A documentary that delves into mysteries surrounding the Giza pyramids
STORY BY PICHAYA SVASTI, PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE HISTORY CHANNEL
Only eight kilometres north of the Great Pyramid on an edge of the Giza Plateau lie the remains of a giant structure. It is where the missing pyramid stands.
Forgotten for nearly five millennia, this pyramid was once more splendid than the other three Giza pyramids. Now, only it is mere ruins on the ground because it was dismantled to build the city of Cairo.
In its glorious days, this was the second of the Great Pyramid built by Pharaoh Djedefre, who was son and successor of Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops), the builder of the first Giza pyramid.
"The Djedefre pyramid was 220 feet [67m] tall made of limestone, outshining other pyramids as if he [Djedefre] wanted to be remembered in history," said Zahi Hawass, secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities.
Not many people know who Pharaoh Djedefre is, but the leading Egyptologist believes the newly discovered pyramid on the Giza plateau could change this.
To share with the world, Hawass and other experts, have appeared in the History Channel's new historical documentary, The Lost Pyramid, to be televised in Thailand for the first time at 6pm on September 7, and then reruns regularly.
The Lost Pyramid unveils the mystery of how and why all the four Giza pyramids were built and how they were connected.
Pharaoh Khufu built the first and biggest of the Great Pyramid of Giza. His son and immediate successor, Djedefre, chose to build his pyramid far away from his father's.
The third, built on a higher ground of Giza, was built by Djedefre's half-brother Khafre. His pyramid looks bigger than Khufu's first pyramid, which is in fact the tallest. The last, the smallest pyramid on the Giza plateau, was built by Pharaoh Menkaure, the son of Khafre.
With computer graphics technology (CGT), the documentary reconstructs Djedefre's pyramid for the first time.
It shows how the rediscovery of Djedefre's pyramid can lead to important clues to reconstruct the blueprint of the Giza plateau, including the raised causeways, giant canals and a labyrinth of hidden tunnels that link the pyramids and palaces of the pharaohs.
Through the dramatisation of historical accounts and the findings from the latest 12-year excavation, the documentary tells the story of the Khufu family, known as the most powerful of all Egyptian dynasties.
Anthony Geffen, a documentary film-maker and producer, who is in charge of the production of The Lost Pyramid over the past three years said, "This is a complex family. To bring it to life, we needed to go to the beginning through extensive research."
It reveals Djedefre - who has long been regarded as a traitor to his family - was in fact a good son who had the Sphinx carved in the image of his father. This matches evidence reported by French Egyptologist, Vassil Dobrev, in 2004.
According to legends, the Khufu dynasty was a family involved with conflicts, incest and suspected murders. Greek historian Herodotus also portrayed them as wild and cruel. However, historical accounts show they were great builders and administrators.
To build the Great Pyramid, Khufu conscripted workers throughout Egypt during the Nile's annual flood season, and established the first assembly line.
According to Hawass' article Khufu, Djedefre's father, Khufu, was the second king of the fourth dynasty of the Old Kingdom. The Turin Papyrus mentioned he ruled for 23 years after the reign of his father, Snefru.
Khufu planned to have one of his sons, Kauab, be his heir. Kauab was a scribe and he wanted to be like his grandfather, Senefru, who was a cultured and wise king. But Kauab died during the reign of his father.
Khufu's great achievement was building the Great Pyramid on the Giza Plateau. Khufu used granite from Aswan, basalt from the oasis and white fine limestone from Tura. The design of the pyramid complex, created in his reign, continued to be used until the end of the Old Kingdom.
Historical records show Djedefre was the third king of the fourth dynasty and the first king to adopt the title "Son of Re", indicating the rising popularity of the cult of the sun god Re. The Turin King List states Djedefre ruled for eight years.
It was believed Djedefre murdered his older half-brother, Kauab, and later died at the hands of his younger brother and successor, Khafre, out of revenge.
"We didn't find Djedefre's mummy, so we didn't know how he died," Hasan Abdul El-Razek, an expert from the Lost Pyramid, said.
Current theories, however, suggest Djedefre might not have murdered Kauab and he might have been old when he ascended the throne and not murdered by Khafre.
Hawass said, "We believed Djedefre killed his brother Kauab, took the throne and moved his pyramid away from his father's and brother's. But, there is no evidence at all that Djedefre killed Kauab and that Kauab was heir to the throne."
The Egyptologist pointed out Djedefre had the right to the throne since his name was inscribed along with his father's. For example, his name was written on funerary boats for his father at the Great Pyramid of Giza.
"Djedefre might be a son of a secondary wife. If we go to the plateau, we will find this pyramid standing alone. I believe Djedefre wanted to be independent from his family. He wanted to be better than his brothers," Hawass added.
According to Hawass, Djedefre's half-brother, Khafre, or Khephren to the ancient Greeks, (2576 to 2551 BC) became the fourth king of the fourth dynasty after Djedefre.
He built his pyramid at Giza next to his father's. His pyramid complex has survived better than many others because it was made of massive core blocks of limestone encased in fine lining slabs. Next to this pyramid's valley temple lies the Great Sphinx.
Khafre's son, Menkaure, succeeded his father as king and ruled for 18 years. He built the smallest pyramid at the Giza Plateau and called it "Menkaure is Divine". This pyramid is the only pyramid in the fourth dynasty that was cased in 16 layers of granite.
The Great Pyramid of Giza was originally 148m high, but is currently 137m at height due to erosion, while Djedefre's pyramid was once around 60m high.
However, Djedefre's pyramid is the most elevated among all the four Giza pyramids because it was built on a higher ground than the Great Pyramid, says expert Hasan Abdul El-Razek.
According to him, this pyramid is believed to be built during 2526 to 2521 BC. On a wall of the main chamber over 20 metres down, is graffiti with the name of Djedefre as evidence.
The pyramid was embossed with limestone and granite from elsewhere. Workers were believed to cut the stones by hand at the site since it was far from the source.
The number of workers stationed at this pyramid site - in different seasons - could be determined by an amount of graffiti found there.
"More than 15,000 workers worked here. These graffiti were drawn by them," El-Razek added.
Also uncovered in the pyramid complex was an almost-two-kilometre-long causeway, the longest ever found. It ran north-south, while most causeways ran east-west. The causeways were for bringing stones to the pyramid sites. More than 100 heads of Djedefre's statues and pottery, including symbolic dishes for offerings, were found at this pyramid. Ruins of the workers' chambers and clay dishes remain in sight.
No remains of a solar boat have been uncovered there, but on the east side of the pyramid, a wall in a 35-metre-long pit in the shape of a boat is present. The solar or funerary boats were for carrying the pharaohs' mummies to the pyramids. The boats would then be buried next to the pyramids in order to carry the pharaohs to their afterlife.
In the pyramid complex, no tombs of Djedefre's family and senior officials have been found. But near a corner of the pyramid lies a structure believed to be either a tomb or a cult pyramid without burial.
Hawass agrees it could be a cult pyramid for the pharaoh to enter to participate in a ceremony for showing he had finished all requirements expected of a king.
According to Hawass, the Djedefre pyramid will open to public by the beginning of 2009.
Nonetheless, the expert voiced concerns about impacts from too many tourist visits to tombs and pyramids in Egypt. Proper site management is necessary and any excavations, which could damage the sites, must be prohibited.
"People talk about pyramids like miracles. And although many things have been found ... it's still a mystery," said Hawass. "You can't make another pyramid."
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