Identifier: handbookofarchae00west (find matches)
Title: Handbook of archaeology, Egyptian - Greek - Etruscan - Roman
Year: 1867 (1860s)
Authors: Westropp, Hodder M. (Hodder Michael), -1884
Subjects: Art, Ancient Archaeology
Publisher: London, Bell and Daldy
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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s and kings. The pyramid of stone wasafterwards adopted by nations as the most lasting form of sepulturefor their kings. Many ancient nations have raised pyramids. Theform of the pyramid is well known. There is, however, this dif-ference in the form, that some pyramids are raised with steps, otherswith inclined plane surfaces. The most celebrated are those ofEgypt; the Etruscans have also erected some, and the Eomansimitated them. Some suppose the word 7rupa/us to be derived from77-up, fire ; others from the Egyptian pehram, the sacred place :the Greeks, adopting the native name, and adding a termination oftheir own, it was converted into the Greek word Pyramis. Accord- PYRAMIDS. 57 ing to Lanei, it is derived from pi-ram; pi, being the Copticarticle: the word ram, besides being a Semitic, is also a Copticword, with the sense of • height. (Nott and Gliddon, 583)* Egyptian.—All antiquity has admired the pyramids of theenvirons of Memphis. They are distinctly mentioned by the oldest
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PLAN OF PYRAMIDS. Greek historian, Herodotus; and the three largest are ascribed byhim to Cheops, Chephren, and Mycerinus, three Pharaohs who * Mr. Kenrick gives a more obvious and judicious derivation ; according to himit is probably Greek on the following authority : Etym. M. voc, Uvpa/j.^, t\ e/c irvpwvKai (x4\itos, wairep aeaajxis, 7) kit <T€aafioov icai fieXiros. The irvpajxis was a pointedcake used in Bacchic rites. That the name, he adds, of the mathematical solidwas derivtd from an object of common life, and not vice versa, may be arguedfrom analogy : aepcupa was a handbill; kv&os, a die for gaming ; kcouos, a boys top ;KvAcvBpos, a husbandmans or gardeners roller. 58 HANDBOOK OF ARCHAEOLOGY. succeeded each other. There has been much discussion with regardto their destination, but at the present day there are no furtherdoubts on the subject—the pyramids were tombs. The faces of thethree pyramids stand exactly opposite to the four cardinal points. 1 I :: ^ wMI KALEVI

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