Medieval travelers show gradual summit shrinkage: 5.78m in 1200 AD down to 8 steps by 1540. By 1699, only 6 oversized blocks remained at the top 🏛️📜
Medieval travelers document gradual pyramid summit reduction
EgyptGeneral
Site mentioned
Key facts
- Abdal Atif Al Baghdadi in 1200 AD measured summit at 10 Turkish cubits (5.78m) with casing stones intact
- 1395 French witness documented masons removing casing stones using tackle
- Earthquake in early 14th century damaged Cairo, prompting use of pyramid as quarry
- Marco Griman around 1540 recorded 8 long steps at the summit
- Paul Lucas in 1699 was earliest account describing top course as about 6 oversized blocks
- By 1693, missing stones were observed and top course described as 12 large stones
- Jac de Vont in 1589 believed summit was one solid 15 ft block
- By 1200 AD, approximately 4 courses of stone had been removed since ancient times
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