MJ:


Yours: "...This thread concerns the question of why Khufu didn’t build his pyramid on the higher ground at Giza – a question which naturally calls into play the question of whether or not there is a pan- or trans-generational geometry based plan at Giza.

Whether or not Khufu’s mortal remains were interred in the Great Pyramid is here immaterial..."

Good point re the remains, but who confirmed that G1 was built exclusively for Khufu and who can verify it built prior to G2? And what prevented all three at Giza being constructed simultaneously? Please...no hypothesis of kingship-power over all, including the next of kin...there's no evidence.

Yours: "...I wrote “(for whatever reason)” simply to avoid getting into discussions here about why Khufu chose the rock outcrop as the site for his pyramid.
For example, I think the Grotto was part of the reason whereas Anthony favours..."

The Grotto is one of your three statements supporting the reason for location, therefore you should explain in detail why Khufu elected to construct a monument containing over 2,500,000 cubic meters of stone directly on top of that "come-by-chance" hole...if that were the case.
Was Khufu initially satisfied with a simple mastaba...was the original design at Giza to include a pyramid like those before him...yes...no?

Fresh air had to be pumped into the lower section, while stale air was directed upward for one reason only; they built the descending passage !
And here is the problem: Why didn't they dig straight down and form the sub chamber only without the DP; it was unnecessary...right...wrong?

Also, if they were aware of the faults in the core material why didn’t it deter them from construction this pyramid? Had they forgotten...it was so soon after the "collapsing" Bent pyramid problem/theory claimed by archeologists?

Any construction engineer would have vetoed the location if they had known of these foundation problems. Instead, they plugged up the cavities with stone, indicating that they had to stay put and…suggesting that all three were being assembled from the same drawing simultaneously.


Your second point:
“…The large outcrop of rock that reduced the volume of blocks required (I have yet to do the maths on this to get a guesstimate of the volume saved)…”


a) G2 uses more of the natural hillside core material than G1.
b) If Khafree had elected, then he could have dug another 20 Rc deeper to maintain the identical base level as his father, and that would have reduced the stone requirement further...but he didn't.
c) You cannot do any math on this because you do not know the natural level of the hillside prior to construction.

Yours: “…Khufu was not expecting anybody – least of all a family member? – to build a pyramid “in the shadow of his own” (so to speak), and thus allowed practical considerations to over-ride any desire to build on higher but less easily adapted and developed ground. ..”

a) How do you know he was not expecting someone?
b) His choice of location is on the northern-most section of the area. Any further north-east and it would be hanging over the hillside and you know it !
c) The material for this pyramid was pulled up the main causeway (G1 doesn’t/didn’t have one) or mined at the quarry south of this causeway. IOW all of the materialfor G1 was haulled passed the location of G2.
Sorry to say but your logic is upsidedown.

Yours: “…I see Khufu’s son and immediate successor, Djedfre, locating his pyramid at Abu Roash, some 5 miles from Giza, as supporting my contention that his father was not expecting anybody to build a pyramid close to his…”

I see time running out for Khufu and sending his oldest son Djadfre to Abu Roash to overlook that project. A busy pyramid building family.

Yours: "...The base of Khufu’s pyramid is a near perfect square that is aligned very, very close to North. This could have been and therefore probably was achieved through the use of basic geometry..."

The accuracy in alignment with true north is within arc seconds of a degree and who can claim that Earth has not shifted since construction?
IOW...they may have built it "perfect" to north...not...very close.

The second point you have overlooked is the square of its base to all four sides; can you explain how it was accomplished? It had Petrie stumped, he makes note of that very point, and he used "advanced" geometry, trigonometry and logarithms...right?

Yours: "...the phenomenally accurate leveling of the sides at the base could have been achieved by the use of water-filled channels – whether this is how it was actually done is a matter of opinion. Given the AEs skills at irrigation I’d say it is most likely..."

Odd that you emphasize phenomenally accurate since this was the easiest of all measure to accomplish. Water leveling had been around since the beginning of civilization...!

The apex must also be considered:
Can you explain how they constructed 200+ courses, ending with the last course’s center point within a hand's width of true center?

Yours: "...I can even tell you what the intended dimensions were (all as a hypothesis, of course)..."

No...you have the dimensions...they cannot be adjusted...they are your bible !

I explained...I will prove...not hypothesize. There's already too many of those going around. Can you do likewise?

The story starts at the beginning...the Step pyramid.

Best.
Clive