The Judgment of Animals in Classical Greece: Animal Sculpture and ...

when it comes to the architecture and architectural decoration of the causeway, which are
central aspects of Herodotus’ description of this structure.
Herodotus’ o(do&j has been identified with the causeway that connected the lower
or valley temple to the upper or mortuary temple of the pyramid complex of Khufu at
Giza (Fig. 22). 405 The structure has never been examined in detail, but archaeological
investigations of two different phases (1968 and 1990) have traced its course and located
a small section of its architecture. 406 Starting from the recently discovered valley temple,
the causeway follows a westward course, which (after approximately 125 to 150
meters) 407 turns 32 degrees southwest and from thereon continues to the mortuary
temple. 408 In scholarly accounts, the overall length of this structure oscillates between
658.60 and 825 meters. 409 These numbers do not fit Herodotus’ observation that the
dynasties were most likely lined with limestone statues (about 84 cm high) that depicted kneeling African,
Libyan, Asiatic, and perhaps Puntite prisoners of war “with their arms drawn back and lashed at the
elbows.” For a discussion of two of these statues dating from the reign of Pepi II (sixth dynasty), and their
secondary archaeological context, which obscures their original location, see M. Hill, “Kneeling Captive,”
in J. P. Allen et al., Egyptian Art in the Age of the Pyramids (exhibition catalogue, The Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York, September 16, 1999-January 9, 2000 and the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto,
February 13-May 22, 2000; New York, 1999) 440-441, nos. 173-174.
405
Lloyd, Herodotus. Book II 64; M. Lehner, The Complete Pyramids (London, 1997) 109; G. Goyon, “La
chausée monumentale et le temple de la vallée de la pyramide de Khéops,” BIFAO 67 (1969) 49; M. Haase,
Eine Stätte für die Ewigkeit. Der Pramidenkomplex des Cheops aus baulicher, architektonischer und
kulturhistorischer Sicht (Mainz am Rhein, 2004) 57, n. 176. Regarding Herodotus’ reference to this road as
one along which stones were dragged, Lloyd, 124, argues that Herodotus had probably confused it with a
building ramp; otherwise, he states, the risk of damaging the stone work of the causeway would have been
far too great; also A. B. Lloyd, “Herodotus on Egyptian Buildings: A Test Case,” in A. Powell, ed., The
Greek World (London and New York, 1995) 276, n. 5.
406
Goyon, “La chausée” 49-69; Hawass, “The Programs,” in O’ Connor and Silverman, eds., Ancient
Egyptian Kingship 221-262.
407
Hawass, “The Programs,” in O’Connor and Silverman, eds., Ancient Egyptian Kingship 226, says 125
meters; Haase, Eine Stätte für die Ewigkeit 57, says 150 meters, and points out, 57, n. 177, the discrepancy
between the 125 meters recorded by Hawass and 150 meters, also recorded by Z. Hawass, “Recent
Discoveries at Giza Plateau,” in S. Curto et al., eds., Atti Sesto Congresso Internazionale di Egittologia I.
Settembre 1-8, Torino (Turin, 1992) 242.
408
Haase, Eine Stätte für die Ewigkeit 57.
409
This discrepancy in the measured length of the causeway may be the result of the fact that the initial
excavations of 1968 examined only the upper part of the structure, that is, close to the mortuary temple.
Thus, Goyon, “La chausée,” 63, who was the first excavator, and also Lloyd, Herodotus Book II 65, who
cites him, record the known length of the causeway to be 658.60 meters. The 1990 excavations, however,
focused on the lower remainder of the causeway and its connection to Khufu’s valley temple, which was
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