EGYPTIAN SONICS

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VOL. 1, NO. 1. JANUARY, 2009

EGYPTIAN SONICS

EGYPTIAN SONICS

Introduction Many of Egypts pyramids have chambers which are highly resonant, possibly the best examples being Snefrus Red Pyramid at Dahshur and Khufus Great Pyramid at Giza; it is believed that both monuments were constructed in a 47-year period, circa 2575-2528 B.C., in the 4th Dynasty (1, 2). Snefru, Khufus father, chose a 50-feet high, cathedral-like, corbelled limestone main chamber whilst Khufu chose a simple rectangular, granite-lined space; granite has also been used to fashion Khufus sarcophagus. Whilst there is no evidence that these two pyramids were designed by the same architect, the disparate choices of construction material and style were both successful in creating a long Reverberation Time (RT) (RT is defined as the time taken for a sound to decay to one millionth of its original intensity. The results below show that the Kings Chamber, in Khufus Pyramid, benefits from an even longer R.T. than Snefrus main Chamber. Snefrus Red Pyramid (limestone main chamber): = 2.72 seconds. Volume = (approx) 350 cu metres Khufus Pyramid (granite- lined Kings Chamber): RT = 4.47 seconds Volume = 329 cu metres The main body of data obtained from Snefrus Red RT

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Pyramid will be the subject of a future paper, however, from the results set out above, it can be concluded that it is the granite linings of Khufus Kings Chamber which are responsible for the increased RT. Such long reverberation times compare well with those found in large cathedrals and churches, where this feature was, and is, an important element in the design, in order to enhance the organ and choir performance. It may be relevant that, whilst limestone was available locally at both work sites, the granite for Khufus Kings Chamber had to be brought from Aswan, 500-miles south of Giza. Given the great cost and difficulty in its acquisition, it seems likely that the architect considered the material to have some major advantage(s), including the optimal acoustical qualities of granite.

Textual Indicators The following quotation from Demetrius, circa 200 B.C. suggests that purity of sound was, apparently, important in this era and that the rendition of sound for its own sake, or for ritual purposes, was of concern to the ancient Egyptians.(3)

In Egypt, when priests sing hymns to the gods, they sing the seven vowels in due succession and the sound of these vowels has such euphony, that men listen to it instead of the flute and the lyre.

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Such euphony would, no doubt, have been enhanced by singing in reverberative chambers, just as artificial reverberation is an important function of sound equipment in some churches and most places of entertainment today. Although the date of this quotation is much later than the pyramid age, it should be remembered that vowels were considered sacred throughout ancient Egyptian history and that Late Kingdom customs invariably had their roots in early or even pre-dynastic times. It seems reasonable to suggest, therefore, that the ancient Egyptians of the 4th dynasty may have used vowel sound chants as part of their ritual. However, even if their chant was not specifically vowel sound oriented, studies of ancient Egyptian cult texts of a religious character, have revealed that, in many cases, they were intended to be sung rather than spoken. Dr. Lise Manniche (4) provides confirmation of this, in some measure, with the following quotation from Nikaure in the 5th dynasty:

'Instructor of the singers of the Pyramid of King Userkaf

This title, given to Nikaure, seems to indicate that a group of singers were retained specifically to maintain song or chant-based rituals at the pyramid of Userkaf, although whether the singers performed inside or outside the pyramid cannot be determined without further evidence. Although no Critical Distance Test was carried out (the distance from a given sound source at which the level of direct energy, reaching ones ears, equals the level of reflected energy) speech intelligibility, even when two people are as close as one metre apart, is extremely poor in the Kings Chamber. However, this effect works very much in favour of chanting or singing, where continuity not intelligibility, is the prime concern. This is particularly relevant where extended vowel sounds are employed, for example, in Gregorian Chant. R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz (5) believed that the ancient Egyptians used sounds, as distinct from words, in their rituals. In the last sentence of the following passage he quotes from Corpus Hermeticum:

Sacred or magical language is not to be understood as a succession of terms with definite meanings...the excitation of certain nervous centres [cause] physiological effects [which] are evoked by the utterance of certain letters or words which make no sense in themselves.
The Pharaonic texts are rich in examples of litanies playing a magical role through the repetition of

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sounds...and through word play. The hieroglyphic writings allow us to confirm this although their transcription into our language is impossible since the pronunciation of this language is unknown...In a letter from Asklepios to King Amman [he says]:

As for us, we do not use simple words but sounds all filled with power.
Sonic Symbolism Sounds created in the highly reverberant Kings Chamber may have been intended to have an energising effect on the sarcophagus during sacred rituals that were connected with foetal symbolism. Such a possibility is based on Professor I.E.S. Edwards (6) hypothesis that the sarcophagus symbolised the womb of the goddess Nut:

According to one of the most popular myths...the sun god Re entered the mouth of the sky goddess Nut every evening, passed through her body and was reborn at dawn. When he died, the King was assimilated to Re and was thought to undergo the same nightly process of gestation and rebirth as the sun-god.

Spell 430 addresses the god in the womb thus: You are restless, moving about in your mothers womb in her name of Nut.

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It is particularly indicative that Djedefre, Khufus immediate successor, should have chosen to have an oval, not rectangular, sarcophagus; it is really a representation of the human womb...As these texts show, the actual sarcophagus was regarded as identical with Nut and it possessed her maternal attributes.
When sound is generated in the Kings Chamber at its Prime Resonant Frequency (PRF), (See reference below for definition of PRF.) the sarcophagus resonates in sympathy. This phenomenon would occur even if the PRF of the sarcophagus was substantially different to that of the Kings Chamber but in such a case, the excitation level of the sarcophagus would be of relatively low amplitude.

Methods, Results and Discussion The actual PRF of the chamber (identified by the technique in which Pink Noise is generated in the space and the resulting reflected energy is analysed) was found to be 125 Hz 4Hz. This was later refined, by calculation, to be in the order of 121 Hz; that of the sarcophagus was identified, using the same technique, as 117 Hz. However, the south-east corner of the sarcophagus is severely damaged and it is, therefore, possible that it was once tuned exactly to the chamber. Even today, the two prime resonances are so closely matched that any powerful intonation produced in the chamber, especially if executed at or near musical note B2 (123 Hz), causes a massive excitation of the sarcophagus, via acoustic coupling. The similarity between the two resonant frequencies could be viewed as either coincidental or as a possible indicator of acoustics design. In smaller rooms, where some of the dimensions are less than 10m, it is found that `the resonant frequencies become widely spaced out at the low frequency end of the range. This is particularly so if two or more of the room dimensions are the same, or are related by simple ratios such as 2:1 or 3:1...When widely spaced frequencies occur, sounds [made in the room] can occasionally be strongly influenced by [such dimensions]..(7) The process of tuning may not have been as difficult as one may imagine since granite is highly resonant and most

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large pieces of the stone emit a clearly audible, bell-like sound when struck, albeit at low frequency. The architect would have had access to expert stone masons who would be adept at hollowing out large blocks of stone; the process of grinding off material to alter its ringing tone is one which was well within the limits of their known technology. Indeed, there are clear signs of grinding on its inner walls although it is admitted that this would have been necessary, in any event, during general finishing procedures. However, the concept that the sarcophagus was deliberately tuned, suggests a further possibility related to Professor Edwards womb hypothesis. I discovered by experiment that the pitch of sound of a new-born babys heart is also centered around 125 Hz. The ancient Egyptians could easily have identified this, simply by placing an ear against a babys chest, as one can do today, and then mimiced it in the resonance of the sarcophagus. Whilst this may seem unlikely, there are two further items which lend some support for this concept. Firstly, some ritualistic instruments were found in the northern star shaft of the Queens Chamber in 1872 by Wayman Dixon, a British engineer. One of the instruments he discovered was a small bronze tool, described then as a grapnel hook but now thought to be a ceremonial, non-functional, Pesh-en-kef.(8)

The second item concerns the pyramids star shafts. It is well known that false doors which the ancient Egyptians used as a symbolic device through which the ka or spirit body could pass, were invariably constructed to normal door proportions, as if to accommodate a ka which matched the proportions of the living Pharaoh. However, the shafts, which are now believed, by many authorities, to be conduits to the stars for the Pharaohs ka, are only around 200mm square, well suited to the symbolic transit of a foetus or the ka of a foetus but not that of an adult. Also, if the sarcophagus can be considered as the womb of the sky goddess, it is possible that the shafts were

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constructed as symbolic fallopian tubes; the ancient Egyptians were almost certainly aware of the existence and main functions of the female reproductive organs. It may be relevant that, in the human female, the necks of the fallopian tubes remain closed/ dormant until the time of ovulation, just as in the Queens Chamber, the shafts were originally closed off at the chamber end. Both these shafts terminate within the body of the pyramid, perhaps symbolising the connection between the fallopian tubes and the ovaries. The southern shaft, connecting with this chamber, was explored by Rudolf Gantenbrink in 1996, by robot, resulting in the discovery of, what has come to be known as, Gantenbrinks Door,' 200-feet from the chamber. There are other examples of concealed symbolism within and adjacent to Khufus Pyramid, most notably the sea-going Solar Boats which, it is generally believed, facilitated the Pharaohs sailing on the celestial sea. Such examples demonstrate that the ancient Egyptians were fond of symbolic devices and would go to extreme lengths to produce them; construction of the shafts would certainly have been a very difficult engineering problem and must have held a powerful symbolism.

Conclusion Regarding Egyptian pyramid design, several features point to an acoustics design intent. Most notably is the architects choice of a simple 2:1 ratio (20 and 10 royal cubits respectively for the King chambers length and width.) This is significant, particularly at bass frequencies where distinct room modes (dominant resonances) would be expected to arise. The actual width and height, at approximately 5.25 and 5.85 metres respectively are also important. _______________________ Notes concerning definition of Prime Resonant Frequency
(PRF): In any enclosed space but particularly one of regular proportions and with parallel facing walls, many dominant resonances (modes) will occur. They can be predicted mathematically but when found experimentally there is always one wherein the amplitude of the resonance is perceived as being the most powerful; it occurs when the maximum acoustic energy in the room is reflected back to source. Conversely it can be thought of as occurring when there is least absorption of acoustic energy by the room. These are two definitions of Prime Resonant Frequency and typically the prime will be of low frequency. However, the roll-off frequency of the test loudspeaker was 63 Hz, thus I was unable to analyse frequencies below this figure. The highest amplitude of energy reflected from the chamber, using pink noise as the sound medium, was 125 Hz, (centre frequency on the analyser) and

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calculations refined this to 121 Hz. This frequency is very near to a musical B2 (123 Hz), is easily sung or chanted by a male priest (see below for specific reference to the male gender). This male frequency dominance would have been discernable to anyone with a musical ear simply by walking slowly around the chamber whilst a vocalist performed a slow bass glissando. The sound of greatest loudness would have been around 121 Hz. The lowest frequency that can be sung by an adult male is about 80 Hz and for the purposes of discussing male chant, I have, therefore, redefined the Prime Resonant Frequency as the lowest frequency mode which can be generated by an adult male voice. The true Prime Resonant Frequency of the Kings Chamber may prove to be a sub harmonic of 121Hz, say at 66 Hz or 33 Hz, but if so, a 33 Hz mode could not have been discerned by the ancient Egyptians and neither of these frequencies could have been vocalised by their priests.

Note concerning the gender of priests:

From what is known of the priesthood in ancient Egypt, those of high rank were almost always of the male gender. If it was the architects intention to engineer spaces in which male priests were required to perform chant-based ceremonies, then we can predict that powerful low frequency modes would have been desired since the general inclination of the male voice is toward the bass register. The dominant resonance in the Kings Chamber, circa 121Hz, is below the vocal range of most female singers and it is, therefore, likely that it was designed primarily, although not necessarily exclusively, for male priests.

References 1.Marcus V. Pollio Vitruvius, Vitruvius on Architecture, Loeb Classical Library, ISBN 0-674-99277-6, p.293 2.John Baines & Jaromir Malek, Atlas of Ancient Egypt, Time Life Books, p.36 3.Aristotle, Poetics, Loeb Classic Library, ISBN 0-674-99563-5, p.395 4.Lise Manniche, Music & Musicians in Ancient Egypt, British Museum Press, ISBN 0-1741-0946-0, p.60, p.162 5.R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz, Sacred Science, Inner Traditions International, ISBN 0-89281-222-2, p.167, p.168 6. I.E.S. Edwards, The Pyramids of Egypt, Penguin, ISBN 0-14-013634-7, p.62 7. P.H. Parkin, H.R. Humfries & J.R. Cowell, Acoustics, Noise & Buildings, Faber & Faber, London, ISBN 0-571-04953-2, p.39 8. The word peshen means to divide, to split, to cut, to separate, and such instruments were used during the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony in which the deceased was symbolically reanimated. They were also used as a birthing knife, i.e. for cutting the umbilical cord of new

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born babies. In their archaic form, they were probably fashioned from flint, consisting of two curved blades which meet at a point, thus cutting through both sides of the umbilical as it was circumflexed around it; in effect an early form of scissors. _______________________________________________ _____ *John Stuart Reid is an English acoustics engineer and was technical director of Sound Electronics Ltd from 1969 to 1999, a company specialising in acoustics solutions for churches, cathedrals and public buildings. He retired from business in 1999 to conduct research into the true nature of sound, its role in the creation of life and the mechanisms by which it heals. John is co-inventor of the CymaScope, an instrument that makes sound visible, enabling the vibrations of life and the Universe to be studied by direct ocular vision. His paper on the spherical nature of sound and sound's special relationship with light was published in the ISSSEEM Journal in 2007. John is also interested in ancient Egyptian stone-working techniques and the ritualistic use of sound. He is one of only two men to have carried out an acoustics study of the Great Pyramid and the only person to have investigated the Kings Chamber sarcophagus, cymatically. He lives and works in the English Lake District with his wife and co-researcher, Annaliese Shanda Reid. Johns fascinating text, Egyptian Sonics ($19.90) can be ordered from: Sonic Age America, PO Box 19, Hope, Idaho, 83836. Call: North America: 1 208 264 0171 Email: cymaArt@sonic-age.com For destinations outside USA, or to order online please refer to www.cymascope.com _______________________________________________ _______________

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