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.