- DAHSHUR -

Bent Pyramid of Sneferu

Horizontal Passage and Portcullises

Western part of the Horizontal Passage

Western Descending Passage (J)

Eastern part of the Horizontal Passage

For better orientation in the photo-material, use the detailed scheme of the Horizonlal Passage. Click on the camera icon to get a picture of the corresponding place. The arrows indicate the direction of photo-shooting.

Western part of the Horizontal Passage.

View from the middle of the Horizonlal Passage on the Western portcullis, which is lowered.

            

There is a shaft before the western portcullis. It is covered with woods. The depth of the shaft depth is about 4 meters. The bottom of the shaft is filled with sand. So the real depth of it is unknown.

            

            

As it seen from the photos above, the processing of the shaft walls is of a high quality.

Below are the pictures of the walls in front of the western portcullis. The last three pictures of the second row are taken in the direction of eastern portcullis.

            

            

Western portcullis. Lowered.

            

To understand the mechanism of portcullis working, see the scheme of John Perring (Source: The pyramids south of Giza and Abu Roash). In the right niche we see a limestone stop-block.

The first three pictures are showing the limestone stop-block, that we see on the scheme of John Perring. Two last pictures photographs of the second row showing the step ceiling above the western portcullis.

            

            

Last two photos of the second row shows the transition from portcullis to Western Descending Passage, leading to the surface of the Pyramid.

Western Descending Passage.

Behind the western portcullis, on the west side of it, there is another shaft before the Western Descending Passage, leading out of the Pyramid.

            

            

            

Returning to the Horizontal Passage, lets see the eastern portcullis, guarding the entrance to the Upper Chamber of the Bent Pyramid.

Eastern part of the Horizontal Passage.

The eastern part of the Horizontal Passage, as well as the western, has a shaft in the floor and portcullis on the way to the Upper Chamber. Eeastern portcullis is up. Its movement is blocked by a pair of wooden logs. It's present position allows to get into the Upper Chamber, which will be discussed in the next chapter.

            

            

            

Eastern portcullis

Heigh - 2,1m
Width - 0,73 m
Niche width - 0,80 m

            

            

            

            

On the last three pictures is show the opposite wall of the portcullis niche. Logs keep portcullis in the up position.

Further, the whole first photo-row and first two pictures of the second row, are showing the stepped ceiling over the eastern portcullis.

            

            

Three last photos of the previous row are showing the very end of the eastern part of the Horizontal Passage. These photos were taken from the wooden ledder, leading to the Upper Chamber of the Pyramid.

Before the way to the Upper Chamber, there is a small gap in the southern wall of the Horizontal Passage.

            

            

This hole has two directions: northern (about two meters inside the wall) and southern (20-30 centimeters inside the wall). The traces of chisels on the soft limestone qre well seen on the last three pictures. Despite the roughly created hole, we can see the accurate original masonry joints of the pyramid blocks. Someone obviously was looking for something here in the direction North-South. Finding nothing in the thickness of the north wall of limestone, that "someone" turned to the south, damaging masonry with the same tool and stopped. Something stopped someone from digging it further. But what? The western and eastern walls are untouched. Megalithic masonry is not damaged.

            

But here is it! The southern wall and the reason of stopping making the tunnel is here. The "tunnel-makers" faced a quartzite structure, which blocked the way! Qartzite shows low radiation (last photo).

            
Lets note that this quartzite is found, in the center of the Pyramid room system. On the cheme below it is marked with the red dot.

It can be theoretically assumed, that the center of the Pyramid at the level of the bedrock, has the quartzite structure, and we only see the very beginning of it.

            

Maybe, the reason for searching for certain secrets, hidden in the depth of the Pyramid masonry, could be caused by the drawings, barely-visible in the north wall of the Horizontal Passage around the hole (the first row of photos below).

            

            

The first photos of the last row are showing the CO2 content in the air.

The last photo shows a vertical wooden staircase leading to the Upper Chamber, which will be discussed in the next chapter.


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