Description
Book SynopsisDetailed examination of the origins and dissemination of the eleven main theories proposed from the late 18th century to explain the shape of the Great Pyramid. Of special note is the chapter examining how some theories spread whereas others were rejected.
Trade Review``Apart from the special subject of this very readable book, the last chapters will be a most valuable base for any study of a related kind. One can only look forward to the next volume by the author about the secrets of the `golden section'.'' -- Benno Artmann -- British Journal of the History of Science, Volume 37, Number 3, September 2004, 200502
``It is readable, enjoyable and generates a sense of curiosity concerning the technical expertise and mathematical know-how of those who constructed the pyramids....Roger Herz-Fischler has written a work of great scholarship, which may very well succeed in recruiting adherents to the field of pyramidology.'' -- P.N. Ruane -- The Mathematical Gazette, July 2002, 200409
Table of Contents
-
The Shape of the Great Pyramid by Roger Herz-Fischler
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Part I. The Context
- Chapter 1. Historical and Architectural Context
- Chapter 2. External Dimensions and Construction
- Surveyed Dimensions
- Angle of Inclination of the Faces
- Egyptian Units of Measurement
- Building and Measuring Techniques
- Chapter 3. Historiography
- Early Writings on the Dimensions
- Modern Historiographers
- Part II. One Pyramid, Many Theories
- Diagrams
- Chapter 4. A Summary of Theories
- Definitions of the Symbols—Observered Values
- A Comparison of the Theories
- Chapter 5. Seked Theory
- The Mathematical Description of the Theory
-
Seked Problems in the Rhind Papyrus
- Archaeological Evidence
- Early Interpretations of the Rhind Papyrus
- Petrie
- Borchardt
- Philosophical and Practical Considerations
- Chapter 6. Arris = Side
- The Mathematical Description of the Theory
- Herodotus (vth century)
- Greaves (1641)
- Paucton (1781)
- Jomard (1809)
- Agnew (1838)
- Fergusson (1849)
- Becektt (1876)
- Howards, Wells (1912)
- Chapter 7. Side : Apothem = 5 : 4
- The Mathematical Description of the Theory
- Plutarch's Isis and Osiris
- Jomard (1809)
- Perring (1842)
- Ramée (1860)
- Chapter 8. Side : Height = 8 : 5
- The Mathematical Description of the Theory
- Jomard (1809)
- Agnew (1838)
- Perring (1840?)
- Röber (1855)
- Ramée (1860)
- Viollet-le-Duc (1863)
- Garbett, (1866)
- A.X., (1866)
- Brunés (1967)
- Chapter 9. Pi-theory
- The Mathematical Description of the Theory
- Egyptian Circle Calculations
- Agnew (1838)
- Vyse (1840)
- Chantrell (1847)
- Taylor (1859)
- Herschel (1860)
- Smyth (1864)
- Petrie (1874)
- Beckett (1876)
- Proctor (1877)
- Twentieth-Century Authors
- Chapter 10. Heptagon Theory
- The Mathematical Description of the Theory
- Fergusson (1849)
- Texier (1934)
- Chapter 11. Kepler Triangle Theory
- The Mathematical Description of the Theory
- Kepler Triangle and Equal Area Theories
- Kepler Triangle, Golden Number, Equal Area
- Röber (1855)
- Drach, Garbett (1866)
- Jarolimek (1890)
- Neikes (1907)
- Chapter 12. Height = Golden Number
- The Mathematical Description of the Theory
- Röber (1855)
- Zeising (1855)
- Misinterpretations of Röber
- Choisy (1899)
- Chapter 13. Equal Area Theory
- The Mathematical Description of the Theory
- The Passage from Herodotus
- Agnew (1838)
- Taylor (1859)
- Herschel (1860)
- Thurnell (1866)
- Garbett (1866)
- Smyth (1874)
- Hankel (1874)
- Beckett and Friend (1876)
- Proctor (1880)
- Ballard (1882)
- Petrie (1883)
- Twentieth-Century Authors
- Chapter 14. Slope of the Arris = 9/10
- The Mathematical Description of the Theory
- William Petrie (1867)
- James and O'Farrell (1867)
- Smyth (1874)
- Beckett (1876), Bonwick (1877), Ballard (1882)
- Flinders Petrie (1883)
- Texier (1939)
- Lauer (1944)
- Chapter 15. Height : Arris = 2 : 3
- The Mathematical Description of the Theory
- Unknown (before 1883)
- Chapter 16. Additional Theories
- Part III. Conclusions
- Chapter 17. Philosophical Considerations
- Chapter 18. Sociology of the Theories—A Case Study: The Pi-theory
- The Social and Intellectual Background in Victorian Britian
- Relationship of the Pi-theory to Other Topics
- A Profile of the Authors
- Chapter 19. Conclusions
- The Sociology of the Theories
- What Was the Design Principle?
- Appendices
- Appendix 1. An Annotated Bibliography
- Appendix 2. Tombal Superstructures: References and Dimensions
- Appendix 3. Egyptian Measures
- Appendix 4. Egyptian Mathematics
- Appendix 5. Greek and Greek-Egyptian Measures
- Notes
- Bibliography/Notes
