Chap. II.

EGYPTIAN.

15

The inclined passage is on an angle of 26° 2', and is in length 104 feet; in breadth, 3 feet6 inches ■ and in height, 4 feet: at a distance of 4 feet 3 inches is an ante-room, which, fromnorth to south is 12 feet in length, 10 feet 5 inches in breadth, and in height 7 feet. Thereare then three portcullises, inlength 13 feet 5 inches; and anhorizontal passage, 41 feet 3inches in length, 3 feet 6 inchesin breadth, and 5 feet 10 inchesin height. At the end of this isa large apartment, which had aflat ceiling, the total length ofwhich is 46 feet 3 inches, andbreadth 12 feet 7 inches, theheight being about 13 feet 6inches.

Beyond this was the sepul-chral chamber, the length ofwhich, from north to south,was 21 feet 8 inches; and thebreadth 8 feet 7 inches; theheight at the sides 8 feet 9inches, and in the centre 11 feet3 inches.

In this chamber ColonelHoward Vysc found the stonesarcophagus which containedthe wooden coffin now in theBritish Museum , which hason it the name of the KingMencheres or Mycerinus .

The plan of the inclinedpassage conducting to the se-pulchral chamber shows itsdirection and the situation ofthe portcullis, where an addi-tional width is given for thepurpose of rendering this partmore secure. The wholeforms apparently an impas-sable barrier ; and without aknowledge of the constructionof this portion of the gallery,and the aid of machinery, apassage could not have beenobtained. Over the great cham-ber the position of the largestones which cover it are indi-cated. The section over the planexhibits two inclined galleries,one above the other, and nearlyparallel : the upper gallery hasnot been traced to the outside,but may conduct to anotherchamber not yet discovered.

As the latter inclined galleryhas its communication with theupper part of the chamber whichcontained the sarcophagus, itis by some supposed to havebeen used merely as an air-shaft ; but this is only a conjec-ture, its dimensions being con-siderable, The masonry of boththe inclined galleries is exe-cuted with the same care, thesebeing apparently cotemporarywith the original structure.

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PYRAMID Of MYCKUIVCS,