Hi Avery,

Here's what I know about the horizontal passage, there are three distinct phases of construction found there;

Phase 1 (my term)

Both walls of the passage mirror each other, the seams are the same. The first 40 royal cubits south from the ascending passage each wall consists of two courses, each course though is symmetrically stacked stone over stone, and each stone is 2 cubits in length. Thus there is one continuous horizontal seam between each course and 19 vertical seams from floor to ceiling separated by 20 symmetrically stacked stones. At the end of the remarkable symmetry (20 x 2 cubits stacked) the symmetry continues but with different lengths of stone on either side. On the eastern side there are two wall stones symmetrically stacked (one over the other) each measuring 73.425 inches in length. On the western side there are two sets of symmetrical stacks (southward) the first stacked stones equal 69.685 inches each and the second pair are only 35.1574 inches each in length; note that the odd symmetrical stacking lengths on both sides of this phase maintain the horizontal seam begun at the ascending passage. Thus the combined length of symmetrical stacking of wall stones for the western side of the horizontal passage equals 929.6424 inches or 45.084 royal cubits and the eastern side equals 893.225 inches or 43.56 royal cubits.

Phase 2

At the end of the symmetrical phase of the passage the wall stones begin southward as single stones that have only vertical seams between them (there is no horizontal seam except where they meet the ceiling and floor of the passage; on the western side there are 7 of these stones, the first six are a bit longer than 2 cubits in width and the seventh is just shy of 3 cubits, on this side they end roughly 12 inches before reaching the passage step and combined they measure 364.055 inches or 17.655 royal cubits south from the end of the western symmetrical phase. On the eastern side there are also seven wall stones however the 2 stones on either end are just shy of 3 cubits in width and the 5 stones between them are a bit longer than 2 cubits each, combined they measure 409.055 inches or 19.837 royal cubits south of the eastern symmetrical phase, the last stone ends a few inches shy of the passage step at 1302.28 inches south from the ascending passage floor.

Phase 3

This portion of the passage shares the 1st and 2nd course levels of the chamber on both sides, here the horizontal seam returns to the passage walls but the stones are not symmetrically stacked and their vertical reach matches that of the chambers first two courses.

M&R, as far as I know, did not notice or write about the symmetrical nature of the northern (phase 1) portion of the horizontal passage, neither did Petrie. The most complete analysis comes from Dormion, which is essentially where I learned about the passage wall features. Its certainly odd to see three separate phases or choices in constructing the passage walls, IMHO this attribute identifies either a change of plans during construction or the inclusion of an older structure. I hope this is helpful and if you have any other questions please don't hesitate to ask.


Best Regards,

B.A. Hokom