A Gateway to the Stars?
The positioning of the three pyramids of Giza is a bit surprising. They are not quite in a straight line, clustered around the largest one, or grouped in any kind of expected symmetrical way. The proposed explanation of most Egyptologists is that this had something to do with the terrain at Giza or it was simply the way the construction worked out.
In the early 1990s, Belgian engineer Robert Bauval noticed that the odd arrangement of the Giza pyramids is remarkably similar to that of the three stars ofOrion’s belt in the well-known constellation. This seemed to Bauval to be more than a coincidence, in light of the fact that the constellation Orion was sacred to the Egyptians. They believed it to be the home of the god Osiris and thought the shape of the constellation resembled him.
Among the many fascinating features of the Giza pyramids are the four airshaftsin the north and south faces of the King’s Chamber of the Great Pyramid, and the two in the Queen’s Chamber beneath it. Bauval calculated that in 2500 BC, the southern vent would have pointed directly at Orion and the southern airshaft in the Queen’s Chamber would have pointed at the star Sirius, which was sacred to Osiris’ consort Isis.
Bauval theorized that the vent was intended to be a channel to direct thepharaoh’s soul to Orion, where he would become a god. Many scientists have dismissed Bauval’s ideas, yet they certainly remain intriguing and continue to generate a great deal of discusssion. You can read more about it in the links listed at the end of this article.
Another interesting observation is that the Great Pyramid is perfectly aligned totrue north, south, east and west. This has led to speculation about an astrological meaning to its position. A number of theories have been advanced concerning occult meanings, secret codes or prophecies derived from the pyramid’s dimensions.
Satellite view of the Giza Pyramids. Image © Google Earth.
Orion’s Belt – could this be the inspiration for the Pyramids’ layout?
