You write, ‘ I make it a rule to avoid doing things unless I know the Dynasty IV Egyptians also did it that way.’
It keeps me from superimposing my own worldview onto theirs.’
Well, I can see and accept the need for an element of caution when looking at a culture separated from ours in time and in space.
However, one can take it too far.
We don’t actually know whether or not the Pyramid builders layed out a perfectly orientated 440 royal cubits x 440 royal cubits square and then moved the corners according to some as yet unidentified pattern.
But I think it is foolish to ignore the issue simply because there is no known relevant contemporary text telling us what they did or did not do.
Many of us look at the results of Cole’s 1925 survey and say: well, if the builders’ of Khufu’s intended the base to be a perfectly aligned 440 royal cubits by 440 royal cubits square, then they did an astonishingly good job of it.
But is what we see in the layout of this Pyramid’s base showing us the full extent of its surveyors’ skills.
I’m not sure that it is, which is partly why I superimposed a perfectly aligned 440 royal cubits by 440 royal cubits square over a reconstruction of the base as it actually is according to Cole.
But I haven’t opted for the ‘let’s-move-the-perfectly-aligned square-around-until-a-pattern-emerges’ approach.
Cole (and probably others since) opined that the small groove cut into the pavement near the mid-length of the north side probably marks the Pyramid’s intended north-south axis.
I’m inclined to agree with him.
So I have superimposed my perfectly aligned square over Cole’s not-quite-perfect square, with the mid-length of my square’s north side over the actual north side’s axis marker.
As I said in my previous post to you, a pattern emerges.
Of course this pattern could be purely coincidental and mean nothing at all.
On the other hand…
Instead of exercising your rule to avoid doing things unless you know the Dynasty IV Egyptians also did it that way, why not have a crack at this little exercise and see what you make of it?
Surely, this is better than simply dismissing out-of-hand – as you appear to be doing here – the possibility* that what we see in the layout of the base of Khufu’s pyramid is evidence (but by no means proof) that the AEs of the 4th Dyn. were more skilled at surveying than we have so far given them credit for.
Does it matter whether what we see in the layout of the base of Khufu’s pyramid is intentional or not?
I think it does.
I have been following Don’s drawings (as best I can; some are lost on me, I’m afraid) and it occurs to me that a question that needs addressing here is not: “did the AEs set out the pyramids and temples of Giza according to a vast, skillfully surveyed plan”, but: “could the 4th Dyn. AEs set out the pyramids and temples of Giza according to a vast, skillfully surveyed plan
had they wanted to?”
IMO, the layout of the base of Khufu’s pyramid suggests, repeat suggests, to me that yes they could have; which, IMO, then brings us to the question, "But did they?"
MJ
*Please, please spare us the mindless rhetoric of the ilk: “Well, it’s also possible the Great Pyramid was built by little green men from Atlantis who worshipped a god called von Daniken”
It doesn’t work, Anthony.
It never has and it never will.
p.s. Please can we also be spared the "I do not know of/cannot think of a reason why they would do such a thing, therefore they did not do it" arguement.
Thanks.