I think I read that G2 was called the Great Pyramid in antiquity, and even today it is mistaken as 'G1,The Great Pyramid' because it appears to be the masterpiece of the three pyramids of Giza as it is at the centre of the three huge pyramids.

Quite simply, Khufu's father, Sneferu, pioneered huge true pyramids, and the first was the northern shining pyramid at Dahshur discounting the small satellite true pyramid outside the Bent Pyramid and the true pyramid mounted on top of the first 90 cubits of the Bent Pyramid, after which he returned to Meidum to convert that to a true pyramid in order to complete a set of three huge pyramids and in doing so remains the greatest pyramid builder as measured by the total volume of stone.

Alternative history accords more recognition to Khufu who inherited a huge building machine from his father in terms of trained manpower who were no doubt well rewarded. The economy may have prospered even though the work was futile to the modern mind, so not so easy to stop the machine, and Khufu put the machine to work on one pyramid in the knowledge that putting the brakes on a machine with so much momentum was not an option. But perhaps there had to be a special new purpose, and the design may have come from Sneferu's school of architecture.

The aim appears to have been to be larger and steeper. Khafra was not Khufu's immediate successor, but he ordered G2 to be built next to G1 and chose to build it steeper than G1, at an angle corresponding to the seked of five and a quarter palms (53.13 degrees), so perhaps his pyramid always did appear to be the most impressive pyramid on the Giza plateau after its completion, especially as it was built on higher ground. It does appear that Khafra chose the pick of the plots, and it was natural for every king to want a greater reputation than previous kings.

The G1 angle (51.84 degrees) bears out the complex internal architecture of G1 with the long walls of the King's Chamber as a model of the pi shape of the Great Pyramid on a scale of 1 digit to 1 cubit.
G1 encoded the Egyptian cycles of time in my proposition, and perhaps marked a special event such as a new beginning of the Egyptian calendar, or a memorial of a special event, and if so most probably the helical rising of Sirius on New Year's Day. Once built, there was no need to build another with a similar design.

It should be remembered that the really massive pyramids of Egypt were built across a relatively short period of time, perhaps a century, so it was a phenomenal century in which an abundance of wealth may have seemed like divine blessing encouraging even greater monuments.

There were two large pyramids at Dahshur, and there was much prosperity in the reign of Sneferu, so Khafra's wise men may proposed that there should be two large pyramids at Giza to return to the golden days of Sneferu, possibly alarmed by the the failed pyramid of Khufu's immediate successor whose project elsewhere was probably abandoned after a short reign, so taken as an omen to return to Giza.

Huge true pyramids became the family business of the Fourth Dynasty.

I have given two reasons why Khafra may have chosen to build at Giza, and the rather obvious reason why there was no need for Khafra to build a duplicate of Khufu's Horizon. Each generation had to have a new vision for the future to inspire them to greater heights, not the dreams of the wise old men.

It is peculiar that Khafra did not design a pyramid just slightly higher than Khufu's pyramid as it appears he could have done so. Perhaps Khufu, or the design of Khufu's pyramid, had special significance which could not be undermined by a greater monument with respect to its height and volume of stone.

Mark



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 11/28/2019 02:25PM by Mark Heaton.