The Connection Between Peru and Egypt

The pyramid of Menkaure, located on the Giza Plateau in the southwestern outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, is the smallest of the three pyramids of the Giza Necropolis. It was built to serve as the tomb of the fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Menkaure. Standing at 215 feet originally (less than half that of his grandfather, Khufu’s 481-foot pyrmid), it was constructed of Tura limestone, though the first sixteen courses are of granite.

Left: Menkaure, the grandson; Center: Khafre, the father; Right; Khufu, the grandfather

Mankaure (Menkaura), known under his Hellenized name as Mykerinos and Menkheres, was the son of Khafre (Chephren), and succeeded him as king, and also the grandson of Khufu (Khnum-Khufu—known better under his Hellenized name of Cheops). Khafre was described as a cruel and heretic ruler, who kept the Egyptian temples closed after his father Khufu, described as a cruel tyrant, had them sealed up.

The Greek historian Herodotus (484 to 425 B.C.), called the “Father of History,” wrote of Menkaure, “This Prince disapproved of the conduct of his father, reopened the temples and allowed the people, who were ground down to the lowest point of misery, to return to their occupations and to resume the practice of sacrifice. His justice in the decision of causes was beyond that of all the former kings. The Egyptians praise him in this respect more highly than any other monarchs, declaring that he not only gave his judgments with fairness, but also, when anyone was dissatisfied with his sentence, made compensation to him out of his own purse and thus pacified his anger."

The construction of these three pyramids, known to everyone who has ever seen a pyramid, is of interest to a possible location of the Nephite Land of Promise. First of all, Khufu (Cheops), built the main and tallest pyramid at Giza, which he called the Necropolis of Khufu. The second, also very tall, pyramid was built by his son, Khafre. Mankaure’s pyramid, the smaller of the three, was built later, around the 26^th century B.C.

Necropolis of Giza. The pyramid in the foreground is that of Menkaure (241 ft), the far temple is that of Khufu, actually the tallest at 481 ft., though the middle temple, that of Khafre (471 ft.), was built on higher ground and looks taller

If Lehi was familiar with the Egyptian world, which he must have been in some way since he knew “the language of the Egyptians” (1 Nephi 1:2), then perhaps he knew something about how the pyramids were built. As an example, the large lower course granite stones on the Mankaure pyramid had extensions, which may have been used for moving the large stones.

Top: Left and Right: The protuberances on the stones of the pyramid of Menkaure. Note the protuberances at the bottom and the top of the image; Bottom Left: Another shot of the Menkaure pyramid—note the protuberances on many of the large stones; Bottom Right: The same protuberances on the pyramid of Khufu

These same rock protuberances found on the pyramids in Egypt are also found on the large rock formations located in Peru. These protuberances, or extensions, on the rocks are considered by many scholars to have been used in the movement of the huge rocks and to put them in place in the walls and structures of Peru. Such protuberances are found on the rocks at Sacsayhuaman above Cuzco, and those found at the fortress of Ollantaytambo, both sites having been built long before the Inca, though some uninformed historians and many tour guides like to attribute that work to the Inca.

Left: The large boulders hoisted into place on the walls in old Cuzco and up on the fortress of Sacsayhuaman showing the protuberances; Right: The same extensions on the walls at Ollantaytambo in Peru

In addition, there are similar cuts made in the interlocking stones used inside Khufu’s pyramid temple as those found within the stonework at numerous sites in Andean Peru.

Top: Three images of stonework in the Egyptian temple near the Sphynx. Note the angled cuts; Bottom: Also angled cuts in the interlocking stones in various Peruvian walls and buildings

In addition, there are also matches between the unique construction of angled, trapezoidal doorways in Egypt as well as those throughout Andean Peru. One of the few other places that have shown such trapezoidal doorways is in the area of Mesopotamia.

Left: One of the trapezoidal doorways in the Egyptian pyramids at Giza; Right: Typical trapezoidal doorway found throughout Peru

Another interesting match between Egyptian construction and that found in Andean Peru is the use of angled walls and corners. These are said by modern builders to insure a sound construction in heavy earthquake areas, and are probably one of the reason such structures in Peru have withstood the numerous earthquakes that have struck the Andean area for millennia.

Top: Angles walls in a construction in Egypt; Bottom: Angled walls in an ancient construction in Cuzco
It is one thing for scholars and historians to write about there being no connection between Egypt and Andean Peru (the Americas), but clearly another for those who have traveled both areas. The similarities and even exact sameness of ancient construction in both areas is both remarkable and noteworthy. It is always interesting when men of letters make such unfounded claims in order to 1) Ignore an Old World-New World connection, and 2) Turn a blind eye toward matches in the Book of Mormon and Old World finds.