Ancient MeasuresANCIENT UNITS OF MEASUREMENT

Geometry instrument

Pyramid geometry and seked calculator

The seked records horizontal run for each royal cubit of rise. As a proportion it is independent of scale, so the same geometric pattern survives whether a pyramid is measured in cubits, metres, or feet.

Egyptian pyramid

Choose a monument.

Calculated geometry

Select a pyramid

Pyramid profile Select a pyramid to see its proportioned profile and dimensions. Height Base Slant Angle Select Pyramid
Proportions are drawn from the selected native royal-cubit model; sourced metre dimensions remain in the monument summary.
Face angleNot selected
SekedNot selected
Slant heightNot selected
VolumeNot selected
Surface areaNot selected
Perimeter / heightNot selected
Slant / half-baseNot selected
What is being comparedOriginal or reconstructed dimensions are modelled as an ideal geometric envelope. Djoser uses a smooth rectangular envelope around its six steps. The Bent Pyramid preserves its two-slope profile, but its results remain an idealised reconstruction rather than a survey of every surviving block.

Ratio first, interpretation second

The calculator tests perimeter ÷ height against 2π, and slant ÷ half-base against φ and √2. A label appears only when the absolute difference is no more than 0.5. This broad exploratory screen is a chosen comparison boundary used to surface each smooth pyramid's nearest named slant pattern; it is not a measure of exact identity.

The historically grounded comparison is the seked: 7 × half-base ÷ height palms of run per royal cubit of rise. The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus documents seked calculation after the Great Pyramid; applying it to earlier projects remains a reconstruction.

Compare all three Giza models · Read the seked guide · Audit the formulas