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Revision Date of this page: September 26, 2018
In this document, we describe the surveys we have made available for display on Google Earth.
To start, open one of our files in Google Earth. Clicking on an icon will bring up a bubble showing the latitude, longitude and elevation of each point above mean sea level. It also shows the location of each point on the Giza Mapping Project (GPMP) survey grid. If a picture of the point surveyed is available, that is displayed as well. Some bubbles will include additional information, such as related files, drawings, sketches, maps, and/or a description of the point in question.
Note: Check the file names below to make sure you are using the latest data!
Latest File Name: Giza-Corner-Points-2v17.kmz
Replaces Giza-Corner-Points.kmz
This file contains our best estimates of the locations of the original corners and base centers of the three largest pyramids at Giza: Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. The original corners no longer exist so we used the best available data to project their locations. In the case of the Great Pyramid of Khufu we used the data from the Glen Dash Foundation Survey of 2015 (GDFS 2015). [2] In the case of Khafre and Menkaure, we used data from Flinders Petrie’s 1880-1881 survey. [3]
We have also plotted the locations of the survey control points used in the GDFS 2015 survey, G1.1, G1.2, G1.4 and Point W-NW. G1.1, G1.2 and G1.4 are bronze markers left by previous surveyors. Point W-NW is a "reference mark" left by Flinders Petrie to the north and west of his Station W. [4]
Robin Cook provided the elevations we used, based on surveys by Petrie and Maragioglio and Rinaldi.
Latest File Name: GDFS-2012-for-GE-21vii18.kmz
This file plots the survey data from the Glen Dash Foundation Survey of 2012 (GDFS 2012). Details on that survey can be found at:
A color key for the icons can be found at:
You can also bring up the key by clicking once on "Key" under the file name in Google Earth "Places."To help locate points, we sometimes identify them on survey plans prepared by previous surveyors. In the balloons we refer to these plans as "sketches." Here they are:
DI-102
DI-103
DI-104
DI-105
DI-106
DI-107
DI-108
DI-109
DI-110
DI-111
DI-112
DI-113
DI-114
DI-115
DI-116
DI-117
DI-118
DI-119
DI-120
DI-121
Latest File Name: Petries-Stations.kmz
This file plots the "stations" used by Flinders Petrie in his 1880-1 survey of the Giza Plateau. These stations were his control points for the survey. [5] We have also plotted places where he found evidence of the casings' bases and his derived centers and corners points for the pyramids.
Robin Cook provided the elevations we used, based on surveys by Petrie and Maragioglio and Rinaldi.
Details on the derivation of this data can be found at:
Latest File Name: GDFS-2015-Master-25iii17-edited-child.xlsx
This is the data from our 2015 survey at Giza.
Details on this survey season can be found at:
A color key for the icons can be found at: You can also bring up the key by clicking once on "Key" under the file name in Google Earth "Places."Latest File Name: GPMP-Control-Monuments.kmz
This file plots the control monuments used by Ancient Egypt Research Associates in mapping the Giza Plateau. The control monuments make up the Giza Plateau Mapping Project (GPMP) control grid.
Latest File Name: GDFS-2016-23ix18.xlsx
This is the data from our 2016 survey at Giza.
Details on this survey season can be found at:
A color key for the icons can be found at: You can also bring up the key by clicking once on "Key" under the file name in Google Earth "Places."Note that the points displayed can be selectively turned on and off.
Interpretive detail can be found at:
Latest File Name: GDFS-2018-12xii18.xlsx
This is the data from our 2018 survey at the Great Sphinx.
A color key for the icons can be found at: You can also bring up the key by clicking once on "Key" under the file name in Google Earth "Places."Note that the points displayed can be selectively turned on and off.
Interpretive detail can be found at:
W. M. F. Petrie, The Pyramids and Temples of Gizeh, (London: Field and Tuer, 1883).
G. Dash, “The Great Pyramid’s Footprint: Results from Our 2105 Survey,” AERAGRAM, 12 no. 2 (Fall 2015), 8-14.
V. Maragioglio and C. Rinaldi, L’Architettura Delle Piramidi Menfite, Parte IV, (Rapallo: Tipografia Canessa, 1965).
[1] Glen R. Dash Charitable Foundation d/b/a Glen Dash Foundation for Archaeological Research.
[2] Dash 2015, 8-14.
[3] Petrie 1883, 34-6.
[4] Petrie 1883, 34. In the case of Station W, Petrie placed his reference marks to the northwest and southeast of the station mark.
[5] Petrie 1883, 34-6.