Four Ways to Pharaoh Khufu (36 page)

“Definitely,” said Michael. “I don’t remember seeing the Nile River so close to the Giza Plateau.”

“When the Aswan High Dam was constructed in 1970, the Nile River was diverted away from the Giza Plateau. The village of Kfar es-Sammân, which Nancy Jenkins mentions in her book, is called the town of Nazlet el-Samman nowadays. This town and the baffling pyramid are both located at the edge of the plateau. Here you can see where the wavy line marks the edge of the plateau. The baffling pyramid is the key. If you follow the diagram, the modestly sized pyramid is situated on the necropolis’ edge and in its lowest place, next to the road curb. When the Nile was in its flood stage, this pyramid would fill up with the cleanest water from the Nile surface,” Kirilov paused to see if they understood. He continued slowly, “Because it was never coated, it always appeared unattractive and even doomed. Therefore, this pyramid has fooled all of the treasure seekers, compelling them to go around it: Chief Architect HemIwno’s exact intent. But, if we were to dig at least thirty-two feet into its northern side, we would reach the artificial canal carved in the rock that allowed the pyramid to constantly pass water through itself. Once inside, we could crawl all the way to the water basin and the artificial island located beneath the Subterranean Chamber of the Great Pyramid.”

“Hey, wake up!” Anna’s shouts brought Michael back from Moscow to the taxi in Cairo. The driver, who had been nodding off, was suddenly fully awake and aware that he was on the opposite side of the road. Everyone in the taxi screamed as an old truck barreled down into their faces. The taxi driver jerked the steering wheel and the two vehicles darted past each other, with only a few inches to spare.

Still slightly shaking, Michael glanced through the windshield and saw the unforgettable outlines of the Giza Plateau located only a few miles south of Cairo where a limestone cliff rose abruptly from the other side of a sandy desert plateau. The ancient Egyptians called Giza “kher neter,” meaning the necropolis. Shortly thereafter, at the far edge of the Giza Plateau, Michael observed the outlines of one of the oldest towns in Egypt beneath which supposedly lies the Valley Temple of the Great Pyramid’s complex.

“Nazlet el-Samman,” announced the driver as he pulled up to their destination in a cloud of dust. He hoped that his passengers’ near-death experience would not prevent them from forgetting to leave a tip. After all, death-defying experiences made you more resilient and proved that what did not kill you, made you stronger.

Chapter 53

Nazlet el-Samman, Egypt

Thursday, September 28

9:05 a.m.

T
he town of Nazlet el-Samman was in the shadows of the pyramids, located between the Giza Plateau and the western edge of Cairo. The ancient ruins were separated from the town’s modern residents by a solid concrete wall topped with a chain link fence. Photos of its residents can be found in family albums all over the world as they provide tourists with horse and camel rides. Unfortunately, the town has been badly affected by the Egyptian revolution. In their desperation, the town’s residents waged the Battle of the Camel, taking their camels and horses over to Tahrir Square to trample and beat the growing demonstration that ultimately toppled the Mubarak regime after thirty years in power.

It was still relatively early when Anna and Michael got out of their taxi. As they walked in the dusty morning rays of sunshine, life in the village was already bustling. Children were rushing to school and tour guides were attending to their animals. Michael and Anna wandered around looking at the local features that tourists often do not get a chance to see.

They decided to catch a ride on a
tok tok
, a motorized tricycle with a small cabin. It may look awkward, but is maneuverable through the winding, dusty streets lined with mud huts and small buildings. They got out near the concrete wall that separates the town from the pyramids. Looking beyond the concrete wall, Michael and Anna admired the view of the three pyramids. They appeared to be a stone’s throw away and looked magnificent in the shimmering sun.

They walked beside the concrete wall, trying to find the town’s entrance to the desert. A half an hour later, after a fruitless search along the wall, they decided that it was time to explore the desert behind it. Propping up the trunk of an old tree against the concrete wall, Michael managed to scale it with Anna following after him. They looked around to see if anyone had noticed, but no one was in the vicinity. Michael climbed up and over the sturdy chain link fence. Once he was on the other side, he coached Anna as she climbed up it. As he was assisting her in climbing over the top of the fence, a policeman suddenly appeared out of nowhere, calling after them in Arabic. It was obvious that he did not want them to climb the wall, but Anna and Michael pretended they did not hear him. Anna quickly finished climbing down the other side of the chain link fence. Turning their backs and ignoring not only the shouting policeman, but also their thundering hearts, they carefully held onto the concrete wall and slid down it, dropping down onto the desert floor. Once outside the wall, they walked far away to a quiet spot and stood against the cool concrete wall. They gazed at the pyramids in their stark beauty. From their perspective, it really looked as if they were alone in the desert.

Down below them stretched the Sphinx, a huge stone structure with a colossal gateway that may have been the entrance to the ancient necropolis. They had a good overview of the ancient workmen’s village. This is where archaeologists discovered the bakeries, breweries, houses and the burial places of the population who built and maintained the pyramids.

Then they started exploring by looking at the Kirilov’s necropolis map and walking through the Mokattam, an area defined by a low range of hills. The eastern part of the Mokattam Formation had undergone significant changes as a result of the construction activity. They wandered in different directions to find the location of the baffling pyramid marked on their map. There was a multitude of different elevations made of the same limestone, which made it almost impossible to determine the real age of its abandoned pieces and structures. In the intersection of two old roads, however, Michael managed to find several rows of masonry covered partially in sand.

“These are the remains of the baffling pyramid,” he announced, an unmasked glow in his eyes. “Beneath this rubble is supposed to be an artificial canal made of carved rock. This pyramid served as the water pump, bringing the stream of fresh water along the artificial canal,” he added, deep in his thoughts.

“So, hypothetically speaking,” said Anna, perched on Kirilov’s comfortable couch, “if we were to dig into the northern side of this baffling pyramid about thirty-two feet, then we would reach this artificial canal, right?”

“No, unfortunately, we can’t,” he paused and sighed deeply. “The baffling pyramid doesn’t exist anymore.”

“What?” both Anna and Michael exclaimed, shocked.

Kirilov sighed. “This so-called auxiliary pyramid was leveled to the ground some time ago. It had been labeled as an unnecessary and useless construction.”

“But by doing so, it prevented the access of the living water into the burial scene located underneath the Great Pyramid,” said Michael in astonishment.

“Exactly,” Kirilov said grimly. “All seven of the small pyramids, plus this baffling pyramid located on the side of the road, played a vital role for the necropolis as a whole. As it remained uncoated and was built with special masonry stone blocks, it allowed an adequate amount of air inside the burial site. It functioned as the lungs of the burials: the three big pyramids were breathing through the smaller eight pyramids. At the base of each of the eight small pyramids were basically sumps, which served as drainage reservoirs to better dilute the accumulating pollutants in the Nile River’s tidal water. But it was almost impossible to completely purify the water, and some small amounts of impurities still came through the purification process. It was known that these impurities would lead to their degradation and the formation of gases. Over time, the burial site could become a hotbed of germs and toxic gases. The only possible solution was to provide permanent, effective air ventilation. This could be done by using the gallery, through which Khufu’s mummy was brought into the crypt.”

“But after the burial ritual, the gallery was covered with masonry and casing stones,” said Michael.

“Exactly right,” said Kirilov, his eyes shining at his understanding. “And that’s the secret: this masonry was unusual. It had the ability to pass the air, released from the pyramid’s underground, through itself. The local residents used to say that at night the air was illuminated at the foot of the pyramids in some places. The glowing air seen at the foot of the pyramids is the gas that once poisoned the tourists inside Khafre’s pyramid. In April of 1984, fifteen tourists inside the pyramid complained of eye irritation and difficulty in breathing and rushed outside. Because it happened during the daytime, no one noticed the air glow. Recently, the glow has disappeared completely. The reason is simple. The foolish keepers of the necropolis at Giza discovered some “shaky” stones in the masonry of the pyramids and decided to strengthen them. Not selectively, but all of them, including the blocks that passed bad air out of the underground chamber. In order to seal the cracks and crevices in the stone blocks, they used stainless steel fittings. When I heard the news, I was horrified. The curators of the ancient pyramids truly have no idea what they have done. By depriving the underground chamber of the inflow of fresh water and air, they have transformed the crypts into putrid foci. The ecology of the tombs is now broken.” Kirilov shook his head solemnly, “The pharaohs do not forgive those who disturb their peace.”

“We have to get into the underground chamber and restore the ecology inside of it,” said Anna, bringing Michael back from his thoughts. “If we could remove all this sand, then we could find the artificial canal leading west to Pharaoh Khufu’s burial place.”

“Yeah, if only we could get a permission to dig around here,” said Michael, looking over the vast land of sand dunes.

“Well,” said Anna. “I know what we have to do.”

“I think I know what you have in mind,” said Michael.

It was already mid-afternoon and the heat was becoming oppressive. They decided to walk toward the bedlam, into the plateau’s multitude of tourists and peddlers.

After their long walk, lunch and a couple of bottles of water each, it luckily only took them a few minutes to find a taxi. They were glad to find a driver who agreed to take them to their hotel for only sixty Egyptian pounds, a bargain considering it was a journey of about an hour at that time of day. During the ride Michael and Anna quietly discussed what they should do next.

“The stele belongs to the guardians, the Medjay, but the Egyptian heritage belongs to Egypt,” Michael spoke softly as he searched his backpack for the hotel envelope and pencil rubbing he had put in there that morning.

“But, we are not gonna make it easy for them,” said Anna, grinning. She got out her iPhone and started searching for the Egyptian Department of Antiquities address. Michael leaned forward and tapped on the driver’s shoulder, asking him to stop at a post office. After the driver turned down his haunting, electronic music and understood Michael’s request, he was willing to make the extra stop, but only for an additional ten Egyptian pounds. Michael grinned at Anna as he took another ten pounds out of his wallet. She smiled and shrugged back at him. Satisfied, the driver accepted his fee and turned his music back up, now singing along. Anna found a pen in her purse and carefully addressed the envelope as the taxi stopped and started in the Cairo traffic.

Soon, the driver pulled up to an ancient building and stopped, turning around in his seat, nodding his head and pointing to the building. As Michael took the envelope from her and started to exit the taxi, Anna smiled, saying, “Now it’s up to them to decipher the real and final resting place of Pharaoh Khufu.”

Later that evening, Anna and Michael took a Nile River dining cruise aboard a pharaoh-style barge. As they glided past Cairo’s illuminated skyline, Anna and Michael dined on Lebanese cuisine. Then they sat back, relaxed and watched the colorful belly-dancing show and the unforgettable Sufi men, who performed their
tanoura
spin, in keeping with Egypt’s whirling dervishes’ tradition.

Later, they walked up to the upper deck of the boat and sat there, chatting and whiling away the hours until midnight. From their seats they could look down and watch Cairo’s trendy young set dancing. Soon they were looking upward and watching the bright stars. Above them was the prominent constellation of the Big Dipper, or Big Bear as it is sometimes called, which is featured as part of the Alaskan flag. The seven stars, sparkling in the velvet black sky, were like guardian angels looking down on Anna and Michael in their journey. They laughed and joked as the cruise boat sailed toward the famous Cairo tower. They stopped speaking as it came closer into view. Shaped like the iconic ancient lotus plant of the Pharaoh’s, it was spectacularly illuminated in different shades of colors: a breathtaking masterpiece of structural art.

The next day the Egyptian Department of Antiquities got a letter in the mail. The director could not believe his eyes.

Chapter 54

The Great Pyramid, Giza Plateau, Egypt

Friday, September 29

8:45 p.m.

A
lmost five thousand years have passed since the pharaohs of the Fourth Dynasty walked the earth, but tonight they appeared again. Every night, as the sun sets on the bustling city of Cairo and the last gentle rays fall behind the pyramids on the Giza Plateau, the pharaohs reawaken during the magnificent Sound and Light Show held at the foot of the three enormous pyramids. Michael and Anna sat as old friends in the hushed crowd, completely immersed in the thrilling program about ancient Egypt’s history. Their eyes could hardly contain the splendid effects.

“This is incredible,” Anna whispered. Suddenly, thanks to a clever projection, the face of the Sphinx came alive and the audience could hear the words spoken by a long-dead pharaoh.

“Yeah,” Michael answered, his eyes never leaving the Sphinx. “This is amazing.”

Shortly after the show, with the dunes of the Libyan Desert disappearing into the Egyptian twilight, they walked away from the Giza Plateau along the twisting road. They repeatedly looked back as the pyramids fell into the backlit exposure, becoming simple, black triangles with rough edges: silent, black silhouettes against the red dusk sky.

Gradually they were pulled into Cairo’s vigorous, busy crowds. The myriad calls from souvenir lots, the wild honking of nearby traffic and the voices of many languages swarmed the air as they made their way through the dusty streets.

They stopped a few times to admire the little trinkets being sold, which proudly carried the names of almost all of the pharaohs that existed during all thirty dynasties. They watched as camels proudly sashayed to their stables as cars screeched and halted right up next to them. Involuntarily enveloped by the sweetish and stupefying hazes from the street hookahs, they slowly strolled past the eternally relaxed habitués relaxing on small benches outside the shops. Mesmerized, they walked deeper inside the city, unaware of their purpose and destination.

The duo strolled past tiny shops with so many trinkets, baubles and sundry items that they were literally stacked, piled and pouring out of the doorways onto the sidewalk. The merchants themselves were annoying as flies, offering their unnecessary trinkets with cloying “dear American friend” appeals and offers of their bitter Arabian coffee.

Michael and Anna continued to look back at the pyramids from time to time. Twilight obliterated the features of their surroundings and with the upward direction of the highway as its multiple-colored garland; the two biggest pyramids flickered like Christmas trees. These were entirely different pyramids without their secrets and ancient mysteries, now merely amusing accessories of the nightlife.

The last time they glanced backward, the pyramids appeared again through the tiniest opening between some buildings, as if saying goodbye. The final glimpse lasted a mere split-second, as the pyramids surrendered to the pressure of space and darkness, fading away into the impenetrable shroud of Cairo’s smog.

Michael was enchanted by this mysterious city and could not comprehend how anyone would not fall in love with this ancient land, its pyramids and its people. As he walked, he pondered the famed tales of “Thousand and One Arabian Nights.” He caught Anna’s eye, and to her delight he quoted, “He who hath not seen Cairo hath not seen the world: her soil is gold, her Nile is a marvel; her women are like the black-eyed hours of Paradise; her houses are palaces; and her air is soft, more odorous than aloes-wood, rejoicing the heart. And how can Cairo be otherwise when she is the Mother of the World?”

There was much about Egypt, Cairo in particular, that Michael had come to love. Cairo is a city full of contrary images, where it was not unusual to see the latest luxury sedan sharing the road with a donkey-drawn cart. It has a bustling public transportation system with taxis and minibuses hustling along its many streets and overpasses that swoop through the ever-moving city. Cairo even boasts a subway, the only one that exists in the Arabian world.

Cairo is a city with many traditional and filling foods. The fragrance of the streets is the
shwarma
, a traditional meat sandwich. Meat is skewered on a metal stick and roasted slowly on a spit, rotating in front of an open flame for hours. When it is dripping off the stick a small amount is shaved off and, together with vegetables and dressing, rolled up in a
lavash
flatbread. The city’s aroma is a textured world of fried corns, fruit, coffee, sweets and the heavenly evening hookahs.

Cairo is a city exploding with sounds. From the morning shout of the roosters strutting on their balconies to the discordant hubbub of a multitude of automobile horns to the ever present calls-to-prayer echoing throughout the city, Cairo is never still or silent.

Cairo is a city with unexpected color alongside the blowing desert sands, piling trash and grey, concrete buildings. It is found in the blossoming acacia plant, the brightly colored rugs on the camels and the lush greenery thriving along the Nile. The buildings constructed in English colonial style and the marvelous pyramids themselves are splashes of beauty in the Middle Eastern monotony.

Almost everything about Michael’s two visits to Egypt was now familiar to him. The famous Cairo traffic where cars dodged past families in horse-drawn carts was becoming unremarkable. He had gotten used to hearing donkeys braying, horse hoofs on the pavement as well as the man who loudly called for his friend Kasim every single night.

Egypt and its world famous pyramids had been a part of Michael’s passion for the longest part of his life. After arriving, leaving and coming back, Michael was sad to realize that the time had come for him to leave again. He knew what was ahead of him: the long security checks in the airport, the long hours in the air and the jarring immersion into western culture. Soon he would be dully riding the morning commute on the Metro-North commuter train. He was not eager to put Egypt and the Great Pyramid in his rearview mirror and head back to life as usual.

The events of the past almost two weeks had been a life-changing vacation-turned-quest. His trip had been consumed with his adventure in puzzling out Schulze’s dying words to him: to find four ways. He had raced across Egypt, Germany and Russia and back again to Egypt to uncover one of history’s long-forgotten secrets, while being chased by a fiercely skilled Medjay warrior, who seemed to be eerily resurrected from ancient times. He had witnessed first-hand things that at first had saddened him, then infuriated him, intrigued him, frightened him, bewildered him and, finally, surprised him. His endeavor to uncover one of the secrets of the Great Pyramid had come to its finale. He marveled that he had ever thought that he could uncover one of the Great Pyramids’ secrets. She was yet masked in her dark secrets and ancient mysteries.

“You know, Michael, the saying ‘we’ll meet again’ is entirely different than saying goodbye, right?” Anna suddenly asked, tears slowly escaping her beautiful, green eyes.

“Of course,” Michael replied. He reached for Anna and embraced her saying, “The pyramids will always remain in my heart.”

“I wasn’t just talking about the pyramids,” Anna said, her voice muffled against his shirt.

“Neither was I,” replied Michael, chuckling. He leaned down to plant a long kiss on her beautiful lips. “The pyramids,” said Michael, as they continued walking, their arms around each other, “helped me to encounter three remarkable people in my life. You,” he kissed Anna again, “your father and Kirilov.”

“My father helped to preserve a great discovery, and Kirilov helped the Great Pyramid expose its secret and thus prolong its immortality,” Anna spoke reverently. Michael nodded solemnly in agreement. “Blessed Kirilov,” she continued, “who never saw the Great Pyramid in person, yet dedicated his life to uncovering her secrets. They each in their own small steps made a huge leap in bringing humanity closer to uncovering one of the greatest secrets of all time. This may bring about the answers to such questions as who we are, why we are here and where we are going.”

“I think those who never visit the Great Pyramid will never know the world,” Michael replied, embracing Anna as they continued their stroll through the mysterious alleys of ancient Cairo.

Back at the hotel, Anna excused herself to take a shower. Michael took off his shoes and socks and sat down in the comfortable lounge chair. He picked up the remote, turning on the television and flipping through several channels. He watched with some amusement at the shows clicking past until he stumbled on the evening news. The announcer was reporting.

Sky News. An ancient stele, dating back at least four thousand five hundred years and bearing the seal of Pharaoh Khufu of the
Fourth Dynasty, the builder of the last remaining wonder of the Ancient World, The Great Pyramid, was discovered earlier this week in E
gypt.

“Anna!” Michael shouted. “Anna! You might wanna see this.”

The Minister of State for Antiquities, Dr. Mohamed Jamal, made the finding public today at The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo. The Cairo Police Department’s Inspector Setkufy Suliman accompanied
him.

The bathroom door opened. Anna appeared in the doorway, a towel wrapped around her, “What happened?”

“Look at this!” Michael exclaimed, turning the volume higher and pointing to the television set.

The origin of the stele is a mystery, and its owner has asked to remain anonymous. Dr. Jamal has shown a traced copy of the stele to only a small circle of experts in Egyptology and hieroglyph linguistics, who concluded that it is most likely not a forgery. Dr. Jamal and his collaborators said they are eager for more scholars to weigh in and support their conclusions. If proven to be authentic, the discovery of such importance and magnitude could reignite the debate over whether Pharaoh Khufu was really the builder of the Great Pyramid. Until this discovery, the only justification for attributing the Great Pyramid to the Pharaoh Khufu was a stenciled cartouche bearing Pharaoh Khufu’s name, which was found in a crawl space over the King's chamber in the nineteenth century by the British Egyptologist Howard
Vyse.

Dr. Jamal gave an interview and displayed the ancient stele, encased in glass, to reporters from The New York Times and The Daily Telegraph. “The discovery is sensational,” said Dr. Jamal, “because it provides further evidence that the Great Pyramid was indeed built by the Pharaoh Khufu of the Old Kingdom of the Fourth Dynasty. I can’t express enough words of gratitude toward Inspector Suliman who successfully recovered this ancient stele from the hands of organized c
rime.”

Cairo Police Inspector Suliman was praised in the recovery of the stele and keeping it out of the hands of smugglers of the antiquities. “One German national and three locals have been arrested as the result of the ongoing investigation,” said the Inspector. This is Sky News, reporting from Cairo, I am Mike Whit
ters.

“Wow,” said Michael chuckling. “Did you see that big ol’ cheesy smile on the Inspector’s face?”

“Sure, and why wouldn’t he smile?” Anna replied sarcastically. “He took all the credit for discovering the stele without even mentioning my father’s name. He’ll probably get a promotion.”

“One day we’ll correct this injustice,” Michael said, winking at Anna. “Let the Inspector relish his fame and bask in his glory for now. Our glory days are on their way.”