As some of you might already have read it, there is a book called Fingerprints of gods written by Graham Hancock. My interest in the subject of ancient times began about 5 years ago when I read this book. As a matter of fact, it probably was due to the influence of mythology, but I used to have nothing but an old-fashioned or fairy-tale image about ancient times until then. However, Fingerprints of gods pointed out that a great deal of "scientific knowledge" has been employed in an ancient building, map and others. It was since then that I, as an engineer, somehow began thinking about those products of ancient times. I therefore created a homepage to present my views, and came out having a discussion with people interested in the same field. Though it did not receive much attention, I also introduced my work in the Internet Exhibition (commonly called Inpaku) sponsored by the government last year. Then I turned out receiving the offer from Mr. Daichi. From now on for a while, I am going to give an account of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.

The Great Pyramid is the biggest among the three pyramids in Giza, and sometimes referred to also as the First Pyramid or the Pyramid of the King Khufu. It has been counted among the Seven Mysteries in the World since early times, but its purpose still remains unknown. There are plenty of books written on the Great Pyramid, but most of them are for general readers. So, in this column, I aim to examine the Great Pyramid from the "technical" point of view. However, the information and data I have are limited and, I assume, not error-free. I am going to correct any mistake to revise them, and if there is a discovery of new fact, I will also add it to the data. Thus, please let me know if you have any opinion or comment of your own. There is a German engineer named Rudolf Gantenbrink. In the early 1990s, he explored the inside of the Great Pyramid by sending a remote-controlled robot through four small tunnels called "air shafts" with their openings measuring about 20 by 20 centimeters extending some ten meters into the Pyramid. As a result, he discovered a door with copper handle at the end of the air shaft extending southward from the Queen's Chamber. He is making a report of this investigation available in his homepage. His website "UPUAUT PROJECT" has been organized as follows.

• THE UPUAUT STORY
• THE FINDINGS
• CYBER DRAWING
• THE ROBOTS
• THE TEAM
• THE FUTURE
• PUBLICATIONS
• RECOMMENDED LINKS
• DISCUSSION BOARD

The following part, THE FINDINGS, gives detailed information about the four air shafts Ð the upper shaft and the lower shaft in the southern side, and the same pair in the northern side Ð such as their size, structure, and damage condition respectively.

Then, in CYBER DRAWING, he draws up a plan of the pyramid, particularly air shafts, on the basis of his own investigation. It is such a detailed drawing that allows you to turn the picture and control zoom. Then, just by clicking your PC screen, you will have the drawing flying into you all over from Germany. That is why it is named "cyber." I suggest you to try it once. By staring at the drawing for a while, you certainly will have a clearer image of the interior design of the Great Pyramid.

Moreover, an illustration of the robots he developed is available in THE ROBOTS.

Here is the website of Rudolf Gantenbrink. You can go into the site simply by clicking the "ENTER" written on a stone-button down the screen. Then choose CYBER DRAWING, and click OK button for downloading. In a little while after clicking CHEOPS SHAFTS or other item, you will receive the drawing. You can try conducting the buttons on the top several times at first, and learn the operational procedure of the drawing.
http://www.cheops.org/

Next week, I will talk about a four-wheeled vehicle that he discovered.

Notes: In this column, the names of people are to be called without using their title

Translated by Maiko Noda