Part 2 - The Pyramids of V^th & VI^th Dynasties

34

Weserkaf's Pyramid
Saqqara
wab-swt-w

Pyramid complex of Weserkaf Clear are places of Weserkaf is located in northern Saqqara, east-north of Djoser’s complex and is modeled on buildings of dynasty III in terms of its location along north-south axe. Length of pyramid’s side 72,3m, angle of slope 53° and primary height 49m, cased with limestone of Tura had been renovated by Khaemwese in times of Ramesses II; recently it is relatively damaged due to careless performance of its core and robbery of stones. From entrance in northern wall descends a corridor 18,5m long and enters straightway an antechamber and funerary chamber. The funerary chamber of dimensions 7,87 x 3,13 m , covered with limestone of Tura includes basalt sarcophagus.   More...>>>

35

Cult Pyramid by Weserkaf's Pyramid
Saqqara

The cult pyramid stood not in front of the southest corner of the Weserkaf's pyramid, but rather in front of its southwest corner, though only the two lowest levels of its core remain. The underground chamber was accessible from the north.

36

Pyramid of Nepherhetepes (?)
Saqqara

The queen's small pyramid complex was structurally separate from the king's complex. It lay to the south and consisted of a small pyramid and a mortuary temple inside the own perimeter wall. The pyramid originally had a three-level core, and its mantle consisted of blocks of fine white limestone. The underground portion contains an antechamber and a burial chamber. Both of these had almost the same dimensions and the same gabled roof of rough limestone blocks. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to find among the fragments from either the queen's or the king's pyramid complexes any direct proof of the name of Weserkaf's consort. On the basis of an indirect clue found in an inscription from the nearby tomb of the priest Persen, the name Nepherhetepes has been given her.

37

Sahure's Pyramid
Abusir
xai-bA-sAHw-ra

The pyramid stands on a small hill at the edge of the desert, about twenty meters above the Nile Valley. The core, which presumably consists of horizontal layers of rough, less valuable limestone blocks, oryginally had six layers. In contrast, the casing was made of large blocks of fine white limestone from the quarries near modern village Maasara on the opposite bank of the Nile. In measuring the pyramid, the architects made a noteworthy error: the southeast corner is off by about 1.58 meters to the east with respect to the northeast corner, and therefore the ground plan is not entirely square. The entrance into the substructure is on the north wall, just above ground level. The relatively short descending corridor, made of limestone, comes out in a small vestibule, immediately behind which is a portcullis of pink granite. Then the corridor begins to climb slightly, until shortly before the entrance into the antechamber it finally becoms horizontal. The antechamber is directly on the pyramid's vertical axis. In the ruins Perring found stone fragments, perhaps remains of the king's basalt sarcophagus. The mortuary temple stands in front of the pyramid's east side and made of two layers of rough limestone blocks.

38

Cult Pyramid by Sahure's Pyramid
Abusir

This pyramid had its own enclosure and a two-stepped core. Into its only chamber, which is oriented east-west and slightly below ground level, leads a bent corridor that initially descends slightly and then climbs again. Inside the pyramid nothing was found; stone thieves had severely damaged it.

39

Neferirkare's Pyramid
Abusir
bA-nfr-iri-kA-rA

second phase:
side of base:   c.104 m
slope of walls:   54^o 30'
height:   72 m

Neferirkare's pyramid was a largest structure at necropolis of Abusir and built on the highest site, 330 meters above the Nile Valley. Today, it looks like a mound of rubble, striking only because of the prominent, stepped structure of its core. The pyramid was built in several stages but was never completed. The corridor leading to the burial chamber, which is approximately in the middle of the north wall, about two meters above ground level, was reinforced at the begenning and the end by a granite casing. The initially descending part of the corridor ended about 2.5 meters below the level of the pyramid's base, in a small vestibule behind which the main granite barrier. The remining, longer part of the corridor took two turns and headed generally east, finally coming out in the middle of the antechamber. Over the flat roof was an additional gable roof, overwhich there was also a layer of reeds. This method of construction has not been found in any other Old Kingdom pyramid. The antechamber and burial chamber were oriented east-west and were of the same width. The antechamber was somewhat shorter than the burial chamber.

40

Khentkawes II's Pyramid
Abusir

This small pyramid complex probably belonging to Neferirkare's consort and stood on the south side of Neferirkare's pyramid in Abusir.  . The pyramid was built in a simple and economical manner of limestone. The three level core is composed of small pieces of stone bound with clay mortar. For the casing, easily carried blocks of high quality white limestone were used. The underground of the pyramid is very simple. From the entrance close to ground level in the middle of the north wall, a corridor initially leads downward and then becomes horizontal, turning slightly toward the east. Shortly before it comes out in the burial chamber, there is simple granite barrier. Both the burial chamber and the corridor were built with small blocks of fine white limestone. Only the burial chamber flat ceiling was made of large blocks of limestone. In the ruins were found a fragment of a pink granite sarcophagus, strips of mummy wrappings, and shards of stone vessels from the queen's burial equipment. The mortuary temple in front of the east wall of the queen pyramid was not built until after Neferirkare's pyramid complex was completed. Inscriptions discovered in the temple confirm the attribution of this complex to Khentkawes II.

<-- reconstruction of the ground plan Khentkawes II's complex (after Jánosi)

41

Cult Pyramid by Khentkawes II's Pyramid
Abusir

42

Shepseskare's (?) Unfinished Pyramid
Abusir
 

This pyramid lies on the northern edge of the necropolis, halfway between Sahure's pyramid and Weserkaf's  sun temple. The dimensions of the surface allow us to hypothesize that the planned  pyramid was to be the largest in Abusir except for that of Neferirkare.

43

Neferefre's Unfinished Pyramid
Abusir
nTri-bAw-nfr.f-ra

The lowest level of the core of Neferefre's pyramid , which has been damaged by erosion and half covered with sand, was until recently considered by archeologists  to be the greatest riddle of the necropolis in Abusir. Pyramid was build not on rock subsoil, but rather on foundation made of two layers of enormous limestone blocks, which were set in place after the ground was prepared and a pit was dug for the burial chamber and the descending corridor. In the middle of the pyramid's north side, close to ground level, a descending corridor opens into the ruler's underground funerary apartment. In the middle of the corridor was a massive barrier of pink granite. The antechamber and burial chamber lying west of it are oriented precisely east-west. Both rooms were provided with a gabled ceiling and were built of fine white limestone. In remains discovered pieces of a pink granite sarcophagus, fragments of four alabaster canopic jars in which the entrails were originally buried, alabaster containers for models of offerings, and most valuable of all - parts of the ruler's mummy. A preliminary anatomical investigation of these fragments of the mummy has shown that they probably belonged to a man about 20 to 23 years old when he died.

44

Neweserre's Pyramid
Abusir
mn-swt-ni-wsr-ra

The pyramid's core consists of seven steps. The stone for its construction probably came from limestone quarries west of the village of Abusir. The pit for the burial chamber, antechamber and access corridor was dug out, not through a tunnel, but rather from above. Its location slightly under ground level and under the pyramid's foundation was closely connected with the method of ceiling construction then dominant. The saddle ceiling of the chamber and antechamber were built of three superimposed layers of huge limestone blocks. Between the layers of ceiling blocks there was a layer of limestone fragments that bore on the ceiling. The entrance was at ground level, precisely in the middle of the north side. The corridor leading to the burial chamber was lined with fine white limestone and reinforced with pink granite at both ends. About in the middle of the corridor there was a granite barrier with two plugging blocks. The antechamber and the burial chamber lay directly underneath the foundation, on the pyramid's vertical axis.

45

Cult Pyramid by Niuserre's Pyramid
Abusir

46

Pyramid "Lepsius No.24"
Abusir
 

The ruins of his small pyramid's complex stand on the southern edge of the pyramid field in Abusir, about fifty meters south of Khentkawes II's pyramid. This completely destroyed complex consisted of a pyramid, a mortuary temple, and a small cult pyramid. In the ruins of the burial chamber, amid the remains of the pink granite sarcophagus and bits of rubble from the pyramid core, and fragments of the burial equipment, the damaged mummy of a woman about 23 years old was found. The archeological circumstances indicate that it may be the mummy of the pyramid's processor. However, her name was not found anywhere in the ruins. Since there can be no doubt that the tomb dates from Neweserre's time, she was probably either his consort or his brother - Neferefre's.

<-- ground plan

47

Cult Pyramid ("Lepsius No.25")

48

Menkauhor's  "Headless Pyramid"
North Saqqara
nTri-swt-mn-kAw-Hr (?)
 

The completely destroyed pyramid in North Saqqara, which lies on the farthest edge of the desert plateau east of Teti's  mortuary temple, is sometimes attributed to Menkauhor. Local people named its "Hedless Pyramid". In the rubble of the pit for the burial chamber Maspero found fragments of pink granite and even a sarcophagus lid of bluish gray stone. Philippe Lauer and Jean Leclant decided that the pyramid was built in the Vth Dynasty and may have belonged to Menkauhor, Maragioglio and Rinaldi arrived at similar conclusions. This opinion is not shared by another authority in the matter of pyramid examinations - Mark Lehner, who ascribed that ruines to king Merikare (WAD-swt-mry-kA-ra) from dynasty X. In Lepsius catalog  the pyramid is marked with No. 29.

49

Menkauhor's (?) Pyramid
Dahshur
nTri-swt-ikAw (?)
 

50

Djedkare's Pyramid
South Saqqara
nfr-Dd-kA-ra , nfr-issi

Funerary complex of the pharaoh Djedkare Isesi was erected in South Saqqara by Senedjemib, the overseer of works. In northern side of the pyramid there is entrance with chapel, where a descending passage equipped with a special chamber and a device with falling down stones  leads to antechamber and burial chamber with two-side slopped roof made of limestone blocks and at east side connected to niche-like antechamber. Botch chambers and basalt sarcophagus had been largely destroyed, however reminders of the king’s mummy were found. East of the pyramid there is a mortuary temple, once finely decorated, to north and south part of which are associated four courtyards. East-north is located funerary complex, rather incorrectly ascribed to one of queens.   More...>>>

51

Cult Pyramid by Djedkare's Pyramid
South Saqqara

The cult pyramid in front of the southeast corner of the king's pyramid did not surpass the standards of the time. It had a three-stepped core, and the single subterranean chamber, which was oriented east-west and lay just under ground level, was reached by a descending corridor that began in the middle of the pyramid's north wall. It was surrounded by a small perimeter wall.

52

The pyramid of "Unknown Queen"
South Saqqara

This pyramid complex lies at the northeast corner of the wall surrounding Djedkare's pyramid. It has neither a valley temple nor a causeway and consists only of a pyramid, a mortuary temple, and its own perimeter wall. Because of its location and especially its structural incorporation into Djedkare's complex, it is highly likely that it belonged to the royal consort. However, her name was not found on the fragments of reliefs discovered at this pyramid. Queen Meresankh IV, the mother of prince Reemka, has a tomb in Saqqara (D5), north of the Step Pyramid... Did this pyramid belong to another of Djedkare's consorts? The pyramid originally had a three-stepped core. In its ruins, there now yawns a crater, into which deeper trench leads from the north.

<-- ground plan (after Jánosi)

53

Cult Pyramid by Pyramid of "Unknown Queen"
South Saqqara
 

54

Unas's Pyramid
Saqqara
nfr-swt-wnis , st-swt-wnis

Pyramid Perfect are places of Unas is the smallest one of those built in times of Old Kingdom. Its eastern part is located over tomb of Hotepsekhemwi.  The core consisted of six layers, built of rough blocks of local limestone that became gradually smaller as they neared the top of the pyramid. The casing was made, as usual, of carefully dressed blocks of fine white limestone. From the middle of northern wall descends 14,4 m long causeway leading to connecting chamber, next running 14,1 m  horizontally (with three traps) and finally ending in antechamber (3,8 m x 3,1 m). From the last, in eastern direction one can get to magazine while in western direction – to funerary chamber (3,1 m x 7,3 m) with basalt sarcophagus and alabaster casing. Its two-side sloped roof is decorated with stars. Pyramid of Unis was the first pyramid possessing walls covered with Pyramids Texts, the oldest sacred book in the history.   More...>>>

55

Cult Pyramid by Pyramid of Unas
Saqqara
 

Small cult pyramid stood at the southeast corner of the Unas's pyramid.

56

Teti's Pyramid
Saqqara
Dd-swt-tti

The pyramid's core had five levels, and the underground part looked very much like those of Djedkare's and Unas's pyramids. The entrance into the subterranean part of the pyramid was under the north chapel, in the pavement of the courtyard at the foot of the pyramid's north wall. Both ends of the corridor were sheated with pink granite plugging blocks in the middle of the horizontal part. The antechamber and the burial chamber adjoining it on the west also had gabled ceilings made of three layers of huge limestone blocks. On the west wall of the burial chamber stood the sarcophagus, which was long ago plundered. The walls of the antechamber and burial chamber are ornamented with pyramid texts, and the ceiling once again imitates a starry sky, though here the stars are all oriented toward to east. The serdab which is located east of antechamber, as it is in Unas's pyramid, has three deep niches and is undecorated. The open courtyard around the pyramid is surrounded by a limestone perimeter wall. In the northwest part of the courtyard, were discovered a square shaft about 40 meters deep. A peculiarity of Teti's mortuary temple connected with the causeway's bend to the southeast is a small courtyard along the south part of the east facade. The open courtyard was surrounded by eighteen pink granite pillars;  all but the corner pillars were square. On the courtyard side, they bore the king's name and titles in deep relief. More ...>>>

57

Cult Pyramid by Pyramid of Teti
Saqqara

The cult pyramid, enclosed by its own perimeter wall, stands near the southeast corner of the pyramid, as was usual at this time. In the pavement of the surrounding courtyard, there were quartzite basins for libations. The valley temple has not yet been excavated. More ...>>>

58

Khuit's Pyramid
Saqqara
 

The pyramid substructure consists of a burial chamber situated on the vertical axis of the monument. East of the burial chamber is a storage room. The substructure was entered through a descending corridor beggining in the floor of the courtyard, in front of the middle of the north side of the pyramid. The mortuary temple is in front of the pyramid's east wall.

59

Iput I's Pyramid
Saqqara

The pyramid had a three-stepped core.  In front of its north side stood a small north chapell; however it was not located , as was usual, over the entrance to the underground chambers. Instead of a corridor descending into the underground part of the pyramid, as was customary, a vertical shaft began at the level of the second layer of the core. From this archeologists conclude that the tomb was probably originally conceived as a mastaba and was transformed into a pyramid only after Pepi I became king. In the burial chamber were found a limestone sarcophagus, fragments of a cedar coffin, and the remains of the bones of a middleaged woman. The mortuary temple on the east side of the pyramid has a somewhat atypical ground plan.

60

Pepi I's Pyramid
Saqqara
mn-nfr-ppi , mn-nfr-mry-ra

The pyramid survived to our times badly damaged due to stone robbery. Of funerary equipment only coffin and case for canopies with three jars were found. Also  left sandal of reddish wood, a piece of linen and a small  flint knife. Pyramid Texts at those times were already well fixed as tomb decoration, not only on the walls of the burial chamber and antechamber, but even in the access corridor. The six-stepped pyramid core was constructed by using small pieces of limestone bound with clay mortar. The casing of fine white limestone is intact only at the lowest levels. Next to the pyramid's north wall, over the entrance to the corridor leading to the burial chamber, stood a north chapel, though nothing of it remains.. The limestone corridor had descending and a horizontal part. The pink granite was used to reinforce the corridor at three places and to make the barrier of three porticullis slabs located approximately  in the middle of the horizontal part of the corridor. The antechamber was located on the pyramid's vertical axis. East of it was the serdab with three niches, and west of it the burial chamber. The antechamber and burial chamber had gabled ceilings made of enormous limestone monoliths. The ceiling consists of three layers of blocks. The sarcophagus stood on the west wall of the burial chamber. Name of the pyramid Mennefer-Pepi became later name of a city built around the temple of Ptah and transferred into Greek form: Memphis.   More...>>>

61

Cult Pyramid of Pepi I
Saqqara
 

62

Queen Nebwenet's Pyramid
Saqqara

Nebwenet's pcomplex, which included a pyramid and a small mortuary temple, is now largely destroyed. The pyramid was built of limestone. The entrance to the corridor leading into the burial chamber was in the pavement of the courtyard in front of the north side of the pyramid, under the north chapel. The chapel was built od mudbricks, and in its ruins a fragments of a limestone altar was found. The corridor had a descending and a horizontal part. In front of the entrance to the burial chamber there was a simple barrier of pink granite. The burial chamber was oriented east-west, and it had a flat ceiling. Only fragments of the pink granite sarcophagus have been found. In the serdab, the small room east of the burial chamber, archeologists discovered wooden fragments of the burial equipment.

63

Queen Inenek-Inti's Pyramid
Saqqara

The complex of queen Inenek-Inti lies on the west from pyramid of queen Nebwenet. It has its perimeter wall. Inside the pyramid's substructure, only the location of the burial chamber on the pyramid's vertical axis represents a basic difference from the arragement of Nebwenet's pyramid.

64

Cult pyramid in complex of queen Inenek-Inti
Saqqara
 

65

"Southwestern Pyramid"
Saqqara

Original dimensions of this pyramid did not differ of Nebwenet's pyramid, but the its substructure differed substantially from hers. The serdab was located not east but south of the burial chamber, which lay on the pyramid's vertical axis. In it were found two rolls of linen, a gilded wooden sandal, and copper utensils. In the burial chamber were discovered fragments of a pink granite sarcophagus. The mortuary temple was built in haste.

66

Queen Meritit's Pyramid
Saqqara
 

67

Prince Hernetjerikhet Pyramid
Saqqara
 

68

Queen Ankhesenpepi II Pyramid
Saqqara
 

The tomb of Ankhesenpepi II stood south of Ankhesenpepi III's pyramid, her sister. In the burial chamber lies an enormous, carefully dressed basalt sarcophagus. But the most exciting discovery was the pyramid texts inscribed on the walls of the chamber.

69

Queen Ankhesenpepi III Pyramid
Saqqara
 

Quite recently, Ankhesenpepi III's pyramid was found near the southwest corner of the king's Pepi I pyramid. In the badly damaged burial chamber, the chest of the queen's sarcophagus cut from a huge sandstone block is embedded in the floor. The sarcophagus's lid is formed by en enermous, roughly dressed pink granite monolith.

70

Nemtiemsaf I's ( Merenre I ) Pyramid
Saqqara
xai-nfr-mry.n-ra

Pyramid complex of Nemtiemsaf in Southern Saqqara, located south-west from Pepi I complex, has not been finished and it is much damaged due to stone robbery. Localization and decoration with Texts of Pyramids is patterned on pyramid of Pepi I. On the eastern side of the pyramid there is a funerary temple and on the northern – chapel. In 1880 in the burial chamber Maspero found basalt sarcophagus with mummy of young man, whose hair was combed into a side curl such as those worn by children in ancient Egypt. E.Smith, an expert on Egyptian mummies, assigned it to the XVIIIth Dynasty. Later on, a few Egyptologists suggested that it was Merenre's mummy after all.  More...>>>

71

Pepi II's Pyramid
Saqqara
mn-anx-nfr-kA-ra , mn-anx-pipi

Funerary complex of Pepi II resembles in its construction and decorations those of Teti, Unis and Sahure. The pyramid core was built of small pieces of limestone bound with clay mortar. For the casing white limestone was used. The internal construction was accessible through entrance from northern chapel and was composed of ascending passage 16 m long, antechamber, chamber with coffin and magazine. In the vestibule, at the point of transition between the descending and horizontal parts of the corridor, many fragments of alabaster and diorite vessels were found, also golden blade of small knife. Immediately behind the vestibule was a granite barrier with three massive portcullis slabs. The serdab had no niches and consisted of a single room. Stars shone from the gabled ceiling of the antechamber and the burial chamber.  Apart from Pyramid Texts fixed there also reminders of funerary equipment: granite sarcophagus and cover of canopic case, were found. The causeway about 400 m length connecting the valley temple with the mortuary temple takes two turns and angles to the northeast.  More...>>>

72

Cult Pyramid of Pepi II
Saqqara

This small cult pyramid was at the southeast corner of the main pyramid, and in its original form did not essentially differ from earlier structures of the same kind in the complexes of the V^th and VI^th Dynasties.   More...>>>

73

Queen Neith Pyramid
Saqqara

This is the oldest of the three queen's pyramids in the complex and stood at the northwest corner of king's pyramid. It included a small cult pyramid and  a mortuary temple, both of which were surrounded by perimeter wall. Pyramid core consisted of three steps, which were built of the same materials and in the same way as the king's pyramid. The entrance opened in the pavement of the courtyard, in front of the middle of the pyramid's north wall . Behind the barrier of pink granite at the end of the descending corridor was an entrance barrier in front of the burial chamber, which was located on the pyramid vertical axis. Its flat ceiling was decorated with stars, and, and there were pyramid texts on three of its side walls. East of the chamber was a small serdab.

74

Cult Pyramid of Neith
Saqqara
 

75

Queen Iput II Pyramid
Saqqara
 

Pyramid is now completly destroyed. The sarcophagus was presumably made of pink granite. In the westernmost storeroom of temple, Jequier discovered the granite sarcophagus of queen Ankhesenpepi IV. On the sarcophagus bazalt cover was remains of sensational inscription resembles the famous Palermo Stone, contains part of the royal annals of the VIth Dynasty, with much new and interesting information.

76

Cult Pyramid of Iput II
Saqqara
 

Pyramid stood, like usually, at the southeast corner of the queen pyramid.

77

Queen Wedjebten Pyramid
Saqqara

This complex of Pepi II's third consort lies at the southeast corner of the king's pyramid. It included a small mortuary temple, and a small cult pyramid. The pyramid was discovered by Jequier in such a devastated condition that even the core structure was barely discernible. He was able to find only a small casing block on which the pyramidion rested. The walls of the burial chamber and, perhaps also of the corridor were covered with pyramid texts.Very simple decorated temple was on the west side of the pyramid.

78

Cult Pyramid of Wedjebten
Saqqara