In Unlocking the Great Pyramid, Egyptologist Bob Brier reports on the theories of Jean-Pierre Houdin, an obsessed architect who quit his job and sold his house to live in a tiny apartment and figure out how the Great Pyramid of Khufu was built. The Great Pyramid was built by the architect Hemiunu during Khufu's reign (2589-2566 BC), and its original height was 481 feet tall. There are lots of theories about how this massive structure was built, but all of them have problems.
Houdin speculates that an internal ramp spiraling around the outside edge but inside the structure was built to allow workers to haul the massive blocks into place. If he's right, that ramp is still intact inside the pyramid.
Together, Brier and Houdin take a crack at answering four fascinating questions about the Great Pyramid:
- How was it built?
- What was the purpose of the 'Great Gallery'?
- Did the cracks in the granite blocks of the Pharaoh's burial chamber appear during construction?
- What created the "notch"?
As a narrator, Bob Brier has a great deal of vivacity and spirit, scrambling up the pyramid, dragging you along with the story and engaging you in the logical path which investigates Houdin's theories. This is a very compelling story told in a great narrative style.
More Resources
- Unlocking the Great Pyramid, Official page on National Geographic, November 2008, includes video and more images.
- How to Build a Pyramid, Bob Brier in Archaeology Magazine, May 2007
- Great Pyramid "Solved", BBC, March 31, 2007
- 3D unveils Great Pyramid mystery, Dassault Systems, Jean-Pierre Houdin
- Great Pyramid of Khufu
Unlocking the Pyramid will premiere on Sunday, November 16, 2008, 9 pm ET/PT on the National Geographic Channel. Check local listings.
