Погребённый с фараонами
Chapter 1
Thesmalltombshavetheirchapelscontainedintheirstonemastabasorsuperstructures,butthemortuarychapelsofthepyramids,whereregalPharaohslay, wereseparatetemples,eachtotheeastofitscorrespondingpyramid,andconnectedbyacausewaytoamassivegate-chapelorpropylonattheedgeoftherockplateau.
Thegate-chapelleadingtotheSecondPyramid,nearlyburiedinthedriftingsands,yawnssubterraneouslysouth-eastoftheSphinx. Persistenttraditiondubsitthe‘TempleoftheSphinx’;anditmayperhapsberightlycalledsuchiftheSphinxindeedrepresentstheSecondPyramid’sbuilderKhephren. ThereareunpleasanttalesoftheSphinxbeforeKhephren—butwhateveritselderfeatureswere,themonarchreplacedthemwithhisownthatmenmightlookatthecolossuswithoutfear.
Itwasinthegreatgateway-templethatthelife-sizedioritestatueofKhephrennowintheCairomuseumwasfound; astatuebeforewhichIstoodinawewhenIbeheldit. WhetherthewholeedificeisnowexcavatedIamnotcertain,butin1910mostofitwasbelowground,withtheentranceheavilybarredatnight. Germanswereinchargeofthework,andthewarorotherthingsmayhavestoppedthem. Iwouldgivemuch,inviewofmyexperienceandofcertainBedouinwhisperingsdiscreditedorunknowninCairo, toknowwhathasdevelopedinconnectionwithacertainwellinatransversegallerywherestatuesofthePharaohwerefound incuriousjuxtapositiontothestatuesofbaboons.
