The Great Pyramid of Khufu Khufu Belongs to the Horizon Original Height : 146.6 m (480.96 ft) Current Height: 138.75 m (455.21 ft) Length of Side: 230.37 (755.8 ft) Angle: 51º 50’ 40” Estimated Volume: 2,521,000 cu m

Considered to represent the pinnacle of the Pyramid Age, the Great Pyramid is the epitome of the knowledge and experience of all previous pyramids. Khufu had every advantage in growing up in an atmosphere of the several pyramid building projects of his father Sneferu. In light of this it becomes easier to understand that Khufu was more than qualified to oversee and organize the grand task of building the monument that is the only surviving member of the Seven Wonders of the World. So much uninformed speculation abounds as to the origin, engineering and construction of the Great Pyramid, though we have a wealth of archaeological evidence to piece together much of the accomplishment. Recently, remnants of ramps have been found by Dr. Zahi Hawass on the south side of the pyramid that attest that some type of ramping was indeed used in the construction of this monument. The attribution of the pyramid to King Khufu is supported by workman’s markings that were found in the pyramid in small chambers that were never intended to be opened.

The precision with which the pyramid was executed is often the source of marvel and speculation. It is likely that the attention to this precision was related to the many structural problems encountered in previous pyramids. To minimize many of the previous errors, the attention to precision produced a pyramid whose base is level within 2.1 cm (less than 1 inch!), with the only difference in the length of the sides being 4.4 cm (1.75 in). The base covers an area of 13 ½ acres. The blocks used in the pyramid are large, with a commonly stated average of 2.5 tons. Many blocks are indeed smaller than this, the blocks toward the top decrease in size. Some of the casing stones at the base are very large, weighing as much as 15 tons. The heaviest blocks are the granite blocks used to roof the kings chambers and the weight relieving chambers above the king’s chamber. These are estimated to weigh from 50 to 80 tons each!!

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New Features Since Previous Pyramids

The Great Pyramid has an internal arrangement that is more elaborate than most of the other pyramids. Here, for the first time  we see a series of upper passageway and chambers that exist within the body of the pyramid. A unique ascending passageway leads to a magnificent corbelled gallery, know as the Grand Gallery. While it is tempting for people to think that this gallery looks to be ceremonial in appearance, the function of the gallery is more likely a holding place for large blocks which were to seal off the upper chambers after the burial of the king, in order to secure his sacred burial.

The main burial chamber has two small shafts in the north and south walls which extend through the substance of the pyramid to the surface. The northern channel is only 5" high x 7" wide and ascends at an angle of approximately 31°and is 235' in length. The southern channel measures about 8" high x 12" wide, rises at an angle of 45° and is 175' in length. The middle chamber, the so-called Queen's chamber, has an even more peculiar feature. It also has similar small shafts, though these end with a closing plug and do not appear to pierce through to the outer surface of the pyramid.

The Passageways and Chambers

The pyramid has three main chambers. The original entrance of the pyramid is located 7.29 m (24 ft) east of the center of the pyramid on the north face, at a height of 16.76 m (55 ft) above ground level.

The Subterranean Chamber
This leads to a descending passageway which is about 345 ft in length and slopes downward at an angle of 26°31’23” first through the superstructure of the pyramid and then down through the bedrock. The end of this passage levels off for 29 feet, has an unfinished niche, and then leads to a subterranean chamber. This curious chamber is only roughly hewn out of the bedrock and looks almost as though it is a quarry. In the south wall, opposite the entrance, is a blind passageway that runs for a distance of  16.15m (53 ft). It is possible that this passageway was originally intended to lead to a second subterranean chamber,  the idea of which for some reason was abandoned. Along the east wall, halfway between the north and south walls, is a square cut shaft that has a depth of 15 ft. The bottom of this shaft is filled with rubble and debris and one account mentions that when cleared the shaft has a depth of almost 60 ft!

The Ascending Passageway  At a distance of approximately 60 ft from the entrance there is a hole through the masonry roof of the descending passageway which leads to the first ascending passageway seen in a major pyramid. This passage is 129 feet in length and rises at a gradient of 26°2’30”. Its lower end was plugged with three 7-ton granite slabs, which are still in place. Currently, one enters the ascending passageway through a hole that was hewn around these slabs from an intrusive entrance. The ascending passageway leads to the Grand Gallery. One unique and ingenious feature of this passage is that it is supported by a series of four single stones which were hollowed out. Through these the corridor was laid, these have become known as the “girdle stones”. There are also 3 “half girdles” which are actually two stones combined for the same purpose. At the point where the Grand gallery is first entered there is a level landing which leads straight to the middle chamber.

The Middle Chamber

The passageway that leads from the Grand Gallery to the middle chamber is 45.72 m (150 ft) in length. This chamber is called the “Queen’s Chamber” in modern time, though this is truly a misnomer. The chamber is located at the 25th course of masonry. The chamber is made of limestone and has a pointed roof and a niche in its east wall that probably originally housed a statue of the king. It is sometimes suggested that this room served as serdab. It has been assumed by some that this chamber was never finished,