Unveiling the Great Pyramid's Original White Face

The Great Pyramid's Original Face

On November 5, 1926, archaeologist Howard Carter discovered a section of the Great Pyramid's original casing in a quarry near Giza, Egypt. This finding supported the theory that the Great Pyramid was once covered in smooth white limestone. Archaeologist Flinders Petrie had previously suggested this idea in his 1883 book "The Pyramids and Temples of Gizeh".

What Everyone Knows

Most people think the Great Pyramid has always looked the way it does today, with its rough limestone core exposed to the elements. The standard story goes that the pyramid's original appearance was not much different from its current state, with the possible exception of some erosion over time. However, this understanding is incomplete and does not account for the pyramid's original smooth exterior.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Herodotus wrote about the Great Pyramid's original appearance in his book "The Histories" around 440 BCE, describing it as a shining white structure. By 1300 CE, Arab historian Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi had noted that the pyramid's casing was being removed and reused in other construction projects. On August 6, 1883, Flinders Petrie began his excavation of the Great Pyramid, and by 1885, he had discovered evidence of the pyramid's original casing. The majority of the casing stones were stolen by the Sultan of Egypt, An-Nasir Muhammad, in 1356 CE, and used to build mosques and other structures in Cairo. Historian Mark Lehner, in his 1997 book "The Complete Pyramids", describes how the removal of the casing stones exposed the pyramid's inner core and changed its appearance forever. By 1999, archaeologists had uncovered further evidence of the pyramid's original casing, including a section of the casing found in a quarry near Giza, which supported the theory that the Great Pyramid was once covered in smooth white limestone. As historian Dieter Arnold notes in his 2003 book "Building in Egypt: Pharaonic Stone Masonry", the removal of the casing stones was a deliberate act of destruction, rather than just the result of natural erosion.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Edward Gibbon and archaeologists such as Flinders Petrie chose to focus on other aspects of ancient Egyptian history, leaving the story of the Great Pyramid's original appearance to gather dust. The decision by the Egyptian government in the late 19th century to prioritize the excavation of other sites, like the Valley of the Kings, also contributed to the neglect of this particular narrative. Furthermore, the lack of accessible documentation from the period, due in part to the destruction of the Library of Alexandria by Roman Emperor Aurelian, made it difficult for researchers to piece together the history of the pyramid's casing stones. As a result, the story of the Great Pyramid's original white and smooth surface was not widely told, and the fact that thousands of highly polished white limestone casing stones were removed and reused in other construction projects was all but forgotten.

The Ripple Effect

The removal of the casing stones had a direct impact on the structural integrity of the Great Pyramid, causing it to deteriorate at a faster rate. This, in turn, affected the local population, who had to contend with the consequences of the pyramid's decay, including increased risk of accidents and loss of tourism revenue. One specific modern consequence of this event is the development of advanced preservation techniques, such as the use of specialized coatings to protect ancient stone structures from erosion, which was pioneered in part by the Egyptian authorities' efforts to conserve the Great Pyramid.

The Line That Says It All

The Great Pyramid's original white limestone casing stones were systematically removed and reused to build mosques and other buildings in Cairo, leaving the pyramid to stand as a testament to the transience of human endeavor, in the form of a now-weathered and worn ancient wonder.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to ancient Egyptian architecture and the history of the Great Pyramid.