PYRAMIDS. The pyramids of Egypt, es pecially the two largest of the pyramids of Jizeh, are the most 'stupendous masses of building in stone that human labour has ever been known to accomplish. The Egyptian pyramids, of which, large and small, and in different states of preservation, the number is very considerable, are all situated on the west side of the Nile, and they extend, in an irre gular line and in groups, at some distance from each other, for a length between 60 and 70 miles. All the pyramids have square bases, and their sides face the cardinal points.
Herodotus was informed by the priests of Memphis that the great pyramid was built by Cheops, king of Egypt, about 900 or about 450 years before Herodotus visited Egypt. He says that 100,000 men were employed twenty years in building it. Whether this were or not the true origin of the great pyramid, the vast structure, as at present standing, consists of a series of platforms, each of which is smaller than the one on which it rests, and consequently presents the appearance of steps, which diminish in length from the bottom to the top. Of these steps there aro 203, and the height of them decreases, but not regularly, from the bottom to the top ; the greatest height being about 55 inches, and the least about 20 inches. The horizontal lines of the platforms are perfectly straight, and the stones are cut and fitted to each other with the greatest nicety, and joined by a cement of lime with little or no sand in it. It hits been ascertained that a bed, eight inches deep, has been cut in the rock to receive the lowest external course of stones. The vertical height, measured from this base in the rock to the top of the highest platform now remaining, is 456 feet. This platform has an area of about 1067 square feet, each side being 32 feet 8 inches. If to this were added what is neces sary to complete the apex of the pyramid, the total height would be about 479 feet. Each side of the base, measured round the stones let into the rock, is rather more than 763 feet, and the perimeter of the base is therefore 3053 feet. The area of the base, measured along the outside of the stones let into the rock, is 64,753 square yards, or about 13} acres.
This area is about the same as Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, measured by the wall of Lin coln's Inn Garden and the sides of the houses within the court-yards. The surface of each face, not including the base let into the rock, is 25,493 square yards ; and that of the four faces is consequently 101,972 square yards, or more than 21 acres. The solid content of the pyramid is about 3,394,307 cubic yards, which (not making any deductions for chambers and passages in it) has been estimated to be six times the mass of steno in the Plymouth breakwater. Reckoning the total height at 479 feet, the pyramid would be 15 feet higher than St. Peter's at Rome, and 119 higher than St. Paul's, London.
These measurements, relating to the Great Pyramid, will serve to convey an idea of all of them; we need not notice them particularly hens, nor need the internal cavities and pas sages be here dwelt upon. The materials of all the pyramids are limestone ; and Belzoni is of opinion that part of the stone for the second pyramid was procured immediately on the spot, judging from the manner in which the rock has been cut away round the pyramid. Herodotus certainly understood that all the stone was brought from the mountains near Cairo, where there are indeed ancient quarries of great extent ; but it seems probable that the greatest part of the materials came from the west side of the Nile. The blocks of granite were brought from Syene, which is nearly 500 miles higher up the Nile. The rock on which the great pyramid stands has been found to project at least as high as 80 feet into the body of it. The stones of which it is built rarely exceed 0 feet in length and Oa in breadth ; the thickness has been already stated.
At Thebes there are some small pyramids of sun-dried brick, in which the central cham bers have vaulted roofs. There arc numerous pyramids in Nubia, perhaps eighty or more, but they are generally small. Next to those of Egypt the most extraordinary pyramids now existing are those of Mexico.