The Funerary Temple of Khafre at Giza

Funerary Temple of Khafre at Giza

The funerary Temple of Khafre at Giza is best saved example of Old Kingdom layout. Huge stops make up the tample, about 13 metre long. Flanking the temple are boat pits, but no boats. Nearly 400 thousand causeway to the valley temple which broken in 1852. The limestone presented with Re Aswan granite.

Pyramid of Khafre at Giza

Pyramid of Khafre at Giza

Egypt is home to as many as 100 pyramids and the outstanding and famous of them all are the Pyramids of Giza. It is hard to imagine the close proximity of these historic social structures to the city of Cairo. After awakened up this morning to the constant hum of activity created by a city of or so 20 million people, we prepared ourselves for a day of cultural and historical risk. We drove 30 minutes South East and rapidly went far at the historic place that was nestled in the heavy city suburb of Giza. The size and the reach of the legendary stone mausoleums, which were constructed for the Kings and Queens of Egypt, were impressive. To me, the Nearly worrying of all the pyramids were the Pyramids of Giza, which comprise of the Great Pyramid of Cheops, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure. These ancient social organisations are the last continuing of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Inside the Pyramid of Khafre

The Pyramid of Khafre was built for King Khafre of the 4th Dynasty, who was one of the replacements of Khufu. As I glanced up from the bad of the pyramid at the top it felt as though I was looking at the jagged flowers of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Range. In this representative, however, it was men who used basic tools to build this mountain of cut gem in an otherwise bare landscape. 

Artifacts from the time of Khafre

Statue of Khafre with Horus

Statue of Khafre with Horus

This huge statue in Diorite, observed in the Valley Temple of Khefren's funerary complex at Giza, is one of the umpteen example of the high craft of the Old Kingdom. It represents Khefre, seated on an elaborate throne. There is only slight wrong to some places on the left-hand side of the statue. Eventhough the throne was made out of one bloc of great diorite, its legs are etched to resemble the manuses of lions, whose points grace the front of the seat.

The side impanels of the throne stock the sema-tawi symbol: the narrative plants of Upper and Lower Egypt are tied together in a knot around the hieroglyph corresponding the notion "unity". The sema-tawi symbol so comprises the one between Upper and Lower Egypt and would be held on thrones of kings passim the Ancient Egyptian history. Contrary to many other histrionics of thrones in Ancient Egypt, this throne appears to have a back, which, unluckily, is somewhat hurt. Seated regally on his throne, Khefren jades the nemes headdress adorned with a (weakened) ureaus. His eyes are narrow, the nose gross and the speak full. His round face gives forth power and confidence.


Other Artifacts of Khafre time:

Khafre's Sitting Statue

Alabaster Head of Granite Head

Granite Head of Granite Head

Limestone Head

King Khafre (Chephren) (2520-2494)

Statue of Khafre

King Khafre (Chephren) The fourth swayer of the Fourth Dynasty He predominated from 2520 B.C.E. until his death. Khafre was the  builder  of  the  second  pyramid  at  Giza and  was  the son of King Khufu (Cheops) (r. 2551-2528 B.C.E.) and likely  Queen  Henutsen. He  married  Queens  Khamerernebty (1) and  Merysankh (3) and  raised  Prince Menkaure (Mycerinus), Prince Nekur, Princess KhamerernebtyY (2), and others. Another son, Baefr, is leaned in some  records  as  having  delivered the goods  him  briefly,  but Menkaur is ordinarily identified as the actual heir.

When Pharaoh Radjedef, died  in  2520 B.C.E., Khafre  put  away  his  sons:  Setka,  Baka,  and Ahanet.  Khafre  did  not  full Radjedef's pyramid either,  leaving  it  incomplete  at  Abu Rowash. His  own pyramid in Giza was 702 feet square and originally 470 feet high. Sheathed in Tureh limestone, the construction was completed by morgue and valley temples. A causeway, 430 feet in length, related the complex structures and was carved out of the rock. In the inhumation chamber a red granite  Sarcophagus looked  the  mummified  remains, and  5  boat  matches  were  learned  in  the  complex,  without boats.

Cartouche of Khafre

Khafre's  accession  to  the  throne  certified  the revived dominance of the older faction of Khufus shared family.  Khafres  pyramid  at  Giza  fixed  the  plateau  as the  royal  burial ground,  and  the  Great  Sphinx, having  his facial  likeness,  supplied  Giza  with  new  insignia  of pharaonic  power.  Khafre's successor  and  replacement  was Menkaur (Mycerinus), his son by Queen Khamerernebty (1). Queen Merysankh (3) held him Prince Nebemakht, Queen Nedjhekenu endured Prince Sekhemkar, and Queen Persenti bore Nekaure, who became famous because of his will. Khafres reign crossed over a draw of a century, and he was favorite with his people.

Pyramid of Djedefre at Abu Roash

Pyramid of Djedefre at Abu Roash

Sone of Khufu lonely Giza and started to Abu Rowash, perchance due to a family falling-out. Anticipated Djedefres Starry Sky Second northwest pyramid in Egypt. Looked Into briefly by Perring and afterwards by Petrie in 1880s.  Systematically investigated in the beginning ot he 20th century. Latest by French-Swiss team in 1995. Popular target for early stone cops  at the rank of 300 camel scores a day in the end of the 19th century. May not have been full.

Nothing of valley temple, but Little some the causeway  very bad 1700 m to have reahed the pyrajmid from the valley. It ran north-south in a menstruation when they are suppoed to run east-west. Outer margin wall 2  m thick. There is a space at the nother end where a mortuary tabernacle should be. Passim the 3rd dynasty, the mortuary temple was on th enorth slope, but with the 4th dynasty, became related to the east side. Inner perimeter wall about 6 m from the north pyramid base, where a mudbrick social organisation may be the mortuary temple. A white corridor is believed to have lead from the ne entrance of the innter enclosre to the mouth of the causeway.

A depression in the east wall of the pyramid core, credibly for a void door and altar. Possibly the oldest sphinx, on with statues of three of his sones and two daugheter were discovered. Used part of a rock outcropping to start, with the rmainder of the essence made of localized limstone. Almost 15 horiztonal layers of the limestone core stay, but very microscopic pink granite casing. Very cutting slope, maybe designed as a step pyramid? Latest excavations show that the casing blocks were in all probability laid with an future sloope and the pyramid was closer to a perpendicular slope of 52. This method was besides used in the Step and Bent pyramids. 106.2 meters service line, bewteen 57-67 m tall. Much small than any at Giza.

Used an open pit method of building for alone chambgers, a throwback to smaller times. In the northwestern wall a impinge contains the stiff of a sdescending corridor. East side within the enclosure wall is a trench that might be a boat pit, although no boar was discovered. Instead, fragmentizes of 120 statues, taking three generally complete heads. It comes out that the statues were intentionally finished, possibly by Khafre, his half-brother and heir (who mau have murdered Djedefre) Newer theories have the destruction occuring in the New kingdom by copts and roman and christlike locals. No tombs have been found within the complex. A strucure near the southeastern corner may be a alternate tomb for one of his matches. others remember that this is a cult pyramid. Workshops and housing were discovered against the ne wall.

The Mortuary Complex of King Djedefre

The Near serious monument in this mountainous region, nevertheless, is the mortuary complex of Djedefre, successor of Kheops and third pharaoh of the 4th Dynasty. There has been a lot of conjecture about Djedefre's motivating to build his funerary repository at Abu Rawash and not next to his father's at Giza. A very common thought is that Djedefre took this far place to distance himself from the despotic reign of his father, whereas his brother Khefren, returned to Giza because he made the same views as Kheops. The fact that Djedefre improved his pyramid outside from his father's would thus be advisory of several dynastic fueds in the introductory of the 4th Dynasty. The fact that Mykerinos, son of Khefren, undertook some restoration work at Djedefre's funerary memorial does not gone well with the romantic theory of dynastic fueds. It must be mentioned that during the early 4th Dynasty, there comes along to have been a run towards the Northern for the royal funerary complex. King Sneferu  went from Meidum, where he at least completed or perhaps straight built a pyramid, to Dashur where he built two pyramids. His son, Kheops, moved even further North, to Giza and Djedefre fulfilled this run by building his pyramd in Abu Rawash. The motivating bottom this move North is not clear, but it is still interesting to line.

Recently, it has been suggested that Djedefre run to Abu Rawash because it was located opposite Heliopolis, the city of the solar cult. During the reign of Djedefre, the solar cult made a lot in importance, as is shown by the addition of the title Son of Re to the royal titulary. This could at least explicate Djedefre's choice of location, but it does not explain why Kheops affected to Giza. The social organisation of Djedefre's funerary monument is fairly simple, but it already has all the ingredients that are typical for the Old Kingdom. The complex has an secret enclosure wall that developed to a height of about 6 ms. The royal pyramid supported almost in the centre of the complex. The pyramids of Djedefre's predecessors Sneferu and Kheops had the burying chamber inside the pyramid above ground true. For unknown reasons, Djedefre prefered to have his sepulture chamber, developed at the bottom of a collossal pit measuring 23 by 10 metres and defeated some 20 ms into the ground. The inhumation chamber itself conscious 21 by 9 meters. This technique was besides used for the building of the inhumation chamber of Netjerikhet at Sakkara. A 49 metre long corridor slopes up to ground level, providning the entering to the pyramid. As was already traditional, this charm was settled in the North, pointing to the gross stars. There was a smaller satellite pyramid built to the Southwest of the important pyramid, whereas the mortuary temple, taking on a small boat pit, stood to the eastward. It was broken with mudbrick, evoking that work on the mortuary temple was full hastily. Djedefre's reign is likely to have been short and the king may have died by chance. Khefren, his successor, may have said to complete working on this complex as smooth as achievable so that work on his own funerary memorial could start without check.

King Djedefre (2528-2520)

Granite head of King Djedefre

King Djedefre was the third Pharaoh of the 4th Dynasty and ruled the country from 2528 BC to  2520 BC. He was the son of King Khufu from one of his microscopic wives, and killed his own brother, Prince Kewab, who was the true successor to the throne. He married Hetepheres , who was the widow woman of his murdered brother. His chief wife was Kentetenka. His pyramid was learned at Abu Rowash in Giza. Kheops was followed by Djedefre, his oldest surviving son. The mother of Djedefre is unknown. He married his (half-) sister Hetepheres II, which whitethorn have been to legitimise his needs to the

Cartouche of King Djedefre

throne if his mother was one of Kheops lesser wives. He too had another wive, Khentet-en-ka with whom he had (at least) three boys, Setka, Baka and Hernet and one daughter, Neferhetepes. The Turin King-list credits him with a prevail of 8 years, but the sharpest known year registered to during this reign was the year of the 11th oxen count. This would mean that Djedefre ruled for at least 11 years, if the cattle counts were anual, or 21 years if the cattle counts were biennal.

He was the first king to use the title "Son of Re" as part of his titular which is seen as an meter reading of the raising popularity of the cult of the solar god Re. He continued the move north by building his incomplete pyramid at Abu Rawash, some 8 km to the North of Giza. It is the northern Most part of the Memphite cemetery. Djedefre was the third king of the 4th Dynasty and governed the country from 2528 BC to  2520 BC. He was the son of Khufu from one of his Small wives, and killed his own brother, Prince Kewab, who was the rightful heir to the throne. He married Hetepheres , who was the widow of his late brother. His chief wife was Kentetenka. His pyramid was discovered at Abu Rowash in Giza. Khufu was succeeded by his latest son Djedefre. He married his half sister Hetepheres II, in all probability to get a claim to the throne since his mother was one of his father's secondary wives whose name is not known.

Beside his half sister Djedefre besides had different wives, and with one of them, Khentet-en-ka, he had leastways 3 sons, Setka, Baka and Hernet and one daughter girl, Neferhetepes. The Turin King-list credits him with a rule of 8 years which is in line with the appraisals made by the Egyptologists today.  He was the first Pharaoh to role the title "Son of Re" among his others, which is seen as an indication of the growing popularity of the cult of the solar god Re from Heliopolis. This god had passed in a king's figure already in the second dynasty (Nebre/Reneb). He moved north to build his pyramid, to Abu Rawash, some 8 km to the north of Giza, and the grounds can be that there was no particular area forgot at the site. He named it "The pyramid is a Sehedu-star". The tomb was unfinished when he died and today its groundwork is dug out to get excess for visitors.

The pyramid area was closed by a wall and at the NW corner a smaller satellite pyramid was developed, likely for the king's first queen. The work stopped when nearly 20 courses were in set, and some casing of granite is still on the spot. What sort of pyramid it was supposed to be is not clear and the constructed angle obtained by positioning case blocks i place says that it was far steeper than the pyramids at Giza. One theory is that he had a step pyramid in brain, or a mastaba. Estimations of the height so varies from 57 to 67 metres calculated by help from the base side that is identified by its length - 106 m.  A causeway taking down to the Nile, a plastic of 1.700 meters, is going in the direction northwest by the memorial due to the topography. It's still total in some sections and partly he,wn out straightaway from the rock and coming 10-12 metres above the surround. His mortuary temple lay at the south side of the pyramid and was a social system of brick possibly lonely when the king died, and not implied as a shrine from the appears of it. At the side was a pit for a funeral boat but like his father had at Giza. The wonder why he moved from Giza has been debated and one theory is that he came smaller to Heliopolis on the other side of the River Nile. A feud within the family about the successiveness has besides been put forward, but this has not been shown in any way. Looking at his face (if it's a portrait) he has alike smells as his kid brother who grown the next pharaoh.

Pharaoh Kawab

Pharaoh Kawab is the figure of an ancient Egyptian prince of the Fourth Dynasty. He was the first son of King Khufu and Queen Meritites I. Kawab served as vizier and was buried in the double mastaba G 7110 - 7120 in the east field which is part of the Giza Necropolis.

He was the original son of Pharaoh Khufu and Meritites I and half brothers of pharaohs Djedefre and Khafre. He was maybe born during the reign of his grandfather Sneferu. Kawab married his baby Hetepheres II. They had at least three sons named Duaenhor, Kaemsekhem and Mindjedef and a daughter Meresankh III.[1]

Kawab died during the dominate of his father[2] so the next ruler was Djedefre, who married his widow Hetepheres II. It practiced to be believed that Djedefre had Kawab murdered, since Djedefre was swallowed in Abu Rawash, instead of Giza, which was the custom. Djedefre's pyramid was too vandalized, but it is now thought that the tomb was vandalised much advanced, that is, through the Roman times.

Solar Boat of Khufu

The Solar Ship of Khufu

Five boats opposes are known from Khufu pyramid complex. In 1954, two of these were broken  by Kamal  El-Mallakh  to  the  south  of  the  pyramid,  oriented  east-west  and parallel  to  its  south  face.  A  full-size,  dismantled  wooden  boat  was  found  in  the southeastern pit. The boat, over 43m long and with five oars on every side, is now restored and showed in a museum in the same location. Waseda University is now taken in a project to reexamine and maintain a second boat discovered in the southwestern pit in 1987.

The other three boat pits are situated to the east of the pyramid, cut in the fundamentals of the plateau. Two lie to the north and southeastern of the mortuary temple, and the third one is paradiusallel to the causeway, several meters in front of the entrance to the mortuary temple. Some  scholars  believe  the 2 boats  on  the  south  side  of  the  pyramid  were  employed  as funerary boats. A bright stain found on the gangplank of the reassembled boat and on the leash from the pit might show that the boat was in reality used on the Nile. These marks, yet, may be the result of humidity in the boat pit, sooner than water. The five boat burials may have been strictly symbolic, associated with the crazes of the king as Horus and as the son of Re, and perhaps with the cult of Hathor, who was one of the triad of deities worshipped at Giza.

The Queens Pyramids at Giza

The Queens Pyramids next to Khufu pyramid

Just south of the Great Pyramid, Hermann Junker observed a rock-cut passage, which he meant was planned as a queens pyramid, but was broken when the three queens pyramids were built to the east. During social organisation of Khufu pyramid the domain to the south was plausibly free of structures because it was covered by the add ramp, which huge farther south to the target. Another subsidiary pyramid, with a base of 20 metre square, was found south of the pyramid, but very Microscopic stays of it. 

The Great Pyramid of Khufu

Great Pyramid of Khufu

The  Giza  complex pyramid   is  built  on  a  pointed  plateau.  The  largest  pyramid,  the Great Pyramid, is developed on the northwest inch of the plateau. Egyptologists  believe  that  it  was  established  by  Khufu  of  the  4th  dynasty  based  on  a  span  of cartouches  found  in  the  granite  relieving  chambers.  The  pyramid  is  otherwise  void  of dedications. The Great Pyramid is built from 2.3 million stone stops, mostly pressing around 2 tonnes.

Entrance of the great pyramid

It besides has granite blocks in its private chambers weighing up to 60 to 70 tonnes. The height of the Great Pyramid is 146 metres tall which is particular to the height of a 50 story constructing and was the tallest social structure ever built until the Eiffel Tower was built. 

Many  casual  observers  wear  that  the  Great  Pyramid  is  in  the  middle  of  the  three  major pyramids on the Giza Plateau but it is really the pyramid linked with Khafre that is the center  pyramid  of  the  three.  Exactly  south-west  of  the  Great  Pyramid  is  the  pyramid associated with Khafre. This pyramid is only 2 ms lower in height and still has quite a number of its special limestone casing stones left towards the top of it. 

There were nearly 120 000 encasing stones made of gleaming white tura limestone that in the beginning incase the pyramids at Giza before they were stripped wide to construct edifices in the city of Cairo. They would have been dazzling bright from many miles outside and  made  the  pyramids  shine  like  white  jewels  in  the sunshine. 

Pyramid Complex of Khufu

The complex  pyramid of Khufu has all of the elements of the traditional pyramid, though many are now long gone. Around the pyramid's walls there are 5 huge boat-shaped pits. In 1954 the pit on the south-eastern side was found to contain a completely dismantled wooden boat, the 'Solar Boat', thought to be used in the king's funerary procession. This boat has now been rebuilt and is now on display in a businesslike museum near where it was found. Although it has not yet been excavated, in 1987 the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation tried the second boat pit on the south-east, using a special probe. This was also found to arrest a boat similar to the first. The mortuary temple on the oriental side of the pyramid today comprises only of the clay of a large perpendicular courtyard covered with basalt paving material, which must have been over 50m wide. It was destroyed in antiquity and its plan is now tough to reconstruct, but of the few fragments of reliefs got there, motives include the sed-festival and the festival of the white Hippopotamus Amphibius. Khufu's causeway has now Almost disappeared and has only been partly tested. Its original length has been guessed at around 810m, abruptly changing direction before it gave the valley temple. The destroys of the valley temple, which was mostly burned in antiquity, are now engrossed by the modern village of Nazlet es-Simman to the north-east. Recent diggings by the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation in 1990 have revealed the remains of a dark green basalt pavage and the continuance of the causeway at the base of the escarpment. At the edge of the pavement a mudbrick wall meant to be 8m thick, proposes that a pyramid-town may have existed near the valley temple.

Better continued are Khufu's 3 small queens' pyramids on the eastern side of the Great Pyramid and across the road running or so the monument. The first pyramid to the north (G1-a), goes to Khufu's mother Hetepheres which was turned up by American Egyptologist George A Reisner in 1925. Hetepheres was the wife of Sneferu and probably the mother of Khufu. Reisner's team found Hetpheres's pretty funerary furniture and other inhumation equipment in a shaft tomb (G7000x) to the north of the queen's pyramid. Her empty coffin, gold jewellery and covered canopic chest was observed with broken wooden furniture now rebuilt and on show in Cairo Museum. The queen's remains were missing, however, and this has puzzled Egyptologists and has led to many hypotheses about the location of her latest sepulture. The second queen's pyramid (G1-b) plausibly belongs to to Meretites who lived during the dominates of Sneferu, Khufu and Khafre reported to an inscription in the nearby mastaba of Kawab, Khufu's son. The third small pyramid (G1-c) may have belonged to Henutsen, daughter of Sneferu and Khufu's half-sister. Her name is known only from an dedication in the pyramid's chapel which was converted to a Temple of Isis during Dynasties XXI to XXVI. The goddess Isis (or Isi) was wanted as 'Lady of the Pyramids' at Giza until Roman times. The pyramids of Khufu's queens gave for the first time ever in 1998 after the restoration of the exterior masonry and the removal of black situations and salt stains from the chamber walls, by the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation. Wooden staircases, new lighting and respiration were installed. Recent archeological sites at the south-east corner of Khufu's pyramid have revealed a destroyed satellite pyramid with T-shaped inner chambers and a descending corridor ending in a rectangular vaulted burial chamber. A larger limestone block with three sloping sides was found on the satellite pyramid's south side which proved to be the base of its pyramidion. Other stones of the pyramidion were found a year later on the north side of the pyramid. Not a single image of King Khufu has been observed in the total of his pyramid complex. The only known figure of the builder of one of the world's greatest monuments is a small ivory statuette only 7.6 cm high, which was got at Abydos. The statuette of the king on his throne has the Horus make of Khufu, Hor-Mejedu.

Granite Head of Khufu

Granite Head of Khufu

This Granite Head of Khufu about 54.3 cm high has been tentatively attributable to Kheops by some Egyptologists. There is, yet, no dedication that can confirm this identification, and the fact that its provenance is unknown does not help in identifying this statue. Based on stylistic criteria, it can be dated to somewhere around the end of the 3rd and the start of the 4th Dynasty. It has sometimes been credited to Huni, the last king of the third Dynasty.

The close eyes, broad nose and big mouth, still, are idea to resemble the facial has of the only experienced statue of Keops that bears his titular.

The Ivory Statue of Khufu

The Ivory Statue of Khufu

The Ivory Statue of Khufu discovered in 1903 by W.F. Petrie in Abydos is the just known statue that bears the titulary of Kheops. The cartouche on the left-hand side of the throne, next to the king's leg, has been notorious and is not readable. The Horus-name on the right-hand side, however, can clearly be discovered as Kheops'. Despite the fact that it is only 7.5 centimetres high, the king's face has been shown with great particular. Long, narrow eyes, a broad scent and mouth and a firm chin hold it a fair and recognisable expression.

The king wears the Red Crown, associated with Lower Egypt. In his right hand, he is holding a flail, symbol of his royal power, while his forgot hand is resting on his left knee. This small statue is currently on show in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

King Khufu (Cheops) (2551-2528)

Cartouche of Khufu

King Khufu ruled from 2551 B.C.E. until his death. He was the builder of the great pyramid at Giza. His name is a short  version  of  Khnum-khuefui, Khnum  Protects  Me. The Greeks listed him as Cheops. The son of Snefru and Queen  Hetepheres (1), Khufu  ruled  a  tied  country and  used  vulnerable  relatives  as  administrators.  His  Essential Wife was Meritites (1), who established birth to Prince Kewab and  probably  Hetepheres (2). Another  wife,  Queen Henutsen, put up  Prince  Khufukhaf  and  likely  Khafre (Chephren). There was another undiscovered queen, possibly Neferkau, who established birth to Radjedef.

Khufus  offspring  took  as  well  Djedefhor, Khumbaef, Merysankh (2), Minkhaf, Nefermaat, Khamerernebti (1), Djedef Aha,  and  others.  The  gentle  family was actually shared into two political and clan groups, with rivalries and disputes that subject the dynasty after Khufus demise. The reputation of Khufu was not good, as a effect. Greek historians claimed they were informed of  the  points  by  Egyptian  records  and  wrote  ill  of  him. The  raising  of  the  Great  Pyramid,  which  used  corvee labor, not slaves, was an almost overwhelming task. The Greeks linked that Khufus daughter had to sell herself in order to raise the essential money to total the project. The accusation is void, as Egypt did not have a currency until centuries later.

Khufu  also  covered  in  magic, reported  to  the  legends,  using  a  magician  from  Meidum,  Djedi, who  navigated on the Nile in a barge full of women coated only in fishnets. The  Tale of Khufu and the Magicians, a  Middle  Kingdom (2040-1640 B.C.E.) papyrus, relates this fantastic tale. The  real  Khufu  was  vigorous  and  active.  He  used  the diorite targets near Abu Simbel, advertised campaigns in the Sinai, and originated building projects around Memphis. His name was found on stamps of jars and vases in Beit Khallaf, north of Abydos, and the Westcar Papyrus details his reign.  Only  a  small  figurine  was  discovered  as  his  portrait, nowadays in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

His Great Pyramid in Giza was earlier 753 square feet,  rising  478  feet,  and  it  is  the  only  subsister  of  the Seven Wonders of the World. It took two decades of continuous labor, using corve levies of workers in the land. Five boat scores were taken in the complex on the south and  east.  The  mortuary  cult  of  Khufu  was  modern  in Egypt,  still  observed  in  the  country  during  the  Twenty-sixth Dynasty (6645-25 B.C.E.) and straight into the Roman
Period in some fields.

The Red Pyramid of Sneferu

Red Pyramid of Sneferu

Red Pyramid of Sneferu is the second biggest pyramid  722 feet per side  in Egypt. However, it is leaning much less (43 degrees 22 ) and shorter at 343 feet. Fourth tightest pyramid built, with 160 layers of stone. First prosperous true pyramid (not established around steps, etc) in Egypt and is the root of the Giza pyramids.

Built by Khufus father, Sneferu, who built three pyramids (at least). Also referred to as the Shining Pyramid or Northwest Pyramid. Layers of white limestone were laid for the foot, and tura limestone was used as casing. Nearly of the casing stones had letterings on the back in red paint appointment crews and cartouches. There are no identifying in scrfiptions in side the pyramid. Some of the stones are dated  giving us an idea of how long it read to build the pyramid and the episode of work. Around 30 pct of the pyramid had been completed and the entire pyramid was bright in 17 years. A mortuary temple remains to the east, and a pyramid was got and reconstructed. Not much continues of the temple, but it showed in the east-west preference of later temples. Entrance in the north side, leads to a 206 foot down passage (27 degrees) to the first chamber with a corbelled ceiling about 40 tall. All chambers have a corbelled ceiling, with between 11 and 14 layers in each. This is a very strong ceiling design. A transition on the south side results to the second chamber (whatever of the ehse are at ground level) and a third chamber (entered by a staircase) is last up in the pyarmid.

Inside the red pyramid of Sneferu

The second chamber is durectly under the peak of the pyarmid  one of the alone pyramids to have this layout. The entry to the third chamber is about 25 feet above with a modern staircase, leading to a 23 foot passage. This is probably the inhumation chamber with a 50 ceiling. The floor has been unearthed in an seek to find other passages. The severe structural probles seen while building the Bent Pyramid at Dashur South, led Sneferu to build yet other pyramid, at a small length to the North. White from its limestone casing, this new pyramid is has a redish colour, therefore its modern-day name, the Red Pyramid. Its Ancient Egyptian name was  xa, The Shining One. An lettering learned at the base of this pyramid has indicated that work had started during the year of the 15th cattle count of Sneferu's reign. Since the cattle counts were held at strong intervals during this reign, this refers to somewhere between Sneferu's 15th and 30th year. Interestingly, a second dedication was found 30 runs of stones higher. it is dated 2 to 4 years later than the lettering found at the base. This gives an idea about the speed at which the Egyptians were able to build a memorial like this pyramid.

The work on this pyramid plausibly started when functional problems found when ramping up the Bent Pyramid affected the builders to temporarily break this project. The Red Pyramid was built with a slope of only 4322'. Its base length is 220 metres, that is 32 metres more than the Bent Pyramid. Its height is the very as the Bent Pyramid in its final state: 105 metres. The broader base and lower slope were meant to better spread the mass of this pyramid and therefore avoid the structural jobs that had temporarily blocked works on the Bent Pyramid. The national structure of this pyramid is a further continuation of the pyramid at Meidum and the Bent Pyramid. Contrary to this latter monument, however, there is only one internal structure, making it a lot more smooth. The entering is located high up in the Northern face of the pyramid. A descending passage leads down for 62.63 ms to a short level corridor. This is followed by two about identical antechambers with corbelled roofs. Both antechambers measure 3.65 by 8.36 meters and are 12.31 metres high. The burying chamber can only be reached via a short passage which opens high up in the wall of the second lobby. The burial chamber measures 4.18 by 8.55 ms. Its corbelled roof goes up to a peak of 14.67 meters. It is located well above groundlevel, in the effect of the pyramid.

The Bent Pyramid of Sneferu

Bent Pyramid of Sneferu

The following pyramid usually associated with Sneferu is the Bent Pyramid. Some it and the Red Pyramid are placed at Dashur between Saqqara and the Meidum Pyramid. Whatever pyramids are near two thirds the height of the Great Pyramid. The Bent Pyramid is 101 ms high while the  Red  Pyramid  is  104  metres  high  which  is  about  the  height  of  a  30  story  building.

The  lower  part  of  the  pyramid  rises  from  the  desert  at  a  54-degree  lean,  but  the  top segment is built at the shallower angle of 43 points, lending the pyramid its very plain "bent" visual aspect. Archaeologists  now  believe  that  the  Bent Pyramid  being  a  transitional  form between  step-sided  and  smooth-sided pyramids. It has been indicated that due to the  steepness  of  the  particular  angle  of leaning  the  construction  may  have  got to  show  signs  of  instability  during construction, forcing the builders to adopt a  shallower  angle  to  avert  the  social system's collapse.  This  theory  comes out  to  be  borne out  by  the  fact  that  the  adjacent  Red Pyramid,  built  immediately  afterwards  by the  same  Pharaoh,  was  constructed  at  an angle of 43 degrees from its base. 

View in the lower main chamber of bent pyramid

This fact also belies the theory that at the original angle the construction would take too long because  Sneferu's  dying  was  nearing,  so  the  builders  transferred  the  angle  to  complete  the expression in time. In 1974 Kurt Mendelssohn indicated the change of the angle to have been made  as  a  protection  precaution  in  reaction  to  a  bad  collapse  of  the Meidum Pyramid while it was still under construction.

It is also unique amongst the or so ninety pyramids to be found in Egypt, in that its original processed limestone outer in case remains for the Nearly part intact. British functional engineer Peter James  attributes  this  to  larger  clearances  between  the  parts  of  the  casing  than  used  in  later pyramids;  these  imperfections  would  work  as  expansion  joints  and  preclude  the  successive wipe-out of the outer in case by thermal expansion.

The Meidum Pyramid of Sneferu

The Meidum Pyramid of Sneferu

The Meidum Pyramid of Sneferu locate near the Faiyum area processed as a royal necropolis for the 3rd and 4th  Dynasties. A step pyramid at Meidum was likely started by Huni (r. 2599-2575  B.C.E.)  and  completed  by  Sneferu  (r. 2575-2551  B.C.E.). This  pyramid  was  erected  on  an earthen  platform  and  was  composed  originally  of  eight layers. The construction collapsed some time later, possibly as  late  as  the  New  Kingdom  (1550-1070  B.C.E.).  The external casing, however, was hurt and collapsed during  construction.  The  mummies  of  different  individuals were discovered in the leaving debris. Interior passages and  chambers  led  to  a  vertical  shaft  and  a  burying  room, which  was  lined  with  limestone.  The  remains  of  a wooden coffin were discovered in this corbeled chamber, and a mortuary temple was also found on the east side of the pyramid, checking two rounded stelae. A causeway besides led to a valley temple.

A serial of Fourth Dynasty (2575-2465 B.C.E.) Mastaba tombs surroundings the pyramid, some  bearing spectacular reliefs and statuary. The famous Meidum geese paintings  were  part  of  the  reliefs  in  the  grave  of  Nefermaat and  his  wife  Atet.  Near,  the  mastaba  of  Prince Rahotep and his wife Nofret disciplined a unique portrait title statue group. The pictures and statues are in the  Egyptian  Museum  in  Cairo.  A  Fifth  Dynasty (2465-2323 B.C.E.) mummy was also observed in Meidum.

King Sneferu (2575-2551)

Statue of Sneferu

King Sneferu was the first Pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty (about 2600-2450). Identified as the first king for whom a true pyramid was manufactured as burial place. The cult of king Sneferu flourished in the Middle Kingdom, and in that period some people were identified after the king: the Middle Egyptian literary writing known as the Prophecy of Neferty is set in his reign. The first king of the 4th Dynasty was an active martial leader. His campaigns against the Nubians and the Libyans are shown on the Palermo Stone. He began trade with the Mediterranean nations and pioneered a series of construction projects throughout Egypt. To supply Egypt with timber, he sent a fleet of 40 ships to Lebanon. While there, he erected repositories to commemorate the effect. He built his mortuary complex at Dashur, accepting the Maidum Pyramid, the Bent Pyramid, and the Red Pyramid. The bent pyramid is opinion to be an architectural link between the Step Pyramid and the true pyramids. Sneferu was deify by the kings of the 12th Dynasty. Many of the rulers of that time made their own mortuary complexes beside his. 

Sneferu, the first pharaoh of the 4th Dynasty, likely was the son of his precursor Huni and Meresankh I, one of Hunis secondary married women. His marriage to his half-sister, Hetepheres I, comes out to have legitimised his exact to the throne. Although the kings of the 4th Dynasty are thus descendents of the kings of the 3rd Dynasty, Manetho justifies his placing them in a separate dynasty because Sneferu come from a different line in the royal family. Next to Hetepheres, Sneferu was tied to at least two other but unknown queens, with whom he had different children. A first queen bore him 4 youngsters: one whose discover isanonymous, Nefermaat, Rahotep and Ranofer. Hetepheres only seems to have born him one child, Kheops. With his third wife, Sneferu may have had one or two children: Kanefer and perhaps Ankh-haf. Nefermaat and Rahotep were forgot at the cemetery of Meidum, near the pyramid often incorrectly credited Huni. This looks to suggest that they were an older genesis of Sneferu's young, from before he moved to the newer inhumation grounds of Dashur, some 45 kilometers to the North. According to Manetho, the first king of the 4th Dynasty ruled for 29 years, but Turin King-list column 3, line 9 only notes 24 years. The Palermo Stone mentions a 6th to 8th cattle count, but is unfortunately half at this point. It does point, however, that the cattle counts during Sneferu's rule were not always held at 2-year intervals, making it difficult to cans how long this king very ruled.

According to the said Palermo Stone, Sneferu closed an expedition to Lebanon to hold the high quality true cedar wood needed for the constructing of ships, holy barks and doors of palaces. He besides ordered one or more military expeditions into Nubia, bringing back a large quantity of people and cattle and is believed to be the founder of the fortress Buhen, near the 2nd cataract in Nubia. Although his bearing in the Sinai is no more different as that of his predecessors, he would later be precious as a god in this region. His private policy seems to have been aimed at maintaining royalty and the grand family. Most, but not all, of the high-placed officials and nobles at his court were members of his family. He was also responsible for rearranging the land ownership among his nobles, probably to forbid them from proper too powerful but also to stimulate the cultivation of marshes. It is generally believed that Sneferu was true for the completion of his precursors pyramid at Meidum, although there is no evidence of Huni's engagement in the building of that pyramid. It is therefor possible that Sneferu constructed the pyramid at Meidum, as well two pyramids at Dashur. It is unknown why Sneferu moved the location of the inhumation reasons to Dashur and not back to the more traditional Sakkara. The angle of the sides of the south pyramid at Dashur, believed by some to be the oldest of the two, was changed from 5431 to 4321 somewhere halfway the establishing, leading in the special shape of this so-called "Bent Pyramid". It has been argued that the angle was decreased in order to decrease the mass of the pyramid, fearing it would crumble otherwise, or in order to decrease the workload. The northern pyramid is the first "true" pyramid, with angles of 4336. It is called the "Red Pyramid" because of the colour its stones shine at sunset. The fact that it has nearly the same angle as the top of the Bent Pyramid, has constant the belief that the Bent Pyramid was the latest of the two.

Sneferu besides became somewhat of a popular form after his death. His monuments are observed in the Middle Kingdom story of Sinuhe and he himself is identified as a wise and kind ruler in the story on the Westcar Papyrus. The first king of the 4th Dynasty was an open military leader. His campaigns against the Nubians and the Libyans are qualified on the Palermo Stone. He began trade with the Mediterranean nations and initiated a series of building projects throughout Egypt. To supply Egypt with timber, he sent a fleet of forty ships to Lebanon. While there, he put up monuments to commemorate the event. He developed his mortuary complex at Dashur, taking on the Maidum Pyramid, the Bent Pyramid, and the Red Pyramid. The bent pyramid is thought to be an architectural link between the Step Pyramid and the true pyramids. Sneferu was deify by the kings of the 12th Dynasty. Many of the swayer of that time improved their hold mortuary complexes beside his. Sneferu was the break of the 4th dynasty and Nearly likely the son of his herald king Huni and one of his secondary wives - Meresankh I. By marrying one of his half-sister Hetepheres I, Sneferu became the pharaoh over the two countries. His queen appears to have given him but one lasting child - Khufu, but with two secondary checks he had: Nefermaat, Rahotep, Ranofer, Kanofer and Ankh-haf plus one whose name is stranger. The first two were swallowed at Meidum.

His internal policy seems to have been focused on keeping centralised power and keep it to spread among high-placed officials and noblesses. He therefore rearranged the land- ownership nation wide, belike to prevent these families from becoming too powerful. Sneferu completed the big pyramid at Meidum, a monument presumed to have been built by his father Huni. Then he for some strange reason, moved the position of the royal inhumation grounds from the remote southern Meidum to Dashur a trip of 90 km to the north just 10 km south of the old royal burying ground of the capital at Sakkara. At his new founded cemetery he erected two great pyramids.