The Poetry of Pyramids

As I mentioned in my opening blog, there is the theory that pyramids (and other monuments, including the famous Nazca Lines) were designed to operate as reflections of the stars. This Orion Correlation Theory has developed particularly vehement lines of attack from both sides, and it is, in truth, not an argument I wish to indulge in. What I do wish to discuss, is the poetry of this theory.

Pyramids have always been monuments that make humans stand in awe – whether the commonly envisaged pyramids of Giza, the magnificently stepped pyramids of pre-Columbian America, the fabulously steep Nubian pyramids, or any other structure commonly named so. These are the symbols of a culture’s might and ingenuity, achieving marvels of engineering and transporting vast masses of carefully-hewn stone into position, and remaining in place for thousands of years (and which of our modern structures, using the finest of our materials and our miraculous science, can be expected to last even half as long?).

As physical symbols, pyramids are granted their power by their form. The visible heft of the structure – its simple mass – combined with the lines that draw the eyes skyward, insist upon respect and reverence. Taking Giza as an example, recall that as you look upon the three great pyramids, you are seeing the most profound feat of engineering in ancient Egypt – and also the most profound statement of their spirituality and culture.

As astrological or astronomical symbols, it becomes less important to look for complexity where simplicity finds beauty. Look upon almost any pyramid in the world, and you will discover that they almost invariably face something. The pyramids of Giza face the cardinal points; the Aztec pyramids of Tenochtitlan face the Sun and the Moon at different times of year. Imagine, then, the vision of those living in that culture, at that time, witnessing the rising or the setting sun, watching a great shadow blanket the world before them, and remembering that this – this moment – is the very definition of what it is to be one of your people.