Dimensions and proportions of the rock-cut tombs at the Eastern Field of the Giza Necropolis

Abstract

The dimensional and proportional analysis of rock-cut tombs on a wide range of material has been done before, but has remained unanswered as to the possible causes of their size and proportions. This study based on 79 rock-cut tombs on the Eastern field of the Giza necropolis has attempted to identify the reasons for the proportions and sizes of tomb chapels, and possible ways of their plan preparation during construction. The analysis showed that there was no single universal scheme – the size and proportions of each chapel were set depending on their filling – the presence or absence of a pictorial decoration and the number of burial shafts. Thus, analysis has shown a marked difference between the tombs built first on rocky areas from about the middle of V dynasty with a broad pictorial program, and the tombs that appeared later, containing almost no decorations. The former have a chapel width of 5–6 royal cubits and proportions in the range 1/1.1–2.7, while the width of the latter are mostly between 3–5 royal cubits and have a markedly more elongated chapel length – with proportions 1/2.1–3.5. For tombs, in which only a false door was originally planned from the decoration, the proportions were set according to the intended number of burials. Whereas tombs with decoration require space in front of the walls, and therefore a different width and proportions of the chapel. The possible use in the plan preparation during construction of a number of chapels of not only the best known Egyptian rectangular triangle 3:4:5, but also a triangle 5:12:13.