Hi Hermione,

My understanding is that Petrie measured course thicknesses at two corners, the one confirming the other (I stand to be corrected on this by other forum members). At any rate Petrie formally published his results. He was emphatic that the shafts emerge at different levels on the casing.
I have climbed Khufu twice and observed that, having established the corner course heights, it would be easy to follow the level of any course across the face. I didn't try this - there's a lot of rubble up there. Incidentally there are videos on Youtube of intrepid Russians climbing up and down the middle of the face, so it's not that difficult, just dangerous. With ropes it would be child's play. So I think the EFF contributor you mention is trying to wangle out of the problem - does he imagine that Petrie tried to 'match' the courses only from ground level using his trusty telescope? Even if this was the case the EFF contributor seems to think the discrepancy between Petrie's and Gantenbrinks figures can be solved if we assume Petrie blundered. But this is just guessing and hardly enough to explain any apparent discrepancy between his and Gantenbrink's findings.

In his writings Gantenbrink talks of swinging from ropes and resurveying the whole pyramid, and the casual reader may assume that everything is now explained. Indeed, Gantenbrink's model is mathematically elegant. Nevertheless, reluctantly, I must ask is it true? Gantenbrink's statements are self referential and appear only on his website. Do you not find this strange? You may wish to defend 'the status quo' but what is the status quo? Where is there any formal writeup of Gantenbrink's results? Doesn't this worry you just a teeny bit?

It does me. I see no point in further speculation about the geometry of the shafts until the facts of the case have been established. Rather than yet more speculation, why do forum members not support the effort to find out the truth, for example by writing to academic authorities. Is this not the prime question to be asked by anyone with an interest in the shafts?

robin