will be obtained.

They did not miss the fact that the sum of the faces of one pyramid is equal to the square of its height. They also made simpler calculations: for example, they calculated that a three-meter wall built from blocks of three pyramids of Giza could completely cover the entire territory of France.

The ancient Egyptian civilization has attracted the attention of researchers for many years, causing numerous disputes. Keeping a lot of unsolved mysteries culture presents many surprises.

The unique pyramids, built in the 3rd millennium BC, amaze even modern professionals with unsurpassed craftsmanship and amazing processing of solid stone. No less a mystery are the Egyptian statues carved from durable materials that have survived to this day.

The diorite statue of Pharaoh Khafre from the mortuary temple at Giza has always interested scientists. Its mystery lies in the fact that local craftsmen did not have any tools that would allow them to process the strongest rock. According to archaeologists, the stunning historical monuments of Ancient Egypt are made using technologies that are several times superior to modern ones.

burial complex

Tourists from all over the world come to the Giza plateau, which is a huge city that stores the burial structures of Egyptian pharaohs and queens. This is quite an interesting complex for all travelers, allowing you to get closer to the secrets of the pyramids and touch the bygone civilization. Researchers working on its territory explain that the Giza Plateau is not only an archaeological site, but also a religious one.

In addition to the well-known pyramid of Cheops, here is the tomb of the pharaoh Khafre, or Khafre, slightly inferior in size to the most famous building. This is a whole ritual complex, built to order, and many tourists consider it one of the most beautiful.

Some historical facts about the afterlife

In incredibly revered, comparing it with God. The rulers, endowed with great power, were educated people who participated in all the most important affairs of the country. The ideas of local residents about the afterlife big influence on the development and construction of pyramids, which are actually tombs.

The pharaohs, who attached great importance to the cult of death, erected their tombs in advance. The Egyptians believed that the afterlife is the continuation of existence on earth, and the main condition for the transition to the obligatory preservation of the human body was.

Right to immortality

It is no coincidence that the Egyptians so carefully embalmed the bodies of the dead and supplied the deceased with everything necessary, filling the tomb with various items that might be needed. According to the original beliefs, only the pharaohs led the afterlife, but subsequently the Egyptian rulers were endowed with the opportunity to bestow immortality on their loved ones and nobility.

The end of the Old Kingdom was marked by the recognition of the right of every person to an afterlife.

Egyptian ruler Khafre

Pharaoh Khafra, whose statue is of incredible interest, was the ruler of the IV dynasty of the Old Kingdom. Too few monuments of that time have come down to us, so many facts of his biography are not reliable, and even the years of his life cause discrepancies. Egyptologists believe that Khafre ruled the state for about 25 years.

Today, Khafre is best known for the construction of the second largest pyramid on the Giza plateau. The appearance of the pharaoh, who is the son of the famous Cheops (Khufu) and who took power after his father and brother Djedefre, was restored from the well-preserved statues of the tomb.

sacred plateau

The plateau was originally considered sacred, and therefore burial complexes were built on it. Pharaoh Khafre, thinking in advance about the transition to the afterlife, ordered the construction of a pyramid next to the tomb of Cheops.

Initially, the height of the pyramid was 144 meters, but over time it decreased slightly, which did not affect its good condition. Limestone has become the main building material for it, and the base is lined with pink granite.

Pyramid, which became canonical

Pharaoh Khafra wished that his tomb would exceed the size of his father's pyramid, but during construction it turned out that the construction of a huge complex was impossible for various reasons.

It is believed that the design of the pyramid and its layout with an inner courtyard, a gallery and a special niche for ritual vessels in the tomb has become canonical. According to a kind of standard, all other burial complexes began to be built.

What did the funeral complex include?

Initially, next to the pyramid of Khafre there was a smaller funerary structure, of which nothing remains today. Most likely, the wife of the pharaoh was buried there.

The mortuary temple, built from huge granite blocks, surprised with its power: the length of the blocks was 5 meters, and the weight of each of them reached forty tons. Until the 18th century, it was in a satisfactory condition, until the locals destroyed the walls of the building. Inside it were numerous sculptures of the pharaoh.

The complex included a protective wall between the buildings, a road and a lower temple, in which a diorite statue of the pharaoh was discovered. Khafra, who dreamed of a majestic structure, thought about the compactness of the cult building. Archaeologists who worked in the burial complex found that with its huge area of ​​​​free space, there is not so much - less than 0.01 percent.

What is inside the pyramid?

The internal structure of the pyramid consisted of two chambers and entrances. There is a small allotment to the premises, which was left unfinished and its purpose is unknown. An empty granite sarcophagus with a broken lid rests in a burial chamber carved into the rock.

The robbers made their way inside through the dug tunnel, and all that remained for the archaeologists was a few dropped pearls and a cork of a ritual vessel on which the name of God's vicar was carved. There are no more rooms inside the pyramid.

Gradually, a real necropolis grew up around it, in which the bodies of all members of the Khafre family rested.

Tomb of a priest and his relatives

Six years ago, archaeologists discovered not far from all the burial places the tomb of the pharaoh's priest, who during his reign led the funeral cult. He was able to give immortality to all his relatives, and this building was evidence that ordinary Egyptians received the right to lead an afterlife.

Numerous pharaoh statues

Many rulers of Egypt and their relatives were buried on the sacred plateau, but not a single artifact remained of some. But on the numerous statues found by archaeologists, the governor of God Khafre appeared. The pharaoh of ancient Egypt was depicted with a false beard and a scarf on his head, and not one of his statues was similar to another. Researchers believe that in those days it was forbidden to make identical figures.

The sculptures, which originally rested in pits in one of the halls of the pyramid, were later thrown out of them, and their fragments were found by a research team in 1860. Unfortunately, some statues lost their heads and bodies.

A well-preserved alabaster statue of Pharaoh Khafre, stored in the Cairo Museum, is well known. Among the exhibits of a private collector is the head of a pharaoh wearing a crown white. proud of the images of the ruler in festive clothes, whose eyelids are decorated with copper plates.

The most famous statue of diorite

But famous all over the world was made in full height dark, with light veins, diorite statue of the pharaoh. Khafra, who ruled ancient Egypt, proudly sits on his throne, at the bottom of which are the emblems of the lotus flower and papyrus. The face of the king is serene and does not express any anxiety.

The physically developed viceroy of God on Earth, dressed in a short one, embodies perfect peace, and his gaze seems to be fixed on eternity.

Statue of Pharaoh Khafre from the temple at Giza

Behind the head covered with a ritual scarf is a falcon, embracing and protecting the great pharaoh with outstretched wings. This is how the symbol of the god Horus was depicted - the main heavenly power that kept all the kings of Egypt and their land. One of Khafre's hands rests relaxed on her knee, while the other is firmly clenched. At the bottom of the throne, next to the bare feet of the ruler, his names are engraved.

The polished statue of the pharaoh Khafre, the description of which causes numerous disputes among scientists, keeps unsolved mysteries to this day. It is believed that such a realistic image is subject to the traditions of the ancient canons: in order for the soul of the deceased to enter the statue, it had to identify the statue. And only then the spirit of the ruler fulfilled the requests and accepted all the sacrifices.

World masterpiece

We can say that it has become a real world masterpiece and an outstanding historical monument diorite statue of a pharaoh. Khafre (a photo of the statue is presented in the article) is depicted as an indifferent ruler who is beyond human passions. It seems that the soul of the arbiter of fate is floating somewhere high, not paying attention to the sea of ​​life.

Who is the unknown sculptor, who skillfully processed the most durable rock and perfectly conveyed the smallest features of the face, is still unknown. And was it a man?

The statue of Pharaoh Khafre, found in 1860 in Giza, is one of the most valuable exhibits of the Cairo Museum. This is a prime example the highest level development of ancient Egyptian culture and art.

Secrets of the sculpture of Khafre and the Sphinx

Huge interest not only ordinary fans ancient history, but also researchers from all over the world are called by the statue of the pharaoh. Khafra, considered a revered deity among the Egyptians, ordered his face to be carved on another grandiose statue, finally excavated under a thousand-year layer of sand in the 20th century.

We are talking about the most mysterious and monumental sculpture that excites the minds of scientists, creative people and all travelers. An outstanding sculpture carved from limestone causes a lot of controversy. The greatest miracle of Egypt is considered as a single composition with the burial complex of Khafre, and the face of the Sphinx resembles that of the pharaoh

pyramid guard

The pyramid guard, carved from the rock, located at its foot, according to scientists, was built during the reign of Khafre. The Egyptians depicted him as a lion looking to the East, and with his third eye he followed the sunrise and sunset of the luminaries.

The royal symbol, according to legend, is always awake so that the established course of the Sun is not disturbed. The ancient Egyptians believed that the depicted wild cats they see perfectly at night, without closing their eyes for a second. Sphinxes were erected in front of the pyramids, trying to protect the remains of their divine ruler from attacks by robbers.

The statue duplicating the pharaoh's face does not have a nose, which has given rise to many theories as to how this could have happened. Some scientists are inclined to believe that he was allegedly recaptured during the war between Napoleon and the Turks, but many are sure that this part of the face was no longer there for several centuries before the event.

Mysteries that excite scientists

There is not a single surviving ancient document of those times that mentions a huge statue twenty meters high and more than fifty-five long. Some researchers are sure that the Sphinx with the face of a lion was built by some civilization long before the ancient Egyptians, and the ruling Khafre wished to leave a memory of himself and ordered the image to be redone, cutting out his image in it.

Many researchers are inclined to the version that the construction of the pyramid is closely connected with alien intervention, counting twenty years of construction unique monument too short a period for the erection of such a monumental building.

And the scientist R. Hoagland, who had been studying images of the surface of Mars for a long time, discovered there pyramids and statues with symmetrical human faces reminiscent of Egyptian.

The energy emanating from the statue

The statue of Pharaoh Khafre with the falcon Horus, imprinted in stone, amazes contemporaries with its special grandeur and jewelry accuracy in conveying the facial expression of the powerful king. There is a "live" energy emanating from the diorite sculpture.

Each person is deeply impressed by the carved statue of the pharaoh. Khafre, depicted as realistically as possible, does not pay any attention to the earthly world, fixing his proud gaze on the future.

The ancient Egyptian civilization is in no hurry to reveal all its secrets. Scientists involved in the study of the pyramids warn that new discoveries are sure to be a real shock to humanity. And we just have to wait...

Pyramid of Khafre

The second pyramid on the Giza plateau (the pyramid of Khafre) is somewhat more modest than the Great. The length of the side of its base is 215 meters, and the height is 143.5 meters. At the same time, the base of the pyramid of Khafre is located just above the base of the Great. As a result, the tops of both pyramids are approximately at the same level.

Most often, the Khafre pyramid is in the shadow of its majestic neighbor, and the authors will deprive it of attention. But in vain!.. Indeed, it is on the pyramid of Khafre that the construction methods and approaches that were used by its creators are most clearly presented.

In particular, the pyramid of Khafre is located in that part of the Giza plateau, which has a rather strong slope. The builders decided not to fight this unevenness of the plateau, but to use it. In order not to level the entire site, they simply cut a trench in the rocky limestone base, leaving a ledge in its center, the outer edge of which was trimmed, giving a stepped look. And since the slope of the plateau itself and the rocky remnant have not disappeared, the remnant itself closer to the eastern side is not visible at all; on the western side, its height reaches at least 5-6 steps of the pyramid. This is far from everywhere noticeable by eye, since part of this rocky remnant is still covered with attached blocks. But in some places, for example, on the northwestern or southwestern corner of the pyramid, this can be seen quite clearly.

Rice. 16. Rock base of Khafre's pyramid (southwest corner)

At one time, even the theory was expressed that the pyramids were almost entirely a high rock, which was only lined with blocks on the outside. But the entire relief of the Giza plateau suggests that it was unlikely that there were such high hillocks on it, comparable to the height of the pyramids now standing.

It should be noted that the use of a rock ledge not only (and not so much) as a kind of “support-foundation” of the pyramid is a rather successful technique, indicating not only the rationality of the decisions of the pyramid builders, but also their desire to save forces, resources and materials. After all, at least the volume of the used residue from the stone ledge can be less "chopped" (or rather, mined), transported and lifted blocks from the side.

And whoever the pyramid builders were, in this they are very similar to us (or we are to them): they were driven by the desire to achieve maximum results while minimizing labor costs ...

On the northern side of the pyramid of Khafre, a very curious part of the lining of the lower row has been preserved, which is very informative.

If you take a closer look, you can see that inner side the lining was not aligned with the inner row!.. Moreover, on the contrary, it was the blocks of the second row from the outside that were selected so as to fill the empty space between the lining and the inner masonry of the pyramid!.. It turns out that the lining was first placed, as it were, separately from the main body of the pyramid, and only then (with the help of blocks of the intermediate - second - row) connected with it.

Rice. 17. Facing on the north side of the 2nd Pyramid of Giza

Several conclusions immediately follow from this.

Firstly, it is very rational if the task is to minimize the unevenness of the installation of cladding blocks from the outside before its final alignment (see below). You don't have to bother with processing the inner surface of the granite block - anyway, then the result is ensured by the intermediate row, which is more malleable for processing limestone.

Secondly, with such a construction, it is obviously impossible to veneer the pyramid "from top to bottom", as it is written by the "founding father of history" Herodotus. But the lining in this case can be placed after the entire inner body of the pyramid has been assembled. Although nothing prevents to collect both the body of the pyramid and the lining in parallel - in horizontal rows.

Third, this design provides the best way the fact that the lining performs a non-decorative function. It also performs the role of a power element that maintains the integrity of the entire structure! .. And this is the fundamental difference between these pyramids both from others, and in general from the buildings we are used to. We usually build a power frame around which the entire structure is built. And here we are talking about a shell carrying strength functions. A fundamentally different technological solution!..

A comparison can be made with nature. We, like many other animals, have a skeleton, that is, a power frame around which our entire body is built. Another solution is insects. For example, beetles that do not have a skeleton, but have a strong chitinous outer "casing" that performs just the role of a power element ...

On the same site of the pyramid of Khafre you can see another design feature. Blocks facing the pyramid with some periodicity have a length greater than the average. They are, as it were, buried in the inner masonry, forming connecting bridges. This significantly increases the strength of the entire structure. And by the way, talking about good knowledge construction methods and experience of the creators of the pyramids.

The same picture, however, can be seen on other sides of this pyramid.

There is a very revealing block in the inner masonry of the pyramid of Khafre from its eastern side. Not only does it have colossal dimensions and in all its glory demonstrates that the builders had no particular problems toying with such a weight. It is also laid on an uneven surface! To be more precise: the upper surface of the previous row was not cut off or hemmed, but “levelled” simply with the help of smaller stones and simple backfilling.

The builders were sure that even with such an unreliable-looking support, this block would not crack under the pressure of all the overlying layers. And after all, their hopes were fully justified! .. It is unlikely that this happened by chance. Most likely we are again dealing with considerable engineering experience.

Rice. 18. Block laid on an uneven surface

Near the western side of the pyramid of Khafre, among the collapsed blocks, one can see such blocks of granite cladding that have a small protrusion running along the border of two surfaces (see Fig. Rice. 9th). This indicates that the block was leveled after it was installed in the masonry. Apparently, the tool with which they “sheared” (or rather, cut off) the outer surface of the block did not reach (or was not brought to) the very end of the block, and this tiny protrusion remained.

Alignment of granite cladding inclined plane with observable accuracy - for us, it is generally unthinkable!.. And for the builders of the pyramid, apparently, this did not present any particular problems, which again indicates highly developed technological capabilities (in this case, even exceeding modern ones).

Nearby there are blocks of already limestone lining of the pyramid of Khafre, which fell from somewhere above. They point to one detail that can hardly be attributed specifically to the features of building techniques, but which is also very curious. The fact is that these blocks have a rather thick layer of some kind of paint (see photo). Rice. 10th)!..

Now it is difficult to say unequivocally what color this paint was. Now it has a yellowish-brown hue. But initially it could be, for example, red. Then, in combination with a lining of pink (and actually more dirty red) granite of the lower rows, the pyramid - especially in the red rays of the setting Sun - should have had a purple-red color and make a rather creepy impression.

The paint is applied only on the outer side - there are only small streaks on the side side (perhaps due to the capillary properties of very thin gaps between the cladding blocks). This suggests that it was applied to the blocks, most likely when they were already in place. If we take into account that the outer side of the cladding was leveled after the completion of the masonry, then it was the paint that was applied after not only the assembly of the masonry, but also the alignment of the blocks.

This impressive layer of paint, which even forms streaks in places during its curing, suggests an ancient repair. Although the option is absolutely not ruled out that the builders themselves applied the paint. Moreover, they could do this not so much for aesthetic as for practical purposes. Let's say, if we rely on the fact that the Sphinx was made by them in a period much more humid climate in Egypt, this paint could serve to protect the soft (relative to granite, of course) limestone lining of the upper rows of the pyramid from the effects of rain.

Rice. 19. The internal structure of the pyramid of Khafre

The internal structure of the pyramid of Khafre is much simpler than that of the Great Pyramid. There is no upper tier here. The cells and corridors are located close to ground level.

At the end of the 20th century, an attempt was made to find unknown premises, which, according to some researchers, could be located in the body of the pyramid. To do this, equipment was installed in the central chamber that recorded cosmic rays. But long-term registration did not give anything - no unknown voids were found in Khafre's pyramid ...

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