lobo-hotei Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The seked was the constant. Lay out a roof pitch
> with a couple of chosen dimensions for hieght and
> length. It can be done but seldom, if ever, by
> architects/contractors who actually know what they
> are doing.
I'm not at all sure if the following is entirely relevant to Lobo's statement, but I'll throw it into the proverbial pot anyway.
Seked 5 1/2 is usually defined as 1 royal cubit rise to 5 1/2 palms horizontal run.
There are 28 digits in a royal cubit and 4 digits in a palm.
Therefore it is possible for the seked 5 1/2 to have been seen as: 28 digits rise to 22 digits horizontal run.
I suggest that:
a) the height of Khufu's pyramid was intended to be in royal cubits 10 times the number of digits in the seked's rise = 10 x 28 royal cubits = 280 royal cubits.
b) the horizontal and perpendicular distance between the apex of the pyramid and a side at the base was intended to be in royal cubits 10 times the number of digits in the seked's horizontal run = 10 x 22 royal cubits = 220 royal cubits.
Question: why was seked 5 1/2 chosen for this pyramid?
It is tempting to here invoke (evoke?) pi as 3 1/7, but the fact is that there is no textual evidence for this ratio being known to the Pyramid's architect.
I am content with the arguement that the appearance of 3 1/7 pi in Khufu's pyramid is simply the natural product of seked 5 1/2.
However, some folk disagree and point to Petrie's observation that the length of the King's Chamber's side (north and south) walls is to the perimeter of the walls as the diameter of a circle is to that circle's circumference (within 0.6"/15mms) as evidence (if not proof) for the deliberate use of 3 1/7 pi in the planning of the Pyramid.
However, there is a plausible and quite simple alternative explanation for this phenomenon.
Length of side wall = 20rc (possibly as twice Chamber's width [end - east and west - wall] @ 10rc).
A raised floor is inserted between the walls of the Chamber.
The height/depth of this flooring is made equal to 1/4 of a royal cubit.
The height of the Chamber measured from the surface of the flooring is made equal to half the diagonal length of the Chamber's floor plan @ 11.18rc (with length @ 20rc and width @ 10rc).
The height of the Chamber measured from the base of its walls = 0.25rc + 11.18rc = 11.43rc.
The height of the Chamber measured from the base of its walls required by the 3 1/7 pi argument = 11.43rc.
For all this we are still left with the key question: why was seked 5 1/5 chosen for Khufu's pyramid?
Hmm, ever had the feeling one is going around in circles...
MJ