AT SIXES AND SEVENS WITH DAHSHUR
The Bent and the Red pyramids were built as a pair.
The Red pyramid was started before the Bent pyramid was finished.
Some say that when Sneferu saw that the Bent Pyramid developed fractures in the outer layers he abandoned it and started the new pyramid.
But this looks unlikely as the Bent Pyramid went on to become completely finished with its outer casing, enclosure, causeway and decorated temples.
It was clearly needed for a purpose.
There is also a stele alongside the Bent pyramid showing that Snefuru performed Sed Festivals in the building complex.
Also, significantly, I can demonstrate a remarkable relationship between the two pyramids.
Some years ago I had a hunch that the two pyramids represented two stars. These were Kocab and Mizar, the two large stars that circled the northern celestial pole (ncp).
The names of the pyramids were 'the northern shining pyramid' and 'the southern shining pyramid'. In view of the other stellar names for pyramids it may be assumed that the 'shining' refers to a star, rather than the limestone casing.
These two stars were the first destination of the king's spirit when he ascended to the sky.
All the entrance passages of the pyramids point to the Kocab/Mizar line.
According to Dr Spence's simultaneous transit theory the pyramids were actually aligned using these stars. Since they were the King's destination in the sky this makes complete sense. The pyramids 'were' those stars.
Her dating of the monuments using these alignments gives the date for the Great Pyramid around 2480BC and the Bent pyramid around 2550 BC.
The northern shaft of the Great Pyramid aimed towards the culmination of Kocab supports this date for the GP.
The side length of the Bent Pyramid was 360 cubits and for the Red Pyramid it was 420 cubits. These are in the ratio 6 to 7.
The Bent pyramid had an outer enclosure that was 100 cubits away from the pyramid making its side length 360 + 100 + 100 = 560 cubits.
It was found by Stadelmann that the Red pyramid once had an enclosure also that was 30 cubits away from the pyramid.
So the enclosure side length was 420 + 30 + 30 = 480 cubits.
The ratio of the enclosures was thus 560 to 480 - which was 7 to 6. So while the pyramids were in the ratio 6 to 7, the enclosures were in the ratio 7 to 6 ! It is as if they were invertible as if rotating.
The widths of the enclosures were thus 100 and 30 = 130 cubits. This is the sum of 6 and 7 times 10.
About two years ago Jim Alison pointed out a fact about the line that joined Sneferu’s Pyramid at Meidum to Djoser’s Step pyramid at Saqqara. It bisected the line between the apexes of the Bent and the Red pyramids.
I believe that these two pyramids were built deep into the desert, with all the hardship this entailed, just to achieve this bisection.
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The first picture shows the line from the Meidum pyramid to the Step Pyramid and the intersection of the Bent - Red apex axis. The second pyramid is an enlargement of this intersection. Pictures from Jim Alison
He then stated that the distance from the Meidum pyramid to the Dashur intersection point was in the ratio of 6 to 7 of the distance from Meidum to the Step Pyramid.
This observation was still in the realms of co-incidence until I measured the exact position of the intersection on the Bent-Red axis. It was not mid-way but split the axis in the ratio 6 to 7 with the 6 on the Red side and the 7 on the Bent side. Now this ratio had become significant !
Petrie gave the distance between the apex of the Red and the apex of the Bent as exactly 3900 cubits. This is clearly a multiple of 13 which is 6 + 7 (it is 13 x 300) so the intersection point nicely split the line 6 to 7 between the apexes into 1800 and 2100 cubits. These numbers were also each 5 times the side lengths of the two pyramids which are 360 and 420.
About the angle of orientation between the two pyramids, Petrie measured this.
The axis joining the apexes of the Red and the Bent pyramids was inclined to North at -8.79 degrees (from Petrie). This is a strange angle and seems to have no meaning.
So perhaps it too used a 6 and 7 construct.
Very easily I found one.
The angle made by 1 on 6 is 9.46 degrees and the angle made by 1 on 7 is 8.13 degrees. The mid way angle of these two (9.46 + 8.79) / 2 = 8.79 deg.
This is identical to Petrie's measurement to two decimal places.
It is worth considering how the angle could be created on the ground in a simple way. Triangles with one on 6 and one on 7 can be created on the ground and the angle between the long sides can be bisected to give the required direction.
![]()
So to sum up we have :
1. The ratio of pyramid bases was 6 to 7
2. The ratio of Meidum-Dashur to Meidum-Step was 6 to 7
3. The split in the Bent-Red axis was 6 to 7
4. The distance from the Bent to Red apexes was 3900 cubits (=6+7 x 300)
5. The angle of the Bent-Red axis was the average of 1 on 6 and 1 on 7
6. The enclosures were in the ratio 7 to 6
7. The pyramid and enclosures sizes were reversible from 6:7 to 7:6
8. The enclosure widths added together were 6 plus 7 times 10.
It is clear that this ratio 6 to 7 was deliberately repeated as a theme and that the spatial positions and sizes of the Bent and the Red pyramids and their enclosures were chosen precisely to incorporate this ratio in several ways.
The question which needs an answer is “what was the importance of the 6 to 7 ratio in the purpose of the pyramids ? Why should the ratio be invertible ?
I have found an answer.
The ratio of the sizes of the circular orbits around the ncp of Kocab to that of Mizar is - yes you guessed it - 6 to 7 !
This means that we have a ground/sky match between the two pyramids and the two stars.
The figures in the diagram are ratios :
![]()
Using a star software, I measured the diameter of the circular orbits from the culmination point and the lowest point of each of the two stars. From these their ratio can be calculated.
The ratio varied over time because of precession so a series of time related measurements were needed.
Below is the table of these ratio values between Mizar and Kocab over twenty year periods between 2600BC and 2500BC.
![]()
As can be seen, the ratio of the pole split became exactly 6 to 7 in the year period 2560BC to 2540BC.
This gives an independent date to the planning of the Bent and Red pyramids. It agrees beautifully with Dr Kate Spence’s dates.
CONCLUSION
The proposal that the Bent and the Red Pyramids were the two stars Mizar and Kocab on the earth seems to be supported by the evidence.
The 6 and 7 theme for the two pyramids was derived from a key characteristic of the two circumpolar stars - the ratio of their orbits around the ncp.
By the magic of the rituals, the pyramid and the star were linked. This enabled the king to move between the two, in life and after death.
The Bent and the Red pyramids were built as a pair.
The Red pyramid was started before the Bent pyramid was finished.
Some say that when Sneferu saw that the Bent Pyramid developed fractures in the outer layers he abandoned it and started the new pyramid.
But this looks unlikely as the Bent Pyramid went on to become completely finished with its outer casing, enclosure, causeway and decorated temples.
It was clearly needed for a purpose.
There is also a stele alongside the Bent pyramid showing that Snefuru performed Sed Festivals in the building complex.
Also, significantly, I can demonstrate a remarkable relationship between the two pyramids.
Some years ago I had a hunch that the two pyramids represented two stars. These were Kocab and Mizar, the two large stars that circled the northern celestial pole (ncp).
The names of the pyramids were 'the northern shining pyramid' and 'the southern shining pyramid'. In view of the other stellar names for pyramids it may be assumed that the 'shining' refers to a star, rather than the limestone casing.
These two stars were the first destination of the king's spirit when he ascended to the sky.
All the entrance passages of the pyramids point to the Kocab/Mizar line.
According to Dr Spence's simultaneous transit theory the pyramids were actually aligned using these stars. Since they were the King's destination in the sky this makes complete sense. The pyramids 'were' those stars.
Her dating of the monuments using these alignments gives the date for the Great Pyramid around 2480BC and the Bent pyramid around 2550 BC.
The northern shaft of the Great Pyramid aimed towards the culmination of Kocab supports this date for the GP.
The side length of the Bent Pyramid was 360 cubits and for the Red Pyramid it was 420 cubits. These are in the ratio 6 to 7.
The Bent pyramid had an outer enclosure that was 100 cubits away from the pyramid making its side length 360 + 100 + 100 = 560 cubits.
It was found by Stadelmann that the Red pyramid once had an enclosure also that was 30 cubits away from the pyramid.
So the enclosure side length was 420 + 30 + 30 = 480 cubits.
The ratio of the enclosures was thus 560 to 480 - which was 7 to 6. So while the pyramids were in the ratio 6 to 7, the enclosures were in the ratio 7 to 6 ! It is as if they were invertible as if rotating.
The widths of the enclosures were thus 100 and 30 = 130 cubits. This is the sum of 6 and 7 times 10.
About two years ago Jim Alison pointed out a fact about the line that joined Sneferu’s Pyramid at Meidum to Djoser’s Step pyramid at Saqqara. It bisected the line between the apexes of the Bent and the Red pyramids.
I believe that these two pyramids were built deep into the desert, with all the hardship this entailed, just to achieve this bisection.
........ 
The first picture shows the line from the Meidum pyramid to the Step Pyramid and the intersection of the Bent - Red apex axis. The second pyramid is an enlargement of this intersection. Pictures from Jim Alison
He then stated that the distance from the Meidum pyramid to the Dashur intersection point was in the ratio of 6 to 7 of the distance from Meidum to the Step Pyramid.
This observation was still in the realms of co-incidence until I measured the exact position of the intersection on the Bent-Red axis. It was not mid-way but split the axis in the ratio 6 to 7 with the 6 on the Red side and the 7 on the Bent side. Now this ratio had become significant !
Petrie gave the distance between the apex of the Red and the apex of the Bent as exactly 3900 cubits. This is clearly a multiple of 13 which is 6 + 7 (it is 13 x 300) so the intersection point nicely split the line 6 to 7 between the apexes into 1800 and 2100 cubits. These numbers were also each 5 times the side lengths of the two pyramids which are 360 and 420.
About the angle of orientation between the two pyramids, Petrie measured this.
The axis joining the apexes of the Red and the Bent pyramids was inclined to North at -8.79 degrees (from Petrie). This is a strange angle and seems to have no meaning.
So perhaps it too used a 6 and 7 construct.
Very easily I found one.
The angle made by 1 on 6 is 9.46 degrees and the angle made by 1 on 7 is 8.13 degrees. The mid way angle of these two (9.46 + 8.79) / 2 = 8.79 deg.
This is identical to Petrie's measurement to two decimal places.
It is worth considering how the angle could be created on the ground in a simple way. Triangles with one on 6 and one on 7 can be created on the ground and the angle between the long sides can be bisected to give the required direction.
So to sum up we have :
1. The ratio of pyramid bases was 6 to 7
2. The ratio of Meidum-Dashur to Meidum-Step was 6 to 7
3. The split in the Bent-Red axis was 6 to 7
4. The distance from the Bent to Red apexes was 3900 cubits (=6+7 x 300)
5. The angle of the Bent-Red axis was the average of 1 on 6 and 1 on 7
6. The enclosures were in the ratio 7 to 6
7. The pyramid and enclosures sizes were reversible from 6:7 to 7:6
8. The enclosure widths added together were 6 plus 7 times 10.
It is clear that this ratio 6 to 7 was deliberately repeated as a theme and that the spatial positions and sizes of the Bent and the Red pyramids and their enclosures were chosen precisely to incorporate this ratio in several ways.
The question which needs an answer is “what was the importance of the 6 to 7 ratio in the purpose of the pyramids ? Why should the ratio be invertible ?
I have found an answer.
The ratio of the sizes of the circular orbits around the ncp of Kocab to that of Mizar is - yes you guessed it - 6 to 7 !
This means that we have a ground/sky match between the two pyramids and the two stars.
The figures in the diagram are ratios :
Using a star software, I measured the diameter of the circular orbits from the culmination point and the lowest point of each of the two stars. From these their ratio can be calculated.
The ratio varied over time because of precession so a series of time related measurements were needed.
Below is the table of these ratio values between Mizar and Kocab over twenty year periods between 2600BC and 2500BC.
As can be seen, the ratio of the pole split became exactly 6 to 7 in the year period 2560BC to 2540BC.
This gives an independent date to the planning of the Bent and Red pyramids. It agrees beautifully with Dr Kate Spence’s dates.
CONCLUSION
The proposal that the Bent and the Red Pyramids were the two stars Mizar and Kocab on the earth seems to be supported by the evidence.
The 6 and 7 theme for the two pyramids was derived from a key characteristic of the two circumpolar stars - the ratio of their orbits around the ncp.
By the magic of the rituals, the pyramid and the star were linked. This enabled the king to move between the two, in life and after death.