Pyramids and the weather gods

By Konstantin Borisov, Ph.D.

December 5nd, 2018

After about 150 years of Egyptology as an academic field, there still appears to be no agreement between
scholars on the function of the Egyptian pyramids. The traditional Egyptology insists that pyramids were
used as tombs for the Pharaohs and their queens. Though, not all accept it and thus other competing
hypothesis were proposed drawing to spiritual, mathematical, or astronomical role among a few others.
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the main focus of the alternative hypotheses. Interestingly, all other 130
pyramids still standing in Egypt are seldom considered. Should any alternative hypothesis fit all pyramids,
not just one particular, regardless how great it is? Also, mythology of the ancient Egypt is often neglected.
This however may contain clues to how ancient Egyptians interpreted the world, and possibly shed some
light on history gaps, further supporting or opposing the proposed hypothesis.

Khafre’s pyramid is one of the largest and is still standing at Giza. The pyramid is made of limestone blocks
quarried locally, weighting each around two tons, has two passages, two portcullises, and a large coffer
in the main chamber, made of granite. The inner limestone blocks of the pyramids were covered by a layer
of Tura limestone quarried across the Nile. The pyramid had the pyramidion at the peak, missing these
days. Many other pyramids which Egyptian civilization built over their long ancient history have very
similar profile.

Figure 1. Khafre’s pyramid.

I will explain below how but at this point let’s assume the pyramid produces electric charge in the main
chamber. As the Tura limestone has good isolation properties and creates essentially a shell around the
pyramid inner body, no charge would escape through the pyramid sides but move through the inner moist
limestone core toward the pyramidion at the peak. As the charge density increase at the peak, the air
around the pyramidion would be ionized creating coronal discharge which would show there as a light
glow (Atum). This phenomena is also known as St. Elmo’s light and has been known for ages. I need to
mention here that Atum, the first god in Egyptian mythology, was closely associated with the pyramidion.
In fact, it was believed he dwelled there and would bring enlightenment to anyone who could see him.
With this I can only wonder if by “Enlightenment” the ancient Egyptians meant not some spiritual
enlightenment but real light they could see.

As the ionization process continues, two things will happen next. First, the ionic wind will occur (Shu). The
ionic wind is a process by which the movement of charge particles pick up and move the air molecules
along with it. As air moves upwards from the pyramid it will pick up the hot air at the ground surface and
move it to lower layer of atmosphere. There, the hot air would condense creating rain (Tefnut) or hail,
falling down on the pyramid. It is interesting to note that Ancient Egyptians actually had hieroglyphs for
snow and hail. This phenomena is so rare in arid Egypt. Where ancient Egyptians would saw hail?

Figure 2. Meteo Systems Rainmaking process.

The process of creating rain with the charge particles released into atmosphere is not a new or out of Sci-
Fi show thing. At least two companies have products for rainmaking which employs this technology. One
of them is a Switzerland company Meteo Systems, based in Zug. The company was founded in 2004 and
provides rain enhancement services to various arid regions of the world. The technology is not without
controversy but scientists working for the Abu Dhabi government used the Meteo Systems services and
reported 50 rainstorms in the middle of the hot emirates summer month with the Meteo Systems
products turned on. The company has a patent titled “Apparatus and related methods for weather
modification by electrical processes in the atmosphere”. In a very concise summary of the granted patent,
the company employs antenna arrays that, with high voltage, generate negative charges releasing those
into atmosphere where they combine with dust and form water droplets. Figure 2 illustrates the
rainmaking process posted on the company website. The antenna arrays which Meteo Systems used in
the Abu Dhabi site is shown in Figure 3. With Egyptian pyramids releasing similar charged particles, there
would be cloud formation over the pyramid (Seth), turning into rain.

Figure 3. Antenna arrays for charge generation (WeatherTech by Meteo Systems).

One of the most distinguished and used symbols in ancient Egypt was the Eye of Horus. The origin of this
symbol, however keeps eluding the researchers. The charged particles from the pyramidion move
upwards to upper layer of atmosphere. There, they would be colliding with the air molecules, exciting
those, which are normally de-exited with the release of photons or light. Depending on which molecule
the charge particles collide with, the created light color would be different and vary from red to blue. So,
if someone would stand at Giza, most likely that person would see a light above the pyramid in the sky,
similar to aurora light. In my option Egyptians referred to that light as Eye of Horus. With more light, the
earth and sky horizon (or in other words separation between two) would be more visible which I interpret
as “Geb separated from Nut” as the Egyptian Creation Myth tells us.

To mention a few words about the Creation Myth. It is a story of the nine major deities, which appeared
at the event known as Zep Tepi, or “First time”. No one really knows what that first time event really was
and when it happened. Then, creation myth tells us about Atum, the first god to be born, who had two
children: Tefnut and Shu, who were the goddesses of rain and wind. Those had two children: Geb and
Nut, who were the goddesses of Earth and the night sky. Then we have four more gods born as their
offsprings. The story tells us about the mound where all nine gods were born. I cannot help but wonder if
all gods were nothing more than phenomena they were associated with and the mound was the pyramid
over which those phenomena emanated.

If you have a look at the Egyptian pyramids, most of them have a similar profile with their complex
including enclosure walls, temples and causeway leading away from the pyramid toward the Nile. Mark
Lehner of the Oriental institute in Chicago and his team reconstructed the Khafre’s pyramid, the model of
which I show in Figure 1. In my opinion, the purpose of the enclosure walls could be to collect the rain
water running down from the pyramid sides and remove it from the site toward Nile. This is not any
different than the drainage system around foundation of any modern house to prevent soil erosion. In
reference to this, significant limestone erosions were noticed in the Khafre’s temples, the causeway and
the sphinx enclosure, which could occur with this water passing through. Dr. Robert M. Schoch
contributed extensively in the analysis of the water erosions present on the Sphinx and the Sphinx
enclosure. As his research shows, the limestone erosions present on the sphinx were caused by the
rainfall, which in his opinion help to date the Sphinx to 5th millennia BC. Though, could that rainfall occur
closer to the Old Kingdom dates (2520 BC – 2465 BC) as traditional Egyptology suggests? I find it quite
plausible assuming pyramid helped with rain. The charged particles in the pyramids could be used for
precipitation, though how those were produced?

When Giovanni Belzoni broke into the Khafre’s pyramid in early 19th century and looked into the coffer,
he did not find gold nuggets inside but found bull bones. Why so many ancient Egyptians sites have bull
bones in the coffers? If all those were brought as offerings to the dead king, how come they ended up in
the coffers and in most cases with lid closed? Let’s assume in ancient past someone placed ox, bread, beer
and barley in the granite coffer and closed the lid. I use those four ingredients here as throughout the
entire Ancient Egyptian history those were used as offerings brought to the pyramids and temples. As
fermentation process starts inside in the coffer, the yeast will convert starch present in barley into carbon
dioxide gas. This will be building pressure inside the coffer. As pressure grows, there will be mechanical
stress on the coffer made of granite. It is well known granite is made of Quartz crystals and under
mechanical stress those crystals generate electric charge. More pressure, more electric charge is
generated.

The exact composition of the granite material of the coffer in the Khafre’s pyramid is not known but it is
safe to assume that it contains around 40% of the Quartz crystals. Based on the size of the box, Quartz
content, coffer wall thickness and pressure at 250Mpa, I estimated the coffer will generate around 100
kilo volts at no current. I made assumption about the pressure at 250Mpa (roughly 1000 times higher than
the pressure of the car tires), as this is generally considered the limit for the granite material strength.
This is also close to the pressure limit the yeast can survive at. The ox or bull is a source of oleic acid. As
was reported in a few scientific studies, the oleic acid is essential for the yeast to maintain growth rate
and overcome the toxic effect of ethanol that yeast releases during fermentation. One more point to make
here. If someone would open the lid of the coffer millennia’s later, most likely that person would see
inside only what yeast would not consume before drying out. That would be bull bones which seems
exactly what Giovanni Belzoni found.

I want to clarify here that in no way I am implying that ancient Egyptians knew the process of ionization,
charge generation and particle physics but perhaps what was noticed in the ancient past as a phenomena
could get refined over the years with nothing else but trial and error, reaching the climax with the
construction of the pyramids to utilize that phenomena. If you think about that Ancient Egyptians had
millennia (or a few) to sharpen and refine their practice.
Beyond any doubt, the utilization of this phenomena on a mega scale began circa 2680 BC with third
dynasty pharaoh Djoser and his vizier Imhotep. Many books and stories are told about Imhotep, I will
narrate one below.

In 1889 Charles E. Wilbour discovered a stela on Island of Sehel, not far from Elephantine carved on a
huge boulder which tells a story from the time of pharaoh Djoser. He was in grief as in a period of seven
years, the Nile ceased to inundate, so grain was scant, and kernels were dried up, and people were
distressed. He dispatches his counselor Imhotep to investigate. Imhotep travelled to Heliopolis and
examined the depository of ancient records there for everything related to the Nile flood. As Imhotep
found out, the Nile flood was controlled by the weather god upstream in Elephantine region who was in
dismay over his ruined temples. As the story goes further, Imhotep rebuilt all ruins on the island and made
sacred sacrifices and offerings to the weather god. Shortly after, it was raining in Egypt. Nile flooded,
people’s suffering and famine came to end. There were plenty of grains for ancient Egyptians to plant,
grow and consume. I find this story quite compelling. Was it just a coincidence that whole ordeal with the
famine was over with Imhotep’s pyramid projects and sacrifices to the weather god?

If you look at figure 5, there I show the prevailing wind pattern for Giza and Mesopotamia. Notice that the
prevailing wind pattern is pointing toward Mesopotamia from Giza, then along the Fertile Crescent shown
in Figure 5. So, this brings me to the following point: if Egyptians created rain clouds, Mesopotamia would
probably be the main beneficiary of the precipitation. The clouds would be created along the Nile River
where pyramids are scattered and wind would blow all that toward Mesopotamia bringing moisture and
life to that region.

Figure 4. Prevailing wind pattern over Egypt and Mesopotamia.

At this point I will cite one interesting fact. Around 2250 BC, the Mesopotamia and the Egyptian civilization
were hit with a devastating drought. The drought was so harsh that is known in history under its own
name 4.2 kilo event. Researchers agree that a very prosperous Akkadian civilization dominating the
substantial portion of Mesopotamia around that time, mostly collapsed due to this event. According to
some studies 75% population of the ancient Mesopotamian settlements were displaced as a result of that
event. Some other nearby civilization further east were affected as well.
The interesting aspect of the event is that no one really knows what caused it. Basically, when something
like that happens, the researchers look at the Greenland reconstructed temperature data, seeking for any
correlation on that chart with the weather. Looking at the 2250 BC mark, however there is none. It almost
looks like there was “business as usual”, but the evidence of the drought at that time is undeniable across
all Mesopotamia and Egypt. So, what could possibly happen? I cannot help but wonder if someone in the
old kingdom at that time intentionally or unintentionally “pulled the pyramids plug”. So, instead of a rainy
cloudy weather which Mesopotamians and Egyptians got use to have for ages, they got 24/7 scorching
sun heat (Sekhmet).

Interestingly, this mega drought event correlates well with the beginning of the First Intermediate Period
of the Egyptian civilization (2181-2055 BC), when the entire Egyptian civilization was in total chaos. The
papyrus of Ipuwer gives us a glimpses of history at that time. As the ancient papyrus narrates. There was
drought, starvation, anarchy and political disarray everywhere during that time. The gods temples were
pillaged, all ceremonials to the gods mostly ceased. Sacred animals were consumed for food. Hordes of
starved people roamed the streets of Egypt. It is believed that many alternations occurred during this time
in sacred practices and traditions established in Old Kingdom time. This period lasted for about 150 years
until the beginning of the Middle Kingdom era. What I find interesting is that the end of the mega drought
event is also aligned with the end of the First Intermediate Period and beginning of the Middle Kingdom
when old traditions, ceremonials and religious practices of Old Kingdom were revived and reestablished.

Figure 5. Fertile Crescent.

Lastly, the curse of Akkad, the famous Akkadian poem tells the story of king Naram-Sin, plundering the
temple of a weather god and a quote form from one of the sources “For the first time since cities were
built and founded, the great agricultural tracts produced no grain” If the poem refers to the Tefnut, Shu
and other weather gods (or their Akkadian equivalents), perhaps it is not a big stretch to say that someone
plundered the monuments used for making good weather, altering forever the weather pattern in the
region.

While writing this article I cannot say I did not think about the Egyptian authorities investing some effort
and time into renovating one or the other pyramids they still have standing. The idea of selling weather
to their eastern petroleum rich neighbors sounds not bad at all to me. Somehow I feel selling rainy
weather would bring Egypt way more revenue than selling something like petroleum (which I know Egypt
does not have much). In contrast to what many may believe, I do not think petroleum is gold in that part
of the world but rain certainly is. Surely, rain would be appreciated by lots of customers if Egypt would
like to invest in rain making service.