34.
The Third Pyramid of Giza is
different from its two bigger siblings in several important respects, not the
least of which is its far more solid construction. It’s better built, as if its
owner, the Pharaoh Menkaure, made a conscious decision to choose quality over
quantity. Surrounding its entrance, which is nothing more than a five-by-five
square opening at the base of the pyramid’s north face, are the original
granite casing stones. The stones were worked over by ancient stone masons so
that they became rounded around the edges, then fitted together irregularly,
unlike the other larger pyramids in which the stones were set in neat rows.
In truth, the stonework of the
Menkaure pyramid resembles in great detail, the stonework that can be found at Machu Picchu in Peru. It’s o
