Pyramidenbau im alten Ägypten - auch eine vermessungstechnische Meisterleistung

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Translation of abstract (English)

Pyramid building in Ancient Egypt: Accomplishments in Surveying and Alignment Throughout the Old and Middle Kingdom, surveying and alignment was crucial for planning as well as for the actual construction of the pyramids. Not only the exact alignment of the pyramid’s axes to the points of the compass, but also the construction of burial chambers and corridors would have required detailed knowledge and experience. The same is true for the horizontal levelling of the base and the backing and casing layers, the pyramidion, and also for the exact measurement of distances. However, there are no written or pictorial sources documenting any measurement techniques used during the Old Kingdom. Some instruments are preserved, but they are dated to later periods, and it is still not sufficiently clear how they were used. Therefore, in order to illuminate the techniques and instruments used for surveying and alignment, we need to start from the buildings themselves, which are constructed with an astonishing degree of precision, as today’s measuring techniques allow us to see. From there, it is possible to draw conclusions as to the techniques in use in the Old Kingdom. At the same time, we have to keep in mind the condition of the pyramids, and also any irregularities in their construction. In the present contribution, the surveying and alignment activities that would have been required during the application of the Old Kingdom pyramids’ casing are discussed. Previous suggestions are presented and evaluated. However, it is not possible at this point to discuss the different construction principles of the Old Kingdom pyramids (e. g. construction in layers vs. construction of a core with casing).