I'm dragging this to the fore from an unrelated thread, in which it suddenly raised its' head.
It may well be that the multi-layer beams above the KC were part of the original design as claimed, however, there is no logic to such an approach when the ceiling was destined to have a substantial mass bearing down upon it anyway.
It makes more sense to me that these layers were added later - perhaps in Khufus' time - to repair a potential or actual collapse of the central upper structure. Maybe the offsetting of the KC was originally intended to reduce the mass above the KC - 'close, but not close enough'.
It bears a fleeting resemblance to a scaffold, despite the apparent unnecessary additional beam layers beneath the chevron roof of this structure. The chevron layers could have been added to to increase support - much as the 'main entrance' has been constructed.
A KC with a single layer of beams forming the ceiling produces a 'box' or chamber without the extraneous upper layers.
Were those beams unfinished/inferior blocks intended initially for the KC walls?
That might explain the finish on the smooth sides, and rejection of the block at some intermediate stage prior to finishing and cutting to size the top surface.
Whatever, the 'gaps' do reduce the mass by redirecting it to the KC walls and the chevrons are supported by the whole width of the pyramid interior.
It may well be that the multi-layer beams above the KC were part of the original design as claimed, however, there is no logic to such an approach when the ceiling was destined to have a substantial mass bearing down upon it anyway.
It makes more sense to me that these layers were added later - perhaps in Khufus' time - to repair a potential or actual collapse of the central upper structure. Maybe the offsetting of the KC was originally intended to reduce the mass above the KC - 'close, but not close enough'.
It bears a fleeting resemblance to a scaffold, despite the apparent unnecessary additional beam layers beneath the chevron roof of this structure. The chevron layers could have been added to to increase support - much as the 'main entrance' has been constructed.
A KC with a single layer of beams forming the ceiling produces a 'box' or chamber without the extraneous upper layers.
Were those beams unfinished/inferior blocks intended initially for the KC walls?
That might explain the finish on the smooth sides, and rejection of the block at some intermediate stage prior to finishing and cutting to size the top surface.
Whatever, the 'gaps' do reduce the mass by redirecting it to the KC walls and the chevrons are supported by the whole width of the pyramid interior.