Wagy's Pyramid Guides

I've been reading Keith Hamilton's guides to pyramids (a layman's guide) and enjoying them. I don't think folks here are aware of them, so I'm posting a link and some commentary for those who are interested.

Hunting down material on pyramids (or any archaeological feature, really) can be a pain in the neck if you're not an archaeologist/Egyptologist. To the layman it often looks as if someone just plonked down a signboard and started making up stuff. The academic is usually aware of things like who first opened the area (who did the first formal digs) and where some or all of the dig reports are as well as information about the culture and other sites... and a thousand other details.

Hamilton (who goes by Wagy/Wagyu on several forums) did a lot of piecing together of things and setting it out (with all the references, which is why us bookish types love these pieces) in a VERY readable and interesting manner.

Take, for instance, his guide to three of the small pyramids around G1 (this is part 1 of three on the small pyramids around the Great Pyramid) - he starts with the "floor plans" of these small pyramids, discusses who they're attributed to (and notes that the evidence is pretty scanty), notes what's been found in each one and adds features (like the boat pits). He discusses an interesting trench (made by some group at the time of the building of the pyramids on Giza) and gives several ideas of what it might have been for.

Photos are clearly labeled as to what they are and when the photo was taken and by whom (scholars leap up and down and cheer!)


And yes (sigh) he does include the Great Pyramid Part 1 and Part 2

There's some fascinating stuff about the Sphinx enclosure including mud brick walls that were documented during the 1800's but are gone today.

The photos give a good idea of just what a mess the place was for the average visitor who showed up between 300 AD and 1800 AD (The site got periodically neglected because it's not considered particularly holy (unlike Abydos). Tourists and explorers further damaged the site after Napoleon's research expedition brought attention to it. Digs and conservation/preservation began in earnest in the late 1800's.



Anyway, if you'd like to read all the guides:
Updated List of Wagy's guides on MaatForum

Thanks Byrd

I’ll definitely take a squiz

a reply to: Byrd