Archaeoastronomy and Ancient Technologies 2015, 3(1), 1-27
DOI: 10.24411/2310-2144-2015-00006
Inclinations of Egyptian pyramids and finding of the divine essence
Stanislav A. Grigoriev1
1Institute of History and Archaeology, Chelyabinsk, Russian Federation; e-mail: stgrig@mail.ru
Abstract
The aim of this research is discovery of astronomical reasons in orientation of slopes of Egyptian pyramids used as tombs for pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. The article contains results of statistical analysis of change in inclination of slopes of the pyramids (3rd - 2nd millennia BC) depending on time of their building. The first year of the corresponding pharaoh's reign has been accepted, as usually it is considered that building of pyramids ones started during either the first or second year of the reign. On the base of the obtained results a conclusion has been drawn that the average annual change of the angle of slopes of pyramids was close to value of the precession of the equinoxes. The sides were directed to the Sun at culmination, but a day for this procedure was chosen by the acronical rising of some stars after the autumnal equinox. In the course of research days of heliacal and acronical risings of some mythologically important stars have been determined for the first year of pharaohs reign. Within framework of the suggested hypothesis, the received days have been compared with days when the Sun was at culmination at height equal to the angle of slopes of a corresponding pyramid. Such comparison has made possible to discover that the inclination of the slopes of the earliest pyramids was connected with acronical rising of star Betelgeuse that has been connected with Osiris cult. And, the inclination of slopes of pyramids built after the 3rd dynasty of pharaohs was connected with acronical rising of the star Aldebaran that has been connected with Horus cult. And, this choice of this or that star depended on aspiration of a pharaoh to emphasize significance of this or that elite group from Upper Egypt or his belonging to it. On the base of the evidences obtained in the course of research a conclusion about gradual deviation from stellar orientations and transition to solar orientations of pyramids is drawn. The sense of all these actions was ritual one, and not only to guarantee the ascension of the pharaoh to the sky after his death, but above all for sacralization of his power, finding of the divine essence, and maintenance of the Cosmic Order at the beginning of his reign.
Keywords: pyramids, ancient Egypt, inclination of sides, solar and stellar orientations, cults of Osiris and Horus.
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