Page:A history of architecture on the comparative method for the student, craftsman, and amateur.djvu/76

 l8 COMPARATIVE AKCHITECTURE. gives access first slopes downwards, and afterwaids re-ascends towards the heart of the pyramid, where the King's Chamber is situated. In this chamber, which is 34 feet 6 inches by 17 feet and ig feet high, was placed the sarcophagus of the king contain- ing his embalmed body. The upper part is elaborately con- structed with stones one above the other (No. 5 d), and the entrance is protected by a massive stone acting as a portcullis, fitting into a rebate or recess, and weighing from 50 to 60 tons. Two air channels, each about 8 inches by 6 inches, led to the outer face of the pyramid for ventilation. There were two other chambers in the Great Pyramid, one known as the Queen's Chamber, connected with a passage leading off that to the King's Chamber, and the other below the ground. The exterior of this pyramid was originally cased with a sloping face of limestone, but this has now disappeared, showing the original stepped surface in tiers of 4 feet, on which the casing was placed, and which still exists in the Pyramid of Mycerinos. TOMBS. Besides the Pyramids or royal tombs are others for private individuals. (a.) In the Ancient Empire the Mastahas, probably derived from rude heaps of stones piled up over earlier mummy holes, were rectangular structures, with sides sloping at an angle of 75 degrees, and having flat roofs. They were divided into three parts : — i. The outev chamber, in which were placed the offerings to the " Ka " or "double," having its walls decorated with representations of festal and other scenes, which are valuable from an historical standpoint. ii. Inner secret chambers, known as the " serdabs," containing statues of the deceased, and members of his family, iii. A well of great depth, leading to the chamber containing the sarcophagus with its mummy. The Mastaba of Thy, Sakkdra, is well preserved and has been restored. It dates from the fifth dynasty, and was erected to Thy, who in his day held the position of royal architect and manager of pyramids. It consists of a small vestibule, beyond which is a large court where offerings to the deceased took place, and from which a mummy shaft led through a passage to a tomb chamber. The masonry of this tomb is carefully jointed and covered with flat reliefs, which are generally considered the best specimens of their kind. The principal reliefs are in a second tomb chamber, 22 feet 9 inches by 23 feet 9 inches and 12 feet 6 inches high. These reliefs represent harvest operations, ship- building scenes, scenes representing the arts and crafts of the