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Due to the shifting of the earth's surface, how far are the great pyramids of Egypt from where they originally stood?

Question #27480. Asked by Kim.
Last updated Jul 18 2021.

sequoianoir
Answer has 1 vote
sequoianoir
21 year member
2091 replies

Answer has 1 vote.
Determining where they are now, perhaps a latitude and longtitude reference for instance, is a basic relative positioning to the poles and the zero meridian that runs through Greenwich in London. If the poles move (which we know that in fact they do) or the tectonic plate that England is on moves, then the whole lat/long grid network moves also affecting all references worldwide.

With this in mind what the lat/long was when they were built is probably different. But who is to say that it is different because Giza has moved, or that the poles or Greenwich is in a different place. Secondly there is much debate has to how old the Pyramids are and when they were exactly built. I believe initially the thought was 4000 years ago, but this has increased to nearer 5000 years in some circles and possibly 10,000 years in others.

Having said that, given that the Great Pyramid at Giza was built between 4000 and 10000 years ago it will not have gone very far in such a very short geological time scale. South America and Africa are thought to be drifting apart but at only 50mm to 90mm (2 - 3.6 inches) per year. Assuming that it is Africa moving away from S America (and not vice-versa) even in 10,000 years at 3.6in per year, the maths only make it 36,000 inches = 3000 ft = 1000 yds. Not even 1 kilometre. At half the time (5000yrs) and half the rate it would only be around 250 yards.

This link suggests they may not have moved at all, having been built in this specific place with all the knowledge of continental drift known by the architects.

earthmatrix.com/tectonic02.html webpage no longer exists

Response last updated by gtho4 on Jul 18 2021.
Feb 01 2003, 12:41 PM
Gnomon
Answer has 0 votes
Gnomon
23 year member
1331 replies

Answer has 0 votes.
It is assumed that the 'ventilation shafts' in the pyramid were in line with certain stars, but nobody knows for sure. This alignment is only possible if you put the date of construction of the pyramid at a particular date which is much different from the normally accepted one. The misalignment now is not due to continental drift but due to the whole Earth pointing a different way now.

Feb 01 2003, 10:19 PM
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