Gantenbrink's Door
[revised August 2002] The "Queen's Chamber Air Shaft Investigation" and "Great Pyramid Ventilation Scheme" items below first appeared here in 1998. They were written using information supplied by Rudolf Gantenbrink and published with his kind permission. They reflect his views on the situation subsequent to his exploration of the shafts in the Great Pyramid and are retained here as historical background information. We now know that an attempt will be made to penetrate beyond the shaft "door" on the 16th September 2002, so the "Air Shaft" and "Ventilation Scheme" items must be read in the context of the situation back in 1998. The first section highlights disagreements with statements made by Dr Hawass at the time regarding further investigation of the "air shaft" door. The second section provides an insight into the state of the ventilation system installed in 1992. A final section has been added by Towers Online to bring matters up-to-date. It lists the various failed initiatives and gives what we understand to be the latest news on the further exploration of the shafts. It also revisits the problems experienced with the ventilation system. Rudolf's own website The Upuaut Project went live in early May 1999. It gives a full account of Rudolf's work up to the end of the 1993 season and is essential reading. The account is accompanied by over sixty photographs of exceptional clarity and interactive CAD plans of the Great Pyramid. This page was originally added to this site in June 1998.
Queen's Chamber Air Shaft Investigation...Rudolf issued the following statement inApril 1998 The word "recent" in the first sentence must be taken in that context. The statement was as follows: "In a recent meeting between Dr. Zahi Hawass and myself in Cairo, I explained to Dr. Hawass several details related to the so called "air shafts" inside the Cheops Pyramid. One of the issues discussed with Dr. Hawass was reported on a interview from http://www.guardians.net/spotlite/spotlgt2.htm"
"This interview has, and might further lead to misunderstandings. For this reason I would like to clarify the following. I had a meeting with Dr. Hawass in March of this year in Cairo. The reason for this meeting was to inform Dr. Hawass personally about additional - still unpublished - facts and observations made during my work in 1992 / 1993 on the so called air shafts inside the Cheops Pyramid. In this meeting I have pointed out that a further investigation of the closure stone at the end of the southern lower shaft by means of a fibre optic has little chance to achieve the expected results. This is due to the tremendous costs, and the poor results (due to light source limitations) that can be expected in the worst case. The "fibre optic" procedure had never been suggested by myself, and is therefore indeed a true media creation." "Nevertheless, in that meeting I have informed Dr. Hawass equally about far better high tech methods for a possible continuation of the exploration. I do not at all agree with Dr. Hawass statement (that was probably intended differently) "that there is nothing really remaining to be discovered inside". It is, and remains a fact, that only further research will allow this conclusion to be drawn. I am convinced that Dr. Hawass - especially after our meeting - also sees the immediate need to solve the questions that my work from 1992 / 1993 has raised." Rudolf Gantenbrink Munich April 1998 When this item first appeared on usenet, clarification was requested on what the '"far better high tech methods" were. Rudolf replied as follows:
Why The Delay In Probing Beyond the Door?Rudolf was often asked "Why doesn't the work continue?" The following section contains his response. Once again, it is important to read it bearing in mind that it reflects the situation in 1998. Several years had passed since the "door" had been discovered, yet to the outside world it seemed there was little interest from the egyptian authorities in finding out what lay beyond. Towers Online has made some minor corrections to improve readability and has been very careful not to change the intended meaning. The Nature Of The Find:1. Can the nature of the find be determined safely?
2. Do all directly involved parties have all available information?
3. Are there any theories that can be backed by evidence about the nature of the find?
The Need For Further Investigation:4. Can further research not be useful?
5. Is a further investigation only of minor importance?
Feasibility:6. Are there technical problems in resuming further investigations?
7. Are there financial problems in resuming further investigations?
8. Are there manpower problems in resuming further investigation?
9. Are there political problems in resuming further investigation?
Summary Of Conclusions:
The Great Pyramid Ventilation Scheme...On visits to the Great Pyramid in 1998, Towers Online often wondered why conditions inside were so uncomfortable considering that the pyramid was closed for some considerable time in 1992 for the installation of a new ventilation system. The following item was written using information provided by Rudolf Gantenbrink. It describes the original scheme and gives the reasons for the situation in 1998. The Great Pyramid Ventilation Scheme was designed and installed by Rudolf Gantenbrink with the help of the German Archaeological Institute in 1992. The task was divided into five main activities
The ventilation scheme utilised two double stage ventilators. One was installed at the inlet of the upper southern "air shaft" of the GP, and the other was installed inside a tunnel excavated by Caviglia (not visible for tourists) where it meets the upper northern "air shaft". The system improved conditions inside the Great Pyramid to the maximum extent possible (i.e. the humidity level inside the Great Pyramid was made equal to the level outside) while utilising only one third of the total system performance to do so. In 1997, the fan fitted to the upper southern "air shaft" inlet was removed. After strong protests from Gantenbrink, it was replaced, however no attempt was made to reestablish a proper connection to the "air shaft", for example it was not even bolted back into position. The replaced fan performed no function other than to create a great deal of noise. Gantenbrink approached the Supreme Council for Antiquities on several occasions and offered to repair the system at no cost. The offer was always declined. Gantenbrink estimates that the original system could have been brought back into full working order in about two days. It would seem that rather than accept his offer, the SCA decided to install another system. Gantenbrink makes the following statement about the situation at the time (quoted verbatim):
From a layman's point of view, it does seem most odd that Dr Hawass and the SCA have now installed a replacement system when Rudolf Gantenbrink offered to repair the original six year old system for no charge and little effort. Bringing Matters Up-To-Date...The following briefly documents the various announcements that have been made regarding further exploration of the southern "air shaft" leading from the Queen's Chamber. For the most part, the information has been taken from pp398 - 403 of the hardback edition of "Giza: The Truth" by Chris Ogilvie-Herald and Ian Lawton. Other sources are identified where applicable.
Latest News - 8th August 2002On Thursday 8th August 2002, I attended a lecture at the Egyptian Educational and Cultural Bureau in London given by Mr. Mansour Radwan, Chief Inspector, Giza Pyramid Area on "Most Recent Discoveries in and around the Pyramids of Giza". The illustrated talk concentrated on excavations carried out southeast of the "Wall of Crows", this being the location of the tombs of the workmen, builders of the pyramids. Towards the end of his presentation, Mr. Radwan mentioned that a robot will go behind the 'door' blocking the Queen's Chamber southern airshaft on the 16th September 2002. I had a brief conversation with Mr. Radwan after the lecture. Being puzzled as to how a robot could get past the 'door', I asked how the exploration would be conducted. He kindly explained that a robot designed by NASA will be sent along the shaft to the 'door'. An attempt will be made to feed a fibre-optic camera through what looks to be a small gap at the bottom right hand corner of the 'door'. If this is unsuccessful, a very small hole will be drilled through the 'door' and the fibre-optic camera passed through it. Notwithstanding any mishaps, it sounds like we do not have long to wait to find out what lies beyond the 'door'. Nigel Skinner-Simpson, Towers Online 8th August 2002 Pyramid Ventilation Scheme UpdatesFor some time, Towers Online has been receiving reports about the ventilation situation inside the Great Pyramid, all of which state that the ventilation system was not working at the time of the visit. We have not known if the reports reflect isolated occurrences or if they reflect the situation for most of the time. On the 22nd August 2002, we received a report from Nacho Ares, director of a Spanish publication entitled "Revista de Arqueologia". Mr. Ares is an Egyptologist and is the author of six books on Ancient Egypt. He has also made programmes about the Great Pyramid for Spanish television and is a frequent visitor to Cairo, having his own house in Heliopolis. Mr. Ares says that he has visited the Great Pyramid dozens of times and believes that the reports of the non-operation of the ventilation system are isolated occurrences. He quotes specific visits to the Great Pyramid in October 2001, March 27th 2002 and August 14th 2002 as examples where the system was in operation. As he puts it, "I remember it because the sound of the ventilation is very strong". This positive report about the operation of the ventilation system is good news. On the basis of the negative reports received to date and knowing that Doctor Hawass is of the opinion that the pyramid interiors should be closed to tourists, it would be easy to speculate on the existence of a hidden agenda. (For example, in an article entitled "Saving The Secrets Of The Sands" by Elizabeth Kay McCall, he is quoted as saying, "...my philosophy is that the pyramids should not be visited inside by tourists. The pyramids are tombs. In my opinion, the magic of the pyramid is on the outside, not on the inside, but at the same time, for tourism, we do balance the two..."). Such speculation can be dismissed if the ventilation system is indeed in regular operation. Towers Online would still very much like to hear from other visitors to the Great Pyramid or any of the other pyramids . Please use the feedback link at the end of this page to send the date and time of the visit, the monument visited and the conditions experienced within. Reports Received...In June 2000, a writer to the (now defunct) EgyptNews_Talk list mentioned that on a visit to the Great Pyramid earlier in that month the interior was very hot and humid. The writer also mentioned that only three hundred visitors a day are allowed to enter the pyramid. This implied that either the replacement ventilation system didn't work or that it wasn't switched on for some reason. At the time, Towers Online commented that if this situation was allowed to continue, the corridors and chambers of the Great Pyramid would once again sustain serious damage which could provide a reason to permanently close the Giza pyramids to visitors. In March 2001, Towers Online received an update from a visitor to the Great Pyramid on the afternoon of the 26th February 2001. Once again, the ventilation system was not in operation. This was also the case inside the Red (North) Pyramid at Dahshur on the afternoon of the 27th February 2001, which in addition was suffering badly from the strong aroma of bat droppings. On asking about the non-operation of the ventilation system at Dahshur, our visitor was told that the system had been out of action for some time. Joshua Calvert contacted Towers Online to pass on information from a visitor to the Great Pyramid on the 20th September 2001. The reporter said it was very hot inside and that he sweated profusely due to the high humidity and lack of oxygen, the interior being "quite stuffy". Many thanks to Joshua Calvert for obtaining this information and passing it on to Towers Online. Simon of LTV Communications visited the Great Pyramid on the 24th March 2002 at nine thirty in the morning. He reports that, "I didn't hear anything to suggest a ventilation system was running. It was very quiet apart from several people trying very very hard to breathe!!" George Neculae visited the interior of the Great Pyramid early in the morning of the 23rd April 2002, being the first visitor of the day. He reports that there was no ventilation in evidence and the air was difficult to breathe. He also notes that the Queen's Chamber was closed to visitors with no explanation provided. |