It is not surprising that there have been many myths and legends about the Great Pyramid of Giza. Even though we may not be able to distinguish which ones are true and which ones are false, it is interesting to read about some of them. Many times we find that there was an actual event that occurred in history and different myths originate from this actual event. Thus if we look at enough myths, there may be a common denominator that we can distinguish.
One of the earliest legends about the Great Pyramid come from an early Arab source, a writer, Ben Mohammed Balki, who stated that the pyramids (the three Giza pyramids) were built as a refuge against an approaching destruction of mankind either by fire or by water. Another Arab historian, Masoudi ( died A.D. 967) also cites a similar legend that the three pyramids were built as a result of a dream that appeared to King Surid, in which the flood was foretold, 300 years before it occurred. It is told that he ordered the priests to deposit within the pyramids written accounts of their wisdom and acquirements in the different arts and sciences... and of arithmetic and geometry, that they might remain as records for the benefit of those who would afterwards be able to comprehend them. Another Arab writer, Ibn Abd-al-Latif, said that the Second Pyramid was "filled with a store of riches and utensils... with arms which rust not, and with glass which might be bended and yet not broken". It is interesting to note that Masoudi also stated that "the Great Pyramid was inscribed with the heavenly spheres, and figures representing the stars and planets in the forms in which they were worshiped. Also the position of the stars and there cycles, together with the history and chronicles of time past, of that which is to come, and of every future event which would take place in Egypt." Another source says that written upon the walls of the pyramid was "the mysteries of science, astronomy, physics, and such useful knowledge which any person understanding our writing can read." Is there any evidence that confirms the Great Pyramid was once covered with the above writings?
Since the original casing stones were destroyed and removed for the building of mosques after an earthquake in 1301 AD, we do not know if there was any original writing upon them. It does not seem likely since there still remains some casing stones at the pyramids lowest level and they do not have any inscriptions on them. There are several possibilities.
1) This is a completely made up legend with no basis or fact.
2) All the casing stones that had writing on them were destroyed.
3) This legend got confused like many do and the writings are actually inside the pyramid in an undiscovered chamber or passageway.
4) The legend of the writings on the exterior of the Great Pyramid got confused with the writings in the Book of the Dead? That is they wrote the above not on the pyramid, but on papyrus to preserve it, which became the Book of the Dead. Is the Book of the Dead what remains of this writing in a corrupt fashion? Basil Stewart states "we know that it (the Great Pyramid) contains no such hieroglyphic inscriptions or representations of the heavenly stars and planets such as these traditions infer. It is only when we turn to the Book of the Dead that we find the passages and chambers of its "Secret House" inscribed with such hieroglyphic texts and formulae, and adorned with mythical figures and stars. That is to say, Coptic and Arab traditions have erroneously identified the inscribed passages of the allegorical Pyramid of the Book of the Dead with the actual passages and chambers of the Great Pyramid itself."
A very interesting account is given by Josephus in his Antiquities. Josephus states that "the descendants of Seth, after perfecting their study of astronomy, set out for Egypt, and there embodied their discoveries in the building of two "pillars" (i.e. monuments), one in stone and the other in brick, in order that this knowledge might not be lost before these discoveries were sufficiently known, upon Adam's prediction that the world was to be destroyed by a flood... and in order to exhibit them to mankind...Now this pillar remains in the land of Siriad (the Siriadic, or Dogstar, land of Egypt) to this day."
There is a similar tradition ascribed to Enoch. "Enoch, foreseeing the destruction of the earth, inscribed the science of astronomy upon two pillars."
It is interesting that almost all the traditions agree that the construction of the Great Pyramid was pre-deluge, and was built to preserve knowledge, etc. They agree in the main events with only variations of detail.
Courtesy: Gizapyramid.com
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