I agree that the idea of a platform at the top of the pyramid is speculative, although the idea that the pyramid was ever completed to a point is also speculative. I think this diagram of yours that shows a platform at the top of the pyramid is a good illustration of what we know for sure about the courses of the pyramid:



"Goyon who counts 201 layers left now (as do other writers) doesn't even agree with Petrie's height at this point so your alignment doesn't even exist if he's right."

Petrie gives the same measures north and east of the central axis of the pyramid for both the end of the descending passage and for the north-east corner of the top of the pyramid (as extended for missing casing stones). If he is right about this, then the NE corner at the top of the pyramid is above the end of the descending passage.

In your original thread about the courses of the pyramid you wondered about the possible significance of the height of the 35th course of the pyramid and I made a couple of comments about the possible significance of the position of the 35th course in that thread. When I went back to find your diagram of the courses I reread some of that thread and I noticed another possible explanation for the position and thickness of the 35th course.

Petrie gives the thickness of the 35th course as 49.8 inches and 49.2 inches. He gives the elevation of bottom of the 35th course as 1137.6-1137.7 inches and he gives the elevation of the top of the 35th course as 1186.9-1187.4 inches.

Petrie gives the heigth of the subterranean passage at the south end of the floor of the descending passage as 48.5 inches, within about an inch of the measured heignt of the 35th course. Petrie also gives the elevation below ground level of the roof of the side chamber in the subterranean passage as 1137 inches, the same as the elevation of the bottom of the 35th course above ground level. Petrie gives a height of the side chamber of 48 inches, making the elevation below ground level at that point for the floor of the passage 1185 inches, within a couple of inches of the measured elevation of the top of the 35th course.

Generally, the elevation above ground level of the large 35th course is the same as the elevation below ground level of the horizontal subterranean passage. More specifically, the height of the subterranean passage at the end of the floor of the descending passage and in the side chamber is virtually the same as the height of the 35th course, the elevatation of the floor of the passage below ground level is virtually the same as the elevation of the top of the 35th course, and the elevation below ground level of the roof of the passage in the side chamber virtually the same as the elevation of the bottom of the 35th course.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/13/2007 12:06AM by Jim Alison.