As the oldest of the seven wonders of the ancient world, this majestic structure is perhaps the most fascinating of them all. But why Khufu? And why do Egyptologists think it is a tomb? The answer may be rather simple. Based on a mark found in an interior chamber of the pyramid, some experts believe the symbol refers to the fourth-dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu.
That is the only mark that has ever been found in the pyramid. No other marks reference Khufu, nor do any other symbols suggest the pyramid was his eternal resting place meant to protect him in his journey to the afterlife. Given that lonely and ‘miserable symbol, Egyptologists argue that the Great Pyramid of Giza was thus built as a tomb over a 10- to 20-year period concluding around 2560 BC. But no discovery other than that symbol suggests Khufu’s mummy was ever inside the pyramid.
The mummified remains of King Khufu have never been found and are presumed to have been stolen from the Great Pyramid. But that’s just a theory. His mummified remains may very well remain hidden in a burial chamber in a different part of Egypt.
The Great Pyramid’s burial chambers lack inscriptions and decorations, the norm for Egyptian tombs of the fourth to late fifth dynasty, apart from work-gang graffiti that include Khufu’s names.[19] Constructed around 2600 BC, it predates the custom of inscribing pyramids with text by over 200 years.[20][3]
The most intact papyri describe several months of work with the transportation of limestone from quarries Tura North and Tura South to Giza in the 27th year of the reign of pharaoh Khufu.[8][9]Though the diary does not specify where the stones were to be used or for what purpose, given the diary may date to what is widely considered the very end of Khufu’s reign, Tallet believes they were most likely for cladding the outside of the Great Pyramid. About every ten days, two or three round trips were done, shipping perhaps 30 blocks of 2–3 tonnes each, amounting to 200 blocks per month.[10][11] About forty boatmen worked under him. The period covered in the papyri extends from July to November.[8]
(Emphasis added) it’s not exactly very specific. Every 10 days a few blocks wouldn’t match the expected construction rate, and there’s no reasoning why they think it was for the Great Pyramid (other than the belief that it’s Khufu’s tomb?)
Every 10 days a few blocks wouldn’t match the expected construction rate, and there’s no reasoning why they think it was for the Great Pyramid
Unless there were other crews, like there almost always is in any construction. The journal also specifically names the pyramid, it’d be odd for the stone they’re moving to go to the site of the Pyramid of Khufu, mention the name of the pyramid of Khufu, and then not be used for the pyramid of Khufu.
Yeah it does say they were likely transporting cladding, which is also interesting. If, as I’m buying into, the pyramid pre-dated Khufu, work on it to ‘claim’ it would make sense, and “trimming” would be the perfect thing.
I don’t know of course, but in the current of speculations that’s one I prefer. The great pyramid is just different to the others in interesting ways.
The Great Pyramid differs in its internal arrangement from the other pyramids in the area. The greater number of passages and chambers, the high finish of parts of the work, and the accuracy of construction all distinguish it. The walls throughout the pyramid are totally bare and uninscribed, but there are inscriptions—to be more precise, graffiti—believed to have been made by the workers on the stones before they were assembled. The most famous inscription is one of the few that mentions the name of Khufu; it says “year 17 of Khufu’s reign.”
The results from the two ameteurs’ “research” cast doubt on the construction date of the great pyramid and consequently the pharaoh for which it was built. The results suggest that the pyramid was built in an era preceding Khufu’s reign.
“This is totally false and nonsensical,” said Ahmed Saeed, professor of ancient Egyptian civilisation at Cairo University. He explains that accurate scientific research dates the cartouche within an era after the reign of Khufu.
He elaborates on the writing of the king’s name in graffiti, maintaining it could have been written by the pyramid builders after construction, which might also explain why the king’s short name and not his official title is inscribed. Alternatively, he suggests the cartouche could have been written during the Middle Kingdom era, due to the style of writing used.
If it was the guy’s tomb, why isn’t his name anywhere? All the other tombs are positively lousy with art. But not this one. The one - graffiti, not official, not sanctioned - name is hidden in the equivalent of a closet and that is in shorthand even?
If it was the guy’s tomb, why isn’t his name anywhere? All the other tombs are positively lousy with art. But not this one. The one - graffiti, not official, not sanctioned - name is hidden in the equivalent of a closet and that is in shorthand even?
I don’t know a ton about Khufu, but us it possible that he just didn’t want as much iconography? I know it’s been common for several other cultures (some of Byzantine and Islamic) to not what to have icons or representations of people. Definitely odd, and I’m not sure why almost all of the other pyramids would be tombs and then his wouldn’t be.
I mean, just on the face of it he wanted The Great Pyramid to be his tomb but didn’t want his full name prominently displayed? I guess that’s possible, it just seems unlikely.
Yeah idk it certainly is confusing, I have multiple ideas from him wanting it to be more dedicated to the gods than just him, to the inscriptions not having the time to be finished before he died.
Just seems weird to me that we have a bunch of Tomb pyramids, and then one that isn’t so tomb like but still has a Pharoah inside.
Hopefully this is one of the things we’ll find an answer to.
Do you have a source for this?
Last time I checked almost every historian agreed they were almost all tombs.
https://curiosmos.com/here-are-3-important-reasons-why-the-pyramids-of-egypt-may-not-be-a-tombs/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza#Purpose
The construction date is of some debate. I subscribe to the notion that Khufu claimed the Great Pyramid.
Okay but we literally have journals at the time of construction calling it the pyramid of Khufu
That is interesting. But it says:
(Emphasis added) it’s not exactly very specific. Every 10 days a few blocks wouldn’t match the expected construction rate, and there’s no reasoning why they think it was for the Great Pyramid (other than the belief that it’s Khufu’s tomb?)
Unless there were other crews, like there almost always is in any construction. The journal also specifically names the pyramid, it’d be odd for the stone they’re moving to go to the site of the Pyramid of Khufu, mention the name of the pyramid of Khufu, and then not be used for the pyramid of Khufu.
Yeah it does say they were likely transporting cladding, which is also interesting. If, as I’m buying into, the pyramid pre-dated Khufu, work on it to ‘claim’ it would make sense, and “trimming” would be the perfect thing.
I don’t know of course, but in the current of speculations that’s one I prefer. The great pyramid is just different to the others in interesting ways.
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2013/11/27/penalties-imposed-on-two-amateur-german-archaeologists/
If it was the guy’s tomb, why isn’t his name anywhere? All the other tombs are positively lousy with art. But not this one. The one - graffiti, not official, not sanctioned - name is hidden in the equivalent of a closet and that is in shorthand even?
I don’t know a ton about Khufu, but us it possible that he just didn’t want as much iconography? I know it’s been common for several other cultures (some of Byzantine and Islamic) to not what to have icons or representations of people. Definitely odd, and I’m not sure why almost all of the other pyramids would be tombs and then his wouldn’t be.
I mean, just on the face of it he wanted The Great Pyramid to be his tomb but didn’t want his full name prominently displayed? I guess that’s possible, it just seems unlikely.
Yeah idk it certainly is confusing, I have multiple ideas from him wanting it to be more dedicated to the gods than just him, to the inscriptions not having the time to be finished before he died. Just seems weird to me that we have a bunch of Tomb pyramids, and then one that isn’t so tomb like but still has a Pharoah inside.
Hopefully this is one of the things we’ll find an answer to.