The legacy Pharaoh Snefru left to his heir, Khufu, included more than the crown and wealth of the Old Kingdom. Building on an architectural and engineering revolution that stretched at least as far back as Pharaoh Djoser’s Master Builder, Imhotep, Khufu’s own architect Hemiunu was determined to build a monument that would last the ages. To say the least, he was successful.

But erecting the final resting place of a god-king involved more than structural and aesthetic considerations. Hemiunu was creating sacred ground, and within Khufu’s holy mountain there were specific paths to be trodden and a celestial order of operations to be observed.

Beginning with the physical evidence from the pyramid, Jean-Pierre Houdin pieces these ancient traditions together in a way that suggests where to look and what to look for in unlocking the secrets of the Great Pyramid. This is the third in a series of articles and interviews conducted by Marc Chartier with Jean-Pierre and other key members of Team Khufu, provided in English exclusively to Em Hotep.

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Tags: Bent Pyramid, Corbelling, Dassault Systemes, Djoser, Giza Plateau, Grand Gallery, Jean-Pierre Houdin, Khufu Reborn, Khufu's Pyramid, King's Chamber, Marc Chartier, Mehdi Tayoubi, Noble Circuit, Project Khufu, Red Pyramid, Snefru

This is the story of two architects, separated by 4,500 years, both trying to solve the same problem—how to build a pyramid measuring 756 feet on each side of the base, 480 feet high, and consisting of 5.5 million tons of stone.

Our master builders have different goals, however. The first, Hemiunu, was determined to build the greatest pyramid ever, and the second, Jean-Pierre Houdin, was equally determined to figure out how he did it.

Jean-Pierre Houdin and Bob Brier wrote a book—The Secret of the Great Pyramid—about this very subject in 2008 and the paperback edition is due to hit bookstores October 6, 2009. Ahead of the paperback, Em Hotep! is providing you with a multi-part primer to Houdin’s work, to be followed with an interview with the man himself.

But first, who are these two architects?

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Tags: Bob Brier, Dassault Systemes, Grand Gallery, Henri Houdin, Imhotep, Internal Ramp, Jean-Pierre Houdin, Khufu, Khufu's Pyramid, King's Chamber, Nefermaat, Snefru, The Great Pyramid, The Secret of the Great Pyramid, William M. Flinders Petrie, old

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Tags: Djedefre, Fourth Dynasty, Khafre, Khufu, Memphis, Menkaure, Nebka, Old Kingdom, Shepseskaf, Snefru

When Pharaoh Khufu set out to trump his father’s pyramid at Meidum he set the bar higher than would ever be achieved again. Khufu had a reputation for being a cruel and despotic ruler, and ignoring all other speculation about how the Great Pyramid was built, the sheer logistics of completing the project within the presumed timeframe suggests in the very least a classic overachiever. Whatever else may be true of Khufu, the man knew how to get things done.

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Tags: Ancient Egypt, Cheops, Djedefre, Fourth Dynasty, Giza Plateau, Giza Pyramids, Jean-Pierre Houdin, Khafre, Khufu, Khufu's Pyramid, King's Chamber, Pyramid Complex, Pyramids, Queen's Chamber, Sarcophagus, Snefru, The Great Pyramid, Zahi Hawass

For starters, it’s a large four-sided structure made of stone, wide at the bottom and pointy at the top, making a perfect triangle.

There are three of them, they are located in the middle of the Egyptian desert, they were built by slaves, and they have mummies in them.

Right? Well…

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Tags: Bent Pyramid, Black Pyramid, Dashur, Djoser, Giza Plateau, Giza Pyramids, Imhotep, Khufu's Pyramid, Mastabas, Meidum, Memphis Necropolis, Mereruka, Old Kingdom, Pyramid Complex, Pyramids, Red Pyramid, Saqqara, Serdab, Snefru, Step Pyramid of Djoser