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| The Pyramid of Khentkaus II |
The area of the pyramid of Khentkaus II, immediately south of the pyramid complex of Neferirkare was first explored at the first of the 20th century by Ludwig Borchardt, who likewise found continues of the complex, which he incorrectly identified as a double mastaba after implementing some soundings.
Excited by the breakthrough of a papyrus fragment from the 5th dynasty, the Czech archaeologist Miroslav Verner enquired the previously undiscovered area during the diggings which he attempted in Abousir with his team from 1975 to 1980. In the shape he saw that it was not a mastaba at whole, but a small pyramid complex.
Through his diggings, Verner was able to clearly assign the social system to a queen named Khentkaus. It was not initially clear whether this was the same several as Khentkaus I of the 4th dynasty whose grave (de) is at Giza. Both Khentkaus I and Khentkaus II had an special title which indicated that they had ruled Egypt in person. From the archaeological setting, however, it was viable to date the pyramid at Abousir to he 5th dynasty and to place the proprietor of the pyramid with the wife of Neferirkare: Khentkaus II.
Building of the pyramid of Khentkaus II started in the reign of her husband Neferirkare and appears to have been primitively planned as a clean queen's pyramid within the pyramid complex of Neferirkare. Letterings from this phase of the expression give the name of Khentkaus with the title "Royal Wife." Between the tenth and 11th regnal year of the king there was a transfer in the establishing work, which had passed the peak of the grave chamber roof by this point. The cause for the change was probably the death of the king.
Although the continuance of construction during the subsequent short dominate of Neferefre cannot be eliminated, there is very little show for it.
Only under Nyuserre Ini does work seem to have summed on the complex. On dedications from this time, Khentkaus' title is "Queen mother." In this eriod, the pyramid was good, a temple was raised in two phases and the rest of the complex was developed.
There is also an dedication from this time, which gives her title as Mw.t-nsw-bj.tj-nsw-bj.tj, which might be read as "Mother of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt and King of Upper and Lower Egypt" or as "Mother of two kings of Upper and Lower Egypt." The first rendering would indicate that Khentkaus II had ruled as monarch in her own right for leastwise a short time - a possibleness which is likewise supported by the depicting of her with the symbolisation of the king.
The pyramid had a base which careful 25 metres by 25 metres and, if its side was the 52 angle which was usual for pyramids in the 5th dynasty, then it would have been about 17 ms tall. The core of the pyramid was formed by three levels of small limestone blocks, which were held in concert by clay morter. This substantial was the left over remains of the material abused to build Neferirkare's pyramid. The core looks to have been covered with a fine Tura limestone cladding. The top of the pyramid was formed by a grey-black granite pyramidion, fragments of which were found in the ruins.
In the first phase of expression, under Neferirkare, the core structure of the pyramid was established, but the cladding and the mortuary temple were not brought. The archaeological evidence evokes that the cladding was first supplied at the same time as the limestone mortuary temple was built, under Niuserre.
The pyramid structure has been heavily broken by spoliation, such that the destroys are now only 4 metres higher. The weak masonry work and light quality material helped both destruction by quarrying and wearing.
The foundation of the pyramid is a flat, open tomb which is very clearly kept. From the north, a corridor falls for about half its length, then covers on the horizontal and turns slightly to the east. Short before the burial chamber there is a granite fall-trap. The grave chamber itself was pointed in an east-west direction. The making material for the passageway and the chamber was small blocks of clean limestone. The ceiling of the grave chamber was flat and made from massive limestone blocks.
The chamber itself is hard damaged, but fragments of a pink granite sarcophagus have been saw. Some of the ski bindings from the mummy and fragments of alabaster great goods were also saw. These stays indicate that the pyramid was so used as the queen's final breathing place.
The pyramid of Khenkaus II had its own individual pyramid complex and was not start of the pyramid complex of Khentkaus' husband Neferirkare. The complex contains all significant elements necessary for the maintenance of a ruler fad. Thus far, a causeway and a valley temple have not been described.
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