With a few minor exceptions, the four so-called "air shafts" of the Cheops Pyramid were constructed in accordance with one unvarying system. The shaft roof and both walls were cut from one block to form something like a stone canal. The floor was provided by a second block, effectively sealing the shaft from below. Thus, the joins connecting the upper blocks normally ran perpendicular to the floor of the shaft.

Typical shaft and floor block.
 

Each of these sets of two blocks had to be fit into the horizontal layers of the pyramid using wedge-shaped blocks. Thus, each shaft sequence required the special fabrication of four blocks. As we observed in the Caviglia Tunnel, in the "Mankiller" Tunnel (see SECOND 1992 CAMPAIGN at THE UPUAUT STORY page), and at the outlet of the upper southern shaft, the overall static structure relevant to the shafts measures approx. 2 X 4 meters.

Cross-section of the shaft showing the statically relevant structure.
 

This construction system gave rise to a continuous diagonal joint, at the floor of each shaft, running through almost half of the pyramid. Considered statically, such continuous joints are extremely dangerous. They can be regarded as something like a sliding board. The sliding of great mass along such continuous joints would necessarily lead to the collapse of the chambers. The ancient builders were obviously aware of this problem. In the "Mankiller" Tunnel, for example, we found a so-called "griddle stone". Thus, the pyramid builders obviously went to great effort to deflect the sliding forces, a measure which speaks for their highly advanced understanding of static processes.

A = shaft blocks   B = floor blocks   C = wedge-shaped blocks   D = griddle stones
 

Using the robot Upuaut-1, we were able to measure exactly the width and height of the two upper shafts along their entire lengths. Normally, the shaft width never varies by more than 5 millimeters, but the shaft height fluctuates by up to 2 centimeters (with the exception of uncompleted shaft sections). On average, the shafts measure 20.5 centimeters in width and 21.5 centimeters in height.

But in the vicinity of the chambers and the sharply-angled shaft segments, the fluctuations are larger. Here, shaft width varies between 17 and 22 centimeters, shaft height between 14 and 23.5 centimeters.

As we verified in 1992, the upper southern shaft emerges on the exterior at the 101st layer, the upper northern shaft at the 102nd layer. In this regard, Maragiolio and Rinaldi report incorrect values. (see Maragiolio and Rinaldi, "L'Architettura delle Pyramidi Menfite, Parte IV).

The shaft blocks were probably made, for the most part, from local limestone. This supposition is supported by the numerous imperfections we detected in the blocks.

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SHAFT INLETS WITHIN THE CHAMBERS
 

Distance between  the east wall of the chambers and the east wall of the shafts.
 

Kings Chamber Southern Shaft        2.49 m   /    Shaft width   18 cm   Shaft height   14 cm
Kings Chamber Northern  Shaft        2.48 m   /    Shaft width   21 cm   Shaft height   14 cm

Queens Chamber Southern Shaft    2.88 m*  /    Shaft width   21 cm   Shaft height    21 cm (Opened by Dixon)
Queens Chamber Northern  Shaft    2.90 m   /    Shaft width   21 cm   Shaft height    21 cm (Partly opened by Dixon.)
 

With the exception of this one*, all values reported by Maragiolio and Rinaldi are incorrect.
(See Maragiolio and Rinaldi, "L'Architettura delle Pyramidi Menfite, Parte IV.)

SHAFT OUTLETS ON THE PRESENT PYRAMID FACE   (excluding the missing casing.)
 

Height above the original base paving of the pyramid.
 

Kings Chamber Southern Shaft     77.55 m
Kings Chamber Northern  Shaft     78.43 m
 

Shift from the central North-South axis to the eastern wall of the shaft.
 

Kings Chamber Southern Shaft      5.20 m East
Kings Chamber Northern  Shaft     1.57  m East
 

Please note: on Maragiolio and Rinaldi's drawings the central axis is shown 7.20 m east of the corridor / chamber system . In reality it lies 6.82 m west of the system, measured from the center of the corridors.
(See Maragiolio and Rinaldi, "L'Architettura delle Pyramidi Menfite, Parte IV.)
The distance between the central North-South axis and the eastern Chamber walls is 7.84 m.

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