A Watery Solution to the Enigmas of Khufu Pyramid’s Queen’s Chamber

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</div> </section> <div class="section_offset counter"> <div class="container"> <div id="block-system-main" class="block block-system"> <div class="content"> <section class="section_offset tax-full-width"> <div class="container">  <article class="clearfix m_bottom_45 m_xs_bottom_30 blog_post" id="blog-post-1939">  <div class="blog_side_container w_sm_auto f_left f_xs_none m_xs_bottom_5">  <a href="/articles/khufu-queens-chamber" class="d_block d_xs_inline_b m_xs_right_5 blog_side_button r_corners bg_color_purple color_light not_hover t_align_c blog_date m_bottom_5"> <span class="d_block day_of_the_month fw_light">13</span> <span class="d_block tt_uppercase fs_ex_small">May 2024</span> </a>  <a href="/articles/khufu-queens-chamber" class="d_block d_xs_inline_b m_xs_right_5 blog_side_button vc_child t_align_c color_purple bg_color_purple_hover color_light_hover bg_light_3 r_corners m_bottom_5 tr_all"> <i class="icon-picture-1 d_inline_m"></i> </a>  <div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_floating_style addthis_counter_style"> <a class="addthis_button_facebook_like" fb:like:layout="box_count"></a> <a class="addthis_button_tweet" tw:count="vertical"></a> <a class="addthis_button_google_plusone" g:plusone:size="tall"></a> <a class="addthis_counter"></a> </div> </div>  <div class="print-article-wrapper not-print-this"><a href="javascript:;" class="print-article" onclick="jQuery('#blog-post-1939').printThis();">Print</a></div> <div class="bookmark-wrapper not-print-this"> <span class="flag-wrapper flag-bookmarks"><a href="/user/login?bookmark_login=1&destination=/?bookmark_login_nid=1939" title="Add this post to your bookmarks" class="flag flag-bookmark" rel="nofollow">   </a><span class="flag-throbber"> </span></span> </div> <figure> <img src="https://members.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/Khufu-Queens-chamber.jpg" alt="Left; Image of Khufu’s Queen’s chamber and Right; a view of Khufu’s pyramid. Source: Provided by Author, Right, Gary Todd/ CC0" class="r_corners m_bottom_20"> <figcaption> <h3 class="fw_light color_dark">A Watery Solution to the Enigmas of Khufu Pyramid’s Queen’s Chamber</h3> </figcaption> </figure> <ul class="dotted_list m_bottom_5 color_grey_light_2"> <li class="m_right_15 relative d_inline_m"> <i class="fs_small color_grey">By <span rel="sioc:has_creator"><a href="/users/niels-bjerre-jorgensen" title="View user profile." rel="author" class="username" about="/users/niels-bjerre-jorgensen" typeof="sioc:UserAccount" property="foaf:name" datatype="">Niels Bjerre Jo...</a></span></i> </li> <li class="m_right_15 relative d_inline_m category-style"> <i><a href="/articles/archaeology-science">Archaeology & Science</a></i> </li> <li class="m_right_15 relative d_inline_m"> <a href="#" class="color_scheme_hover"> <i class="icon-chat-empty m_right_2 color_grey_light_2 tr_all"></i><i class="fs_medium color_grey tr_all">0</i> </a> </li> </ul> <p>Following up on my recent article on the ante-chamber in the Khufu pyramid, <a href="https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-africa/antechamber-khufu-pyramid-0018074">published on Ancient Origins public site</a>, in which I argued it was a device designed to open and close more than once, this article refurnishes the Queen’s chamber, with a theory that could answer several key questions. All its unexplainable features: the ‘missing layer of tiles’ on the floor, the puzzling niche in the east wall, and the mysterious ‘ventilation canals’ turn into purposeful details. All you need is to add some water!</p><h2>The Subterranean Chamber</h2><p>The Subterranean chamber measures roughly 8 by 16 meters (26.25 by 52.50 ft.), longest in the east-west direction. In the eastern half a square hole, turned 45 degrees, is dug deep into the bedrock, and probably once reached ground water. From the southern wall a small square corridor proceeds a little southwards <a href="https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/great-pyramid-0012166"><strong>then ends</strong></a>. In the western half a considerable amount of bedrock is left, giving an unfinished impression.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.ancient-origins.net/opinion-guest-authors/unraveling-mystery-great-pyramid-air-shafts-006602">Unraveling the Mystery of the Great Pyramid Air-Shafts</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/great-pyramid-chamber-0018005">Egyptologists Reveal a Lost Chamber in the Great Pyramid With Cosmic Rays</a></li></ul><p align="center"><img alt="Subterranean chamber refurnished. (Author provided)" class="media-image" height="673" style="width: 1062px; height: 673px;" width="1062" typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://members.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/image002_581.jpg" /></p><p align="center"><em>Subterranean chamber refurnished. (Author provided)</em></p><p>Many believe that this chamber was originally intended as burial chamber but was abandoned during construction, thus the pile of bedrock. If, however, the chamber follows the order of the elements, this is the earth chamber, <a href="https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/archaeologists-identify-temple-hatshepsut-female-pharaoh-ancients-tried-020591"><strong>Geb’s</strong></a> chamber. What better way to demonstrate this than by including bedrock?</p><p>A closer look reveals that this actually could have been the burial chamber, if Khufu was buried here at all. It was customary to bury the body in an underground chamber and have an offering chamber above it because it was the earth god Geb who received the body of the deceased. There is even a flat area 2 by 5 meters (6.56 by 16.40 ft.) where it would be possible to assemble a coffin or sarcophagus.</p><p>The Greek historian <a href="https://www.ancient-origins.net/history/picking-apart-words-herodotus-was-he-father-histories-or-lies-009085"><strong>Herodotus</strong></a> visited Egypt c. 500 BC (c. 2000 years after Khufu). He wrote that he was told by priests that the king lay buried beneath the pyramid on an island in a water-filled chamber, into which the water came through a brick canal - an astonishingly precise description of how the chamber may have looked.</p><p>And if you look at the bedrock left in the chamber it’s an ‘island’ onto which the coffin could be placed. The vertical shaft probably acted as a well to obtain water. A frame of wood, eventually tightened by clay, would restrain the water from running back. There even is a ledge it could rest on. With the right amount of water it would look as if the water flooded in from the canal in the southern wall, as demonstrated in the drawing above.</p><p>Some believe that Herodotus referred to the existence of another subterranean chamber and others say he was misinformed. But as you can see, it is not necessary to search for another chamber. You just have to place a wooden frame in the well and hoist some water up!</p><p>My drawing of the subterranean chamber shows how a small change can have a large effect. The chamber’s ‘mysterious’ well, could simply have been a functioning well as we know them. Water hoisted up in the chamber would create a tableau illustrating how Khufu’s sarcophagus could have actually rested under the pyramid, ‘<em>on an island in a lake, with water coming from an artificial canal</em>,’ as the Greek historian Herodotus was told.</p> <br /><h5 class="not-print-this"><a href="https://members.ancient-origins.net/user/register">Become a member to read more</a> OR <a href="https://members.ancient-origins.net/user/login?destination=node/1939">login here</a></h5> </article> </div> </section> <script> jQuery('ul.d_inline_m.fw_light.category-style a').addClass('color_purple'); </script> <script src="/sites/all/themes/illusion/js/addthis_widget.js"></script> </div> </div> <div id="block-block-108" class="block block-block"> <div class="content"> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Ancient Origins Quotations" class="media-image" style="width: 1047px; height: 94px;" typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://members.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/quoteby_0.jpg" width="1047" height="94" /></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <hr class="divider_type_2">  <footer role="contentinfo" class="bg_light_3 ">   <section class="footer_top_part"> <div class="container relative"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-lg-6 col-md-6"> <div class="row">  <div class="col-lg-6 col-md-6 col-sm-6 m_bottom_20 m_sm_bottom_30"> </div>  <div class="col-lg-6 col-md-6 col-sm-6 m_bottom_20 m_sm_bottom_30"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-lg-6 col-md-6"> <div class="row">  <div class="col-lg-6 col-md-6 col-sm-6 m_bottom_20 m_sm_bottom_30"> </div>  <div class="col-lg-6 col-md-6 col-sm-6 m_bottom_20 m_sm_bottom_30"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <hr class="m_bottom_45 divider_type_3 m_xs_bottom_30"> <div class="container"> <div class="row">  <div class="col-lg-4 col-md-4 col-sm-4 fw_light m_bottom_30"> <div id="block-block-3" class="block block-block"> <div class="content"> <h5 class="color_dark m_bottom_20">About Us in Short</h5> <p>The Ancient Origins Member Page brings you exclusive, quality content from well-known authors and experts not available anywhere else on the internet, free downloadable ebooks, live webinars, Talk to an Expert chat room, expedition updates, member discounts, and no distracting ads. 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