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| January 24, 2007 04:17AM |
Hello RLH,
You write, ‘If as you say the blocks are 41.6 inches wide and the gap between the walls of the passage leading to the QC is 41.3 inches wide then the width between the Ramps is also 41.3 inches wide. So even if there was or wasn’t a floor covering the passage gap is not important! The blocks would need to be on top of the Ramps and the Ramps are about 20 inches above the floor line of the AP. End result the blocks would hit the ceiling of the AP and not go in.’
Petrie gives 41.6” as the maximum width of the granite plugs.
The widths of the Ascending Passage, the Grand Gallery (between the faces of the ramps), and the passage leading to the Queen’s Chamber are all clearly intended to be 2 royal cubits (i.e. 40.3” max).
In actuality they vary from this by approx. +/- 0.2” (please note that this figure is from memory).
As Petrie and others have observed, the granite plugs are a very tight fit (the lowermost plug is tapered width-wise, and so too is the Passage at this point) and, apart from a small trace on the floor a short distance the uppermost plug, there is no evidence of mortar (or similar) having been used as a lubricant to prevent the plugs lodging part way down the Passage.
There is a gap between two of the plugs (about 4”) and it has been suggested that this is evidence of accumulated mortar that has disintegrated and disappeared over the centuries.
Interestingly, rarely is mention made of the fact that there is no gap between the other plug ends.
You write, ‘…I did some model testing and found that blocks would not slide by gravity on an angle of about 26.5 degrees. I found the angle needed to be about 32 to 35 degrees before gravity took over. This test was done on a lubricated and non-lubricated floor with a result of about 30 degrees for the lubricated.’
As you go on to say, it would be most interesting - and enlightening – to see what happens when the same experiment is carried out using full-sized limestone blocks, etc.
You write, ‘With a width of 41.6 inches then only two men could push on the blocks and if the floor was lubricated for the blocks to slide then the men would also have to push on a lubricated floor.
Now that would be entertaining to watch…
Regards,
MJ
You write, ‘If as you say the blocks are 41.6 inches wide and the gap between the walls of the passage leading to the QC is 41.3 inches wide then the width between the Ramps is also 41.3 inches wide. So even if there was or wasn’t a floor covering the passage gap is not important! The blocks would need to be on top of the Ramps and the Ramps are about 20 inches above the floor line of the AP. End result the blocks would hit the ceiling of the AP and not go in.’
Petrie gives 41.6” as the maximum width of the granite plugs.
The widths of the Ascending Passage, the Grand Gallery (between the faces of the ramps), and the passage leading to the Queen’s Chamber are all clearly intended to be 2 royal cubits (i.e. 40.3” max).
In actuality they vary from this by approx. +/- 0.2” (please note that this figure is from memory).
As Petrie and others have observed, the granite plugs are a very tight fit (the lowermost plug is tapered width-wise, and so too is the Passage at this point) and, apart from a small trace on the floor a short distance the uppermost plug, there is no evidence of mortar (or similar) having been used as a lubricant to prevent the plugs lodging part way down the Passage.
There is a gap between two of the plugs (about 4”) and it has been suggested that this is evidence of accumulated mortar that has disintegrated and disappeared over the centuries.
Interestingly, rarely is mention made of the fact that there is no gap between the other plug ends.
You write, ‘…I did some model testing and found that blocks would not slide by gravity on an angle of about 26.5 degrees. I found the angle needed to be about 32 to 35 degrees before gravity took over. This test was done on a lubricated and non-lubricated floor with a result of about 30 degrees for the lubricated.’
As you go on to say, it would be most interesting - and enlightening – to see what happens when the same experiment is carried out using full-sized limestone blocks, etc.
You write, ‘With a width of 41.6 inches then only two men could push on the blocks and if the floor was lubricated for the blocks to slide then the men would also have to push on a lubricated floor.
Now that would be entertaining to watch…
Regards,
MJ
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