Hello Waggy,

While you are here could I ask you to expand on the quote from Petrie (in your paper on the Bent Pyramid) -

“The Level which was intended as the apparent base, or pavement level, is
fully fixed by the fine white mortared pavement which was found outside the
place of the stone paving, at E.S.E and S.S.W., as well as by the pavement
found in situ at the N.N.E., E.N.E., and N.W. No doubt therefore can exist on
this point. At the N.W corner, which is the best preserved, there lies a large
socket block in the ground; its level is 13 inches below the pavement, part of
which there still overlies it. This socket block bears a sloping bed on its
upper face, as all the bedding of the courses of this pyramid is inclined
inwards 5° or 10°. This bed is well dressed, having of course a slight reentering
angle along its diagonal, where the sloping bed of the north side
cuts that of the west. Outside of this sloping surface it falls away slightly and
runs about level, to receive a level pavement outside of the pyramid. The
block is over 10 feet x 4 ½ feet, with another adjoining it, both together
forming this socket bed. The slant face of the casing started directly from the
edge of the sloping socket bed, and must thus have been covered over its
face by the pavement to a depth of 13 inches. This is proved by the
remaining block of pavement still on the socket floor, having a sloping line
of dressing on its edge rising at the pyramid angle, in the plane of the
casing.”
Of the stone Pavement Petrie says “The stone pavement projected but little
from the pyramid, perhaps 20 or 30 inches; beyond that the gravel ground
was dressed down to a hard face, and a thick coat of mortar, finished with a
fine white surface, was laid upon it, to form an apparent continuation of the
pavement. How far this extended I did not discover.”

Forgive me for being a bit thick but what is going on here? The situation is difficult to visualise. Some say the base is 360 and others 362, but based on what evidence? In the work you quote from does Petrie provide any diagrams?