The work you do is simply astounding and hopefully encourages people to think and explore in similar ways! Approaching things in an open minded fashion, instead of looking for answers that support your preconceived conclusions is the way to move the understanding of the pyramids forwards. I hope your findings will get support from the 'experts' too, instead of being dismissed based on credentials & going against the narrative. Thanks for everything you do and I very much look forward to future videos :)
Zahi Hawass would never concede to being outsmarted by an amateur! So who is the true subject matter expert here……the so called archeologist who’s clearly been corrupt his entire professional life or the amateur researcher who’s unwaveringly passionate in his ongoing quest to find logical answers? I know who I’d pick!!!
“The search isn’t just for answers; it’s for better questions.” Bravo! Thank you for your dedication to this. My mind, happily spinning with new questions, thanks you.
They are angles of latitude and longitude. If you plot them on a map, using the Giza Meridian, you will find another pyramid that looks exactly the same as the Great Pyramid. Strange, but true. See: K2, Quest of Gods. Ralph
It's a journey that never ends but inspires imagination and fantasy which is a great joy. May we never solve the mysteries of great megalithic structures.
And, all these years, I was told… and believe… that these channels were perfectly straight and pointed to constellations so the spirits in the afterlife would know where to go. Thanks for clearing that up.
@@grega4607 Same. I've even seen the 3D models of the channels with their bends and still kept the idea that they were pointed at the stars. Just never put 2 and 2 together to see the conflict.
if they were straight. there would have been lots of pictures and infor about this. you would just be able to see out the pyramid like a window.. feel like this is common sense to anyone that just looked into one. its like holding a garden hose and looking through it, unless its straight you just gonna see its bend.
I never understood how they could have pointed to a star when the stars rise and set every night and the point at which they rise changes throughout the year.
Your content explains why my interest in egyptology died when i was 12. you are the first person i see presenting evidence, not ruding on a high horse of academic authority presenting feelings as fact or speculating about feelings and beliefs of the ehyptians as a one stop explanation for everything. Fascinating work
check out the vid by "night scarab" - how to build a pyramid in 9 month-- he admits the 9 months is not practical but points out MANY possible technics i had never heard of !! but points to known uses of those technics in Egypt history
Yes! Textbooks are full of elaborate stories without presenting the evidence! It’s been amazing to me to learn how their stories are often based on a few small pieces of evidence, often with flimsy or half baked logic. It makes the subject so much more interesting when you can think and speculate based on facts. The real take away for me is that time is very destructive and the farther we go back, the less and less we know
From an academic point of view, this an incredibly courageous essay. You constantly seek to put ambiguities to bed with logical evidence based argument. You are also on record as having a profound respect for the limits of your knowledge. Not having done the reading, or the crawl work, to verify your numerous claims, I am inclined to accept them as read BECAUSE of your general attitude toward the limits of your own knowledge. I feel certain of this because I have WITNESSED you drop pet ideas in the past in light of new evidence. Your videos taken as a whole, are a showcase of learning, curiosity and intellectual generosity. You are a champion of clear reason and civilisation in a world turned upside down by barbarism and sadistic cruelty, and an internet saturated by egocentric opinion and lazy thinking. Respect! I often wonder if Egyptology is a haven from the froth and bubble of life, but the politics of Egyptology put the lie to that, and the ancient Egyptians were a passionate and dynamic people, who would laugh at the idea. What I find most attractive about your work and style of communication, is your indefatigable humility toward the unknown. It gives me hope, that we humans are capable of reaching our highest ideals. Thank you for your work. Carry on good sir!
Copper, air chambers, stones that can harness and store electricity, maybe? I’ve recently heard of that theory as the surrounding structures may connect to the storing of electricity as generated from lightning. Sounded plausible to me. Soot on the walls as well…
@@yukelalexandre8885 YOU investigate it! You made the claim. The burden of proof is on you. Not anyone else. Which will be difficult because you up to your neck in confirmation bias. The idea that the internal structure of the Great pyramid had any kind of electromechanical purpose is nonsense, because not a single stone of the great pyramid was designed to be airtight, let alone watertight. The entire pyramid has ALWAYS leaked like a sieve.
I don't know how you do this, time after time. Seeing something that everybody else has missed. It's incredible to me. Look forward to the next one. Thanks!
Perhaps because he is not looking for the fantastical or the mystic? The solution proposed here is, for some, mundane and boring. Sadly, not enough for those who let their imaginations on a longer leash. Like many others, I'm sure, I believed those channels were perfectly straight and pointed at the stars.
Maybe many people have seen it, maybe even reached the same conclusions, its just not enough to write a paper about, especially if it supports already accepted position.
Truly fascinating and a most logical solution. Concluding the Queen's chamber as unfinished based upon the blocking stones remaining in place and the "roughed out floor", not dissimilar to modern home building, is a far more plausible explination for why the venting holes would not yet be opened. Not yet having viewed the follow up videos, my guess is that the vents would allow for better interior climate control to prevent mold, mildew, salt or other build up/ condensation. Additionally, possible control for interior atmospheric pressure as well to avoid internal pressure shifts over the millenia to cause cracking to the bricks or shifting to occur. Finally, I applaud you for going back to and relying on the oldest, first person documentation/ description of what was seen and found. As they had no dog in the proverbial fight as to metaphysical meaning of these items, they had no bias to filter their information through. They were simply reporting what they saw, what they found, how they found it, and (if they displaced something) what changes they made for future researchers. Bravo!!
@@stanlee2200 The "Queen's Chamber" is unfinished, and the Pyramid is finished. Much like how Houses are sold with Unfinished Basements, so too the Great Pyramid has Unfinished Chambers. Given that those chambers where originally covered, yes I'm dead-ass telling you they where never finished.
Undoubtedly, this channel stands as a pinnacle of Egyptological discourse, eclipsing the scholarly contributions of the vast majority of its contemporaries in the field. For years, we have been indoctrinated with the belief that these channels were impeccably aligned and directed towards celestial constellations linked to the afterlife journey. Many thanks to History for Granite for the elucidation provided, dispelling these long-held misconceptions. This video resonates with the imperative that we must elevate the quality of our inquiries. Bravo indeed!
The idea of special star allignments is a completly unessary elaboration on the base idea that the Pharohs soul would go to and from the northern and southern sky. Simply shooting down the star pointing stuff dosn't invalidate the concept of ritual transit being the purpose of the channels.
Basically you get a higher ranking the better your documentation is, weighted by what was common for the time. You get penalized for making up data, destroying evidence, and producing unwarranted speculations. For example, the gentlemen in 'F' tier completely excavated Djedefre's pyramid without any publication - thus a complete disaster. This occurred in the 20th century. Vyse had some major blunders, but still set a new standard for recording data in the 19th century with his expedition. In some ways Petrie would also be S-Tier, but he focused too much on producing data to contradict Smyth rather than being objective about what to look for. Perring simply recorded what he saw, didn't make judgements or assumptions, and risked his life constantly to do so in some of the most perilous circumstances 50 years before Petrie invented archaeology. So that's why he gets the top spot.
I've never really cared or been interested in the pyramids until watching every single one of your videos - your excitement and enthusiasm is infectious. You can hear the bitten tongue in calling Lehner and Zawass "gentlemen". I love the fact you made a hype-train video precursor for this release. You are a good person. In an era of absolutely complete unenthusiasm, I will certainly watch a channel about a topic I never cared much for just to see the devotion you put into every video.
Excelent analysis . The air flow we see here 22:17 is caused by the chimney effect . The air in the chamber is a few degrees warmer than outside air and since the channel rises vertically , due to boyancy air flow is induced ( if the channels were horizontal no air flow) . If a lamp of candle (flame) were in the chamber at the mouth of the channel this would heat the air in the channel creating a much greater flow , after days or weeks the inside of the channel would get hotter and the air flow would speed up incredibly. Anyone inside the chambers would need light so it seems a necesity to exit the considerable soot and fumes and have good ventilation.
You strike on the key to the mystery! As you point out that the channel's serve as chimney's, specifically for the venting of torch exhaust. The amazing amount of evidence presented here is a refreshing example scholarship, devoid of any current political bias. Pure scholarship and logic. I disagree with his conclusion that ventilation was unnecessary for the workers carving the hieroglyphs on the interior walls stating that they would just have to live with it. The talent needed to carve the intricate detail isn't given to every worker, so they would have some concessions granted. We can safely assume that ceremonies were held in the chamber, so again the need for light and ventilation is present.
Prefab channels, opened with a tubedrill and dressed squared after the construction of the chamber,... Remarkable observations, more questions. Love it!!!
If you look at it from a construction worker's perspective, even a modern construction worker, a lot of the "controversy" about these features just melts away.
Meh, I’ve seen better with hundreds of subs/views. You guys just equate Lots of subscribers/views as authenticity. Same type of dudes to look up “truth about Area 51” and click the most viewed video on top and take it as absolute fact
only someone with little to no respect for the many people devoting their lives to working on the never ending project that is egyptology, and who has evidently met none of them, would dismiss them all so blithely.
@@daos3300 it’s because op equates authenticity with high views/subscribers. Since this dude has the most he’s better than anyone that came before him, it’s sad but it’s how a lot of people think nowadays. The same type to look up “truth about Area 51” and click the top choice with most views and take it as absolute fact….
The way the pyramid was built is right in front of these people's faces. Proof is these tiny channels ( too small for anyone to chisel out) had to be put into place before the main pyramid was stacked into place around them . So was the chambers built and placed inside then the rest stacked around them .
@@yukelalexandre8885 nonono. The Great Pyramid is a public lavatory for the hordes of giant Anunnakis that once lived in Egypt after Atlantis was hit by the Death Star and sank to Inner Earth. That's why the channels are not straight, as that would cause a big spash and mess if the velocity wasn't slowed down by the curving channels. The height of the channels in the Queens and Kings room matches perfectly for people with height impairement who can easily recieved the golden shower from the Kings in a comfertable manner. Just do the math!
I would love to get photos and video of the current activity at Menkaure's pyramid with the casing stones. Anything and everything you can get from this would be appreciated.
This adds so much clarity to the misconceptions I had about this feature of the Great Pyramid. Much appreciated. Can't wait for further revelations about this fascinating monument.
The prevailing winds blow from the north to the south in Egypt. By having the channels on a north-south axis as they are here, you get free forced air ventilation with intake on northern side and exhaust on southern side. In addition to the draft effect created you may have a slightly lower pressure zone on the southward side of the pyramid which will help to increase the overall airflow volume. As far as the queens chamber location, unfinished nature, and channel lengths it kinda looks like the plans or desired size changed partly through the project (not an uncommon occurence in construction). You can easily block the vents off once the construction and/or burial ceremony is complete and the need for ventilation for crews of workers or priests with lamps is no longer required.
I wish we could do a user poll on a mystery that needs solved on something in the world and see what conclusions this careful and meticulous man would come to. Maybe another topic entirely!
I just watched a 45 minute video about small channels in a pyramid, and you had my attention the whole time. Hats off to you for well researched, well reasoned and thoroughly entertaining videos! I 've been binge watching your channel since finding it not long ago, and I'm sad to be down to the last few videos. I like history, construction, and a good mystery, so the pyramids are right up my alley. Your channel is the best that I've come across by far!
They are angles of latitude and longitude. If you plot them on a map, using the Giza Meridian, you will find another pyramid that looks exactly the same as the Great Pyramid. Strange, but true. See: K2, Quest of Gods. Ralph
@@RalphEllis Sure, and the ancient egyptians were already using latitude, longitude and they already had a line going through greenwitch marked on their map. How do people image such stupid ideas?
This channel is literally at cutting edge of bringing the ancient past to life. As you explained the 3 different cuts I had a sense of truth that I haven't felt in a long time. It all makes sense now. As you were explaining, I could literally see them cutting the stone in my imagination and it really felt like I was there. I can't wait for the next video. Keep up the good work 👌🏾
Your freedom to explore your interests unhampered by Egyptology dogma coupled with exacting observational skills makes for compelling and intelligent disccourse. Praise!
Dude, you are singlehandedly creating huge interest in the pyramids. Egypt should let you film the pyramids up close with drones like you wanted to do. Any discoveries you make amps up public awareness and interest which is very good for tourism.
@@elreydavid1857 Oh! You mean he’s not engaging in grand speculations about advanced alien civilizations building the pyramids for generating power in some never explained manner? 😂
@@keirfarnum6811 I think that is exactly what he is doing. And the evidence suggests this, yes. I don't think people could have done what he is showing.
@@ChrisDragotta "I don't think people could have done what he is showing" - just like anyone, you can have your own opinions, but until you provide good arguments to support them, people won't have any reason to believe you.
We know that church crypts used to be constructed to allow for constant air flow. This would allow for minimal decay and optimal preservation of corpses. It is also possible that perishable goods, like foods, were placed in the chamber at the time of the burial. So the air flow would allow them to dry and thus prevent mold.
Dude the comments are epic, I've been down here reading all them, everyone has great input, look at all the fantastic folks you've drawn together, gotta love it!
@@raresaturn except it totally doesn't... some kind of ventilation is pretty standard when it comes to tombs. If anything, it proves that pyramid was intended to be used for something (probably religious rituals) some time before or even after the burial. Given the existence of mortuary temples and apparent longevity of some pharaoh cults, this probably shouldn't even be all that surprising...
@@raresaturnever been in a cold cellar? ventilation is critical for preserving organic matter, so if you want a mummified body to last as long as possible, you need to vent heat and moisture. that makes it's way into the chamber from outside elements
@@toncek9981 i was thinking the same, what if the piramids where just some kind of mortuary, where body's laid to rest for a while and mummified, to get burried afterwarths in the valley of kings, the bigger the piramid the greater the person that needed to get burried, just a thought
Ancient Architects relased a video a couple days ago explaining a theory on what the Grand Gallery was used for. Now this video! Great week for ancient Egypt
If the AA video was your first time hearing about that theory, please watch The Revelation of the Pyramids documentary. It’s where the theory is introduced among other things like the spiral ramp theory.
Ah yes, classic case of bending evidence to fit your theory rather than developing or changing a theory based on said evidence. I'm a geologist and it's almost depressing the amount of times I have seen that happen in my field. Also, usually the simplest or more common answer is the correct one. It may be boring but science shouldn't be based on how exciting a theory is but rather how accurate. And we also should be fine with saying "we don't know" sometimes, specially in cases where some of the evidence is lost (like the exit points of the King Chamber's channels)
Never ceases to amaze me how much 'truth' is opinion, and based on evidence nobody questions. Also refreshing to see at least one current archaeologist prepared to accept that the textbooks are wrong, and that by proper observation and recording what IS there, knowledge is gained. Well done Mohamed Ismail Khaled.
@@sancho8521 My argument, as well. Ancient Egypt did not built the Pyramids. For sure, ancient Egyptians built huge structures, but they were influenced by existing massive structures of a forgotten civilization. Even Egyptology offers proof of this. Egyptology argues that: *"The great Pyramid of Giza was the pinnacle of pyramid construction, and afterwards, the monuments began to shrink in size. The subsequent pyramids became less ambitious in complexity."* But that is not how science, construction and civilization progresses. The past of the same civilization is not more complex and sophisticated than it's future!
@@masaharumorimoto4761 Khufu or whoever it was who died and was buried there probably wanted it to be perfect, but as soon as he died the construction (probably lasting most of his lifetime at least) was halted by the new pharaoh and his court to not spend any more resources on this insane project that was never going to be finished :D
You never cease to amaze me, just like the pyramids do. Your integrity and openness of mind are what Egyptology has been sorely missing for far too long.
I watched this only once (so far) but if I understand correctly, the point you are making is that the shafts are most probably for air circulation, and the openings of the shafts in the King's chamber were cut after the construction was completed. So, they were built to provide air to the persons that would enter the chamber and spend some time there, which brings us to ask the "better question": if it was a burial site, why would they build such well-planned air shafts and put so much effort into them? In other words, if the chambers would have visitors that needed fresh air, who could be those visitors and why would they stay in the chamber for extended amounts of time? Therefore, assuming that the shafts are indeed for air, and openings were cut after completion, the whole purpose of the pyramids must be reconsidered. There were always suggestions that they might be for religious initiation practices but the details you pointed out provided more support for such theories. I am looking forward to the next video.
I was having the same question - basically what's worth the effort to build such channels - and for the Queen Chamber, why not finish them if it's to breath or air the inside. Hypothesis: If the Queen Chamber isn't finished / channels not opened, could it be because the King's chamber - which was mechanically build after the Queen's - proved to be more prominant burial chamber (thus well finished), whilst the Queen's Chamber was abandonned as the original King's Chamber? Long shot but the fact the access to the Queen's chamber was to be completely hidden could just have been because it was planned to abandon that burial chamber altogether (ie: leave it empty), before being repurposed as Queen's chamber. Egyptians are known for the "try and learn" approach. At 43 min in the video, there's the view of the pyramid with chambers and channels - where the Queen's chamber channels can be seen being stopped as the King's Chamber was being finished (roof level) - point in time where a decision would have been made to stop the work on the Queen's chamber (including sharpening edge and opening the channels). Happy to get your thoughts -
After they complete the overall structure, then they got to go in and do the finishing touches (polish, paint and decoration, placing stuff and so on. All those workers and flame based lighting will need air.
Simply The Best channel if your are looking for new scientific/credible perspectives on old Egyptian architecture/"mysteries". This content is a must for all who appreciate an excellent scientific idea!
43:05 "The ventilation was not available until the construction was nearly complete." I agree, but you explicitly state that the holes were left uncut for the purpose of avoiding damage while fitting the ceiling stones. And that's incidentally also the exact moment when ventilation for the workers would have become necessary. (With the ceiling stones missing, the air would have come through the gap at the top.) So they could have put the last ceiling stone on, and within the hour proceeded to make the first drill hole into the casing stones of the King's chamber. And for the "Queen's chamber" the holes were never drilled because they knew (or were reasonably certain) that they wouldn't bother doing any further changes to it after putting its ceiling stones in place. And the course of stone where the Queen's air channels end would tell us exactly where/when they decided to fully abandon using the Queen's chamber. Curiously that's _above_ the King's chamber, and pretty precisely aligns with the last layer of releiving slabs and the vaulting stones. Almost as if they waited to see if the alternate construction technique for the King's chamber worked out before committing to fully abandon the Queen's chamber.
As someone who has worked with Stonemasons and Restoration projects, just visualising how they Built the Pyramids while continuing the channels unobstructed makes my Medium sized mind throb ....
I completely concur with your findings. Well done! Your final statements, bring to light the actual purpose for the ventilation. It was not to provide ventilation for those who built the pyramid, but for those who spent the last moments, most likely people higher up in society, in the final burial ceremony.
Perhaps even beyond the final moments. The priests and acolytes of the pharaoh's cult as well as his parishioners in the days and maybe even years following. Until the next pharaoh's high priest drove out the prior. Building such a difficult engineering project in granite and limestone into the heart of the pyramid just to keep the "elite" cool for the final moments of the pharaoh's internment seems hard to comprehend from a modern perspective. Did the internment take weeks? Even if it did, I find it hard to accept that building this feature into the most massive creation in the world to this point was just for the comfort of those people. In addition, when he says the copper pins could be the equivalent of leftover nails at a construction site, I have to call BS. You don't build pyramids with nails and where else do you find copper in the pyramid? These are not scraps from the building. These are significant in some way. Who would put this feature into this many millions of metric tons of stone for a whim or some ridiculous purpose? Why use copper at this point?
@@-jank-willson While it isn't specifically mentioned in the pyramid texts it can be guessed at by the other supplies provided to the deceased for use in the afterlife. All the things a living person will need are provided.. and fresh air is vital.
This is a great step forward in understanding the pyramid! Your discovery that the shafts were first sealed and then opened in a final step is very interesting!
BRAVO!! It is SO INCREDIBLE how you tower over other content through simple (yet critically important ) observations of the stone. The cuts are the key and while i find myself sheepishly hoping for some dramatic reveal that the pyramid is a tomb that was built through the use of a ram pump which is designed into the structure itself… I’m still happier standing on logical discoveries that show it to be a wonder of engineering in every respect. It does seem that your theory only further creates room for the idea that the pyramid was enlarged. i’ll have to look for more of your videos discussing the assertion that there is an internal ramp. Maybe you could point me there? Thank you in advance absolutely love your content and careful dissection of your subjects. Best in class!!
Truly a breath of fresh air, Best channel and happy that you finally got to ventilate. 10/10. Now we just need to solve for why the Queens chamber channels were abandoned so far up,
Still don't see why channels are not straight. Are they steering around another space? Engineers generally don't prefer random curves if they are seeking the shortest distance to the surface.
Very impressive work! You consistently deliver the most objective, fact-based, and logical analysis of the old kingdom pyramids, and I can't thank you enough. This is an amazing observation about the shafts having been opened after construction. I think your conclusion here is sound, and this is a really important finding. Proving a few things, the most important of which is, despite the countless people who have pondered the pyramids, there are still many very clear pieces of evidence in plain sight that have not yet been correctly interpreted. Your point about coming at the problem with an open mind is exactly the challenge, almost everything we can observe is viewed in the context of the presumptions we make, presumptions upon presumptions sometimes. If one approaches it with common sense, the answer will be elusive. Rhetoric like, "everyone knows they were tombs" and "they were aimed at these stars", as if either factually precludes the countless other bogus suggestions that have been made. To me, this confusion presents an exciting opportunity. The only way to approach this problem is with an empty mind. Which is where I come in. I think there is evidence of another practical function of the shafts, in addition to their very clear function as ventilation. There is a viable theory that may hold water. :-P From the photos, I see a few things. There was a recess dug into the stone course at the top of one of the shafts. This wedge-shaped cavity interfaced to the shaft opening at the bottom inward face of the recess, which seems consistent with water use - an area (recess) to accept water and form a pool, and for that water to drain entirely down the shaft without pooling or other obstruction. Something that functions simply as an air shaft need not incur this engineering expense. But there is a lot of other obvious evidence: 1. If one were to put a garden hose down either shaft, the water would flow from that point to the subterranean chamber without any significant pooling or obstruction, nor any places to significantly "leak" out of the pyramid via some other path. A lot would absorb into the dry stone, but that isn't my point. 2. Every part of the path the water would take is engineered for water flow: - From the photos taken inside the shafts, the chisel marks are reasonably consistent with the flow direction, especially around corners where the flow would have been more turbulent. - The portcullises are designed to seal toward the interior, vs. the exterior of the portcullises - hinting that they could have been designed to resist water pressure and allow the room to fill with water. the two shafts enter the room below the lip of the sarcophagus - the passage into the room is also consistent with this height. 3. Every part of the path water would take shows evidence of water and sediment erosion. - There appear to be significant erosion marks -all in the direction of flow - This abrasion stops at a consistent height on both sides of the shaft. - Judging by the abrasion in some spots, it seems likely that not only did water flow, but that water flowed for a significant time. - The incline of the shaft, combined with the incline of the entire path from the top of the shaft to the bottom of the subterranean chamber, is absent of even a single location for potential pooling, all with significant erosion. - The erosion gets greater toward the bottom of the shaft and the bottom of the structure, both consistent with the accumulation of larger and more debris that has passed a particular location. Of course, there are some challenges with this theory, like, why seal the room if they didn't want the water level to exceed the height of the sarcophagus? But we don't have the complete portcullis stones intact, so it is difficult to assess whether this could have accommodated this amount of water flow. If not, the only explanation for water would require that it fill the room completely before draining into the gallery, which would draw into question the alignment of the sarcophagus and the height of the shafts. Again, we don't know that is not the case. The question of how water could have come in these shafts: if this theory is correct, water was either attained from rainfall and channeled onto the shafts by a sort of a gutter in the outer casing stones, which, at the time, would have periodically produced significant flows of water collected from the watershed represented by the top of the pyramid. Alternatively, the ancient Egyptians had the technology to elevate water to supply the shafts if that was necessary. The question of why: To me, it feels like an elaborate soul house (super-popular with the ancient Egyptians). This theme of the river being central to life and the afterlife seems to have been central to how ancient Egyptians thought. But it also demonstrated the height of their knowledge and technology. I would love to get a comment or two, to help me debunk some of these conclusions. if I can't defend my thinking, I'm probably not correct. Thank you again, my friend, for another amazing episode of History for Granted. And thanks to anyone else who took the time to read through this comment. Cheers!
Realmente no passado as lendas sobre o Rio Estirge que leva as almas condenadas poderia entrar na pauta de seu estudos talvez como na pia batismal e de onde surgem novas vidas;
interesting theory. Especially since the video doesn't explain why the shafts are only in one pyramid. And without this answer it all is just a mere speculation. And has the weaknesses of such explanation unsolved
@@ievgeniipolozov3818 Well, the Great Pyramid is the only pyramid with chambers within the structure itself. The other pyramids had either underground chambers or chambers built on top of the bedrock and not within the structure itself. Maybe the architects thought they needed air inside the chamber as the pyramid was being built around it and over the chamber.
If I'm not mistaken, you mentioned in one of your videos that the pyramids were left open some time after the burial. So, there might have been VIPs visiting the chambers. Those are the ones enjoying better air conditions than the workers, right? Hm, I guess the inner structure was better accessible when building it, so maybe the conditions weren't as bad as we think for the workers. That's an unelaborated guess, I know nothing about the construction steps. Great work, thank you very very much!
For me, definitely air shafts, remember the Egyptians used oil lamps which burn oxygen, if Khufu was laid to rest within his chamber there would have been a huge ceremony with many important dignitaries participating maybe over a few hours and thus would require a comfortable atmosphere to deliver Khufu to the afterlife.
The pyramids got sloppy after Giza era the one that has no artistic work inside and better cut stone not fill rocks. The channels would be a safe way to feed a captive ancient creature too.
Well that certainly didn’t disappoint, that settles the shaft mystery once and for all. It’s been there all along staring everyone dead in the face, can’t wait for what’s next, love this channel.
If they were air vents, then perhaps 2 were required depending on which way any wind was blowing. The lea side of the pyramid would have less air pressure and thus facilitate air movement in one channel and out the other. Also depending on relative temperature of the stone versus outside air, the air in the channel would be denser than the outside air which creates a natural downdraft through the channel, or is less dense if the pyramid is warmer than outside air which would create a natural updraft (same as a wood stove chimney). This way the chamber could always have fresh air and CO2 buildup from lamps and workers would be cleared to safe levels. Another reason for circulating air would be to dry out any rain water that seeps in and collects inside. If they knew about embalming/preservation, then they would make sure to prevent water damage Also if for air circulation, then fire in the chamber near the lea side channel opening could heat air going up the channel thereby creating a strong updraft. Also, besides CO2 buildup, air may have needed to be constantly replaced during painting if Egyptians used oil based paint.
Very cool ideas both to help with preservation of a mummy and of paint. I'd also suspect that the pyramid could also be used for ritual purposes and/or to show it off before the pharaoh died and was buried in it. How much would a foreign leader be amazed if the pharaoh brought them in there for example. In that case nice smelling air would be a pretty important thing.
Wind could easily create a Venturi effect on the shaft openings on the north and south faces. Closing the shafts was simple done to make the chamber pretty when the ventilation was no longer required. Oil lamps with salt added to the oil do not produce any smoke, but they do produce significant amounts of CO2 and heat, and while the heat may not have been debilitating, CO2 kills people pretty quickly: you simply get tired, and go to sleep, never to wake up again. And while OSH wasn't a priority back then, it was economically beneficial not to allow your workers to die of asphyxiation.
No this dosn't make any sense. The fact that their are 2 channels is evidence that its a ritual feature not a practical one. If the pyrimid is open the ventalation will always be to draw air in at the north side entrace and for it to go up through the structure and out the channels. One large channel would be far far easier to make then 2 seperate ones, and if 2 channels from the queens chamber were already made then they should have been used to add more ventilation, the fact they reamained closed permently and were aparently built over once the Kings chamber was completed and became the target burial chamber invalidates the ventilation theory.
Air will only move through a space if there is a way in AND a way out. You require both shafts for air to circulate. You can blow through a straw, but not if you block the other end while you do it. One passage might be for ritual. Two passages allow air to flow in, through, and back out again.
Something not discussed - hot air rises. We see the shafts rising. In most attic or crawlspace construction multiple vents are used, and on attics usually some are low to allow cool air to enter and other higher to carry the heat up and out of the building. If air was rising through the grand gallery it could exit via these two shafts naturally.
So, if the Queen's Chamber is unfinished, then we can assume the pyramid had at least one major design change. The fact that the air shafts exist in both chambers probably means the King's Chamber is a revised Queen's Chamber and the change was known early enough to cap off the vents 15 meters from the outside. It makes you wonder which features of the pyramid only exist as a result of the revision and which were original (and if switching from underground to the Queen's Chamber was actually the first revision). The grand gallery certainly wasn't necessary to build the Queen's Chamber. Perhaps the granite plugging stones were in the original plan because there were to be no portcullises and perhaps the well shaft was always going to be the way out.
I wonder if the capped off queens chamber vents are evidence that the pyramid was originally a stepped design? The same could potentially be said about the strange vertical joints in the vent shafts
Ancient Architects channel has a great video that makes a convincing argument that the pyramid was originally planned to be smaller (and end where the queens chamber shafts stop), and was enlarged, including moving the burial chamber.
@@fritter63 I think thieirs a decent chance this is true, though it could be tha the entire 'inner' pyrimid was finished up to the top before the enlargement began, or the enlargement could begin at some point after the Kings chamber is completed and 'finalized' as the chamber to be used and the entire upper pryrimid is completed as one effort after the expanded base catches up with the current construction level. The muon scans might be able to resolve this distinction if it finds a density discontinuity in the pyrimid at the original surface, and if that discontinuity stops apruptly part way up the pyrimid then it will be strong evidence that the expnsion happend before completion of the original plan.
It would make sense considering earlier pyramids had chambers like the Queen’s; but the design was changed part way through construction. They’re really “King’s Chamber 1.0” and “King’s Chamber 2.0.”
@@mekosontv1445i believe it was a 2 birds one stone type setup. Moving water was only part of what it did, the other half is up for speculation but many seem to claim it operated as some type of electromagnetic structure. I would love to see what would hapoen if john cadman were to fire that old thing up. I wonder if an ancient society could have invested in the power of the pyramid without considering the consequences like maybe the resulting reverberations which contributed to tectonic shifts and unforeseen problems for their livelihood. All speculation but sounds fun
@@White_Fox_5.0 You are interpreting the monument from a value point of view, which is fundamentally capitalist. Since the pyramids were constructed before that system of value was introduced to the world, it is perfectly reasonable to assume the pyramids had no real, valuable function. However, capital was less important to the ancient Egyptians than the afterlife was, something you fundamentally misunderstand.
I am litteraly amazed by the unfinished corner of the queen chamber's entrance. A simple and pratical solution, left as evidence of their labour, by workers lived thousands of years ago.
I will go to Egypt next month for the second time in my life. And this time I will look at the hole and think, Air. Thank you for all you have done to uncover the secrets of the pyramids.
Trying to find information on the pyramids that isn't pure speculation or opinion so that I can form my own has proven quite difficult and time consuming, thanks so much for sharing what you've come across👏
The money isn't in just describing what is there today, but in creating a grand spectacle and story to sell books and shows. The religious explanations are always a great playground. You can make up anything and no one can prove you wrong.
Glad to see that you're back. Very cryptic statement that the channels were for air flow, but not for the workers (if I got that right). Then, for whom? I guess we have to tune in next time, same bat channel.
I would guess that they were for the workers who had to finish the chamber after the roof slab was placed over it. Torches would have made the place not just uncomfortable but deadly.
@@JorgeStolfi Yup. I suspect the final finishing in the chambers wouldn't even have started until most of the basic pyramid construction was already completed.....for safety reasons. Which may be why there were plugs added as the channels were built and the pyramid expanded. Then once the basic block construction was finished the advanced artisans would come in to finish everything off inside while the outer casing was also finished. That's when the channels were unplugged and the final interior of the chambers would be finished off, plastered, paved and painted with the channels being the last parts covered over or plugged at the workers discretion. The only thing I would disagree with is the transition from saw cut to drill. You can't end a saw cut part way through a stone like that. That's not how saws work. You either cut all the way through or you don't. I suspect the stones were cut only with saws. The only difference is the first cut will be clean, the second cut will see the waste stone breaking away from the corner joint randomly where the two cuts meet. Needing some areas to be redressed with hand tools and some not depending on how accurate the cutting goes and when the waste stone breaks away. I doubt any tube drills were used at all but it's possible they drilled the point where the cuts would meet as a marking point for the saw to keep the workers on both sides of the large block on point while cutting. Sometimes the cuts transitioned nicely past the holes to make a 90 degree angle, sometimes not and you were left with the rounded drill hole angles.
that pharao had an afghan hound , and the dog needed some fresh air now and then ... - theres another grand gallery above - and another monarkys chamber on upper stage, with a wents for his cat and them points directly at saturn , now and then ...
Seeing what others have dismissed or not even thought of is a valuable attribute, and this video is simply one of the finest on UA-cam, if not ever. Well done, and thank you for such an in-depth look at these shafts.
Id love to see a really in depth video on the subterrainian tunnels under the pyramid. The large unfinished chamber intrigues me most. Theres talk that water once filled the tunnels. And apparently theres a much more expansive system of tunnels than i previously thought. Please tell us more
Thank you for so eloquently addressing how experts often portray themselves as having understanding beyond the reach of most. I share this belief that they do not, and hearing someone else say it is music to my ears. Spot on!
Specially in history where there are tons of amateurs that may know more than "experts" because they come from another field. Like an engineer interested in history may be able to make more complex or accurate theories regarding ancient buildings than someone who is just an archaeologist or historian (knowing lots of facts but lacking practical knowledge). I'm a geologist and the amount of times I have seen good scientists fall for confirmation bias or other logical falacies is amazing. Sometimes we are just too deep into a theory we can't take a step back and see a bigger picture.
@@mafiousbj Way too common is the is the belief that religion explains the thing with a practical use than the practical use explains the religious belief. The reason the shafts were built was for ventilation when the king or royal family visited the finished project. The explanation to those that don't understand such things is to give a story. It is for the soul, it points to some star, the symmetry, whatever it takes to convince the power that be or future generations that inclusion of such feature/practice is important.
@@barongerhardt yeah I agree. But the issue gets worse because of the way expeditions teams get funded and put together. Usually the "expert" with bold and exciting claims gets the funding and he makes up his team with mostly their own understudies/phd students that wouldn't dare contradict their master for fear/respect (specially if you wanna get you peer reviewed papers cleared for publication more easily), so these theories keep getting traction unopposed with more and more papers or books published. Worse still, in the future anyone researching the topic will mostly find an overwhelming amount of papers on that theory, so the same old explainations and "evidence" keep getting recycled because it's the "consensus". And they rarely bring experts from other fields, which imo would be extremely important in archaeology since the topic of study is potentially very complex. As a personal example, I remember doing my thesis there was a paper saying a rock outcrop was granite. When I went there I realized it was on the other side of a stream at the bottom of a valley, so crossed it and to my surpirse the outcrop was glass, not granite, meaning it was a completely different kind of volcanic activity product (and that has ramifications). My theory is the guy who wrote the paper never crossed the stream (the photos he posted of the outcrop were from really far away and in b&w). Hadn't I crossed the stream any future student would still be citing wrong information about that outcrop. That's why lazy science can be so damaging. Sometimes is better to say we don't know, but that's usually highly discouraged in academic circles :(
1) Classical Egyptologists have become "Big Idea Guys" and "Political Players", people with vested ideas and constituencies. 2) The detail focus on the opening, in ancient times, of the Channels is refreshingly prescient. Outstanding !! 3) The King's Chamber was not sealed à la Tutankhamen, but designed to breath, to be accessed and to be used by the priesthood. It is that simple. 4) The wealth of Pharaoh Khufu was never in the King's Chamber. Pharaoh Khufu does not follow Tutankhamen.
I found this in depth, detailed lesson fantastic! And I thought I was up to date on the latest pyramid observations and theories. Still wonder about the power/tesla connection 🤔 Subbed 👍🏻
The "ventilation" purpose also explains two features: (1) the channels were slanted, not horizontal, in order to provide natural draft as the hot air from workers and torches tended to rise. (2) there are two channels on opposite sides so that the wind blowing outside would force air into one channel and suck it out of the other. (I wonder what is the prevailing wind direction at that location...)
1) they're not high enough on the wall for that to be helpful. The warm air and smoke will rise and accumulate. 2) long tiny hole seem like that would have negligible effect, and begs the question of why people are inside the pyramid with the main entrance blocked off, preventing airflow.
The ventilation provided by the channels _as they are,_ even without the electric fan, seems quite significant, and probably was enough for the workers standing on the floor. The architects must have had experience from previous tombs and mines. The problem you describe would apply only above 2-3 metres or more. The architects may not have thought of that. @@daniels4338
@@daniels4338it was mentioned that on multiple occasions the "long tiny holes" were more than sufficient for ventilating the chamber. It was hot and uncomfortable before they were cleared and much cooler afterward.
Ancient and medieval homes burned oil and reeds for illumination and I don't think they had vents on or near the ceiling. Perhaps there is an air circulation mechanic that isn't obvious to us.
So they kept the shafts sealed. They only opened them when the most important person in the world paid a visit to inspect his tomb. So he could breathe fresh air. I like it
I always learn so much from your videos, thank you. I know I'm late to the discussion, but I thought the Egyptians back then were afraid of the dead clinging to them, so I always wondered if the shafts were to guide the little soul bird, the Ba, away. All the twists and turns, lower chambers, all to confuse the parts of the soul from returning to the living. I only mention it because no one ever does. Thanks again!
Truely an remarkable eye for detail! But I have spotted a flaw in the "Ventilation theory": The air-flow works by the upward angle with a chimney-effect. But the chamber was sealed off from the Grand Gallery with several blocking stones on different locations. There was no air flow other than through the shafts themseves. So it would have been nearly nonexistent. Hence either the ventilation was a necessity in the building process when the chamber was open like today. Otherwise the channels could have been part of the final sealing mechanism. Considering the shafts in the queens chamber unfinished, the Great Pyramid seems more and more like a work in progress with at least three stages: a classical mastaba with the underground chamber, the "first stage" Pyramid with the Queens chamber and finally the expansion to its present shape with the Kings chamber. Thank you for your great work!
- good points. I agree with the 3 phases suggestion, simply because it makes sense and answers a lot of questions. As for the ventilation, it could have been that the ancient pyramids were, in the beginning, open for ceremonial events although entry was probably restricted to an elite few. That would explain the need for ventilation. Just an idea.....
Yes, the chimney effect was on my mind the whole time too. Perhaps it would still function given all the cracks in the masonry, plus the well shaft, and the fact that the portcullis was not air tight. More importantly, perhaps the ventilation was for visitors. Perhaps there was a period of days, weeks, or even months to years when the portcullis would have been left open for people to visit the kings chamber. In this case, the ventilation is for the benefit of visitors.
That is a great point. For ventilation it would have worked better with one horizontal and another going up to get that chimney effect. But maybe the clue is in one thing he read from old explorers claiming there was soot from lamps. Maybe they are a literal chimney to place lamps on and get the smoke out. With one on each side they would give a nice light.
This isn't a revelation. It was the very first speculation, when the shafts were discovered. There's black and white footage, in this video, of another Egyptologist demonstrating the ventilation effect for television. It's just that UA-cam is so full of misinformation, so some otherwise smart people believe that the pyramids were stargates or powerplants. It's good fhat this channel gives some factual basic history, but it's a shame it has to do it in a clickbait format, presenting it as a new discovery, even while mentioning that it isn't.
Oh my wordy word!!! You are a damn genius god, my friend. I wish I had found you years ago. But better late than never. With just the few videos of yours (this one included,) that I have been blessed to watch. Have elevated my understanding and supported my belief of what I have always thought the great pyramid was. Please under no circumstance at all should you EVER give up on this world altering (maybe not today but soon,) information. Your in-depth detailed analysis is going to become part of the new basic understanding of the history of this area.... May you and yours be blessed by the baker's dozen dear one! Once again, THANK YOU!? 💙🇦🇺
There is also a HUGE piece of information that can also be found, the orientation of core drills whilst in use. As the core drilla used here must be used horizontal, this shows that cutting liquids etc could not have been poured into the holes. I think this maybe the only case where we are 100% certain that core drills could be used horizontally. Great work on your video. Very useful and well presented.
That's if the core drilling was done in situ, if the channelled blocks were prepared off site then they could have been drilled vertically, examination of the adjoining blocks making the channel would show if there was a step in alignment, interesting to see the variation from rounded corners to square cut.
To say they are air shafts only makes sense if they were open to be used as air shafts.....since they weren't open, then we are still no closer to working out their true purpose. Dixon had to break through solid rock in the Queens chamber to open them, so they weren't just plugged up either.
Great observation! However, note that ventilation would *not* be needed while the walls of the King's chamber were set in place, because at that timethe chamber would be open to the sky. Ventilation would be needed only after the first roof was laid down.
But there would have been elaborate decorations before the funeral and probably rituals aswell. The might not have wanted to ruin the decorations by sud from the torches
Yeah, they were probably closed just until final work on the chambers was about to begin, you know, hieroglyphs and what not... so I disagree that the air wasn't for the workers! And the work inside the chambers was only going to start after the whole pyramid had been built, because you can't put a story into hieroglyphs until you know the whole story you're going to tell, so yeah... the Great Pyramid was never fully finished as far as I understand it...
So those who were busy exploring up the channels literally had the answer staring them in the face inches away. Ironic. And thanks for clearing up that nonsense about laser straight channels pointing at stars. As always, a brilliant and lucid narration of the most likely purpose. Well done sir, well done.
The work you do is simply astounding and hopefully encourages people to think and explore in similar ways! Approaching things in an open minded fashion, instead of looking for answers that support your preconceived conclusions is the way to move the understanding of the pyramids forwards.
I hope your findings will get support from the 'experts' too, instead of being dismissed based on credentials & going against the narrative.
Thanks for everything you do and I very much look forward to future videos :)
Your stream was awesome!! Thank you Wirtual
Loved the stream Wirt! Thanks for introducing me to the topic!
thanks for the introduction to this channel wirtual
Zahi Hawass would never concede to being outsmarted by an amateur! So who is the true subject matter expert here……the so called archeologist who’s clearly been corrupt his entire professional life or the amateur researcher who’s unwaveringly passionate in his ongoing quest to find logical answers? I know who I’d pick!!!
What work? It’s a UA-cam hobby channel 😂
“The search isn’t just for answers; it’s for better questions.” Bravo! Thank you for your dedication to this. My mind, happily spinning with new questions, thanks you.
They are angles of latitude and longitude.
If you plot them on a map, using the Giza Meridian, you will find another pyramid that looks exactly the same as the Great Pyramid. Strange, but true.
See: K2, Quest of Gods.
Ralph
@@RalphEllislol your book is a second rate ancient aliens ripoff. Also why are you adding a signature to UA-cam comments?
What about this new discovery? Bigger, better, older….. ua-cam.com/video/uZf3ARGO3ZM/v-deo.htmlsi=VCgFMG7IZUpoZNdT
@@yukelalexandre8885 hmm..thought provoking indeed. I appreciate your insight on hydraulics speculation.
It's a journey that never ends but inspires imagination and fantasy which is a great joy. May we never solve the mysteries of great megalithic structures.
And, all these years, I was told… and believe… that these channels were perfectly straight and pointed to constellations so the spirits in the afterlife would know where to go. Thanks for clearing that up.
Same here, I was actually taught that as well.
I love this man's videos!
@@grega4607 Same. I've even seen the 3D models of the channels with their bends and still kept the idea that they were pointed at the stars. Just never put 2 and 2 together to see the conflict.
if they were straight. there would have been lots of pictures and infor about this. you would just be able to see out the pyramid like a window.. feel like this is common sense to anyone that just looked into one. its like holding a garden hose and looking through it, unless its straight you just gonna see its bend.
Graham Hancock has left the chat.
I never understood how they could have pointed to a star when the stars rise and set every night and the point at which they rise changes throughout the year.
Your content explains why my interest in egyptology died when i was 12. you are the first person i see presenting evidence, not ruding on a high horse of academic authority presenting feelings as fact or speculating about feelings and beliefs of the ehyptians as a one stop explanation for everything. Fascinating work
check out the vid by "night scarab" - how to build a pyramid in 9 month-- he admits the 9 months is not practical but points out MANY possible technics i had never heard of !! but points to known uses of those technics in Egypt history
Yes! Textbooks are full of elaborate stories without presenting the evidence! It’s been amazing to me to learn how their stories are often based on a few small pieces of evidence, often with flimsy or half baked logic. It makes the subject so much more interesting when you can think and speculate based on facts. The real take away for me is that time is very destructive and the farther we go back, the less and less we know
You are wrong. EvEryThInG Is A TeMpLe! Now sit down.
You always give credit where credit is due. You recognize on who's shoulders you stand. I'm impressed.
unlike the other guys some of which both disregard and stole the work of predecessors
From an academic point of view, this an incredibly courageous essay. You constantly seek to put ambiguities to bed with logical evidence based argument. You are also on record as having a profound respect for the limits of your knowledge.
Not having done the reading, or the crawl work, to verify your numerous claims, I am inclined to accept them as read BECAUSE of your general attitude toward the limits of your own knowledge. I feel certain of this because I have WITNESSED you drop pet ideas in the past in light of new evidence. Your videos taken as a whole, are a showcase of learning, curiosity and intellectual generosity.
You are a champion of clear reason and civilisation in a world turned upside down by barbarism and sadistic cruelty, and an internet saturated by egocentric opinion and lazy thinking.
Respect!
I often wonder if Egyptology is a haven from the froth and bubble of life, but the politics of Egyptology put the lie to that, and the ancient Egyptians were a passionate and dynamic people, who would laugh at the idea.
What I find most attractive about your work and style of communication, is your indefatigable humility toward the unknown. It gives me hope, that we humans are capable of reaching our highest ideals.
Thank you for your work. Carry on good sir!
"indefatigable".... well done.
Well put.
Well said.
Copper, air chambers, stones that can harness and store electricity, maybe? I’ve recently heard of that theory as the surrounding structures may connect to the storing of electricity as generated from lightning. Sounded plausible to me. Soot on the walls as well…
@@yukelalexandre8885 YOU investigate it! You made the claim. The burden of proof is on you. Not anyone else. Which will be difficult because you up to your neck in confirmation bias.
The idea that the internal structure of the Great pyramid had any kind of electromechanical purpose is nonsense, because not a single stone of the great pyramid was designed to be airtight, let alone watertight. The entire pyramid has ALWAYS leaked like a sieve.
I don't know how you do this, time after time. Seeing something that everybody else has missed. It's incredible to me. Look forward to the next one. Thanks!
My guess is it’s because the best and brightest don’t major in archaeological studies.
Perhaps because he is not looking for the fantastical or the mystic? The solution proposed here is, for some, mundane and boring. Sadly, not enough for those who let their imaginations on a longer leash.
Like many others, I'm sure, I believed those channels were perfectly straight and pointed at the stars.
Maybe many people have seen it, maybe even reached the same conclusions, its just not enough to write a paper about, especially if it supports already accepted position.
@@terberusp7030 one must have eyes in order to see
@@yukelalexandre8885 That tin foil hat on a little tight today?
Truly fascinating and a most logical solution. Concluding the Queen's chamber as unfinished based upon the blocking stones remaining in place and the "roughed out floor", not dissimilar to modern home building, is a far more plausible explination for why the venting holes would not yet be opened.
Not yet having viewed the follow up videos, my guess is that the vents would allow for better interior climate control to prevent mold, mildew, salt or other build up/ condensation. Additionally, possible control for interior atmospheric pressure as well to avoid internal pressure shifts over the millenia to cause cracking to the bricks or shifting to occur.
Finally, I applaud you for going back to and relying on the oldest, first person documentation/ description of what was seen and found. As they had no dog in the proverbial fight as to metaphysical meaning of these items, they had no bias to filter their information through. They were simply reporting what they saw, what they found, how they found it, and (if they displaced something) what changes they made for future researchers.
Bravo!!
Probably a good question would be, Why the workers let the Queen's chambers unfinished?
Well said.
WHY WOULDNT IT BE FINISHED? ARE YOU SAYING THE PYRAMID ITSSELF WAS NEVER FINISHED?
@@stanlee2200 The "Queen's Chamber" is unfinished, and the Pyramid is finished. Much like how Houses are sold with Unfinished Basements, so too the Great Pyramid has Unfinished Chambers. Given that those chambers where originally covered, yes I'm dead-ass telling you they where never finished.
the roughed out floor was from the ppl who came in looking for treasure
Undoubtedly, this channel stands as a pinnacle of Egyptological discourse, eclipsing the scholarly contributions of the vast majority of its contemporaries in the field. For years, we have been indoctrinated with the belief that these channels were impeccably aligned and directed towards celestial constellations linked to the afterlife journey. Many thanks to History for Granite for the elucidation provided, dispelling these long-held misconceptions. This video resonates with the imperative that we must elevate the quality of our inquiries. Bravo indeed!
What, did you swallow a dictionary?😂
Thesaurus FTW!
This channel could potentially be the reason of the new work on Menkaures pyramid...
The idea of special star allignments is a completly unessary elaboration on the base idea that the Pharohs soul would go to and from the northern and southern sky. Simply shooting down the star pointing stuff dosn't invalidate the concept of ritual transit being the purpose of the channels.
@@robertcahoon5278 😂 erudite channels deserve erudite vocab for the commentary. Sheesh. Next, time ill just say "great job!"
We're gonna need an in-depth version of that tier list with explanations, thank you very much.
Basically you get a higher ranking the better your documentation is, weighted by what was common for the time. You get penalized for making up data, destroying evidence, and producing unwarranted speculations. For example, the gentlemen in 'F' tier completely excavated Djedefre's pyramid without any publication - thus a complete disaster. This occurred in the 20th century. Vyse had some major blunders, but still set a new standard for recording data in the 19th century with his expedition. In some ways Petrie would also be S-Tier, but he focused too much on producing data to contradict Smyth rather than being objective about what to look for. Perring simply recorded what he saw, didn't make judgements or assumptions, and risked his life constantly to do so in some of the most perilous circumstances 50 years before Petrie invented archaeology. So that's why he gets the top spot.
U really break it down. Captivating. U have really solved an ancient puzzle. Amazing
@@HistoryforGRANITE You could probably make an hour-long video about that and I would watch all of it.
@@jwueller I'll get the Jiffy Pop
I just love how Hawas was not even included 😂😂🔥
I've never really cared or been interested in the pyramids until watching every single one of your videos - your excitement and enthusiasm is infectious. You can hear the bitten tongue in calling Lehner and Zawass "gentlemen". I love the fact you made a hype-train video precursor for this release. You are a good person. In an era of absolutely complete unenthusiasm, I will certainly watch a channel about a topic I never cared much for just to see the devotion you put into every video.
Zahi Haw-ASS
Excelent analysis . The air flow we see here 22:17 is caused by the chimney effect . The air in the chamber is a few degrees warmer than outside air and since the channel rises vertically , due to boyancy air flow is induced ( if the channels were horizontal no air flow) . If a lamp of candle (flame) were in the chamber at the mouth of the channel this would heat the air in the channel creating a much greater flow , after days or weeks the inside of the channel would get hotter and the air flow would speed up incredibly. Anyone inside the chambers would need light so it seems a necesity to exit the considerable soot and fumes and have good ventilation.
Dead people don't need air, they actually need none.
You strike on the key to the mystery! As you point out that the channel's serve as chimney's, specifically for the venting of torch exhaust. The amazing amount of evidence presented here is a refreshing example scholarship, devoid of any current political bias. Pure scholarship and logic. I disagree with his conclusion that ventilation was unnecessary for the workers carving the hieroglyphs on the interior walls stating that they would just have to live with it. The talent needed to carve the intricate detail isn't given to every worker, so they would have some concessions granted. We can safely assume that ceremonies were held in the chamber, so again the need for light and ventilation is present.
This channel is such a gem, but I keep missing the livestreams, LOL!
Many thanks!
Prefab channels, opened with a tubedrill and dressed squared after the construction of the chamber,... Remarkable observations, more questions. Love it!!!
If you look at it from a construction worker's perspective, even a modern construction worker, a lot of the "controversy" about these features just melts away.
Best channel on Egyptology by far. Puts the vast majority of Egyptologists to shame.
What's Ancient Architects, chopped liver?
@@llYossarian, why so insecure?
Meh, I’ve seen better with hundreds of subs/views. You guys just equate Lots of subscribers/views as authenticity. Same type of dudes to look up “truth about Area 51” and click the most viewed video on top and take it as absolute fact
only someone with little to no respect for the many people devoting their lives to working on the never ending project that is egyptology, and who has evidently met none of them, would dismiss them all so blithely.
@@daos3300 it’s because op equates authenticity with high views/subscribers. Since this dude has the most he’s better than anyone that came before him, it’s sad but it’s how a lot of people think nowadays. The same type to look up “truth about Area 51” and click the top choice with most views and take it as absolute fact….
Finally, common sense channel about pyramids. Thanks for your work
The way the pyramid was built is right in front of these people's faces. Proof is these tiny channels ( too small for anyone to chisel out) had to be put into place before the main pyramid was stacked into place around them .
So was the chambers built and placed inside then the rest stacked around them .
These people have written countless books, gotten solid funding and support…..and you just crush them with obvious facts. Great stuff :D
@@yukelalexandre8885 nonono. The Great Pyramid is a public lavatory for the hordes of giant Anunnakis that once lived in Egypt after Atlantis was hit by the Death Star and sank to Inner Earth. That's why the channels are not straight, as that would cause a big spash and mess if the velocity wasn't slowed down by the curving channels. The height of the channels in the Queens and Kings room matches perfectly for people with height impairement who can easily recieved the golden shower from the Kings in a comfertable manner. Just do the math!
Where do you think he got all this information from?
I live in cairo, so if you need photos of something specific just let me know. Great work dude keep it up
I would love to get photos and video of the current activity at Menkaure's pyramid with the casing stones. Anything and everything you can get from this would be appreciated.
Ok give me a few days and ill go
@@lathyo
Did you follow through on your offer?
The pyramid was a solar power generator.
This adds so much clarity to the misconceptions I had about this feature of the Great Pyramid. Much appreciated. Can't wait for further revelations about this fascinating monument.
The prevailing winds blow from the north to the south in Egypt. By having the channels on a north-south axis as they are here, you get free forced air ventilation with intake on northern side and exhaust on southern side. In addition to the draft effect created you may have a slightly lower pressure zone on the southward side of the pyramid which will help to increase the overall airflow volume.
As far as the queens chamber location, unfinished nature, and channel lengths it kinda looks like the plans or desired size changed partly through the project (not an uncommon occurence in construction).
You can easily block the vents off once the construction and/or burial ceremony is complete and the need for ventilation for crews of workers or priests with lamps is no longer required.
I appreciate the effort involved with the making and producing of this video
hands down some of the greatest content on youtube ever created. I commend your deep research, critical thinking and credible hypotheses.
I wish we could do a user poll on a mystery that needs solved on something in the world and see what conclusions this careful and meticulous man would come to. Maybe another topic entirely!
So refreshing to have someone with an open mind, as opposed to many other so called Egyptologist who only live in their own mind set.
I just watched a 45 minute video about small channels in a pyramid, and you had my attention the whole time. Hats off to you for well researched, well reasoned and thoroughly entertaining videos!
I 've been binge watching your channel since finding it not long ago, and I'm sad to be down to the last few videos. I like history, construction, and a good mystery, so the pyramids are right up my alley. Your channel is the best that I've come across by far!
Great work as always 👍
Thank you as always for your generosity!
This channel has set a new higher benchmark in regards to scientifically questioning pyramid construction
So much looking forward to this - your content is always awesome
They are angles of latitude and longitude.
If you plot them on a map, using the Giza Meridian, you will find another pyramid that looks exactly the same as the Great Pyramid. Strange, but true.
See: K2, Quest of Gods.
Ralph
@@RalphEllis Sure, and the ancient egyptians were already using latitude, longitude and they already had a line going through greenwitch marked on their map. How do people image such stupid ideas?
@@jacobjacob5735 "ANCIENT ALIEN THEORISTS BELIEVE..."
@@jacobjacob5735just report it as spam. He’s trying to sell his ancient aliens clone book that has terrible reviews.
The light speed latitude, dude.
I love how thorough you are
This channel is literally at cutting edge of bringing the ancient past to life. As you explained the 3 different cuts I had a sense of truth that I haven't felt in a long time. It all makes sense now. As you were explaining, I could literally see them cutting the stone in my imagination and it really felt like I was there. I can't wait for the next video. Keep up the good work 👌🏾
This is a cutting edge channel about cutting edges into channels
Your freedom to explore your interests unhampered by Egyptology dogma coupled with exacting observational skills makes for compelling and intelligent disccourse. Praise!
Dude, you are singlehandedly creating huge interest in the pyramids. Egypt should let you film the pyramids up close with drones like you wanted to do. Any discoveries you make amps up public awareness and interest which is very good for tourism.
I like your idea that we still have questions amongst a seemingly perfect explanation as to why. Very good video sir.
this is a PHD thesis level, u deserve one ;)
@@elreydavid1857You mean factual, not narrow minded. Its not narrow minded if you prioritize facts over fiction.
@@elreydavid1857
Oh! You mean he’s not engaging in grand speculations about advanced alien civilizations building the pyramids for generating power in some never explained manner? 😂
@@keirfarnum6811 I think that is exactly what he is doing. And the evidence suggests this, yes. I don't think people could have done what he is showing.
@@ChrisDragotta "I don't think people could have done what he is showing" - just like anyone, you can have your own opinions, but until you provide good arguments to support them, people won't have any reason to believe you.
@@anatolydyatlov963 always some asshole like you has to be yourself huh
We know that church crypts used to be constructed to allow for constant air flow. This would allow for minimal decay and optimal preservation of corpses. It is also possible that perishable goods, like foods, were placed in the chamber at the time of the burial. So the air flow would allow them to dry and thus prevent mold.
Dude the comments are epic, I've been down here reading all them, everyone has great input, look at all the fantastic folks you've drawn together, gotta love it!
Absolutely awesome research with a keen eye, an open mind, and sound logic! Great job! Thank you!
This lends more credence to the pyramid being used regularly post construction as opposed to corpse disposal. Love your work
These aren't mutually exclusive though...
If they are indeed air channels, it proves that it is not a tomb. If is was a tomb then they are not air channels.
@@raresaturn except it totally doesn't... some kind of ventilation is pretty standard when it comes to tombs. If anything, it proves that pyramid was intended to be used for something (probably religious rituals) some time before or even after the burial. Given the existence of mortuary temples and apparent longevity of some pharaoh cults, this probably shouldn't even be all that surprising...
@@raresaturnever been in a cold cellar? ventilation is critical for preserving organic matter, so if you want a mummified body to last as long as possible, you need to vent heat and moisture. that makes it's way into the chamber from outside elements
@@toncek9981 i was thinking the same, what if the piramids where just some kind of mortuary, where body's laid to rest for a while and mummified, to get burried afterwarths in the valley of kings, the bigger the piramid the greater the person that needed to get burried, just a thought
Ancient Architects relased a video a couple days ago explaining a theory on what the Grand Gallery was used for. Now this video! Great week for ancient Egypt
If the AA video was your first time hearing about that theory, please watch The Revelation of the Pyramids documentary. It’s where the theory is introduced among other things like the spiral ramp theory.
Ah yes, classic case of bending evidence to fit your theory rather than developing or changing a theory based on said evidence.
I'm a geologist and it's almost depressing the amount of times I have seen that happen in my field. Also, usually the simplest or more common answer is the correct one. It may be boring but science shouldn't be based on how exciting a theory is but rather how accurate. And we also should be fine with saying "we don't know" sometimes, specially in cases where some of the evidence is lost (like the exit points of the King Chamber's channels)
Agreed, fellow geo. Egyptology is misleading in its name. Now go whip that color bar to prove your point.
Never ceases to amaze me how much 'truth' is opinion, and based on evidence nobody questions. Also refreshing to see at least one current archaeologist prepared to accept that the textbooks are wrong, and that by proper observation and recording what IS there, knowledge is gained. Well done Mohamed Ismail Khaled.
Egyptian builder: "We don't need to finish these channels, no one will ever see them."
Robots 4500 years later: 👁👄👁
Even Khufu must have been overlooking the build and said "eh, no worries, no one's gonna see that shit" lol.
@@masaharumorimoto4761It is strange because pyramid is builded over long period of time...tunnels also so i cant believe in that theory.....
@@masaharumorimoto4761... Khufu didn't build it is what I believe. The pyramids were found there and are much older than we know
@@sancho8521 My argument, as well. Ancient Egypt did not built the Pyramids.
For sure, ancient Egyptians built huge structures, but they were influenced by existing massive structures of a forgotten civilization. Even Egyptology offers proof of this. Egyptology argues that: *"The great Pyramid of Giza was the pinnacle of pyramid construction, and afterwards, the monuments began to shrink in size. The subsequent pyramids became less ambitious in complexity."*
But that is not how science, construction and civilization progresses. The past of the same civilization is not more complex and sophisticated than it's future!
@@masaharumorimoto4761 Khufu or whoever it was who died and was buried there probably wanted it to be perfect, but as soon as he died the construction (probably lasting most of his lifetime at least) was halted by the new pharaoh and his court to not spend any more resources on this insane project that was never going to be finished :D
You never cease to amaze me, just like the pyramids do. Your integrity and openness of mind are what Egyptology has been sorely missing for far too long.
I watched this only once (so far) but if I understand correctly, the point you are making is that the shafts are most probably for air circulation, and the openings of the shafts in the King's chamber were cut after the construction was completed. So, they were built to provide air to the persons that would enter the chamber and spend some time there, which brings us to ask the "better question": if it was a burial site, why would they build such well-planned air shafts and put so much effort into them? In other words, if the chambers would have visitors that needed fresh air, who could be those visitors and why would they stay in the chamber for extended amounts of time? Therefore, assuming that the shafts are indeed for air, and openings were cut after completion, the whole purpose of the pyramids must be reconsidered. There were always suggestions that they might be for religious initiation practices but the details you pointed out provided more support for such theories. I am looking forward to the next video.
I was having the same question - basically what's worth the effort to build such channels - and for the Queen Chamber, why not finish them if it's to breath or air the inside.
Hypothesis: If the Queen Chamber isn't finished / channels not opened, could it be because the King's chamber - which was mechanically build after the Queen's - proved to be more prominant burial chamber (thus well finished), whilst the Queen's Chamber was abandonned as the original King's Chamber? Long shot but the fact the access to the Queen's chamber was to be completely hidden could just have been because it was planned to abandon that burial chamber altogether (ie: leave it empty), before being repurposed as Queen's chamber. Egyptians are known for the "try and learn" approach.
At 43 min in the video, there's the view of the pyramid with chambers and channels - where the Queen's chamber channels can be seen being stopped as the King's Chamber was being finished (roof level) - point in time where a decision would have been made to stop the work on the Queen's chamber (including sharpening edge and opening the channels). Happy to get your thoughts -
Are you familiar with initiations which simulate death? Perhaps it's a temple as much as it's a tomb.
@@ben0thomas123 with very limited knowledge of the pyramids this was my thought during the video.
seems worth considering that the pyramids were power plants of some sort. there are no decoration in them.
After they complete the overall structure, then they got to go in and do the finishing touches (polish, paint and decoration, placing stuff and so on. All those workers and flame based lighting will need air.
Overjoyed to find this channel.
Academic Egyptology must be the best remaining example of an ossified clerisy.
Simply The Best channel if your are looking for new scientific/credible perspectives on old Egyptian architecture/"mysteries". This content is a must for all who appreciate an excellent scientific idea!
Dude managed to talk about a hole in a wall for 45 minutes
Good call.
Been watching "Granite" for years, and I feel this is a reoccurring talent.
And I was still at the edge of my seat.
There's alot to say about such long holes
@@yukelalexandre8885 Sounds interesting..I would like to know more.
Most carefull analysis missed very little but 45 min and still guess wrong 😂
43:05 "The ventilation was not available until the construction was nearly complete." I agree, but you explicitly state that the holes were left uncut for the purpose of avoiding damage while fitting the ceiling stones. And that's incidentally also the exact moment when ventilation for the workers would have become necessary. (With the ceiling stones missing, the air would have come through the gap at the top.)
So they could have put the last ceiling stone on, and within the hour proceeded to make the first drill hole into the casing stones of the King's chamber.
And for the "Queen's chamber" the holes were never drilled because they knew (or were reasonably certain) that they wouldn't bother doing any further changes to it after putting its ceiling stones in place.
And the course of stone where the Queen's air channels end would tell us exactly where/when they decided to fully abandon using the Queen's chamber. Curiously that's _above_ the King's chamber, and pretty precisely aligns with the last layer of releiving slabs and the vaulting stones. Almost as if they waited to see if the alternate construction technique for the King's chamber worked out before committing to fully abandon the Queen's chamber.
They were broken through by explorers in the 19th Century.
@@JeffSherlock In the queens chamber? Yes, because the ancient Egyptians stopped the queen's chamber construction just short of drilling those holes.
As someone who has worked with Stonemasons and Restoration projects, just visualising how they
Built the Pyramids while continuing the channels unobstructed makes my Medium sized mind throb ....
Another outstanding video...created by simply noticing simple things which have remained in plain sight for millenia. Thank you.
I completely concur with your findings. Well done! Your final statements, bring to light the actual purpose for the ventilation. It was not to provide ventilation for those who built the pyramid, but for those who spent the last moments, most likely people higher up in society, in the final burial ceremony.
Perhaps even beyond the final moments. The priests and acolytes of the pharaoh's cult as well as his parishioners in the days and maybe even years following. Until the next pharaoh's high priest drove out the prior. Building such a difficult engineering project in granite and limestone into the heart of the pyramid just to keep the "elite" cool for the final moments of the pharaoh's internment seems hard to comprehend from a modern perspective. Did the internment take weeks? Even if it did, I find it hard to accept that building this feature into the most massive creation in the world to this point was just for the comfort of those people. In addition, when he says the copper pins could be the equivalent of leftover nails at a construction site, I have to call BS. You don't build pyramids with nails and where else do you find copper in the pyramid? These are not scraps from the building. These are significant in some way. Who would put this feature into this many millions of metric tons of stone for a whim or some ridiculous purpose? Why use copper at this point?
it was to provide fresh air for the pharaoh to breathe in the afterlife
@@-jank-willson While it isn't specifically mentioned in the pyramid texts it can be guessed at by the other supplies provided to the deceased for use in the afterlife. All the things a living person will need are provided.. and fresh air is vital.
This is a great step forward in understanding the pyramid! Your discovery that the shafts were first sealed and then opened in a final step is very interesting!
But they weren't were they, until 1872.
@@badpossum440 I‘m talking of course of the shafts in the king‘s chamber.
BRAVO!! It is SO INCREDIBLE how you tower over other content through simple (yet critically important ) observations of the stone. The cuts are the key and while i find myself sheepishly hoping for some dramatic reveal that the pyramid is a tomb that was built through the use of a ram pump which is designed into the structure itself… I’m still happier standing on logical discoveries that show it to be a wonder of engineering in every respect.
It does seem that your theory only further creates room for the idea that the pyramid was enlarged. i’ll have to look for more of your videos discussing the assertion that there is an internal ramp. Maybe you could point me there? Thank you in advance absolutely love your content and careful dissection of your subjects. Best in class!!
The angles in the channels could be to keep light from getting in, and to help keep the air from drafting straight through
Truly a breath of fresh air, Best channel and happy that you finally got to ventilate. 10/10. Now we just need to solve for why the Queens chamber channels were abandoned so far up,
You can breathe easy buddy, I’m here.
Is it possible they simply ran out of time, funds or men? That is why most construction projects stay incomplete.
Maybe they are fully finished waiting for the door to be opened from excavating via the outside!
This is one of the best, most objective 'Pyramid ' documentaries.
Analysis, picture, language, so enjoyable video
Still don't see why channels are not straight. Are they steering around another space? Engineers generally don't prefer random curves if they are seeking the shortest distance to the surface.
Maybe to avoid the big void detected by muon scan?
Very impressive work! You consistently deliver the most objective, fact-based, and logical analysis of the old kingdom pyramids, and I can't thank you enough. This is an amazing observation about the shafts having been opened after construction. I think your conclusion here is sound, and this is a really important finding. Proving a few things, the most important of which is, despite the countless people who have pondered the pyramids, there are still many very clear pieces of evidence in plain sight that have not yet been correctly interpreted. Your point about coming at the problem with an open mind is exactly the challenge, almost everything we can observe is viewed in the context of the presumptions we make, presumptions upon presumptions sometimes. If one approaches it with common sense, the answer will be elusive. Rhetoric like, "everyone knows they were tombs" and "they were aimed at these stars", as if either factually precludes the countless other bogus suggestions that have been made. To me, this confusion presents an exciting opportunity.
The only way to approach this problem is with an empty mind. Which is where I come in. I think there is evidence of another practical function of the shafts, in addition to their very clear function as ventilation. There is a viable theory that may hold water. :-P
From the photos, I see a few things. There was a recess dug into the stone course at the top of one of the shafts. This wedge-shaped cavity interfaced to the shaft opening at the bottom inward face of the recess, which seems consistent with water use - an area (recess) to accept water and form a pool, and for that water to drain entirely down the shaft without pooling or other obstruction. Something that functions simply as an air shaft need not incur this engineering expense. But there is a lot of other obvious evidence:
1. If one were to put a garden hose down either shaft, the water would flow from that point to the subterranean chamber without any significant pooling or obstruction, nor any places to significantly "leak" out of the pyramid via some other path. A lot would absorb into the dry stone, but that isn't my point.
2. Every part of the path the water would take is engineered for water flow:
- From the photos taken inside the shafts, the chisel marks are reasonably consistent with the flow direction, especially around corners where the flow would have been more turbulent.
- The portcullises are designed to seal toward the interior, vs. the exterior of the portcullises - hinting that they could have been designed to resist water pressure and allow the room to fill with water. the two shafts enter the room below the lip of the sarcophagus - the passage into the room is also consistent with this height.
3. Every part of the path water would take shows evidence of water and sediment erosion.
- There appear to be significant erosion marks -all in the direction of flow
- This abrasion stops at a consistent height on both sides of the shaft.
- Judging by the abrasion in some spots, it seems likely that not only did water flow, but that water flowed for a significant time.
- The incline of the shaft, combined with the incline of the entire path from the top of the shaft to the bottom of the subterranean chamber, is absent of even a single location for potential pooling, all with significant erosion.
- The erosion gets greater toward the bottom of the shaft and the bottom of the structure, both consistent with the accumulation of larger and more debris that has passed a particular location.
Of course, there are some challenges with this theory, like, why seal the room if they didn't want the water level to exceed the height of the sarcophagus? But we don't have the complete portcullis stones intact, so it is difficult to assess whether this could have accommodated this amount of water flow. If not, the only explanation for water would require that it fill the room completely before draining into the gallery, which would draw into question the alignment of the sarcophagus and the height of the shafts. Again, we don't know that is not the case.
The question of how water could have come in these shafts: if this theory is correct, water was either attained from rainfall and channeled onto the shafts by a sort of a gutter in the outer casing stones, which, at the time, would have periodically produced significant flows of water collected from the watershed represented by the top of the pyramid. Alternatively, the ancient Egyptians had the technology to elevate water to supply the shafts if that was necessary.
The question of why: To me, it feels like an elaborate soul house (super-popular with the ancient Egyptians). This theme of the river being central to life and the afterlife seems to have been central to how ancient Egyptians thought. But it also demonstrated the height of their knowledge and technology.
I would love to get a comment or two, to help me debunk some of these conclusions. if I can't defend my thinking, I'm probably not correct.
Thank you again, my friend, for another amazing episode of History for Granted. And thanks to anyone else who took the time to read through this comment. Cheers!
Realmente no passado as lendas sobre o Rio Estirge que leva as almas condenadas poderia entrar na pauta de seu estudos talvez como na pia batismal e de onde surgem novas vidas;
interesting theory. Especially since the video doesn't explain why the shafts are only in one pyramid. And without this answer it all is just a mere speculation. And has the weaknesses of such explanation unsolved
@@ievgeniipolozov3818 Well, the Great Pyramid is the only pyramid with chambers within the structure itself. The other pyramids had either underground chambers or chambers built on top of the bedrock and not within the structure itself. Maybe the architects thought they needed air inside the chamber as the pyramid was being built around it and over the chamber.
@@danpetitpas that's an interesting observation!
If I'm not mistaken, you mentioned in one of your videos that the pyramids were left open some time after the burial. So, there might have been VIPs visiting the chambers. Those are the ones enjoying better air conditions than the workers, right? Hm, I guess the inner structure was better accessible when building it, so maybe the conditions weren't as bad as we think for the workers. That's an unelaborated guess, I know nothing about the construction steps.
Great work, thank you very very much!
Phenomenal research!!! So glad to have stumbled upon your channel 🙌
For me, definitely air shafts, remember the Egyptians used oil lamps which burn oxygen, if Khufu was laid to rest within his chamber there would have been a huge ceremony with many important dignitaries participating maybe over a few hours and thus would require a comfortable atmosphere to deliver Khufu to the afterlife.
The pyramids got sloppy after Giza era the one that has no artistic work inside and better cut stone not fill rocks. The channels would be a safe way to feed a captive ancient creature too.
@@441rider Had me at the start, lost me towards the end...
Spiritual metafore,@@fvckingtest
Most plausible theory imo
@@441rider😂
Well that certainly didn’t disappoint, that settles the shaft mystery once and for all. It’s been there all along staring everyone dead in the face, can’t wait for what’s next, love this channel.
If they were air vents, then perhaps 2 were required depending on which way any wind was blowing. The lea side of the pyramid would have less air pressure and thus facilitate air movement in one channel and out the other. Also depending on relative temperature of the stone versus outside air, the air in the channel would be denser than the outside air which creates a natural downdraft through the channel, or is less dense if the pyramid is warmer than outside air which would create a natural updraft (same as a wood stove chimney). This way the chamber could always have fresh air and CO2 buildup from lamps and workers would be cleared to safe levels.
Another reason for circulating air would be to dry out any rain water that seeps in and collects inside. If they knew about embalming/preservation, then they would make sure to prevent water damage
Also if for air circulation, then fire in the chamber near the lea side channel opening could heat air going up the channel thereby creating a strong updraft. Also, besides CO2 buildup, air may have needed to be constantly replaced during painting if Egyptians used oil based paint.
Very cool ideas both to help with preservation of a mummy and of paint. I'd also suspect that the pyramid could also be used for ritual purposes and/or to show it off before the pharaoh died and was buried in it. How much would a foreign leader be amazed if the pharaoh brought them in there for example. In that case nice smelling air would be a pretty important thing.
Wind could easily create a Venturi effect on the shaft openings on the north and south faces.
Closing the shafts was simple done to make the chamber pretty when the ventilation was no longer required.
Oil lamps with salt added to the oil do not produce any smoke, but they do produce significant amounts of CO2 and heat, and while the heat may not have been debilitating, CO2 kills people pretty quickly: you simply get tired, and go to sleep, never to wake up again.
And while OSH wasn't a priority back then, it was economically beneficial not to allow your workers to die of asphyxiation.
No this dosn't make any sense. The fact that their are 2 channels is evidence that its a ritual feature not a practical one. If the pyrimid is open the ventalation will always be to draw air in at the north side entrace and for it to go up through the structure and out the channels. One large channel would be far far easier to make then 2 seperate ones, and if 2 channels from the queens chamber were already made then they should have been used to add more ventilation, the fact they reamained closed permently and were aparently built over once the Kings chamber was completed and became the target burial chamber invalidates the ventilation theory.
Air will only move through a space if there is a way in AND a way out. You require both shafts for air to circulate.
You can blow through a straw, but not if you block the other end while you do it.
One passage might be for ritual.
Two passages allow air to flow in, through, and back out again.
Something not discussed - hot air rises. We see the shafts rising. In most attic or crawlspace construction multiple vents are used, and on attics usually some are low to allow cool air to enter and other higher to carry the heat up and out of the building. If air was rising through the grand gallery it could exit via these two shafts naturally.
You Channel and observations truly warrant the country of Egypt hire you and give you a career position relating to the pyramids.
So, if the Queen's Chamber is unfinished, then we can assume the pyramid had at least one major design change. The fact that the air shafts exist in both chambers probably means the King's Chamber is a revised Queen's Chamber and the change was known early enough to cap off the vents 15 meters from the outside. It makes you wonder which features of the pyramid only exist as a result of the revision and which were original (and if switching from underground to the Queen's Chamber was actually the first revision). The grand gallery certainly wasn't necessary to build the Queen's Chamber. Perhaps the granite plugging stones were in the original plan because there were to be no portcullises and perhaps the well shaft was always going to be the way out.
I wonder if the capped off queens chamber vents are evidence that the pyramid was originally a stepped design? The same could potentially be said about the strange vertical joints in the vent shafts
Ancient Architects channel has a great video that makes a convincing argument that the pyramid was originally planned to be smaller (and end where the queens chamber shafts stop), and was enlarged, including moving the burial chamber.
@@fritter63 I think thieirs a decent chance this is true, though it could be tha the entire 'inner' pyrimid was finished up to the top before the enlargement began, or the enlargement could begin at some point after the Kings chamber is completed and 'finalized' as the chamber to be used and the entire upper pryrimid is completed as one effort after the expanded base catches up with the current construction level. The muon scans might be able to resolve this distinction if it finds a density discontinuity in the pyrimid at the original surface, and if that discontinuity stops apruptly part way up the pyrimid then it will be strong evidence that the expnsion happend before completion of the original plan.
It would make sense considering earlier pyramids had chambers like the Queen’s; but the design was changed part way through construction. They’re really “King’s Chamber 1.0” and “King’s Chamber 2.0.”
@@fritter63
Fascinating. I will have to check it out. Thanks.
Been waiting for this one since you teased it. Great work and thank you.
You,Night Sacarab and Ancient Architects are the best channels on Egypt. Keep it up!
Forgot about UnchartedX
@@mushedits he's more pseudo science. Fun to think about but not fully factual. Watch night Scarab and you'll see why.
Night scarab’s was more concise and gripping.
HfG will be much more compelling because of the gradual comprehensive build up.
@@musheditsunchartedx deserves credit for his observations but his conclusions are illogical.
how? What about his precision imaging that he outsourced to Rolls royce of vases and other artifacts? @@cactiguide
Brilliance never fades. Thank you for the light of your insight
Thanks, so busy it took me almost 3 days to get to watch this, had to clear the To-Do list completely, weekend went poof lol.
you've convinced me 100% that no one has any clue what they are talking about in regard to the pyramid and it's true function
Try Mr. Lou Baldin for a change.
Water Pump is the best explanation.
@@mekosontv1445 100% it serve some type of mechanical function. No way a society invested that many resources into something with no return
@@mekosontv1445i believe it was a 2 birds one stone type setup. Moving water was only part of what it did, the other half is up for speculation but many seem to claim it operated as some type of electromagnetic structure. I would love to see what would hapoen if john cadman were to fire that old thing up. I wonder if an ancient society could have invested in the power of the pyramid without considering the consequences like maybe the resulting reverberations which contributed to tectonic shifts and unforeseen problems for their livelihood. All speculation but sounds fun
@@White_Fox_5.0 You are interpreting the monument from a value point of view, which is fundamentally capitalist. Since the pyramids were constructed before that system of value was introduced to the world, it is perfectly reasonable to assume the pyramids had no real, valuable function. However, capital was less important to the ancient Egyptians than the afterlife was, something you fundamentally misunderstand.
I am litteraly amazed by the unfinished corner of the queen chamber's entrance. A simple and pratical solution, left as evidence of their labour, by workers lived thousands of years ago.
No, millions of years ago
What a fantastic video. Fascinating, incredibly detailed.
I will go to Egypt next month for the second time in my life. And this time I will look at the hole and think, Air. Thank you for all you have done to uncover the secrets of the pyramids.
Breathe in some luxury pharaoh ventilation air for me pls
If the pyramids held a mummy, the builders would've known that a high humidity environment would lead to mold and rot.
This. It also explains why the shafts weren’t direct line of sight.
if it was built as a tomb (which is so unlikely)
It is obvious they knew sooner or later they would have to wire tv antenna cables and they knew it would be a nightmare to go through all that rock
Amazing depth of research. I love it.
Ancient laundry chutes
😂😂😂
Bruh
Chimney air exhaust for the hotdog and expresso stands.
Guess there's no need to watch the video anymore 🤣🤣
Do you think the Pharaoh was so short on cash that his wife had to take in laundry?
Trying to find information on the pyramids that isn't pure speculation or opinion so that I can form my own has proven quite difficult and time consuming, thanks so much for sharing what you've come across👏
The money isn't in just describing what is there today, but in creating a grand spectacle and story to sell books and shows. The religious explanations are always a great playground. You can make up anything and no one can prove you wrong.
@@yukelalexandre8885 who the fuck you talking to man?
Marvelous explanations! I don't regret watching this. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Glad to see that you're back. Very cryptic statement that the channels were for air flow, but not for the workers (if I got that right). Then, for whom? I guess we have to tune in next time, same bat channel.
I would guess that they were for the workers who had to finish the chamber after the roof slab was placed over it. Torches would have made the place not just uncomfortable but deadly.
@@JorgeStolfi Yup. I suspect the final finishing in the chambers wouldn't even have started until most of the basic pyramid construction was already completed.....for safety reasons. Which may be why there were plugs added as the channels were built and the pyramid expanded. Then once the basic block construction was finished the advanced artisans would come in to finish everything off inside while the outer casing was also finished. That's when the channels were unplugged and the final interior of the chambers would be finished off, plastered, paved and painted with the channels being the last parts covered over or plugged at the workers discretion. The only thing I would disagree with is the transition from saw cut to drill. You can't end a saw cut part way through a stone like that. That's not how saws work. You either cut all the way through or you don't. I suspect the stones were cut only with saws. The only difference is the first cut will be clean, the second cut will see the waste stone breaking away from the corner joint randomly where the two cuts meet. Needing some areas to be redressed with hand tools and some not depending on how accurate the cutting goes and when the waste stone breaks away. I doubt any tube drills were used at all but it's possible they drilled the point where the cuts would meet as a marking point for the saw to keep the workers on both sides of the large block on point while cutting. Sometimes the cuts transitioned nicely past the holes to make a 90 degree angle, sometimes not and you were left with the rounded drill hole angles.
they had fleshlights dude@@JorgeStolfi
With lithic-eon batteries. @@jstdrv
that pharao had an afghan hound , and the dog needed some fresh air now and then ...
- theres another grand gallery above
- and another monarkys chamber on upper stage, with a wents for his cat
and them points directly at saturn , now and then ...
Seeing what others have dismissed or not even thought of is a valuable attribute, and this video is simply one of the finest on UA-cam, if not ever. Well done, and thank you for such an in-depth look at these shafts.
Id love to see a really in depth video on the subterrainian tunnels under the pyramid. The large unfinished chamber intrigues me most. Theres talk that water once filled the tunnels. And apparently theres a much more expansive system of tunnels than i previously thought. Please tell us more
I like your style, I love the video, great work. Really good job.
Thank you for so eloquently addressing how experts often portray themselves as having understanding beyond the reach of most. I share this belief that they do not, and hearing someone else say it is music to my ears. Spot on!
Specially in history where there are tons of amateurs that may know more than "experts" because they come from another field.
Like an engineer interested in history may be able to make more complex or accurate theories regarding ancient buildings than someone who is just an archaeologist or historian (knowing lots of facts but lacking practical knowledge).
I'm a geologist and the amount of times I have seen good scientists fall for confirmation bias or other logical falacies is amazing. Sometimes we are just too deep into a theory we can't take a step back and see a bigger picture.
@@mafiousbj Way too common is the is the belief that religion explains the thing with a practical use than the practical use explains the religious belief. The reason the shafts were built was for ventilation when the king or royal family visited the finished project. The explanation to those that don't understand such things is to give a story. It is for the soul, it points to some star, the symmetry, whatever it takes to convince the power that be or future generations that inclusion of such feature/practice is important.
@@barongerhardt yeah I agree. But the issue gets worse because of the way expeditions teams get funded and put together. Usually the "expert" with bold and exciting claims gets the funding and he makes up his team with mostly their own understudies/phd students that wouldn't dare contradict their master for fear/respect (specially if you wanna get you peer reviewed papers cleared for publication more easily), so these theories keep getting traction unopposed with more and more papers or books published. Worse still, in the future anyone researching the topic will mostly find an overwhelming amount of papers on that theory, so the same old explainations and "evidence" keep getting recycled because it's the "consensus". And they rarely bring experts from other fields, which imo would be extremely important in archaeology since the topic of study is potentially very complex.
As a personal example, I remember doing my thesis there was a paper saying a rock outcrop was granite. When I went there I realized it was on the other side of a stream at the bottom of a valley, so crossed it and to my surpirse the outcrop was glass, not granite, meaning it was a completely different kind of volcanic activity product (and that has ramifications). My theory is the guy who wrote the paper never crossed the stream (the photos he posted of the outcrop were from really far away and in b&w). Hadn't I crossed the stream any future student would still be citing wrong information about that outcrop. That's why lazy science can be so damaging. Sometimes is better to say we don't know, but that's usually highly discouraged in academic circles :(
1) Classical Egyptologists have become "Big Idea Guys" and "Political Players", people with vested ideas and constituencies.
2) The detail focus on the opening, in ancient times, of the Channels is refreshingly prescient. Outstanding !!
3) The King's Chamber was not sealed à la Tutankhamen, but designed to breath, to be accessed and to be used by the priesthood. It is that simple.
4) The wealth of Pharaoh Khufu was never in the King's Chamber. Pharaoh Khufu does not follow Tutankhamen.
Thanks armchair expert
A fascinating and compelling study. Thanks!
I found this in depth, detailed lesson fantastic! And I thought I was up to date on the latest pyramid observations and theories. Still wonder about the power/tesla connection 🤔
Subbed 👍🏻
"What you know, you know, what you don't know, you don't know. This is true knowledge." - Confucius
Thank you for demonstrating this in your video. A+
True wisdom comes from knowing that you know nothing.
-So-Crates
Sort of like the Dunning Kruger Effect lol
The "ventilation" purpose also explains two features: (1) the channels were slanted, not horizontal, in order to provide natural draft as the hot air from workers and torches tended to rise. (2) there are two channels on opposite sides so that the wind blowing outside would force air into one channel and suck it out of the other. (I wonder what is the prevailing wind direction at that location...)
1) they're not high enough on the wall for that to be helpful. The warm air and smoke will rise and accumulate.
2) long tiny hole seem like that would have negligible effect, and begs the question of why people are inside the pyramid with the main entrance blocked off, preventing airflow.
The ventilation provided by the channels _as they are,_ even without the electric fan, seems quite significant, and probably was enough for the workers standing on the floor. The architects must have had experience from previous tombs and mines. The problem you describe would apply only above 2-3 metres or more. The architects may not have thought of that. @@daniels4338
@@daniels4338it was mentioned that on multiple occasions the "long tiny holes" were more than sufficient for ventilating the chamber. It was hot and uncomfortable before they were cleared and much cooler afterward.
Ancient and medieval homes burned oil and reeds for illumination and I don't think they had vents on or near the ceiling. Perhaps there is an air circulation mechanic that isn't obvious to us.
@@daniels4338 Pretty much any ventilation conduit in any skyscraper or office building is a "long hole".
So they kept the shafts sealed. They only opened them when the most important person in the world paid a visit to inspect his tomb. So he could breathe fresh air. I like it
I always learn so much from your videos, thank you. I know I'm late to the discussion, but I thought the Egyptians back then were afraid of the dead clinging to them, so I always wondered if the shafts were to guide the little soul bird, the Ba, away. All the twists and turns, lower chambers, all to confuse the parts of the soul from returning to the living. I only mention it because no one ever does. Thanks again!
Excellent discovery!!!! You never disappoint...
Truely an remarkable eye for detail! But I have spotted a flaw in the "Ventilation theory": The air-flow works by the upward angle with a chimney-effect. But the chamber was sealed off from the Grand Gallery with several blocking stones on different locations. There was no air flow other than through the shafts themseves. So it would have been nearly nonexistent.
Hence either the ventilation was a necessity in the building process when the chamber was open like today. Otherwise the channels could have been part of the final sealing mechanism.
Considering the shafts in the queens chamber unfinished, the Great Pyramid seems more and more like a work in progress with at least three stages: a classical mastaba with the underground chamber, the "first stage" Pyramid with the Queens chamber and finally the expansion to its present shape with the Kings chamber.
Thank you for your great work!
- good points. I agree with the 3 phases suggestion, simply because it makes sense and answers a lot of questions. As for the ventilation, it could have been that the ancient pyramids were, in the beginning, open for ceremonial events although entry was probably restricted to an elite few. That would explain the need for ventilation. Just an idea.....
Yes, the chimney effect was on my mind the whole time too. Perhaps it would still function given all the cracks in the masonry, plus the well shaft, and the fact that the portcullis was not air tight.
More importantly, perhaps the ventilation was for visitors. Perhaps there was a period of days, weeks, or even months to years when the portcullis would have been left open for people to visit the kings chamber. In this case, the ventilation is for the benefit of visitors.
The shafts are different lengths
That is a great point. For ventilation it would have worked better with one horizontal and another going up to get that chimney effect. But maybe the clue is in one thing he read from old explorers claiming there was soot from lamps. Maybe they are a literal chimney to place lamps on and get the smoke out. With one on each side they would give a nice light.
Practice your grammar please, It's so hard to understand what you mean.
My jaw dropped at that revelation, so simple yet so important
This isn't a revelation. It was the very first speculation, when the shafts were discovered. There's black and white footage, in this video, of another Egyptologist demonstrating the ventilation effect for television. It's just that UA-cam is so full of misinformation, so some otherwise smart people believe that the pyramids were stargates or powerplants. It's good fhat this channel gives some factual basic history, but it's a shame it has to do it in a clickbait format, presenting it as a new discovery, even while mentioning that it isn't.
Indeed, the implications of this finding do fascinate me. Who or what was this ventilation meant for?
Oh my wordy word!!!
You are a damn genius god, my friend.
I wish I had found you years ago. But better late than never.
With just the few videos of yours (this one included,) that I have been blessed to watch. Have elevated my understanding and supported my belief of what I have always thought the great pyramid was.
Please under no circumstance at all should you EVER give up on this world altering (maybe not today but soon,) information. Your in-depth detailed analysis is going to become part of the new basic understanding of the history of this area....
May you and yours be blessed by the baker's dozen dear one!
Once again,
THANK YOU!? 💙🇦🇺
It was awesome 😍 I watched it from the first second till the end, with huge curiosity and the pleasure.
Thank you for that journey.
There is also a HUGE piece of information that can also be found, the orientation of core drills whilst in use.
As the core drilla used here must be used horizontal, this shows that cutting liquids etc could not have been poured into the holes. I think this maybe the only case where we are 100% certain that core drills could be used horizontally.
Great work on your video. Very useful and well presented.
That's if the core drilling was done in situ, if the channelled blocks were prepared off site then they could have been drilled vertically, examination of the adjoining blocks making the channel would show if there was a step in alignment, interesting to see the variation from rounded corners to square cut.
Therefore: lost high technology? Power tools? Still a mystery?
To say they are air shafts only makes sense if they were open to be used as air shafts.....since they weren't open, then we are still no closer to working out their true purpose. Dixon had to break through solid rock in the Queens chamber to open them, so they weren't just plugged up either.
They*were open.. you should probably finish the video before you start speaking
Did you even watch this video?
Great observation!
However, note that ventilation would *not* be needed while the walls of the King's chamber were set in place, because at that timethe chamber would be open to the sky. Ventilation would be needed only after the first roof was laid down.
Yes. Very good point
But there would have been elaborate decorations before the funeral and probably rituals aswell. The might not have wanted to ruin the decorations by sud from the torches
Yeah, they were probably closed just until final work on the chambers was about to begin, you know, hieroglyphs and what not... so I disagree that the air wasn't for the workers!
And the work inside the chambers was only going to start after the whole pyramid had been built, because you can't put a story into hieroglyphs until you know the whole story you're going to tell, so yeah... the Great Pyramid was never fully finished as far as I understand it...
So those who were busy exploring up the channels literally had the answer staring them in the face inches away. Ironic. And thanks for clearing up that nonsense about laser straight channels pointing at stars. As always, a brilliant and lucid narration of the most likely purpose. Well done sir, well done.