NUMMULITES CREATE HOUSING FOR THE SPIRIT

There are massive edifices in Giza, Egypt built during the 5th Dynasty, of the Old Kingdom under the reign of three kings. All of them represent an unbroken chain in the deep beliefs in life after death and the purity of the soul. It was thought that a monument and home to protect, nourish, and promote the safe transition of Ka (the life force in the person while alive) needed the Ba (soul or spiritual essence) to be identifiable to the Ka in afterlife. Thus, the structures we have come to know as wonders of the Ancient World (pyramids) were created.

THE GREAT PYRAMIDS ON THE GIZA PLATEAU

Menkaure’s three queens are seen in front of the Menkaure structure. Khafre is in the center (second largest) and

Khafu (largest and furthest in the photograph).

CULTUREFOCUS: Ancient Egypt. Pyramids of Giza. www.culturefocus.com

During the reign of King Khufu the most complete and largest of the pyramids was built and has come to be known as the first “wonder of the world”. It is reputed to have been built over a 23 year period (2574-2550BC). The original height was said to be 480.5 feet but is currently 450.0 feet. The angle of each of the 4 sides is 51 degrees 50 feet. The workmen were instructed to make the base as close to a perfect square as possible. The original length was 755.65 feet. (Hancock & Bauval 1996).

CULTUREFOCUS: Ancient Egypt. Pyramids of Giza. www.culturefocus.com

The narrow stone stairway (first photo on left) reaches up 120 feet that leads into the Grand Gallery (middle photo). At 150 feet above the Grand Gallery (photo to the right) is King Khufu's chamber. The empty sarcophagus is surrounded by giant blocks of graphite.

It is important to have a clear picture of the unwavering belief system the ancient Egyptians had of their mission which was matched by the manpower and time it took to construct these houses of sanctification and rest for the appointed representatives of the gods. The workmen were all part of this service of worship that, they believed, would protect and promote their own souls when it was time for them to leave their bodies. Thus, the average longevity for the populace was the mid-twenties, and it is understandable that preparation for the departed began early in the royalties' life.

For purposes of appreciating how ingrained the importance of the preservation of the soul was, not only for those whom the tombs within the pyramids were being constructed, but were, indirectly, for all those people that took part in the building of these elaborate projects that were organized by the local governing bodies under the strict orders of the pharaoh that would be interred there. Materials had to be found that were plentiful and easily obtainable near the building sites.

ENGINEERING

The architects of these colossal structures took their orders from government officials that, in turn were instructed by the pharaoh, who was thought to be a representative of the gods and, thus, the preparation and work was believed to be for the highest of the high. The actual sight was chosen to be at the edge of the desert plateau well above the highest point when flooding from the Nile River occurred annually and inhabited the land for six months. It should be noted that the Egyptians were adept at diverting water from the banks of the Nile by digging a long canal called Bahr Yousuf and brought water from the Nile to the Faiyum Depression for irrigation. They used long poles on a high post called sweep which was used to raise and lower a bucket to get water from the canal or River Nile.

There were several factors that were essential for the construction of these monuments to their gods that would connect the present world with the after-life. The builders needed tons of material to mount such structures. They needed to be easily accessible and operable with the technology that they had available. Lastly, the appearance of the material, once the structure was complete, had to be beautiful and befitting for a representative of holiness, purity, and absolute wisdom to be entombed there.

DIVERSE WAYS PYRAMIDS COULD HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED

In order to move the huge tons of limestone blocks at heights required to build the pyramids, inclined ramps were probably used.

It is thought that the step pyramids might have been constructed prior to the construction to the outer part. If that were the case, the ramps could have been built from one level step to the next.

While some believe that advanced mathematical calculations were not part of the wisdom and techniques of the Ancient Egyptians, others would say that the very advanced placement astronomically of these structures could not have been accidental.

Many believe that the essence of pyramids are built in steps with buttress walls surrounding the center. It is surmised that packing blocks filled the steps and the limestone was part of the building material.

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NUMMULITES

The most common material used to build the pyramids in Giza was a one-cell organism that was plentiful and found in shallow waters near the building sight. These 50 million year old fossils from Middle Eocene (45 Ma), now extinct, were very large protests that reached up to 160mm during the warmest phase of the Cenozoic. Some scientists believe that the life-span of these organisms ranged from 5 years to over 100 years for the largest of this species. (Geological Society of America, 1999).

http://geology.er.usgs.gov/paleo/graphics/

Foraminifera (Public domain images from the U.S. Geological Survey)

Large foraminifera, nummulites laevigatus, from the Eocene of the Bracklesham beds, Hampshire, England. Specimen has been split to show internal details. Diameter of specimen is approximately 1 cm. According to Pamela J.W. Gore from Georgia Perimeter College’s Geology Department she gives a succinct and informative breakdown of nummulites or formaminifera as they are also called. These organisms that are single-celled are “ animal-protists” that have shells that can turn into limestone after they sink to the sea-floor.

Important points made by Gore in her website: pgore@gpc.edu through www.google.com "nummulites" are that these fossils serve to tell us about our past. The composition and shape of the shell are a few of the ways geologists can discover the geologic time, place, and significance of these one-celled organisms.

OTHER LESSONS TO BE LEARNED

Perhaps the scientific lessons from the pyramids are not the only pieces of learning we can gain from our exploration and research. Maybe these sacred buildings that symbolize the celebration of life, merged with death, can pose questions for the skeptics and confirmations for others. In truth, as the Ancient Egyptians witnessed the sun always rising and setting only to rise again, their perception of the never-ending cycle of life led them to understand that the absence of the physical body was not an ending; but, rather, it was a new beginning into a transported state of be-ing. Might we not extend this perception to say that the 50 million year old fossils (nummulites) continue to live on in these structures, too; because they are an integral part of the whole-ness we have come to know as home?

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LITERATURE RESEARCHED:

Bulinski, Kate. “Abstract”, 1997. via www.google.com under nummulites.
http:www.gsajournals.org
Hancock, Graham & Bauval, Robert. The Message of the Sphinx: A Quest for the Hidden Legacy of Mankind. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1996.
Schwaller De Lubicz, Isha. Her-Bak: Egyptian Initiate. Vermont: Inner Traditions International, 1978.
Schwaller De Lubicz, Isha. Her-Bak: The Living Face of Ancient EgyptVermont: Inner Traditions International, 1978.
LeRoy, L. W. Biostratigraphy of the Maqfi Section, Egypt. Colorado: The Geological Society of America, Memoir 54, 1953.

SITES REFERRED TO:

www.counterfocus.com
http://www.culturefocus.com/egypt_pyramids.htm
http://gsajournals.org
www.google.com under nummulites, Pamela J.W. Gore, 2004.
http://touregypt.net/ Design, layout and graphic art by Jimmy Dunn, an InnerCity Oz, Inc.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

http://xoomer.virgilio.it_XOOM/francescoraf/hesyra/mylinks.htm (Main Egyptological Links by Raffeale – I.U.O., Napoli).
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/sphinx1.htm
http://www.culturefocus.com/egypt_pyramids.htm

Author: Batya Tová
Creation/revision date 10 April 2005

Link to other Student Webpages for 2005 Earlham Physical Geology

Copyright © 2005 Earlham College. Revised April 14, 2005 . Send corrections or comments to tovaba@earlham.edu