Uncovering the secrets of the Great Pyramid of Qiza
1. For thousands of years, people have sought to unlock the secrets of the Great Pyramid. Constructed more than four millennia ago on the plains of Giza, near present-day Cairo, the Great Pyramid remains shrouded in mystery. Many theories have been proposed to explain its origin. Many believe it was simply a tomb or monument for an ancient pharaoh, others suggest it was an astronomical observatory, a huge sundial, or even a vast communication device to connect with other worlds.
2. The earliest existing description of the pyramids was written by the Greek historian Herodotus. After visiting Egypt in the fifth century RC, Herodotus described the four faces of the Great Pyramid as being covered with highly-polished limestone, with joints so fine that they were almost invisible. Four centuries later, the geographer Strabo wrote of a perfectly concealed, hinged stone located on the north face of the pyramid. The stone could be raised to form an entrance, but when closed was indistinguishable from the surrounding stone. The hidden entrance apparently gave access to a narrow passage that descended more than 350 feet into a damp, vermin-infested pit carved out of the bedrock directly beneath the base of the pyramid. However, by the V' century AI>, the whereabouts of this door had been lost.
3. In 820, Abdullah al-Ma'mun, the son of the Caliph of Baghdad, made the first major attempt to unlock the secrets of the Great Pyramid. After spending years fruitlessly searching for a secret entrance, al-Ma'mun finally ordered his team of workers to use battering rams to knock a hole directly through the pyramid's outer casing. The workmen then burrowed their way more than 100 feet into the core of the monument in the hope of finding a passage that would lead them to the pyramid's interior. With no passage in sight, the workmen were on the point of giving up, when they suddenly heard the sound of a falling rock to the east of the tunnel. After digging their way toward the source of the noise, they emerged into a dark descending passageway.
4. Al-Ma’mun’s fortunate discovery was a long, 3-foot wide passage that descended into the base of the pyramid at an angle of 26c. Working their way up the passageway, al-Ma’mun’s workmen found the secret entrance to the pyramid that they had missed before, about 90 feet to the north and nearly 50 feet above the pyramid's base, much higher than al-Ma'mun had guessed. Further down the descending passage, the workers located the entrance to another ascending passageway which was blocked hv three granite rocks. After cutting around the blocks, the workers climbed the passage until they came to the entrance of a high-roofed ascending corridor, known subsequently as the Grand Gallery. A low horizontal passage from the gallery's entrance led to an empty room now-called the Queen's Chamber. At the top of the gallery, the workmen finally arrived at the King's Chamber with its five-storey vaulted ceiling. Despite searching everywhere for treasure, the only discovery was a large open coffin made of polished granite. The coffin lid -and the King's body - had long since been removed.
5. The first major study of the Great Pyramid w as conducted in 1638 by John Greaves, an Oxford professor of astronomy and mathematics. Greaves noticed that near the lower entrance of the Grand Gallery was a narrow shaft, hidden in the wall, which had been dug straight dou n into the depths of the pyramid. This was the entrance to the so-called ‘Well Shaft’ which links the Grand Gallery with the descending passage. Using notches carved into the shaft's sides for support, Greaves was able to lower himself down to a small chamber about 60 feet beneath. The purpose of the shaft was a mystery to Greaves, although archaeologists have since suggested it was used as an exit route for the Pharaoh's workers, once the granite blocks had been put in place.
6. In 1837, Colonel Howard Vyse, an English army officer, re-opened the original forced entryway that had been made by al-Ma'mun a thousand years earlier. Despite some destructive techniques (he used dynamite to blast his way through the pyramid), Vyse was able to make a number of significant discoveries, including air shafts leading from the King's Chamber to the outside of the pyramid which allow the chamber to remain at a constant 20*C. Vysc's greatest find, though, was a small piece of graffiti that gives the only clue to the pyramid's builder, the 4,1‘ Dynasty Pharaoh Khufu.
7. Research into the Great Pyramid took a new direction in 1864 when the Scottish astronomer Robert Menzies proposed that the monument is actually a chronological map of the world's history - past, present and future. According to Menzies, every inch of the pyramid represents one year, with major historical and biblical events represented by key locations within the pyramid’s structure. Menzies also contended that the secret of this divinely-given storehouse of wisdom would remain sealed until a time when it would be most needed.
8. Inspired by Menzies and his followers, various other pyramidologists have proposed theories that attribute divine or alien guidance to the Great Pyramid's construction, despite the scepticism of the majority of archaeologists, engineers, and architects who instead attribute the pyramid's construction to human ingenuity. Today, the use of robotics and other advanced technology offers the prospect of being able to explore the pyramid's most remote spaces, making both groups of researchers hopeful that someday soon the Great Pyramid's secrets may finally be revealed.
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Question Focus: Diagram label - naming a specific internal passage
Correct Answer: Ascending Passage
Why this is correct: On the diagram, this gap points to a passage sloping upwards. The passage says the workers found another ascending passageway, which is exactly what the diagram is showing.
Passage Reference: Further down the descending passage, the workers located the entrance to another ascending passageway which was blocked hv three granite rocks. After cutting around the blocks, the workers climbed the passage until they came to the entrance of a high-roofed ascending corridor, known subsequently as the Grand Gallery.
Common Mistake: Students sometimes write Grand Gallery, but that is a different structure reached after the ascending passage. This is a context shift trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'another ascending passageway' = Diagram: 'Ascending Passage'
Tips: For diagram labels, match the direction and position in the picture with words like 'ascending' or 'descending' in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- ascending = going up
- passageway = tunnel
Question Focus: Diagram comparison label
Correct Answer: Lincoln Cathedral
Passage Reference: Constructed more than four millennia ago on the plains of Giza, near present-day Cairo, the Great Pyramid remains shrouded in mystery. Many theories have been proposed to explain its origin. Many believe it was simply a tomb or monument for an ancient pharaoh, others suggest it was an astronomical observatory, a huge sundial, or even a vast communication device to connect with other worlds.
Why this is correct: The diagram compares the Great Pyramid with another famous structure. The correct label given is Lincoln Cathedral, which is used as a height comparison in the diagram, not explained directly in the text.
Common Mistake: Students look for this name in the passage and get confused. This is a Not Given trap in the text, but the diagram itself requires the label shown.
Paraphrasing: Passage: no direct mention = Diagram: 'Lincoln Cathedral'
Tips: In diagram questions, some labels come from the diagram context, not from full explanations in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- cathedral = large church
Question Focus: Diagram label - underground chamber
Correct Answer: Lower Chamber
Passage Reference: The hidden entrance apparently gave access to a narrow passage that descended more than 350 feet into a damp, vermin-infested pit carved out of the bedrock directly beneath the base of the pyramid.
Why this is correct: The diagram shows a chamber deep below the pyramid. The passage describes a damp, vermin-infested pit carved beneath the base, which is known as the Lower Chamber.
Common Mistake: Some students write pit because they see that word in the passage, but the diagram needs the chamber name. This is a partial truth trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'pit carved out of the bedrock beneath the base' = Diagram: 'Lower Chamber'
Tips: If the passage describes something indirectly, look for the standard name used in diagrams.
Key Vocabulary:
- beneath = under
- chamber = room
Question Focus: Diagram label - main burial chamber
Correct Answer: King's Chamber
Passage Reference: At the top of the gallery, the workmen finally arrived at the King's Chamber with its five-storey vaulted ceiling. Despite searching everywhere for treasure, the only discovery was a large open coffin made of polished granite. The coffin lid -and the King's body - had long since been removed.
Why this is correct: The diagram points to the highest main room inside the pyramid. The passage clearly names this room as the King's Chamber.
Common Mistake: Students sometimes confuse this with the Queen's Chamber. This is a context shift trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'the King's Chamber' = Diagram: 'King's Chamber'
Tips: When two similar names appear, always check location clues like 'top of the gallery'.
Key Vocabulary:
- vaulted ceiling = arched roof
- coffin = stone box for a body
Question Focus: Diagram label - secondary chamber
Correct Answer: Queen's Chamber
Passage Reference: A low horizontal passage from the gallery's entrance led to an empty room now-called the Queen's Chamber.
Why this is correct: The diagram shows a room reached by a horizontal passage. The passage says this leads to the Queen's Chamber, matching the diagram position.
Common Mistake: Some students label this as the King's Chamber because both are important rooms. This is a wrong section trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'empty room now-called the Queen's Chamber' = Diagram: 'Queen's Chamber'
Tips: Use the route description to identify rooms, not just their importance.
Key Vocabulary:
- horizontal = flat
- gallery = long corridor
Question Focus: Diagram label - connecting shaft
Correct Answer: Vertical shaft
Passage Reference: Greaves noticed that near the lower entrance of the Grand Gallery was a narrow shaft, hidden in the wall, which had been dug straight dou n into the depths of the pyramid. This was the entrance to the so-called 'Well Shaft' which links the Grand Gallery with the descending passage.
Why this is correct: The diagram shows a straight up-and-down tunnel. The passage describes a narrow shaft that was dug straight down, which is why the label Vertical shaft is correct.
Common Mistake: Students sometimes write descending passage, but that slopes, not straight down. This is a paraphrase trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'shaft dug straight down' = Diagram: 'Vertical shaft'
Tips: Direction words like vertical, horizontal, ascending, and descending are key for diagram questions.
Key Vocabulary:
- shaft = narrow tunnel
- vertical = straight up and down
General Tips:
- Diagram questions follow passage order, so find earlier structures first and move forward.
- Always copy exact words from the passage unless the diagram clearly uses its own labels.
- Check direction words carefully. Up, down, vertical, and horizontal often decide the answer.
- Stay within the word limit. Extra words make the answer wrong even if the meaning is correct.
- Spend time matching the picture position with the passage description before choosing an answer.
The rest of this explanation is for members. Sign in free to read why the other options are wrong, key words and tips.
Sign in to read the full explanation