Alwattan

2009-08-12T01:53:00.000-07:00

el-Lisht Necropolis

The pyramids at Lisht are surrounded by the remains of numerous large mastaba tombs of high officials of the royal courts.

On the south-west corner of Amenemhet’s pyramid enclosure is the large mastaba of the Vizier Antefoker, who also had an earlier tomb in Thebes (TT60). In his Theban tomb he is named as ‘Governor of the Town and Vizier’. A stela from his Lisht tomb relating to his Nubian campaigns was found during Czech excavations in the 1960s.

To the south of Amenemhet’s pyramid are tombs dating to the Old Kingdom. Further south on the edge of the cultivation there is also a Graeco-Roman cemetery, near the modern village of el-Lisht.

Senwosret I also had many private mastabas associated with his pyramid complex. Among the most important is the mastaba of Senwosret-ankh, ‘High Priest of Ptah’, located about 200m to the north-east of the enclosure wall. Senwosret-ankh whose well preserved decoration in the burial chamber included painted reliefs with extracts from the Pyramid Texts. His burial chamber also contained a beautifully decorated sarcophagus.

The mastaba of the Vizier Mentuhotep, ‘High Priest of Heliopolis’ is another impressive tomb close to Senwosret’s complex, as was the mastaba of Imhotep, another ‘High Priest of Heliopolis’.

The area surrounding Senwosret’s outer enclosure contains many other structures of archaeological interest, including priests’ dwellings, and buildings such as granaries connected with the construction and maintenance of the mortuary complex. Many small objects have been found in this area. A mudbrick boat pit has also been found outside the pyramid perimeter wall.

2009-08-07T02:37:00.000-07:00

Map showing the location of the village Lahun

2009-08-07T02:34:00.000-07:00

El-Lahun and Hawara

The region of el-Faiyum thrived during the Middle Kingdom when the fertile area around Birket Qarun began to be developed as a pleasure-ground in which kings and high officials pursued their sports of hunting, fishing and fowling. It became so popular that the Dynasty XII kings Senwosret II and Amenemhet III chose to site pyramids here as their final resting places, at the far reaches of the existing pyramid fields to the north. Senwosret II’s pyramid complex is situated at el-Lahun (sometimes called Illahun) and Amenemhet III’s complex is at Hawara on the southern edge of the oasis, just off the Beni Suef to Cairo desert road.

El-Lahun

Senwosret II chose el-Lahun for the site of his pyramid complex, named, ‘Senwosret Shines’. Although still an impressive size, the pyramid is now in a ruinous condition and a natural outcrop of yellow limestone spokes around which the structure was built can be seen protruding from the rubble of the mudbrick fill in some places. This was the first large mudbrick pyramid and was once covered by a white limestone casing, which according to an inscription read by Petrie, was removed during Dynasty XIX.

The structure was first seriously investigated by Petrie in 1889-90, who discovered an entrance, not on the northern side as would have been usual, but through a vertical shaft several metres east of the southern side and beneath the floor of an unknown princess’s tomb (no. 10). The original entrance was a larger shaft, further to the south and through which the sarcophagus must have been taken. This ‘construction shaft’ and sloping corridor was built in such a way as to resemble the entrance to a burial chamber, probably in order to deceive robbers. The corridor continued north ascending towards an antechamber and here turned west towards the King’s granite-lined burial chamber inside the pyramid. Although the burial chamber had been thoroughly robbed during ancient times the red granite sarcophagus of Senwosret II was found with an inscribed alabaster offering table bearing the King’s cartouches. Petrie also recovered a gold uraeus, probably from a statue of the King as well as fragments of leg bones from a side-chamber. Another departure from the usual pyramid construction was a sand-filled trench, dug into the subsoil around the structure and which would have acted as drainage to prevent the pyramid from being flooded.

On the northeast corner of Senwosret’s pyramid, was a smaller pyramid, belonging to a queen, with eight large mudbrick mastabas lined up to the west of it which are thought to be cenotaphs rather than genuine tombs. Smaller subsidiary tombs belonging to princesses were found on the south-eastern side of the King’s pyramid. In later seasons Petrie began to explore the princess’s tombs and in 1914 his assistant Guy Brunton discovered the famous ‘el-Lahun treasure’ while excavating the tomb of Princess Sit-Hathor-Iunet. A spectacular hoard of Middle Kingdom jewellery and cosmetic vessels was found in a deep layer of silt, their ornate wooden caskets long-since decayed. These objects, certainly one of the greatest treasure hoards found in Egypt are now exhibited in the Cairo Museum and the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

Senwosret’s complex, which included a mortuary temple, now destroyed, was surrounded by an enclosure wall, encased in limestone and with niches similar to the enclosure of Djoser’s Step Pyramid at Saqqara. Rows of trees were planted along the outer perimeter, perhaps an echo of the trees surrounding the ‘mound of creation’ of Osirian mythology.

North of the pyramid, Petrie discovered the ruins of another structure thought to be a heb-sed chapel. The distant site of Senwosret’s Valley Temple has been located, but little is known of its plan, and the causeway leading to it has never been excavated.

North-west of the Valley Temple is the King’s pyramid town, established to maintain Senwosret’s mortuary cult, consisting of blocks of workers’ houses and larger villas for the officials. This town, known by the modern name of Kahun, was at the time of discovery the only extant example of a complete pyramid town, and when Petrie excavated it in 1889 it was found with much of its ancient furnishings in place. The town has been the source of a great deal of valuable information about the domestic lives of its inhabitants. One of Petrie’s most important discoveries was an enormous quantity of papyri, consisting of contemporary documents relating to wills, medical texts, astronomical texts and the only known veterinary papyrus as well as various letters, accounts and administration documents. Many of these ‘Kahun texts’ come from the temple archive and include religious documents from the period. They are now preserved in Cairo, University College London and Berlin. The town site has now been covered over with sand.

The Egyptian Ministry of Culture announced in April 2009 that a necropolis dating to the Middle and New Kingdoms and to Dynasty XXII, has recently been found at Illahun, to the south-east of the Pyramids. So far excavations have revealed a variety of tomb designs, some with wooden coffins and linen-wrapped mummies, as well as several mummy masks. More detail on Zahi Hawass’s website.

How to get there

To reach Lahun Pyramid you will probably have to take whichever route your police escort decides. Usually this means travelling from Medinet el-Faiyum to the village of el-Lahun. After leaving the village at a T-junction, the track takes you along an ancient embankment for several kilometres to the edge of the desert. This huge stone earthwork is said to have been built by Amenemhet I as the southern embankment for the enlargement of Lake Moeris during Dynasty XII.

Hawara

As the oasis of el-Faiyum became more important during Dynasty XII, a number of religious monuments were built there and the next pharaoh to construct his pyramid in the region was Amenemhet III. This was not the king’s first choice of burial site – he had previously built a pyramid at Dahshur, to the north, during the early part of his long reign, but due to structural stresses which became apparent during the construction, Amenemhet opted to begin a second pyramid at Hawara, near the site of his grandfather’s monument at el-Lahun. It was to be the last major pyramid complex in Egypt.

The King’s second pyramid was built with a core of mudbricks and a white limestone casing, which was removed in Roman times. The pyramid was entered directly through the casing on the south side with a stairway and corridor descending into the substructure, which today is flooded by groundwater. A series of corridors and blind passages wound around the inside of the pyramid, before finally coming to the burial chamber at a higher level to the west of the pyramid’s centre. This was reached via a concealed entrance in the ceiling of one of the passages and was blocked by a massive quartzite slab. Because of his experience with the Dahshur pyramid, Amenemhet’s architects took extra care in reinforcing and protecting the burial chamber, by constructing a series of triangular lintels which supported a high gabled roof of large limestone blocks beneath another vault of mudbricks. The chamber itself was a single piece of quartzite, weighing over 100 tonnes, into which was carved a trough which held the sarcophagus and canopic chests. The sealing block of the chamber was an enormous slab of quartzite which was ingeniously lowered into place by means of slowly releasing the sand which had supported the stone slab into side galleries. The King’s burial chamber was sufficiently protected to withstand the enormous weight of the brickwork and stone above it, but it would seem that the complicated precautionary measures taken to deter robbers was ultimately unsuccessful.

When Petrie investigated the sarcophagus in Amenemhet’s burial chamber he discovered remains of a burned inner coffin, presumably damaged by ancient grave-robbers. A second wooden coffin was found in an antechamber, along with a carved alabaster offering-table bearing the names of a Princess Neferu-ptah, thought to be a daughter of the King and it was assumed that the princess had been buried with her father. However, in 1956 the remains of an almost destroyed small pyramid 2km south-east of the King’s pyramid was investigated, and the tomb of Neferu-ptah was found. Her red granite sarcophagus and other objects inscribed with her name were found in the burial chamber, but up to date archaeologists are still puzzling about the real location of Neferu-ptah’s burial.

Within the enclosure, immediately to the south of Amenemhet’s pyramid, Petrie excavated the King’s mortuary temple – an extensive and very complicated structure, which is now so ruined that it is difficult to reconstruct a plan. This is probably the structure which classical authors referred to as ‘the Labyrinth’ which so impressed early travellers. This unique building, covering an area of 2.8 hectares, was described by Herodotus as having been constructed from a single rock and to contain three thousand rooms connected by winding passages and courts. He may have exaggerated as other writers disagreed about the number of chambers and courts. Strabo called the complex ‘a palace composed of as many smaller palaces as were formerly nomes’, that is, forty two. Petrie discovered remains of two statues of the gods Sobek and Hathor in the structure and a statue of Amenemhet III nearby in the irrigation canal. Unfortunately the ‘Labyrinth’ today is little more than a bed of rubble, its stone quarried away since Roman times. It extends across the modern canal to the south of the pyramid.

The pyramid complex was enclosed by a perimeter wall with a causeway leading from the south-eastern corner to the valley temple, neither of which have been fully investigated.In a cemetery north of the pyramid complex, Petrie also found 146 mummy-portraits dating to the Roman Period. One of these can be seen in the small museum at Kom Ushim and more Faiyum Portraits are in Cairo Museum.

How to get there

As with the pyramid at Lahun you will be taken to Hawara Pyramid by a police escort, usually from Medinet el-Faiyum. The road winds through a pretty cultivated valley before reaching the village of Demu on the edge of the desert.

2009-07-22T03:08:00.000-07:00

2009-07-10T22:58:00.000-07:00

The Pyramid of Amenemhet III

2009-07-10T22:40:00.000-07:00

The Muzghuna Pyramids:

The South Mazghuna Pyramid - About 4.8 km south of Sneferu's Bent Pyramid, it was surrounded by a wavy wall of the kind that we begin to see in earlier middle kingdom monuments. The ruins of the pyramid, heavily damaged , were investigated by Ernest MacKay in 1910. Whereas the mudbrick core can still be discerned, no trace of the limestone casing has been found.. The inclination of the wall and the height of the pyramid thus remain unknown. Presumably, it basically resembled the pyramid at Hawara, though not in its dimensions. This view as well as as well as the attribution the Amenemhet IV are based on the ground plan of the substructure and the way the burial chamber was built. The entrance to the underground part of the pyramid was on in the middle of the south side.

The Pyramid of South Mazghuna had a base length of 52.5 m. Though it had a complicated substructure, the superstructure was never completed.

The North Mazghuna Pyramid (Sobekneferu?) ground plan

The North Mazghuna Pyramid - As in the case of the South Mazghuna Pyramid, the North Pyramid is attributed solely on the grounds of a few bits of structural and archeological evidence to Queen Sobekneferu. She reigned not quite four years, and her relationship to the previous rulers has not determined with certainty. It is assumed that she was Amemmehet III's daughter and the full or half sister- and possibly a consort- of Amemmehet IV. The North Mazghuna Pyramid was larger than the South Pyramid, and the plan of its substructure is more advanced from a typographical point of view.. Although the pyramids substructure was completed, no one was buried in it. Moreover, neither the pyramid's superstructures nor the complex as a whole was ever completed.

http://www.aldokkan.com/

http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/

http://egyptphoto.ncf.ca/mazghuna.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sobekneferu

http://touregypt.net/featurestories/firstqueen.htm

http://euler.slu.edu/Dept/Faculty/Sobekneferu.html

2009-07-10T22:28:00.000-07:00

Pyramids of Zawyet el-Aryan

Zawyet el-Aryan is a village situated about 2km south of the Giza Plateau, halfway between Giza and Abusir on the west bank of the Nile. This is the rather neglected site of two unfinished pyramids of Old Kingdom date.

The Pyramid of Khaba

The pyramid at the southern end of the site is known as the ‘Layer Pyramid’ and has been attributed to king Khaba of Dynasty III, probably a successor of Sekhemkhet. The pyramid was investigated by the Italian archaeologist Alessandro Barsanti in 1900, but the owner of the structure was unknown until Reisner’s American Expedition excavated the pyramid and some of the mastaba tombs in the area in the early part of the 20th century. Here he found fragments bearing the name of Khaba as well as some pieces of pottery bearing the name of Narmer, which led him to suggest a Dynasty II date for the structure.

The southern pyramid at Zawyet el-Aryan is locally called ‘Haram el-Meduwara’ or the ’round pyramid’, due to its ruined condition and diminutive size. The base of the pyramid was about 84m square and the subtructure is very similar to that of Sekhemkhet’s unfinished pyramid at Saqqara. Khaba’s pyramid was conceived as a step pyramid with a core built with sloping layers of masonry. Only the lower part of the first step remains of what may have been intended to be a five, six or seven stepped structure, its height today rising to only 16m. No trace of a limestone casing from the pyramid has been found which tends to support the view that the pyramid was never completed.

The subterranean chambers were entered near the north-east corner where a staircase continues in a westwards direction as a passage which then turns south at the bottom of a vertical shaft. Another unfinished passage leads from higher in the shaft in the same direction. The lower passage leads to another staircase and an empty burial chamber. On the northern side of the vertical shaft there were thirty two store-rooms which also proved to be empty.

The area has never been thoroughly investigated and is now inaccessible because it is within a military zone. Reisner’s American team excavated a large mastaba to the north of the Layer Pyramid, identified as Mastaba Z-500 and it was here that the Horus name of Khaba was found on alabaster vases. Although these artefacts, in addition to the stylistic dating of the pyramid lead many Egyptologists to attribute the monument to Khaba, the owner is by no means certain.

The Northern Pyramid

Little remains today of another structure, assumed to be a second unfinished pyramid at Zawyet el-Aryan. This was also excavated by Barsanti in 1903, who discovered only a huge sloping trench leading to a pit. Traces of a square platform measuring about 200m square indicates that if the pyramid had been completed it would have been similar in size to Khafre’s monument at Giza. Stylistically this would give the structure a date of Dynasty IV, probably between the reigns of Djedefre and Khafre. The remaining elements are said to resemble Djedefre’s pyramid at Abu Rawash.

Large blocks of limestone and granite lie on the floor of the trench and may have been intended for use in the burial chamber. At the bottom of the trench there was a huge oval pink granite sarcophagus, which may or may not belong to the structure. Significantly, Petrie found fragments of a similar styled sarcophagus while excavating Djedefre’s complex at Abu Rawash.

During Barsanti’s excavations, archaeologists were puzzled when the trench filled with rainwater which very quickly drained to about a metre deep, suggesting that there may have been an undiscovered passage or chamber beneath the trench. Unfortunately the structure has never been further investigated because of its inaccessibility in the military zone.

There have been many candidates proposed for the ownership of this unfinished monument which, had it been completed, may have rivalled some of the greatest pyramids of the Old Kingdom. Most Egyptologists currently date the structure to Dynasty IV. Evidence put forward to support this dating include the use of large blocks of stone, the oval granite sarcophagus and the size of the structure’s base. Masons marks with the king’s name have been found on some of the blocks. These have been difficult to interpret except that the name was enclosed in a cartouche which suggests the ruler must have come after Huni (the last king of Dynasty III), who was the first known king to write his name this way. Many now suggest that it was a structure belonging a king coming between Djedefre and Khafre, perhaps a son of Khufu or Djedefre who reigned for only a very short period.

2009-07-09T22:40:00.000-07:00

ABU SIR /
5th Dynasty Pyramids

The complex at Abu Sir is a necropolis from the 5. Dynasty, and was in use for a fairly short period of time, just about 70 years. The importance of the area may have started sometime after 2500 BCE, and ended before 2420 BCE.
Younger than the pyramids of Giza, one gets surprised by the fact that they are so much smaller. All in all there are 3 standing pyramids, plus the remains of a handful other. ThePyramid of Neferirkare is the largest, with its height of 72 metres.

Seen from the north: From left, pyramid of Sahure, pyramid of Nyuserre and pyramid of Neferirkare

The name Abu Sir comes from the Egyptian "Per Wsir", which meant "Place of Osiris".
Definitely off the beaten track, the Pyramids of Abu Sir offer an opportunity to see pyramids without crowds of tourists as in Saqqare, or even worse, with the city growing in on the complex as in Gaiza. When arriving in Abu Sir, there is a chance you can have to entire place to yourself.
Parts of the Abu Sir area is still unexcavated, and more finds are possible in the future.

Seen from Saqqara (south). Pyramids of Abu Sir to the left, and Pyramids of Gaiza to the right

2009-07-09T22:38:00.000-07:00

ABU SIR /
Pyramid of Neferirkare

Neferirkare was a pharaoh of the 5th Dynasty and ruled for 21 years, from 2475 until 2455 BCE.
Neferirkare was the brother of Sahure, and succeeded him as pharaoh. It is assumed that he was an older man by then, but he set out on creating a pyramid and a funerary complex that would surpass Sahure's in every respect.
Egypt under Neferirkare was a poorer country than under the 4th Dynasty, so his plans for a pyramid 70 metres high must have been on the brink of what his treasury could finance.
Just like Sahure, he employed the technique for step pyramids for the core of the pyramid. This would be clad by a girdle of masonry and cased by red granite.
But he died before the complex was completed. The work on the pyramid was stopped, and the funerary complex quickly finished, using mudbrick and tree instead of stone.
About 40 years later, Neferirkare's son Nyuserre became pharaoh. He annexed the temple and integrated parts of it into his own complex. But he also completed his father's pyramid.

2009-07-09T22:31:00.000-07:00

ABU SIR /
Pyramid of Nyuserre

The Pyramid of Nyuserre, with its mortuary temple to the right.

Nyuserre was a pharaoh of the 5th Dynasty and ruled for 25 years, from 2445 until 2421 BCE. For more information check the Encyclopaedia of the Orient:Nyuserre
Nyuserre must have been one of the least selfish pharaohs. He took upon himself to complete his father, Neferirkare`s pyramid. What remained in his treasury was no more than what was needed to build a pyramid 21 metres smaller than his father's, 51 metres high to 72 metres.
He placed his pyramid squeezed in between his father's and his uncle, Sahure`s, making the three pyramids lie closer than any other pyramids in Egypt. He must have sought for the strength of the family, as if the three pyramids together secured him a safer place in the afterlife.
The funerary complex and his causeway is notable for the extensive use of black basalt, covering the ground and the bases of the walls. Walls were made from fine limestone, with a belt of red granite. Reliefs were carved into the upper half.

2009-07-09T22:26:00.002-07:00

ABU SIR /
Pyramid of Sahure

The mortuary temple.

Sahure was a pharaoh of the 5th Dynasty and ruled for 13 years, from 2487 until 2475 BCE.
Sahure was the first pharaoh to build a pyramid complex at Abu Sir. The construction technique chosen was surprisingly close to that of the old step pyramids. The building of Sahure's pyramid involved building a simple and crude core, finishing off with standard casing of finely cut rocks. Today, with the casing long gone, what remains is a pyramid in bad shape. Even the steps are mainly gone, making it all look like a true pyramid, just far smaller than its original 47 metres height.
There is little to see inside the pyramid, most of it is damaged. The burial chamber itself is roofed by three tiers of limestone beams.
The main attraction with Sahure's pyramid lies with the mortuary temple halls and the causeway. As a matter of fact this is of great importance for the development of Egyptian temples. Many of the details here would become standard with the famous temples in later times.
The walls of the 235 metre long causeway are decorated by imagery intending to defend the inner sections of the temple from any evil power. The dominating motif are Egyptian gods taking Egypt's earthly enemies as prisoners. This would become a central element to temple entrances over the coming 2,500 years.
Equally important is the layout of the temple. It is considered to be the model of all other later temples of the Old Kingdom, a model which would be used as foundation for the many fantastic temples of the New Kingdom.

On this lying column, you can see Sahure's cartouche (inside the oval frame).

2009-07-09T22:26:00.001-07:00

ABU SIR /
Pyramid of Raneferef

Raneferef was a pharaoh of the 5th Dynasty and ruled for 4 years, from 2448 until 2445 BCE.
Raneferef stayed in power too short time to oversee the completion of his pyramid. It rises only 4 metres above the ground, almost like a small mastaba. The top was finished by a cover of clay and desert stone. But since the burial chamber digs a few metres into the ground, Raneferef's pyramid makes it worthwhile to visit.
The unimpressive state of the pyramid has given it protection until excavations began in 1974. Hardly rising above ground, thieves left it and the interior alone.
The funerary complex was built quickly, probably because of a sudden death of the pharaoh. Still it contained one element of interest; one of Egypt's oldest hypostyle halls, a room of 20 wooden columns.

2009-07-09T22:23:00.000-07:00

ABU SIR /
Pyramid of Khentkawes

Khentkawes was the queen of Neferirkare, and her pyramid was aligned to his in the traditional manner, next to the axis of the king pyramid. Her pyramid was built only 17 metres high, and has feared badly. The interior is badly ruined.
What makes her pyramid interesting is that her pyramid have indications that Khentkawes may have ruled as a pharaoh on her own. The evidence opening up for such a possibility is an inscription has the word for "mother" added to "King's Wife", and that her mortuary temple was aligned from east to west which was only used for king pyramids. Some reliefs show Khentkawes holding the symbols of the king only. There was even built a satellite pyramid to hers.
We know that Khentkawes was worshipped for as much as 300 years. So she must have been an important figure, at least.

2009-07-09T22:21:00.001-07:00

ABU SIR /
Lepsius' unknown pyramids

Entrance into the burial chamber of the Lepsius XXIV (24) pyramid.

Workman's inscription on one of the Lepsius pyramids.

Lepsius was of course not a pharaoh, the two pyramids here are accredited him as he discovered them. Karl Richard Lepsius was a 19th century Egyptologist, and one of the foremost ever in his field.
The two unknown pyramids here may have been queen pyramids, although they are located slightly isolated from the king pyramids of Abu Sir. But Abu Sir was a crowded place, so this might be of no importance.
There is one more pyramid here, a large structure to the north. It may have been built by Pharaoh Shepseskare, who ruled for 7 years between Neferirkare and Raneferef.

The Lepsius XXV (25) pyramid has feared badly.

2009-07-09T22:16:00.001-07:00

ABU SIR /
Practicalities

Eat and Sleep
There is nothing to find adjacent to the complex of Abu Sir, and the village that has given the area its name, nothing is arranged to meet the needs of tourism.
Spend the night in Cairo.

Transportation
Getting to Abu Sir is a bit complex, something that adds to the total experience. Best is setting out from Saqqara, where you can walk the 6 km north, or rent a horse or a camel (US $ 8 both ways). Another possibility is making a stop on a round trip from Giza to Saqqara.

Going Next
3 (foot, camel) or 10 (car) km south: Saqqara
1 km (foot, camel) north: Sun Temples at Abu Ghurab
7 (foot, camel) 15 (car) car north: Zawiyet el-Aryan
12 (foot, camel) 20 (car) north: Pyramids of Giza

2009-07-08T21:58:00.000-07:00

DAHSHUR /
The Red Pyramid

Snefru was a pharaoh of the 4th Dynasty. He ruled for 25 years, from 2613 until 2589 BCE. For more information check the Encyclopaedia of the Orient: Snefru.
The Red Pyramid, built by the first Pharaoh of the 4th dynasty, Snefru, is generally considered to be the first real pyramid. The pyramid of Zhoser at Saqqara is 60 years older, but it rose in steps.
By the time of its construction, the knowledge of pyramid building was still in development, and the sides of the Red Pyramid have the low angle of 43°, compared to 52° with the pyramids at Giza.
Surprisingly for many, the Red Pyramid is Egypt's second largest. In volume. Its height was no more than 101 metres, less even than its neighbour Bent Pyramid, and 45 metres less than his son Cheop's pyramid at Giza.
The Red Pyramid was the last pyramid that the 4th dynasty Pharaoh Snefru had built. But he never came to use it, he was buried in the Bent Pyramid 1.5 km south.
It has its name from the colour of the limestone.

2009-07-08T21:56:00.000-07:00

DAHSHUR /
Interior of the Red Pyramid

No optic distortions here, the passage downstairs is just as claustrophobic as it looks. Actually, it is worse, since this photo is lit up by the flash. There is no artificial lighting here, and it gets as dark as dark gets before you reach the bottom. And then it is just as dark before you arrive in the second antechamber.

The ceiling of the actual burial chamber. Notice the cut wounds of the stones.

The interior of the pyramid is open to the public, with the entrance quite high up from the ground. You will have to pass a 62 metre long passage that is only 1 metre high. It can feel unpleasant to tall people.
There are 3 chambers to explore: modest and impressive at the same time. The fineness of the masonry is spectacular considering what the world had seen before. Yet it is extremely simple and musty. The photo should clearly indicate this.
Many visitors to the pyramid believe that the last of the two antechambers is the actual burial chamber. This reflects the actual intent of the builders. This chamber is designed to impress, it was filled with valuables, hoping that robbers would never discover the sealed off passage leading to the last chamber, where the pharaoh had been put to rest.

The last of the two antechambers, 12 metres high. The staircase leads to the actual burial chamber

2009-07-08T21:54:00.000-07:00

DAHSHUR /
The Bent Pyramid

Snefru was a pharaoh of the 4th Dynasty. He ruled for 25 years, from 2613 until 2589 BCE. For more information check the Encyclopaedia of the Orient: Snefru.
Among the many unanswered questions of ancient Egypt, the Bent Pyramid has one of the most central: Why did the engineers suddenly change its angle?
At the height of 53 metres the pyramid changes its angle from 54°, to only 43°. The Bent Pyramid is among the earliest pyramids the Egyptians built, and it is clear that the knowledge about great constructions was not yet fully developed. Later, pyramids would have sides with an angle of 52°, not as steep as the lower part of this, but far steeper than its top.
The question is: did the engineers change the angle because they were scared that the pyramid would fall in? Or did they change because they were short of time — perhaps because Pharaoh Snefru had died? Nobody really knows, and there would never be built another bent pyramid.
If the first theory is correct, the Bent Pyramid gives us a dramatic illustration of the early development of Egyptian pyramid architecture.
The Bent Pyramid si 105 metres high, 24 metres less than it would have been if the angle of 52° had been continued.
Whether it was a result of insecure engineering, the Bent Pyramid is yet the pyramid with the largest portion of its original casing left. And of the 3 pyramids that Snefru had built, this became the one where he was buried.

2009-07-08T21:53:00.000-07:00

DAHSHUR /
The Bent pyramid's satellite

The satellite pyramid of the Bent Pyramid rose 32 metres high, but thanks to height of 105 metres of the Bent one, it appears very small. The purpose of a satellite pyramid was to shelter the ka of the pharaoh. The ka was the life force of the deceased, and continued to live in this world.

Remains of two stelas on the eastern side of the satellite pyramid.

2009-07-08T21:52:00.002-07:00

DAHSHUR /
Details of the Bent Pyramid

Don't just pass the ceremonial chapel on the eastern side of the pyramid. Yes, it is tiny and seems unimportant. But it does cast light upon the very interesting development from pyramids to temples as the primary expression of the Egyptian pharaohs.
Instead of the huge mortuary complexes that later would motivate small pyramids, this chapel is as small as it gets. What you see now, is about all there every was.
Yet, it must be iterated that earlier structures like Zoser's Step Pyramid had large surrounding complexes, but his pyramid was quite small compared to Snefru's.

No other pyramid does more to explain the coexistence of core structure and casing than the Bent Pyramid. It has preserved more of the original casing than any other, and the casing goes all the way down to the ground at many points.

2009-07-08T21:52:00.001-07:00

DAHSHUR /
Pyramid of Amenemhet 3

Amenemhet 3 was a pharaoh of the 12th Dynasty and ruled for 46 years, from 1831 until 1786 BCE. For more information check the Encyclopaedia of the Orient: Amenemhet 3.
Of the 3 collapsed pyramids at Dahshur, the one of Amenemhet 3 is the most remarkable. It is also called the Black Pyramid, but the black granite that surmounted it is now in The National Museum in Cairo.
Today it really doesn't look much like a pyramid, it resembles a mountain. Too much has simply fallen off. The pyramid was originally 80 metres tall, with sides 102 metres long. All in all, it was an example of bad construction and the use of easily accessible but inferior building material. Good on Amenemhet 3 that he was not buried here after all, but at Hawara.

2009-07-08T21:51:00.001-07:00

DAHSHUR /
Pyramid of Sesostris 3

Sesostris 3 was a pharaoh of the 12th Dynasty and ruled for 40 years, from 1870 until 1831 BCE. For more information check the Encyclopaedia of the Orient: Sesostris 3.
The pyramid of Sesostris 3 was 77 metres high, but of this even less remains. It looks more like a sand dune. If you can make it out in the sand, it is part of quite an impressive funerary complex, with several tombs and a couple of sanctuaries. In the National Museum can you see the most attractive sight of this complex, the jewellery of Sat-Hathor and Mereret.

2009-07-08T21:49:00.000-07:00

DAHSHUR /
Practicalities

Dahshur is easily explored while you stay in Cairo, lying a mere 6 km south of Saqqara. But it could also be explored on a journey which ends in Fayoum, allowing you to see the little visited, yet remarkable pyramids this south: Meidum, Hawara, Lisht and Illahun.
The best way of getting out here from Cairo is to rent a taxi for the day. Be clear about that you will take your time here, and expect to pay E£80-100 for it all.
Should you opt for public transport, the town of El-Badrasheen is the main hub. You can reach this fairly easy from Cairo or Giza (ask at your hotel), then catch a microbus to Dahshur village. From here, it is 2 km to the entrance. Note that going back, you should not leave Dahshur village later than 17.00 as most microbuses then call it a day.
A third alternative is walking from Saqqara, including South Saqqara en route. Expect to use 2 hours, plus stops.

2009-07-08T21:48:00.001-07:00

DAHSHUR /
Pyramids beyond history

Dahshur necropolis

The necropolis of Dahshur belongs to two periods of ancient Egyptian history, the 4th and the 12th dynasties, corresponding to the times around 2600 BCE and 1900 BCE.
Dahshur has 5 main pyramids (plus 2 subsidiary pyramids), and the strange thing is that the 2 oldest are best preserved, the Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid, both built by Snefru, the father of Khufu.
Snefru is apparently the most active pyramid builder of all Egyptian pharaohs. 3 pyramids are accredited him, the third is his experimental pyramid at Meidum, which might be the first true pyramid of all.
Why Snefru chose Dahshur for his final pyramids, we don't know. Why not Saqqara, if it shouldn't be the southern location of Meidum?

2009-07-08T20:46:00.000-07:00

Abu Rawwash

Abu Rawash is a city of great history and bright future that locates about 8 km northward Giza City. It is one of the important archeological sites in Giza Plateau that encloses a large number of the Memphite Necropolis. It was used as a necropolis since the reign of Aha in the First Dynasty and on top of the tombs found there is the Mortuary Complex of Djedefre and the Pyramid of Djed-Ef-Ra .

The name Abu Rawash is mainly the name of a neighboring small village. Nowadays, Abu Rawwash is regarded as one of the important new industrial zones in Egypt that encloses a large number of factories and companies. The government pays a great attention for providing the area with all essential services and means of transportation for encouraging businessmen for investing their capital there.

2009-07-06T22:58:00.001-07:00

Pyramid Snfro

Pyramid Snfro (Sneferu) is one of the Pyramids of Egypt. Named after the King of Pharaonic Snfro, rendered the first true pyramid was built from a new technology in the town of Maidum, was the father of Cheops. The words of 8 layers. But after working 14 years to move the venue of the pyramid steer Dahshour north of the town for some reason, the new chain that was built of stone in the form of diagonal corners of the Earth about every 60 degree angle. And within the walls of the listing. The construction was started sinking because of loads of stone and the angles. To remedy this problem by Bannawn supportive walls were made Zaip 55 degree inclination of the building which has not yet been completed. Then completed the construction of bending angle of 43 degrees, making it the so-called pyramid curved (Bent Pyramid). In this building the pyramids Omichva channels through the development of horizontal floors of the stones. Each layer of rocks topped by a square lower layer in the area instead of building through the oblique angle of 55 stones or 43 degrees as it was in the pyramid curve. This new technology has made Snfro build a giant pyramid called the Pyramid North (North Pyramid), after 1.6 km to the north of the pyramid curved Bdhishor. Based on the techniques of building the pyramid of the north Snfro built the pyramids in Giza

2009-07-06T22:55:00.000-07:00

Saqqara

Pyramid of Saqqara is the oldest pyramids in Egypt, particularly the King Zoser (or prose Cht) and is called the pyramid, the Pyramid of Zoser and gradual Zllk to it a mixture of 6 terraces; graves were in the age of the first and second Massatabp consists of one large, especially of the king and the terraces of some sub - of queens and princesses had happened to evolve with the beginning of the third era of its founder, King Zoser, where he was to have a selection of the most brilliant staff, including the engineer Aimouhtb who wanted to show the extent of glorifying the king Zoser and own him, consider how the establishment of non-traditional tomb of King Zoser Ahidp to mind the idea that the establishment of Almadrkj Zllk pyramid and through the development of progressive over the 6 terraced what if some of the terraces 6 Is it related to religion, or does not matter much because it's a completely different way to do with architecture when thinking Aimouhtb in the glorification of king thought that if the development of less than 6 terraces could come Mellk another over them, if I note that we have raised the consideration of 6 terraces can not increase it, because if the increase took place at the pyramid will collapse completely; and can say that the Pyramid of Zoser is the turning point in the building and construction of the pyramids were used in the construction of new materials such as limestone has been mentioned of Zoser in one of the inscriptions of the age of 19, which was found in the south of Saqqara that he means that he approached the stone architecture, the discoverer of the stone is to visit the area of Saqqara pyramid found part of a group of Zoser, where funeral Tllk the group consisting of: 1) the large trench 2) the perimeter fence of 3) the lobby of the front pillar 4) Pyramid 5) the southern courtyard 6) South cemetery 7) temple (T) 8) set the Day (dam) 9) House of the South and the North House 10) Temple funeral 11) basement room 12) Western Hills this is the parts that components of the funeral for Em Zoser bridge or scattering

2009-07-06T22:52:00.000-07:00

sphinx

In a depression to the south of Khafre's pyramid at Giza near Cairo sits a huge creature with the head of a human and a lion's body. This monumental statue, the first truly colossal royal sculpture in Egypt, known as the Great Sphinx, is a national symbol of Egypt, both ancient and modern. It has stirred the imagination of poets, scholars, adventurers and tourists for centuries and has also inspired a wealth of speculation about its age, its meaning, and the secrets that it might hold.

The word "sphinx", which means 'strangler', was first given by the Greeks to a fabulous creature which had the head of a woman, the body of a lion and the wings of a bird. In Egypt, there are numerous sphinxes, usually with the head of a king wearing his headdress and the body of a lion. There are, however, sphinxes with ram heads that are associated with the god Amun.

The Great Sphinx is to the northeast of Khafre's (Chephren) Valley Temple. Where it sits was once a quarry. We believe that Khafre's workers shaped the stone into the lion and gave it their king's face over 4,500 years ago. Khafre's name was also mentioned on the Dream Stele, which sits between the paws of the great beast. However, no one is completely certain that it is in fact the face of Khafre, though indeed that is the preponderance of thought. Recently, however, it has been argued that Khufu, builder of the Great Pyramid, may have also had the Great Sphinx built.

The Great Sphinx is believed to be the most immense stone sculpture in the round ever made by man. However, it must be noted that the Sphinx is not an isolated monument and that it must be examined in the context of its surroundings. Specifically, like many of Egypt's monuments, it is a complex which consists not only of the great statue itself, but also of its old temple, a New Kingdom temple and some other small structures. It is also closely related to Khafre's Valley Temple, which itself had four colossal sphinx statues each more than 26 feet long.

The material of the Sphinx is the limestone bedrock of what geologists call the Muqqatam Formation, which originated fifty million years ago from sediments deposited at the bottom of sea waters that engulfed northeast Africa during the Middle Eocene period. An embankment formed along what is now the north-northwest side of the plateau. Nummulites, which are small, disk-shaped fossils named after the Latin word for 'coin', pack the embankment. These were once the shells of now extinct planktonic organisms. There was a shoal and coral reef that grew over the southern slope of the embankment. Carbonate mud deposited in the lagoon petrified into the layers from which the ancient builders, some fifty million years later, carved out the Great Sphinx.

To do so, they trenched out a deep, U-shaped ditch that isolated a huge rectangular bedrock block for carving the Sphinx. This enclosure is deepest immediately around the body, with a shelf at the rear of the monument where it was left unfinished and a shallower extension to the north where important archaeological finds have been made.

The good, hard limestone that lay around the Sphinx's head was probably all quarried for blocks to build the pyramids. The limestone removed to shape the body of the beast was evidently employed to build the two temples to the east of the Sphinx, on a terrace lower than the floor of the Sphinx enclosure, one almost directly in front of the paws, the other to the south of the first one.

It is generally thought that quarrying around the original knoll revealed rock that was too poor in quality for construction. Therefore, some visionary individual conceived of the plan to turn what was left of the knoll into the Sphinx. However, the Sphinx may equally well have been planned from the start for this location, good rock or bad. The walls of the Sphinx enclosure are of the same characteristics as the strata of the Sphinx body and exhibit similar states of erosion.

The bedrock body of the Sphinx became a standing section of the deeper limestone layers of the Giza Plateau. The lowest stratum of the Sphinx is the hard, brittle rock of the ancient reef, referred to as Member I. All of the geological layers slope about three degrees from northwest to southeast, so they are higher at the rump of the Sphinx and lower at the front paws. Hence, the surface of this area has not appreciably weathered compared to the layers above it.

Most of the Sphnix's lion body and the south wall and the upper part of the ditch were carved into the Member II, which consists of seven layers that are soft near the bottom, but become progressively harder near the top. However, the rock actually alternates between hard and soft. The head and neck of the Great Sphinx are made of Member III, which is better stone, though it becomes harder further up.

The Sphinx faces the rising sun with a temple to the front which resembles the sun temples which were built later by the kings of the 5th Dynasty. The lion was a solar symbol in more than one ancient Near Eastern culture. The royal human head on a lion's body symbolized power and might, controlled by the intelligence of the pharaoh, guarantor of the cosmic order, or ma'at. Its symbolism survived for two and a half millennia in the iconography of Egyptian civilization.

The head and face of the Sphinx certainly reflect a style that belongs to Egypt's Old Kingdom, and to the 4th Dynasty in particular. The overall form of his face is broad, almost square, with a broad chin. The headdress (known as the 'nemes' head-cloth), with its fold over the top of the head and its triangular planes behind the ears, the presence of the royal 'uraeus' cobra on the brow, the treatment of the eyes and lips all evidence that the Sphinx was carved during this period.

The sculptures of kings Djedefre, Khafre and Menkaure and other Old Kingdom Pharaohs, all show the same configuration that we see on the Sphinx. Some scholars believe that the Great Sphinx was originally bearded with the sort of formally plaited beard. Pieces of the Sphinx's massive beard found by excavation adorn the British Museum in London and the Cairo Museum. However, it seems to possibly, if not probably be dated to the New Kingdom, and so was likely added at a later date. The rounded divine beard is an innovation of the New Kingdom, and according to Rainer Stadelmann, did not exist in the Old or Middle Kingdom. It may have been added to identify the god with Horemahket.

There is a hole in the top of the head, now filled in, that once provided support for additional head decoration. Depictions of the Sphinx from the latter days of ancient Egypt show a crown or plumes on the top of the head, but these were not necessarily part of the original design. The top of the head is flatter, however, than later Egyptian sphinxes.

The body is 72.55 meters in length and 20.22 meters tall. The face of the sphinx is four meters wide and its eyes are two meters high. The mouth is about two meters wide, while the nose would have been more than 1.5 meters long. The ears are well over one meter high. Part of the uraeus (sacred cobra), the nose, the lower ear and the ritual beard are now missing, while the eyes have been pecked out. The beard from the sphinx is on displayed in the British Museum.

Below the neck, the Great Sphinx has the body of a lion, with paws, claws and tail (curled round the right haunch), sitting on the bedrock of the rocky enclosure out of which the monument has been carved. The enclosure has taller walls to the west and south of the monument, in keeping with the present lie of the land.

When viewed close-up, the head and body of the Sphinx look relatively well proportioned, but seen from further away and side-on the head looks small in relation to the long body (itself proportionally much longer than is seen in later sphinxes). In its undamaged state, the body is likely to have appeared still larger all around in relation to the head, which has not been reduced as much by erosion. The human head is on a scale of about 30:1, while the lion body is on the smaller scale of 22:1. There could be a number of explanations for this discrepancy.

This was, as far as we know, one of the very first of the Egyptian sphinxes, though there is at least one other, attributed to Djedefre, that predates it. The rules of proportion commonly employed on later and smaller examples may not yet have been formulated at the time of the carving of the Great Sphinx of Giza. In any case, the carving of sphinxes was always a flexible formula, to an unusual degree in the context of Egyptian artistic conservatism.

Then again, the Sphinx may have been sculpted to look its best when seen from fairly close by and more or less from the front. There is also the possibility that there was simply insufficient good rock to make the head, where fine detail was required, any bigger. Also, the fissure at the rear of the Great Sphinx may have dictated a longer body, rather than one much too short.

There remains the possibility that the head has been remodeled at some time and thereby reduced in size, but on stylistic grounds alone this is not likely to have been done after the Old Kingdom times in ancient Egypt.

There are three passages into or under the Sphinx, two of them of obscure origin. The one of known cause is a short dead-end shaft behind the head drilled in the nineteenth century. No other tunnels or chambers in or under the Sphinx are known to exist. A number of small holes in the Sphinx body may relate to scaffolding at the time of carving.

The figure was buried for most of its life in the sand. It was King Thutmose IV (1425 - 1417 BC) who placed a stela between the front paws of the figure. On it, Thutmose describes an event, while he was still a prince, when he had gone hunting and fell asleep in the shade of the sphinx. During a dream, the sphinx spoke to Thutmose and told him to clear away the sand. The sphinx told him that if he did this, he would be rewarded with the kingship of Egypt. Thutmose carried out this request and the sphinx held up his end of the bargain. Of course, over time, the great statue, the only single instance of a colossal sculpture carved in the round directly out of the natural rock, once again found itself buried beneath the sand.

In the more modern era, when Napoleon arrived in Egypt in 1798, the Sphinx was buried once more with sand up to its neck, at by this point, we believe the nose had been missing for at least 400 years. Between 1816 and 1817, the Genoese merchant, Caviglia tried to clear away the sand, but he only managed to dig a trench down the chest of the statue and along the length of the forepaws. Auguste Mariette, the founder of the Egyptian Antiquities Service, also attempted to excavate the Sphinx, but gave up in frustration over the enormous amount of sand. He went on to explore the Khafre Valley Temple, but returned to the Great Sphinx to excavate in 1858. This time, he managed to clear the sand down to the rock floor of the ditch around the Sphinx, discovering in the process several sections of the protective walls around the ditch, as well as odd masonry boxes along the body of the monument which might have served as small shrines. However, he apparently still did not clear all the sand.

In 1885, Gaston Maspero, then Director of the Antiquities Service, once again tried to clear the Sphinx, but after exposing the earlier work of Caviglia and Mariette, he also was forced to abandon the project due to logistical problems.

Between 1925 and 1936, French engineer Emile Baraize excavated the Sphinx on behalf of the Antiquities Service, and apparently for the first time since antiquity, the great beast once again became exposed to the elements.

In fact, the sand has been its savior, since, being built of soft sandstone, it would have disappeared long ago had it not been buried for much of its existence.

Nevertheless, the statue is crumbling today because of the wind, humidity and the smog from Cairo. The rock was of poor quality here from the start, already fissured along joint lines that went back to the formation of the limestone millions of years ago. There is a particularly large fissure across the haunches, nowadays filled with cement, that also shows up in the walls of the enclosure in which the Sphinx sits.

Below the head, serious natural erosion begins. The neck is badly weathered, evidently by wind-blown sand during those long periods when only the head was sticking up out of the desert and the wind could catapult the sand along the surface and scour the neck and the extensions of the headdress that are missing altogether now. The stone here is not quite of such good quality as that of the head above.

Erosion below the neck does not look like scouring by wind-blown sand. In fact, so poor is the rock of the bulk of the body that it must have been deteriorating since the day it was carved out of the stone. We know that it needed repairs on more than one occasion in antiquity. It continues to erode before our very eyes, with spalls of limestone falling off the body during the heat of the day.

So, today, much of the work on the Great Sphinx at Giza is not directed at further explorations or excavations, but rather the preservation of this great wonder of Egypt. This is the focus, and while some might even today have the antiquity authorities digging about the monument looking for hidden chambers holding the secrets of Atlantis, that is not likely to happen any time soon.

The Pyramids of Giza (2600 - 2500 B.C), Egypt

EGYPT

The Pyramids of Giza, the oldest and only Ancient Wonder still standing, are testimony to perfection in art and design, never subsequently achieved. They were built by planners and engineers purely to serve their earthy rulers - who were also their gods. Philosophy did not exist at this time, and creation was not subject to any questioning. The pyramids are the purest of constructions, built for eternity. After careful consideration, the New7Wonders Foundation designated the Pyramids of Giza - the only remaining of the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World - as an Honorary New7Wonders Candidate. Therefore, people could not vote for the Pyramids of Giza as part of the New7Wonders campaign. This decision has also taken into account the views of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt and the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. The Pyramids are a shared world culture and heritage site and deserve their special status as the only Honorary Candidate of the New7Wonders of the World campaign. The New 7 Wonders of the World were chosen by the people across the globe from the remaining 20 New7Wonders candidates.

2009-07-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

Sources on Great Pyramid of Khufu

Werner Blaser and Monica Stucky. Drawings of Great Buildings. Boston: Birkhauser Verlag, 1983. ISBN 3-7643-1522-9. LC 83-15831. NA2706.U6D72 1983. site plan drawing, p11. section drawing, p12.

Roger H. Clark and Michael Pause. Precedents in Architecture. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1985. unit to whole diagram, p161. — Updated edition available at Amazon.com

Francis D. K. Ching. Architecture: Form, Space, and Order. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1979. ISBN 0-442-21535-5. section, p56. — A nice graphic introduction to architectural ideas. Updated 1996 edition available at Amazon.com

Howard Davis. Slide from photographer's collection. PCD.2260.1012.1537.091. PCD.2260.1012.1537.090. PCD.2260.1012.1537.085. PCD.2260.1012.1537.086. PCD.2260.1012.1537.089. PCD.2260.1012.1537.088. PCD.2260.1012.1537.087

Great Cities of the Ancient World: The Pyramids and the Cities of the Pharaohs. Video, 1994. VHS-NTSC format video tape. ISBN 6303298605. — Video - Available at Amazon.com

G. E. Kidder Smith. Looking at Architecture. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Publishers, 1990. ISBN 0-8109-3556-2. LC 90-30728. NA200.S57 1990. photo, p9. discussion, p8. — Available at Amazon.com

Seton Lloyd, Hans Wolfgang Muller, Roland Martin. Ancient Architecture, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Crete, Greece. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1972. photo from the east showing pyramids of Cheops, Chephren, and Mycerinus, f158, p91.

Elizabeth Mann, Laura Lo Turco (Illustrator). The Great Pyramid (Wonders of the World). Mikaya Press, October 1996. ISBN 0965049310. Reading level: Ages 9-12. — A highly regarded children's author, 48 pages, highly illustrated. Available at Amazon.com

David Macaulay. Pyramid. PBS Home Video, 1988. VHS-NTSC format video tape. ISBN B00000FAHI. — Video - Available at Amazon.com

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 1990. VHS-NTSC format video tape. ISBN 6301687620. — Video - Available at Amazon.com

W. Stevenson Smith. The Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt. edited by Nikolaus Pevsner. Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1958. interior photo of Gallery, plate 27A.

Henri Stierlin. Comprendre l'Architecture Universelle 1. Office du Livre S.A. Fribourg (Suisse), 1977. plan drawing of the raised temple, p24. axonometric section drawing of the great corbelled gallery , p24. section drawing of pyramid, p24. site plan drawing, p24.

Kevin Matthews. The Great Buildings Collection on CD-ROM. Artifice, 2001. ISBN 0-9667098-4-5.— Available at Amazon.com

2009-07-02T20:41:00.000-07:00

The largest pyramid of Giza, from the top of the pyramid of Cheops

2009-06-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

An early stepped pyramid.

How to Build a Pyramid

The ancient Egyptians loved pyramids. There are sixty-seven, of various sizes, scattered around the city of Cairo alone. The most famous, and largest, are at Gizeh, where what is believed to be the three tombs of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkure, are lined up side by side.

The end tomb, Khufu's, which is often referred to as "The Great Pyramid," just by itself is an impressive structure. It stood 480 feet tall when completed and contains twice as much volume as the Empire State Building. Until the 19th century it was the tallest building ever erected. Not bad for a structure 45 centuries old.

So, how did the ancient Egyptians construct such an impressive monument so long ago? Some wild theories exist. Swiss Author Erick von Daniken suggested that aliens assisted the construction using advanced technology. Herodotus of Halicarnassus, a Greek writer who viewed the pyramids around 450 B.C. was told that giant machines were used to lift the blocks into place with the aid of 100,000 slaves working, for the entire year, for twenty years.

Probably neither of these are correct. Most likely the Pharaoh employed a large work force, indeed as many as 100,000 men, but for only a fraction of the year. During the months of July, August, September and October, the Nile River flooded the land. This was actually a blessing for the Egyptian farmers as it allowed new fertile soil to be laid down over the fields. But it meant the farmers were unable to grow crops during this period. It is likely that the Pharaoh required his subjects to work on public projects, like the pyramids, during this season.

Egyptian records indicate that the laborers, while being drafted against their will, were actually well cared for by ancient standards. Regulations have been found covering the maximum amount of work allowed per day, the wages received and holidays entitled to, each worker. By only requiring work to be done during flood periods, the Pharaoh could get a lot done without impacting the normal Egyptian economy.

He probably also employed a much smaller work force year round on the project. Some would have been employed doing the skilled stonework while others planned and prepared the site for the laborers that would be available during the next flood season.

The shape of the pyramid are the logical one for producing buildings of great height when the building material available is stone. The design mimics the natural geometry of a mountain, an incline of about 52 degrees. The Egyptian architects realized the ever widening base would easily support the increasing number of stone blocks above it making the structure very stable.

An average 2 and 1/2 ton limestone block used in the pyramid construction would have probably taken 8 men nine or ten days to move from the quarry, float across the Nile, and drag to the top of the pyramid.

The most likely method of getting the blocks to the top of the structure was through massive construction ramps. Exactly how the ramps were laid out is unknown and have been the source of heated debate between archeologists for many years. A long straight ramp (as pictured in the recent film 10,000 B.C.) seems to have been too massive and impractical for something as big as the Great Pyramid. To reach the top with a shallow enough grade to be able to pull stones up it the ramp would have needed to be a mile in length and contain a volume of material equal to that of the Great Pyramid itself.

A more practical design would have been a spiral ramp going up around the pyramid. However, such an arrangement would have only allowed a narrow path to the top and the turns at each corner would have been difficult to negotiate while towing a 2 ½ ton stone.

French architect Jean-Pierre Houdin advanced the theory that a spiral ramp was used on the inside of the pyramid to move the stone blocks. According to Houdin a straight external ramp was used to get materials to the 140 foot level. From there workers dragged the stones through a set of gently rising tunnels just inside the outer walls. The last tunnel would exit on the monument's top. A 1986 microgravity survey of the pyramid discovered a peculiar anomaly: a less-dense structure in the form of a spiral within the pyramid that may turn out to be what is left of Houdin's tunnels. Scientists are now seeking permission from the Egyptian government to do more non-invasive tests that would prove or disprove Houdin's theory.

Whatever the shape of the ramps may have been topped with a surface of Tafla, a clay. Tafla, when wet, becomes very slippery and may have allowed the Egyptian builders to use shorter, steeper ramps than might have otherwise been possible. By wetting the ground in front of the block a slick path would be created allowing the stone to be dragged by rope as it sat on sledges.

It is also possible the stones could have been moved on rollers. By placing rounded logs under the stone, crude wheels would have made the load easy to pull. Pictures inscribed on ancient monument walls, though, suggest the blocks were dragged without the aid of rollers. Once a stone was at the top of the pyramid, it was probably moved into its final position with the use of levers.

We can see the Egyptains didn't become great pyramid builders right away. They needed some practice. They started by cutting tombs into the rock of the desert floor and building mastabas (from the Arab word meaning "bench") over them. Mastabas were raised, flat, platforms. Some were twenty-five feet high and two-hundred feet square. Imhotep, architect to the Pharaoh Zoser, changed this by building his king a mastaba and then placing another, smaller mastaba right on top of it. On top of that he placed another even smaller mastaba. When he was finally done the structure had six levels and resembled a stepped pyramid.

A number of stepped pyramids were built after that, but the most interesting is the one at Meidum built for Pharaoh Seneferu. It's an example of an early design that failed. The pyramid, which has four levels, is in near ruins today with many of its blocks laying in a heap around the base. Why did it do so poorly when many other pyramids are in much better shape? The architect of this pyramid apparently had not yet learned the importance of laying the foundation on solid rock rather than sand. Also, the construction trick of tilting the blocks on a slope inward toward the center of the pyramid had not been invented. By tilting the blocks slightly inward, the weight of the blocks helped lock them into the structure.

Without this trick and with a poor foundation, the pyramid at Meidum was easily shaken apart during earthquakes. Later, better built pyramids show that the Egyptians learned as they built and their masterpieces have stood the test of the centuries.

2009-06-30T21:45:00.001-07:00


The 3rd Pyramid of Giza READ DETAILED INFO ON THIS PYRAMID HERE
	*Menkaure*
*The north face with modern steps leading to the entrance*

The pyramid of Menkaure is markedly smaller than the other two main pyramids of Giza. To set it apart from the others, it's builder tried to encase the lower portion in granite. The effort was possibly stopped by the early death of the king. Here is the north face with its opening into the pyramid:

At the end of the steps leading to the opening, there are a few steps downward into the descending passageway:

As the descending passageway ends we enter into the first antechamber. This room is relatively small and there is another opening at the far end. Both openings are flanked by a carved "palace facade" design, the first such carved relief seen in any major pyramid since that of Zoser:

Two views looking back at the north wall of the antechamber toward the entrance:

This antechamber is smaller than it appears in this photo since a wide angle lens was used to see the palace facade design carved into its walls. The opening at the end of the first antechamber leads to another passageway. Off of this passageway is the opening into the next set of chambers.

This next chamber is unique because it offers a view of the top of the vaulted ceiling of the main burial chamber through a space that you can look through at the far end. In the first photo you can see the grating which now covers this vantage point at the far end of the room. The 2nd view shows the roughly hewn top of the ceiling in the main chamber below.. You will see the finished bottom of this ceiling when we enter the main chamber through the short descending passageway shown in the 3rd picture:

Looking back at the east wall toward the entrance to this chamber:

This descending passageway levels off and to the right, just before the main burial chamber lies another passageway into a mysterious chamber, sometimes known as the "cellar". This chamber has six obvious niches within it:

The first picture was taken looking into the chamber from its entrance, facing northward. This room may have been used to store treasure or for offerings. Or perhaps the king's family was buried here, although this would be unusual compared to the layout preceding pyramids.

This view was taken from the north end of the chamber looking south back toward the entrance to the chamber. Walking back out of this chamber and taking a right into the passageway leads to the final burial chamber.

Down the passageway from the previous chamber leads to the main burial chamber. Notice the finely finished interior of the vaulted ceiling that we saw from above in an earlier chamber. The niche in the floor housed the original sarcophagus. This sarcophagus was removed from the pyramid and shipped on a boat to England. The boat sank on the way, and the sarcophagus of Menkaure has not been seen since:

The last picture was taken looking back east toward the entrance on the far left.

READ THE DETAILS OF THIS PYRAMID HERE

2009-06-30T21:42:00.000-07:00

The Pyramid of Khafre

Read all about the Pyramid of Khafre, including pictures, text and diagrams, HERE

After the accomplishment of the building of the Great Pyramid, King Khafre had a hard act to follow. Khafre rose to the occasion by building his pyramid on higher ground giving the illusion that his pyramid was taller. He also encased the lowest course in granite. In this view you can see pieces of granite scattered around the base at the west face:

As we arrive at the north face you can see the two entrances, one at ground level and the other within the lower courses of the pyramid. The second view shows the upper entrance which is presently sealed by a metal door:

Visitors to the pyramid now enter through the ground-level opening. This leads to a descending passageway:

CLICK HERE to ENTER the Pyramid of Khafre!

2009-06-30T21:39:00.001-07:00

Looking toward the south face

The Great Pyramid
The Pyramid of Khufu

See a plan of the interior HERE
READ about the pyramid HERE
Read even more about it HERE

After the Great Pyramid was initially sealed, it's original entrance was hidden and faced with smooth limestone. Because this blended in so well with the surrounding casing, the opening was invisible. Around 820 AD, Abdullah Al Mamun mobilized men to bore a tunnel into the pyramid to search for chambers and treasure. Due to the difficulty of the task of breaking up the hard rock, fires were built to heat the rock and then cold vinegar was poured over the heated rock. Battering rams were used to pound away the weakened rock and clear a tunnel. Eventually, a passageway was found which descended into the lowest chamber of the pyramid. Following this passageway back upward, the original entrance was finally located. In these pictures of the NORTH side you can see the intrusive entrance lower down, and the original entrance higher up flanked by angled stones:

From the outside, near the original entrance. In the left view on the lower left you can see a granite block, believed to be one of the large portcullis blocks that were originally lowered in the antechamber to seal the main burial chamber. These have all been removed from their original place, this one remains here. The picture on the right is looking down the original entrance through the grating that is now in place, this passageway runs over 100 yards in length to the subterranean chamber:

Here, we enter the intrusive passageway, which in modern times is the main entrance. You can notice the rough nature of this tunneling, while the original passageways and chambers inside the pyramid are smooth and finished:

The right view includes modern metal braces which were added to reinforce this tunneled passageway.

As mentioned, the original entry passageway was refound, this first view shows the descending passageway leading into the lowest subterranean chamber, and also leading back up to the original opening. During the intrusive tunneling, supposedly the sound of falling rock was heard above revealing the existence of an upper cavity. Al Mamun tunneled toward the sound and, amazing, burst into an ascending passageway. The second view shows the original granite blocks, known as portcullis blocks, that were set in place to originally seal access to these upper passageways and chambers. When Mamun had bored through to the ascending passageway he had tunneled just to the side of these blocks which are still in their original place:

To enter the descending passageway and the subterranean chamber,
GO HERE

Now modern steps lead you to a ramp that goes around the portcullis blocks and lead up through the ascending passageway.

Follow then as we enter the ascending passageway that leads to the magnificent Grand Gallery. From here we can enter the two main chambers of the upper section, now called the Queen's and King's chambers and explore the antechamber just before the King's Chamber:

To go through the ascending passageway and explore the upper passageways and chambers,
CLICK HERE.

About the Great Pyramid

Considered to represent the pinnacle of the Pyramid Age, the Great Pyramid is the epitome of the knowledge and experience of all previous pyramids. Khufu had every advantage in growing up in an atmosphere of the several pyramid building projects of his father, King Sneferu. In light of this it becomes easier to understand that Khufu was more than qualified to oversee and organize the grand task of building the monument that is the only surviving member of the Seven Wonders of the World. So much uninformed speculation abounds as to the origin, engineering and construction of the Great Pyramid, though we have a wealth of archaeological evidence to piece together much of the accomplishment. Recently, remnants of ramps have been found by Dr. Zahi Hawass on the south side of the pyramid that attest that some type of ramping was indeed used in the construction of this monument. The attribution of the pyramid to King Khufu is supported by workman’s markings that were found in the pyramid, located in small weight relieving chambers that were never intended to be opened or seen after they were completed.

The precision with which the pyramid was executed is often the source of marvel and speculation. It is likely that the attention to this precision was related to the many structural problems encountered in previous pyramids. To minimize many of the previous errors, the attention to precision produced a pyramid whose base is level within 2.1 cm (less than 1 in!), with the only difference in the length of the sides being 4.4 cm (1.75 in). The blocks used in the pyramid are large, with a commonly stated average of 2.5 tons. Many blocks are indeed smaller than this, the blocks toward the top decrease in size. Some of the casing stones at the base are very large, weighing as much as 15 tons. The heaviest blocks are the granite blocks used to roof the kings chambers and the weight relieving chambers above the king’s chamber. These are estimated to weigh from 50 to 80 tons each!!

New Features

The Great Pyramid has an internal arrangement that is more elaborate than most of the other pyramids. Here, for the first time we see a series of upper passageway and chambers that exist within the body of the pyramid. A unique ascending passageway leads to a magnificent corbelled gallery, know as the Grand Gallery. While it is tempting for people to think that this gallery looks to be ceremonial in appearance, the function of the gallery is more likely a holding place for large blocks which were to seal off the upper chambers after the burial of the king, in order to secure his sacred burial.

There is an antechamber between the grand gallery and the main chamber. It has a configuration that housed large portcullis blocking slabs which were designed to be lowered to seal the chamber after the burial of the king.

The main burial chamber has two small shafts in the north and south walls which extend through the substance of the pyramid to the surface. The north channel is only 5" high x 7" wide and ascends at an angle of approximately 3 1°and is 235' in length. The southern channel measures about 8" high x 12" wide, rises at an angle of 41° and is 175' in length. The middle chamber, the so-called Queen's chamber, has an even more peculiar feature. It also has similar small shafts, though these end with a closing plug and do not appear to pierce through to the outer surface of the pyramid. You can read about the robotic exploration of these HERE.

You can read about the Great Pyramid in more detail, complete with diagrams, HERE

TOUR the Pyramid

2009-06-29T20:25:00.000-07:00

Pyramids of Giza