Hi RLH,

"The predetermined angle is up for interpretation and it could be to point at stars but then maybe not. It’s the line of sight when constructing the shafts idea that is creating the problem."



We do not know for sure what the shafts were designed for, so as far as I am concerned, everything is up for interpretation, but I don't think they would have needed a line of sight to a star when constructing the shafts, if they were using a predetermined angle.



RHL: "How did they go back and fill in a level and what is keeping the stones above the (temporary left out) stone from sliding down to the missing space?"


Temporary timber struts, standard practice for holding back stone blocks. If they made a check on the accuracy of the slope between courses 93 to 97 over an inclined distance of about 3 - 4m by sighting to Thuban, the 'hole' required to allow a man who did the sighting to get in and out was only about 2.5m deep.

However, although it would have been a nice touch, sighting through the shaft itself was not so necessary. They could have sighted to Thuban as they approached the top, not through the shaft itself, but outside on a level around course 90 as a final check, so they could be reasonably certain the top end of the shaft would be facing an area of the sky where Thuban would appear, and then simply make another right angled triangle template used with a plumb line to check the slope of the final set of inclined blocks.

The only reason I'm suggesting a possible final sighting check, is because of the difference between the overall angle of 32.6 degs for the top 55m section, and the very top 11m section that has an angle of 31.2 degs. The 31.2 deg angle of the top 11m section means the top end of the shaft was facing an area of the sky where the North or Pole Star, Thuban appeared at its highest point due north c. 2570 BC.

On the opposite side of the pyramid, the top of the south shaft was facing an area of the sky where the distinctive 3-star asterism in the centre of Orion appeared at its highest point in the sky due south - both shafts have the same astronomically derived date consistent with the reign of Khufu (2589 - 2566 +-50 years)

CT