Corrected Great Pyramid Course Elevations

The course levels on the following table have been transcribed from Petrie's handwritten Plate 8 ("Levels of the Courses of the Great Pyramid") of The Pyramids and Temples of Gizeh. Two original copies of the book were compared to resolve numbers of poor legibility. Corrections which have been incorporated are described in the annotations at the bottom of the table, as are other observations of note. For convenience, annotated courses are indicated by an asterisk following the course number.

The column presenting course thickness variation for all four corners has been estimated from the thickness graphs of Plate 8. All other thickness values have been computed from the course levels.

 Issue date: 7/21/03
N.E.
level		 thickness S.W.
level		 thickness variation
level		 variation
thickness		 variation in
thickness
4 corners		 course
5451.8
5430.4
5407.9
5385.7
5362.9
5341.3
5319.2
5295.7
5271.8
5252.0
5231.3
5210.7
5190.6
5169.4
5149.0
5128.5
5107.6
5087.9
5066.8
5046.1
5023.9
5001.4
4978.1 		21.4
22.5
22.2
22.8
21.6
22.1
23.5
23.9
19.8
20.7
20.6
20.1
21.2
20.4
20.5
20.9
19.7
21.1
20.7
22.2
22.5
23.3
24.7 		-
-
5409.2
5386.8
5364.3
5342.9
5320.9
5298.2
5274.6
5253.8
5233.4
5212.8
5192.2
5171.7
5151.6
5131.0
5110.7
5089.9
5069.9
5048.5
5026.4
5003.5
4980.7 		--
--
22.4
22.5
21.4
22.0
22.7
23.6
20.8
20.4
20.6
20.6
20.5
20.1
20.6
20.3
20.8
20.0
21.4
22.1
22.9
22.8
25.4 		--
--
1.3
1.1
1.4
1.6
1.7
2.5
2.8
1.8
2.1
2.1
1.6
2.3
2.6
2.5
3.1
2.0
3.1
2.4
2.5
2.1
2.6 		--
--
0.2
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.8
0.3
1.0
0.3
0
0.5
0.7
0.3
0.1
0.6
1.1
1.1
0.7
0.1
0.4
0.5
0.7
 --
--
0.5
0.9
0.5
0.3
1.0
1.1
1.2
0.5
0.2
0.9
0.9
1.0
0.6
0.9
1.1
1.2
0.8
1.2
0.5
1.0
1.0 		  203 *
  202 *
201
200
199
198
197
196
195
194
193
192
191
190
189
188
187
186
185
184
183
182
181
N.E.
level		 thickness S.W.
level		 thickness variation
level		 variation
thickness		 variation in
thickness
4 corners		 course
4953.4
4926.9
4906.3
4886.2
4865.9
4845.4
4825.1
4805.4
4784.6
4763.4
4743.7
4722.9
4702.4
4682.4
4661.8
4640.6
4619.2
4593.4
4571.3
4547.5
4526.8
4505.3
4484.7
4463.1
4441.9
4420.6
4400.1
4378.3
4356.1
4333.1 		26.5
20.6
20.1
20.3
20.5
20.3
19.7
20.8
21.2
19.7
20.8
20.5
20.0
20.6
21.2
21.4
25.8
22.1
23.8
20.7
21.5
20.6
21.6
21.2
21.3
20.5
21.8
22.2
23.0
24.4 		4955.3
4929.0
4909.2
4888.3
4868.5
4848.0
4827.9
4807.5
4787.1
4766.7
4746.0
4725.9
4705.6
4685.0
4664.7
4643.8
4621.9
4597.0
4574.0
4550.6
4529.6
4508.4
4487.1
4466.1
4444.7
4423.9
4402.6
4381.4
4358.8
4335.4 		26.3
19.8
20.9
19.8
20.5
20.1
20.4
20.4
20.4
20.7
20.1
20.3
20.6
20.3
20.9
21.9
24.9
23.0
23.4
21.0
21.2
21.3
21.0
21.4
20.8
21.3
21.2
22.6
23.4
24.9 		1.9
2.1
2.9
2.1
2.6
2.6
2.8
2.1
2.5
3.3
2.3
3.0
3.2
2.6
2.9
3.2
2.7
3.6
2.7
3.1
2.8
3.1
2.4
3.0
2.8
3.3
2.5
3.1
2.7
2.3 		0.2
0.8
0.8
0.5
0
0.2
0.7
0.4
0.8
1.0
0.7
0.2
0.6
0.3
0.3
0.5
0.9
0.9
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.7
0.6
0.2
0.5
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.4
0.5 		0.9
0.9
0.8
0.6
0.2
0.2
0.7
0.6
1.0
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.9
0.7
1.0
0.5
1.4
1.0
1.2
0.9
0.3
0.7
0.6
0.7
0.6
0.8
0.7
0.8
0.5
0.6 		180
179
178
177
176
175
174
173
172
171
170
169
168
167
166
165
164
163
162
161
160
159
158
157
156
155
154
153
152
151
N.E.
level		 thickness S.W.
level		 thickness variation
level		 variation
thickness		 variation in
thickness
4 corners		 course
4308.7
4282.1
4260.4
4238.5
4216.4
4192.5
4168.3
4137.2
4116.3
4093.2
4072.2
4050.5
4025.0
3999.3
3977.0
3953.3
3932.1
3909.3
3887.8
3864.6
3839.7
3813.1
3791.0
3768.2
3745.6
3722.6
3697.8
3673.5
3647.1
3621.1 		26.6
21.7
21.9
22.1
23.9
24.2
31.1
20.9
23.1
21.0
21.7
25.5
25.7
22.3
23.7
21.2
22.8
21.5
23.2
24.9
26.6
22.1
22.8
22.6
23.0
24.8
24.3
26.4
26.0
29.1 		4310.5
4284.4
4262.2
4240.5
4217.7
4194.6
4168.4
4139.5
4117.6
4095.6
4074.1
4051.8
4027.2
4000.8
3977.1
3954.7
3932.9
3911.0
3888.9
3865.8
3841.0
3814.7
3791.3
3768.5
3745.6
3722.6
3698.6
3675.2
3648.0
3621.8 		26.1
22.2
21.7
22.8
23.1
26.2
28.9
21.9
22.0
21.5
22.3
24.6
26.4
23.7
22.4
21.8
21.9
22.1
23.1
24.8
26.3
23.4
22.8
22.9
23.0
24.0
23.4
27.2
26.2
29.3 		1.8
2.3
1.8
2.0
1.3
2.1
0.1
2.3
1.3
2.4
1.9
1.3
2.2
1.5
0.1
1.4
0.8
1.7
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.6
0.3
0.3
0
0
0.8
1.7
0.9
0.7 		0.5
0.5
0.2
0.7
0.8
2.0
2.2
1.0
1.1
0.5
0.6
0.9
0.7
1.4
1.3
0.6
0.9
0.6
0.1
0.1
0.3
1.3
0
0.3
0
0.8
0.9
0.8
0.2
0.2 		1.2
0.8
1.7
1.5
1.2
2.4
2.2
1.8
2.0
1.2
0.9
0.9
1.1
2.0
1.3
1.0
0.9
0.7
0.9
1.2
1.1
1.4
1.5
0.4
0.5
1.8
1.9
1.6
0.8
0.4 		150
149
148
147
146
145
144
143
142
141
140
139
138
137
136
135
134
133
  132 *
131
130
129
128
127
126
125
124
123
122
121
N.E.
level		 thickness S.W.
level		 thickness variation
level		 variation
thickness		 variation in
thickness
4 corners		 course
3592.0
3562.2
3530.4
3494.8
3472.4
3445.3
3423.2
3400.2
3377.0
3352.9
3330.0
3306.8
3280.2
3250.9
3226.1
3201.1
3174.7
3148.4
3119.1
3091.7
3058.2
3022.6
2984.3
2946.8
2920.8
2897.8
2872.2
2846.1
2816.7
2783.6 		29.8
31.8
35.6
22.4
27.1
22.1
23.0
23.2
24.1
22.9
23.2
26.6
29.3
24.8
25.0
26.4
26.3
29.3
27.4
33.5
35.6
38.3
37.5
26.0
23.0
25.6
26.1
29.4
33.1
34.3 		3592.5
3563.2
3530.9
3496.0
3472.8
3446.5
3423.8
3401.7
3377.8
3354.8
3331.2
3307.9
3281.3
3251.9
3227.1
3202.6
3176.0
3149.5
3120.6
3091.3
3058.9
3024.6
2985.6
2944.7
2922.0
2898.1
2872.8
2846.6
2817.3
2785.4 		29.3
32.3
34.9
23.2
26.3
22.7
22.1
23.9
23.0
23.6
23.3
26.6
29.4
24.8
24.5
26.6
26.5
28.9
29.3
32.4
34.3
39.0
40.9
22.7
23.9
25.3
26.2
29.3
31.9
35.5 		0.5
1.0
0.5
1.2
0.4
1.2
0.6
1.5
0.8
1.9
1.2
1.1
1.1
1.0
1.0
1.5
1.3
1.1
1.5
0.4
0.7
2.0
1.3
2.1
1.2
0.3
0.6
0.5
0.6
1.8 		0.5
0.5
0.7
0.8
0.8
0.6
0.9
0.7
1.1
0.7
0.1
0
0.1
0
0.5
0.2
0.2
0.4
1.9
1.1
1.3
0.7
3.4
3.3
0.9
0.3
0.1
0.1
1.2
1.2 		0.9
0.8
0.7
1.4
1.0
0.8
1.0
1.0
1.1
1.0
0.6
2.0
2.0
1.0
0.7
1.1
0.8
1.1
2.0
1.6
1.3
1.1
3.8
3.5
1.1
1.4
0.2
1.6
2.1
1.7 		120
119
118
117
116
115
114
113
112
111
  110 *
109
108
107
106
105
104
103
102
101
100
99
98
97
96
95
94
93
92
91
N.E.
level		 thickness S.W.
level		 thickness variation
level		 variation
thickness		 variation in
thickness
4 corners		 course
2749.3
2710.8
2688.1
2665.0
2643.1
2616.8
2593.9
2566.1
2543.5
2520.2
2497.0
2472.9
2449.8
2426.1
2400.6
2377.0
2348.0
2317.6
2292.3
2266.5
2237.7
2209.9
2177.5
2146.9
2111.9
2088.2
2062.0
2036.4
2010.4
1986.0 		38.5
22.7
23.1
21.9
26.3
22.9
27.8
22.6
23.3
23.2
24.1
23.1
23.7
25.5
23.6
29.0
30.4
25.3
25.8
28.8
27.8
32.4
30.6
35.0
23.7
26.2
25.6
26.0
24.4
26.2 		2749.9
2711.7
2688.5
2666.1
2643.4
2617.4
2594.6
2566.8
2544.1
2521.0
2497.5
2473.4
2449.9
2426.5
2402.6
2377.8
2348.5
2318.0
2292.1
2266.0
2237.9
2209.8
2178.6
2146.9
2112.9
2088.6
2063.1
2037.0
2010.8
1985.8 		38.2
23.2
22.4
22.7
26.0
22.8
27.8
22.7
23.1
23.5
24.1
23.5
23.4
23.9
24.8
29.3
30.5
25.9
26.1
28.1
28.1
31.2
31.7
34.0
24.3
25.5
26.1
26.2
25.0
26.4 		0.6
0.9
0.4
1.1
0.3
0.6
0.7
0.7
0.6
0.8
0.5
0.5
0.1
0.4
2.0
0.8
0.5
0.4
0.2
0.5
0.2
0.1
1.1
0
1.0
0.4
1.1
0.6
0.4
0.2 		0.3
0.5
0.7
0.8
0.3
0.1
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0
0.4
0.3
1.6
1.2
0.3
0.1
0.6
0.3
0.7
0.3
1.2
1.1
1.0
0.6
0.7
0.5
0.2
0.6
0.2 		1.2
0.6
1.2
1.0
0.7
0.1
0.3
0.2
2.3
2.0
0.5
1.0
2.1
2.5
1.5
0.5
1.5
1.3
0.5
1.5
1.9
2.0
1.4
1.7
1.3
0.7
0.8
0.9
0.6
0.3 		90
89
88
87
86
85
84
83
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75
74
73
72
71
  70 *
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
N.E.
level		 thickness S.W.
level		 thickness variation
level		 variation
thickness		 variation in
thickness
4 corners		 course
1959.8
1931.7
1903.0
1874.4
1851.9
1827.1
1801.8
1776.1
1750.5
1724.2
1697.6
1669.6
1638.4
1602.9
1567.3
1540.0
1502.1
1461.0
1427.7
1399.7
1368.8
1336.9
1303.0
1266.7
1228.5
1187.4
1137.6
1111.4
1085.1
1058.8 		28.1
28.7
28.6
22.5
24.8
25.3
25.7
25.6
26.3
26.6
28.0
31.2
35.5
35.6
27.3
37.9
41.1
33.3
28.0
30.9
31.9
33.9
36.3
38.2
41.1
49.8
26.2
26.3
26.3
27.8 		1959.4
1931.7
1902.1
1876.5
1851.5
1826.7
1801.6
1776.3
1750.7
1724.2
1697.7
1669.6
1638.2
1603.1
1568.2
1540.0
1501.9
1460.8
1428.7
1399.3
1368.6
1336.8
1303.0
1266.7
1228.7
1186.9
1137.7
1111.4
1085.2
1059.2 		27.7
29.6
25.6
25.0
24.8
25.1
25.3
25.6
26.5
26.5
28.1
31.4
35.1
34.9
28.2
38.1
41.1
32.1
29.4
30.7
31.8
33.8
36.3
38.0
41.8
49.2
26.3
26.2
26.0
28.3 		0.4
0
0.9
2.1
0.4
0.4
0.2
0.2
0.2
0
0.1
0
0.2
0.2
0.9
0
0.2
0.2
1.0
0.4
0.2
0.1
0
0
0.2
0.5
0.1
0
0.1
0.4 		0.4
0.9
3.0
2.5
0
0.2
0.4
0
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.4
0.7
0.9
0.2
0
1.2
1.4
0.2
0.1
0.1
0
0.2
0.7
0.6
0.1
0.1
0.3
0.5 		0.4
0.9
5.5
5.2
0.1
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.6
0.5
0.2
1.8
2.5
1.1
0.9
0.4
0.3
1.2
1.5
0.3
0.6
1.1
0.7
0.4
0.7
1.1
0.1
0.4
1.0
0.6 		60
59
58
57
56
55
54
53
52
51
50
49
48
47
46
45
44
43
42
41
40
39
38
37
36
35
34
33
32
31
N.E.
level		 thickness S.W.
level		 thickness variation
level		 variation
thickness		 variation in
thickness
4 corners		 course
1031.0
1002.8
974.7
945.5
915.8
885.0
852.7
820.3
787.3
752.8
729.0
705.5
667.4
636.3
608.3
579.4
550.1
520.7
490.9
461.2
427.5
391.5
355.1
317.3
278.1
240.1
199.9
155.9
107.7
58.6 		28.2
28.1
29.2
29.7
30.8
32.3
32.4
33.0
34.5
23.8
23.5
38.1
31.1
28.0
28.9
29.3
29.4
29.8
29.7
33.7
36.0
36.4
37.8
39.2
38.0
40.2
44.0
48.2
49.1
58.6 		1030.9
1003.1
975.1
945.9
916.3
885.1
852.7
820.4
787.3
752.2
729.7
705.6
666.5
635.4
607.1
579.0
550.8
521.6
495.9
461.9
429.3
391.6
357.4
322.5
278.4
238.8
199.9
155.4
110.1
57.6 		27.8
28.0
29.2
29.6
31.2
32.4
32.3
33.1
35.1
22.5
24.1
39.1
31.1
28.3
28.1
28.2
29.2
25.7
34.0
32.6
37.7
34.2
34.9
44.1
39.6
38.9
44.5
45.3
52.5
57.6 		0.1
0.3
0.4
0.4
0.5
0.1
0
0.1
0
0.6
0.7
0.1
0.9
0.9
1.2
0.4
0.7
0.9
5.0
0.7
1.8
0.1
2.3
5.2
0.3
1.3
0
0.5
2.4
1.0 		0.4
0.1
0
0.1
0.4
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.6
1.3
0.6
1.0
0
0.3
0.8
1.1
0.2
4.1
4.3
1.1
1.7
2.2
2.9
4.9
1.6
1.3
0.5
2.9
3.4
1.0 		1.5
0.4
0.8
0.8
0.5
0.2
0.3
0.7
0.8
1.3
1.0
1.5
0.6
0.6
0.8
1.4
2.9
4.4
6.6
1.1
3.4
3.2
5.2
5.3
2.0
2.2
0.8
5.1
4.9
2.4 		30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
  3 *
  2 *
1

Notes:

Course 2 elevation.  Petrie provided two elevation values for the S.W. corner: 110.0" and 110.2". One value is the elevation above the base. The other incorporates a discrepancy of 0.2" found when the accumulated elevations for the entire pyramid were re-checked up one corner and down the opposite. Petrie noted that he placed the discrepancy "all together at the junction of levelling at the 2nd course of the S.W., as [he] considered that the least certain point. It may very likely, however, be distributed throughout the whole chain. . . ." Unfortunately, he neglected to describe which of the two values was the measured elevation, and which was the adjusted figure. Lacking this information, the average of the two numbers has been entered into the chart as the most likely value.

Course 3 thickness.  The top bar (far left) agrees with the computed thickness of the N.E. corner, but none of the remaining bars agree with the computed S.W. corner thickness. The correct value is illustrated by the dotted line. Note that the large variation in level across the platform of course 2 was apparently corrected with course 3, resulting in a course 4 that was nearly level at all corners.

Course 70 elevation.  Petrie's handwritten entries include an obvious transcription error in the second digit. Whereas the courses immediately below and above course #70 range between 2209.8" and 2266.5", the measurement values given for course #70 are N.E. 2337.7" and S.W. 2337.9". Correcting these values to read 2237.7" and 2237.9" result in proper correlation with the thickness graph.

Course 110 thickness.  All the thickness bars for course 110 have been wrongly placed. It appears as though Petrie made another transcription error in the second digit, placing his thickness lines at 22.x" rather than 23.x." Our best guess is that all should be raised as a block to the dotted lines illustrated.

Course 132 elevation.   Most secondary sources quote Petrie's S.W. measurement as 3888.0, however, upon magnification, the faint tail of a 9 is apparent on the last digit. Close inspection reveals that the bottom half of both the 9 and the decimal did not print correctly.


Courses 202 and 203 elevations. The two upper courses of the pyramid have been obliterated by human activity and no longer exist.* In Petrie's time, remnants existed by which only the N.E. elevations of the upper two courses could be measured.

* Joseph Davidovits, The Pyramids, an Enigma Solved. (NY: Hippocrene Books, 1988),  p. 40.


N.B. A comparison of Petrie's thickness bars against his elevations has revealed many minor errors in the placement or quantity of the bars. The errors listed above are the most significant, however minor discrepancies will be encountered throughout.


  

 
© 2003 Ronald Birdsall. All rights reserved.

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