The Grand Gallery Relieving Chambers[?] (1 reply)

In Support of the Voids
In last fall’s KMT, Vol. 29, No.3, pp. 40-48, Dr. David Lightbody made a compelling argument for an alternate interpretation of the data produced during the Scan Pyramids Project (SPP). To support this argument, he offered bearing from a position of historical, architectural relevance; providing surviving examples of problem-solving techniques known to early Dynastic Egyptians.

Dr. Lightbody plausibly explored explanations in deference to two parallel voids, in lieu of one large void as initially proposed by the SPP teams. In keeping with supportive architectural relevance, he proposed that irregularities of the unexposed, unfinished faces of the limestone blocks forming the walls of the Grand Gallery were built independently of the later core blocks. This idea has been proffered previously, as illustrated in the 1912 image below:



The Popular Science Monthly, June 21, 1912, “PRECESSION : AND THE PYRAMIDS”, by Dr. Percival Lowell, page 457 [Modified]


Voids resulting between the placement of the Gallery blocks and the core blocks afford irregular spaces which may contain ”low-density sand or mortar which does not absorb muons to the same extent as the surrounding core blocks…”. The image below illustrates the independence of the Grand Gallery structure from the core, and the resulting cavities of construction – Kmt 46 upper:



Diagram of the corbelled ashlar Tura limestone tunnel-vault Grand Gallery, surrounded by the Great Pyramid’s limestone core blocks & twin flanking void-zones consisting of multiple construction void-spaces. Author’s graphic


Significant relevance at Giza is established in an image depicting facing stones of this style – Kmt 46 lower:



Comparable example from the descending passage leading into the burial chamber of Khufu’s satellite pyramid. Cut-limestone blocks show faces finished on the internal & upper-facing sides only. Faces of the exterior are left unfinished. Franck Monnier photo


There is, however, a possible third scenario. Within the Great Pyramid (and other pyramids) is a stratagem employed to transfer the great loads of the mass of the edifice by means of the utilization of the chevron ‘miter arch’. This structural solution is evident in the Great Pyramid from the exposed entrance gable stones, the roof of the Queen’s Chamber and the roof of the uppermost relieving chamber above the King’s Chamber.

Given the great volume of the Grand Gallery, it is not unreasonable to consider a similar supposition for the feature. Below, is a short graphic study illustrating the basics of the proposal; it consists of a series of limestone vault stones above cross-spanning granite beams, as known to exist above the King’s Chamber.







Dr. Troglodyte