FIRST INTERMEDIATE PERIOD

7th and 8th Dynasties

Ibi I

Monuments

Pyramid
The badly ruined pyramid of the 8th Dynasty king Ibi is the last pyramid and royal
funerary monument to have been built at Saqqara. It was constructed on a low knoll
near the causeway of the pyramid of Pepi II in Saqqara-South. Its dimensions are
similar to those of the pyramids of Pepi II's queen's: a base length of 31.5 metres and
an estimated height of 21 metres.
The core of the pyramid was made of small stones. Only piles of mud and limestone
chips remain and it would seem that the builders never got around to set the casing for
this monument. Its internal structure is an extremely simplified version of the standard
Old Kingdom royal pyramids: it has a descending passage and a burial chamber. A
huge granite block in the west of the burial chamber held the sarcophagus. The burial
chamber was inscribed with Pyramid Texts.
To the east of the pyramid, a small mudbrick chapel was built. Contrary to the
mortuary temples of the Old Kingdom pyramid complexes, Ibi's chapel was not
entered from the east but from the north. The ground-plan of this chapel is also
completely different from the monumental mortuary temples. From the entrance, a
kind of antechamber gave indirect access to an offering hall, that may have contained
a stela or a false door. Most of the other rooms appear to have been magazines.
The end of the Old Kingdom after the reign of Pepy II, seems to have happened
suddenly, though Egyptologists are still puzzled by the reason for this. Pepy's son
Nemtyemsaf II had a brief reign, which was followed by a series of rulers whose
precise order is still unclear. A legendary queen named Nitocris, the second female
pharaoh of Egypt, is mentioned by Herodotus as being the last ruler of Dynasty VI,
though there is no real evidence of her reign.
The only ruler we know from Dynasty VIII who attempted to build a pyramid was a
king named Ibi (Hakare), whose reign lasted only about two years. The remains of his
monument lie near to the causeway of Pepy II's complex at South Saqqara. Today the
pyramid stands only 3m above the desert after being robbed for stone in antiquity.
When it was constructed the dimensions and plan were similar to those of Pepy's
queens' pyramids.
The pyramid's core was constructed of small limestone blocks in the form of a girdle
around the inner chambers. Among the debris of limestone chips and clay, Jequier
discovered a number of inscriptions in red paint containing the title of 'Prince of
Libya', for which Egyptologists seem to have no explanation.
The pyramid's orientation differs from earlier structures and here the subterranean
chambers are entered from the wall which faces north-west. A descending passage
leads to the burial chamber. The walls of both passage and burial chamber were
originally inscribed with Pyramid Texts - the most recent version to be found in a
royal pyramid and which have helped to identify this almost unknown pharaoh. Ibi's
sarcophagus was placed on a huge granite block against the western wall of the burial
chamber. The roof of the chamber has now been replaced with modern concrete.
On the eastern (or north-eastern) wall of the pyramid was a small simple mudbrick
mortuary chapel with an offering hall which contained a rectangular basin for
libations in the floor. Magazines and store-rooms opened off a central courtyard.
MIDDLE KINGDOM

12th Dynasty
Piccione 1991—1784

Amenemhet I (Sehetepibre)

Monuments

Tomb at Beni Hassan

Contains columns and a niche for statues (instead of a serdab), the hallmarks of a XII
dyn tomb
Proto-doric columns
checkered reed-mat cheiling pattern
Conains a text relating to the death of Senusert I
Scene with a a scribe browbeating defaulters on loans
Niche holds effigies of Amenemhet
Regaional governor and command-in-chief for Senusert I
Cooking scene on the right wall

Pyramid of Amenmeht I/Senusert I (fayoum)

Mostly inaccesable and ruined
Commemorates the founding of the XII dyn
Located on the west bank of the Nile, between Saqqara and Meidum, about 50km
south of Cairo, was the ancient residence and necropolis of the first two rulers of
Dynasty XII at Lisht. During the early Middle Kingdom the capital had temporarily
moved away from Memphis to Thebes, until the first king of Dynasty XII,
Amenemhet I founded a new residence, 'Itjawy', near the modern village of Lisht. The
town site has not yet been found, but is thought to have been close to the two
pyramids built in this area and mentioned in texts dating to the period. The pyramids
of Senwosret I and Amenemhet I can be seen from the main road when travelling
south to Cairo, though today barely distinguishable from the desert hills.
Amenemhet's pyramid from the south Northern entrance to Amenemhet's pyramid
Recent archaeological research has suggested that Amenemhet I may have begun his
royal tomb at Thebes, behind the hill of Qurna, where a platform, formerly attributed
to Mentuhotep Sankhkare was begun in the style of the earlier Temple of Mentuhotep
Nebhepetre at Deir el-Bahri. For some reason the founder of Dynasty XII moved the
centre of administration north to Lisht and built his pyramid complex nearby.
Amenemhet's pyramid is located at the northern end of the necropolis.
Maspero first entered the pyramid of Amenemhet in 1882 and the necropolis was
further explored by the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology during 1884-1885. In
the early years of the 20th century it was excavated by the American expedition of the
Metropolitan Museum of New York, who still continue to work there.
Mudbrick construction and stone casing Site of the mortuary temple on the eastern
side
Originally over 55m high the pyramid today is sadly depleted to around 20m which is
due not only to ancient robbing of its materials but also to its poor construction
method. Pyramid building had declined since the glorious monuments were built at
Giza, and although some stone (from earlier structures) was used, much of the
pyramid was constructed with unfired mudbricks. The core was of small rough blocks
of limestone and filled with debris and mudbricks - which would have been cheap and
plentiful in a region close to the Faiyum. Maspero noted on his first visit to
Amenemhet's pyramid that blocks of stone from other royal monuments had been
used and the names of Khufu, Khafre, Unas and Pepy have been found there.
The entrance to the monument is in the northern side where a gradually sloping
passage, lined with pink granite, descends from ground level to a square chamber
above the pyramid's central axis and a vertical shaft to the burial chamber. Modern
excavation of the subterranean burial chamber is hampered by the ground water which
now floods the chamber. Covering the entrance was a chapel, a false door at the rear
disguising the entrance to the sloping passage.
On the eastern side of the pyramid was a small funerary temple, which is now almost
completely destroyed. A limestone false door and a granite altar from the offering
hall, carved with Nile gods and nome deities, are the only remnants left to
archaeology. Fragments of reliefs naming both Amenemhet I and his son Senwosret I
have been found in the foundations of the funerary temple, suggesting that the
structure may have been rebuilt by Senwosret. The temple was built on a terrace
lower than the pyramid base - perhaps styled on Mentuhotep's temple at Deir el-Bahri.
Several mastaba tombs of members of the royal family and high-status officials were
found inside the inner wall of the complex, and on its western side there are 22 shaft
tombs for the royal women, wives and daughters of the king, some of whose names
have been found.
The complex was surrounded by an outer perimeter wall, and a causeway from the
funerary temple led through the enclosure wall towards the Nile, but a valley temple
has never been located.

Senusret I (Kheperkare)

Monuments

Tom b of Antefoker (Valley of the Nobles)

Governor of Thebes, 12th Dynasty fo Senusert I
Many farming scenes
Contains a statue of Anefoker's wife

Obelisk in Fayoum
Entering o leaving town by the Cairo road, this is in a traffic circle
13m high, red granite
12th dyn.

Pyramid at El-Lisht
Senwosret I (Sesostris), the son and successor to Amenemhet I, built his pyramid at
the southern end of the site at Lisht, known today as the South Lisht pyramid. It was
investigated, like the North Lisht pyramid by Maspero in 1882 when he discovered
the pyramid's owner from objects he found, bearing the king's name.
Pyramid of Senwosret I at South Lisht North-west corner of pyramid
Senwosret's monument is larger than that of his father, though built basically to the
same plan. However, Senwosret's architects invented a new technique which was used
by Senwosret II at el-Lahun and throughout the Middle Kingdom, in which a core of
limestone block walls radiated from the centre of the structure, and the spaces filled
with unfired mudbricks and debris before being covered with a Tura limestone casing.
In theory this made for a stronger structure. Some of the casing is still preserved and
one of the walls of the framework is visible, but the pyramid today is little more than
a low mound.
Pyramid entrance on the northern side Relief of Nile god on the southern side of the
pyramid
The entrance opened in a pavement at ground level on the north side of the structure,
with an entrance chapel covering it. Fragments of coloured reliefs have been found
from the chapel, as well as fragments of an altar and an alabaster false door stela.
There were also water spouts in the shape of lions' heads (similar to those found in
later temples) to drain water away from the roof. The entrance passage sloped
downwards then turned towards the south-east but like Amenemhet's burial chamber
this is now under water. Another tunnel was dug below the entrance passage to
facilitate the transporting of materials to the burial chamber, which was presumably
blocked up on completion of the pyramid. It is believed that the burial chamber was
robbed shortly after it had been sealed, though Maspero found remains of the king's
funerary goods in the robber's tunnel.
Corner of the inner enclosure wall Senwosret's causeway looking east
The complex is surrounded by a double perimeter wall, the first enclosing part of the
king's mortuary temple on the eastern side and a small satellite pyramid at the south-
east corner. The inside of the first perimeter wall was uniquely decorated with panels
of reliefs with the king's names and images of fertility gods. Senwosret's funerary
temple is almost completely destroyed, although a little better preserved than that of
his father, making it easier for archaeologists to reconstruct the plan. This conformed
to funerary temples of Dynasty VI, with remains of a courtyard and portico which had
once had 24 pillars and an offering hall flanked by store-rooms. During excavations
by Gautier in 1894 in the area of the mortuary temple, ten life-sized seated limestone
statues of Senwosret were found in a pit between two subsidiary temples (now in
Cairo Museum).
Nine more secondary pyramids for female members of the king's family were found
inside the outer mudbrick enclosure wall. Seven of the small pyramids had their own
funerary temple and enclosure wall and the last two, on the northern side shared an
enclosure. Only two of the names of royal ladies have so far been recovered, those of
Nereru (or Nofret), wife (and sister) of Senwosret and Itayket (or Itaksiet) who was
probably Senwosret's daughter.
An open causeway connected the mortuary temple to the valley temple which has not
yet been precisely located. Today the causeway's walls which were decorated with
reliefs, are still visible in places.

Amenemhet II (Nubkaure)

Monuments

White Pyramid
Calld “Amenemhet is well cared for” and is located east of the Red Pyrmid
Called ‘White Pyramid” (as opssed to his successors “Black Pyramid”, even if its not
really white.
Investigated by de Morgan in 1894-95, but he never examined the mortuary temple,
causeway, or vallye temple – he was earching for jewelry.
No casing stones have ever been found, nor is the base of the pyramid cleared for
measureing. We do not know it’s original hegith, angle, or size.
Mortuary temple almost ompletely destroyed, Probably called “Lighted is the place of
Amenemnhet’s peasures”. Ruines are to the east of the pyramid. Many building
fragments remain.
The broad and steep causeway has not been investigated at all. No valley temple has
been found.
Core built like Sensuret Is pyraid – a core with corner framework and grids. The
filling here was sand.
Last pyramid to have standard entrance in middle of north side.
Corridor and chambers have false ceiling of limestone, above which are gabled
ceilints of blocks leaning against one another.
Quartsize sarcophagus at the west wall
Surrounded by an enclosure wall, rectangular.
Behind thepyarmid to the west, inside the enclosure wall, are tombs of the royal
family. They belong to Prince Amenemhetankh and Princess Ita, Khnemet, Ititueret,
and Sithathormeret. They contained funerary equipment and jewelry.
Amenemhat II was the first king after 4th Dynasty king Snofru, many centuries
before, to return to Dashur. Amenemhat's two immediate predecessors, had prefered
burial at el-Lisht, near the Fayum oasis. Why he moved back North to Dashur is not
known.
This pyramids owes its name to the fact that its core was made of white limestone. It
has suffered a lot from stone robbers. Its Ancient Egyptian name was sxm, The
Mighty Pyramid.
Despite the fact that this is the first pyramid complex to break with a long tradition
that started with the reign of Snofru, it is very badly documented and almost no
research was done there. This leaves us with a very crude map, which is very likely
incomplete and inaccurate.
The pyramid's based very roughly measured 50 by 50 metres. The slope and original
height are not known. The building technique of this pyramid is fairly typical for the
Middle Kingdom: the core was made of white limestone, forming a skeleton of walls.
The compartments between the walls were filled with sand and the entire pyramid
was encased in white limestone.
The entrance is still located in the middle of the North face. A short corridor descends
down into the pyramid and leads to a burial chamber. It is not know if the burial
chamber is located inside the core of the pyramid, or under the ground. There are
some niches in the walls of the burial chamber, but their purpose is not known. The
sandstone sarcophagus was set into the floor against the West wall. The weight of the
pyramid's core was diverted from the burial chamber's flat ceiling by a second roof
made of huge beams that lean against one another.
Just before the entrance to the burial chamber, there is a shaft of about 2 metres which
leads to a corridor that is located just underneath the entrance corridor. There is a hole
at the end of this second corridor, which was probably intended for the canopic chest.
The enclosure wall surrounding the complex was long and rectangular, reminiscent of
the enclosure wall surrounding the complex of Netjerikhet at Saqqara.
A broad causeway connects to the East of the enclosure wall. There are two massive
constructions, resembling the pylons at some 5th Dynasty pyramid complexes at the
entrance to the complex.
To the West of the Pyramid, but still within the enclosure wall of the complex, there
are several tombs belonging to various members of the royal family. The tombs of
two daughters of Amenehat II, Khnumet and Ita, were found to contain jewellery and
some personal items of these princesses.
Amenemhet II Nubkaure was the son of Senwosret I and the third king of Dynasty
XII who chose to site his pyramid in the Old Kingdom necropolis at Dahshur, to the
north-east of Snefru's 'Bent Pyramid'. The monument which is now little more than a
scattered pile of eroded mudbricks, is curiously known as the 'White Pyramid' - its
casing of white Tura limestone was removed by robbers and revealed a core
framework of limestone, which when quarried, left piles of white chippings around
the base of the structure which perhaps gave the pyramid its name. The monument's
ancient name was 'Amenemhet Provides'.
Jacques de Morgan investigated the area in 1894-1895, but was understandably more
interested in excavating the surrounding tombs of royal ladies and high officials
which revealed treasures. Because the base of the structure has never been properly
cleared, its base length is only estimated, at around 50m and its height and angle have
never been determined. Neither has the mortuary temple, causeway and valley temple
been systematically excavated.
The pyramid's entrance was in the centre of its northern side, beneath an entrance
chapel. A straight passage descended to a short horizontal corridor before it reached
the burial chamber beneath the pyramid's vertical axis. A barrier formed by two large
granite slabs blocked the entrance. The subterranean chamber was constructed with
four niches, probably intended for statues or burial goods, and a hidden lower
chamber below the horizontal corridor. The ceilings of both the passages and burial
chamber were flat, but protected from the weight of the stone by a gabled roof above.
A quartzite sarcophagus was set into the floor against the western wall.
The funerary temple on the eastern side of the pyramid has been almost completely
destroyed although de Morgan found fragments of reliefs during his investigation and
two huge pylon-like structures at its entrance. The whole complex was surrounded by
a rectangular enclosure wall, similar to those around Dynasty III pyramids.
Behind the pyramid, on its western side and inside the enclosure wall, de Morgan
discovered the intact burials of Princesses Ita, Itweret, and Queen Khnemet, as well as
the tombs of Prince Amenemhetankh and Princess Sithathormeret. The burials of Ita
and Khnemet especially, revealed rich treasures of jewellery and burial goods which
are now on display in Cairo Museum.

Tomb of Sarenput II (Tombs of the Nobles)

Largest and best preserved, held the same office as his father for Amenemnhet II
during the apogee of the Middle Kingdom
Brightly colored
In a recess in back, Sirenput appears with his wife and son
Elephant in the corner.

Senusret II (Khakheperre)

Monuments

Pyramid at el-Lahun
0800-1600 LE8
Built 7-8 centuries after Giza, and used new techniques. Core is a rock knoll with
limestone pillars for framework of mudbrick, hen encased in stone.
Surrounded by a moat of sand and flint to prevet flooding
Casing staones were removed and the pyramid eroded
Jewerly of Princess Sat-Hathor were found here
Nearby are eight mastabas of his family to the north
east of the mastabas is the shapeless queen's pyramid
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.
South side of the Pyramid of Senwosret II North-west side of pyramid showing
construction technique
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.
Senwosret II's queen's pyramid Mastabas on the northern side of the pyramid
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.
For detailed information on the town site of Kahun see Virtual Kahun, the website of
Manchester and Petrie Museums' Kahun Project.

Senusret III (Khakaure)

Monuments

Pyramid Complex
Initially investigated in 1894-95 by deMorgan.
Located NE of the Red pyramid
Surpasses earlier 12th dynasty pyramids in size
Valley temple has never been found, but a causeway leads to the southeast.
Mortuary temple in the cente rof the east side, although too ruined to determine its
structure.Possibly it reduced to the o ffering hall to a granite false door. The wall
decorations were probaly done in high relief.
A larger, newer tample was built in the expanded enclosure wall to the south. It is also
ruined, but probabloy contained two sections (forecourt and sanctuary).
Earlier 12th dynasty pyramjids used a framework of extensions from the corners of the
core and cross slabs (forming a grid) which were filled in with rubble, sand, and
mubrick before the casing stones were added. A ditch was du aroudn thepyramid to
secure the bottom of the casing stones.. This pyramid still buries the casing, but does
not have the grid to support the casing stones, only the core
The core was built up in stepped horizontal courses. The mubrdicks vary in side,
suggesting that no mould was used. Some retain fingermarks from their maker.
Pyramid lasted into the reign of Ramesses II – from grafitti of visitors – but it wasr
uined within 200 years.
Casing was joined with dovetail cramps .
IN 1895, found a robbers tunnel entrance to the pyramid that led to the burial
chamber. Entrances were no longer placed consistently on the side, etc, eventhough
there is a north chapel. The entrance was hidden in the pavement to the west, with a
vertical shaft led to a descending corridor that heads east under the p yramid, then
turning south to an antechamber, then the burial chamber, which does not like near the
vertical axis of the pyramid. Walls are sheathed in granite and covered with a thin
layer of gypsum stucco. Elsewhere, the walls are coveredin limetone and painted with
red and black dots to resemble the red granite.
A ganite sarcophagus was found by the west wall. The wall had 15 niches (much like
Djoser’s complex)
Grave robbers left picture sof themselves, scrastches into the walls of the burial
chamber – this may be why nothing is left inside.
To the north of the pyramid are may tombs of princes, arranged in two galleries. At
least four of them may have had pyrajid superstructures. Under each gallery, a
principal shaft provded access to a vaulted corridor connecting chambers hlding
sarcophagi and canopic chests.
Much jewerly was found, belonging possibly to Sit-Hathor (sister/wife to Senusret)
and Mereret (possibly wife or daughter). Items are in the Cairo Museum.
At least on ot he burial chambers is under the corner of the pyramid, for a wife
Khnumetneferhedjetweret, wife of Senusret II and mother of Sensuret III.
All the sutrcdtures contained in a perimeter wall with a niched façade – pointing to
the revival in interest of Djoser’s complex. An innte rpermieter wall surrounded only
the pyrajid and north chapel.
Six funerary boats found in the nw corner of the complex. Each was 6m long. Two are
in the Cairo museum.
Sesostris III was the second king of the 12th Dynasty to chose Dashur as location for
his funerary monument. He built his pyramid complex at some distance to the
Northeast of Snofru's Red Pyramid.
The pyramid was built directly on the desert gravel, which did not add to the stability
of the monument. The inner core was made of mudbricks laid in stepped horizontal
courses. No mortar was used to attach the bricks to eachother. The core was encased
in limestone block joined together with dovetail-shaped cramps. The bottom course
was built on a foundation of three courses of mudbricks.
Some of the original casing blocks were found, revealing that the monument was built
with a slope of 56°18'35". The pyramid measured 105 metres at the base and rose to a
height of some 78 metres.
The entrance to the pyramid is located in front of the western face of the monument,
near the northern corner. The tradition, which dates back to the Early Dynastic Period,
of having the entrance passage point towards the northern stars was no longer
followed.
From the entrance, a passage descends under the pyramid, turning south to an
antechamber. There is a small magazine to the east of the antechamber, while the
burial chamber is located to the west.
The burial chamber was made of granite, which was plastered with gypsum. The
granite sarcophagus stood to the west, while the canopic chest was stored in a niche in
the south of the burial chamber.
The burial chamber was found as good as empty, without any trace of a burial. It is
not certain that the king was actually buried here.
The pyramid was surrounded by a a square enclusore wall which was then extended to
the south and north. To the east of the pyramid there was a small temple. The the
north, there was an entrance chapel, but as the actual entrance was not located there,
this chapel was just a remnant of an abandonned tradition.
Also to the North, there were some shaft tombs for some of the women of the roayl
family. There are four pyramids located there, but the gallery of tombs located here is
more complex. In one of the tombs, belonging to princess Sat-Hathor, a chest with the
princess's jewellery was found. More treasure was found in another tomb, belonging
to the princess Merit.
To the south of the pyramid, there were also some shaft tombs for the women of the
royal family. The tomb of Queen Weret, the mother of Sesostris III had its entrance in
the south, but the actual burial chamber was located underneath the pyramid of the
king. Some scattered bones inside the sarcophagus may perhaps have been Weret's.
Also to the south, outside the original enclosure but inside the second, stood a temple.
Only the outline of the temple has been preserved. There was a forecourt with
columns followed by a covered part with the actual sanctuary. Parts of the decoration
that were found suggest that this followed the tradition withrepresentations of the Heb
Sed.
Some boatpits were found just outside the second enclosure wall, to the South.
A causeway connected to the southeast part of the second enclosure, but it has not
been examined. It is not known if this causeway connected to a Valley Temple.
Although his father Senwosret II built a pyramid at el-Lahun, Senwosret III chose a
site to the north at Dahshur, to the north-east of Snefru's Red Pyramid, where the
necropolis borders South Saqqara. Although the ancient name of this monument is not
known, it is the largest of the Dynasty XII pyramids as would befit one of the most
important Middle Kingdom rulers.
The mudbrick stepped core of this pyramid was once covered with blocks of fine Tura
limestone, which have now almost completely disappeared so that all that remains of
the monument is a huge pile of rubble rising to around 30m from the desert surface.
Originally its height was thought to be about 61.25m and its base length is 105m. Of
the early explorers, Perring and Vyse first visited the pyramid in 1839 and it was later
excavated by Jacques de Morgan, who was the first to enter the structure in 1895 via
an ancient robbers tunnel. The pyramid's original entrance was concealed beneath the
pavement of the courtyard to the north-west of the western side and a small 'entrance'
chapel constructed on the northern side was obviously intended to deceive robbers.
A vertical shaft led eastwards from the pavement to a descending corridor before
turning south into two chambers, magazines to the east and the antechamber and the
burial chamber to the west. The plastered and whitewashed granite walls of the burial
chamber were supported by a false ceiling of granite which concealed a vaulted roof
consisting of five pairs of huge limestone beams. A false door, also of limestone, was
painted red to simulate granite. At the western end of the burial chamber a huge
empty granite sarcophagus was found, decorated with a motif of fifteen niches and
near the southern wall a niche which would have been intended to contain a canopic
chest was also empty. Some archaeologists have voiced doubts about whether the
king was ever buried in his Dahshur pyramid, suggesting that he may have been
interred instead in his complex funerary monument at Abydos. His empty and
unusually-positioned burial chamber at Dahshur lends support to this hypothesis, but
if it is true then we still do not know the reasons for Senwosret's decision.
De Morgan discovered a second shaft to the north-east of the pyramid which is
connected to a complex of four tombs for royal ladies. Above the ground the
superstructures of the tombs resembled small pyramids which covered shafts giving
access to two galleries. The gallery at the lower level had eight niches containing
mostly plundered burials of royal princesses - but in two of these, inscribed
sarcophagi were found naming princesses Menet and Seneb-senebty. The remains of
the burial of Princess Sithathor, a daughter of Senwosret II, were also found and
although her coffin lay empty, a canopic chest with four alabaster lidded jars
remained, along with a hidden chest containing the princess's jewellery and other
funerary goods. De Morgan also found another empty coffin and a collection of
jewellery belonging to Queen Meret, wife of Senwosret III. These treasures are now
on display in Cairo Museum.
On the southern side of Senwosret's monument de Morgan found three more
mastabas, which have recently been found to be small pyramids, also belonging to
royal women. While two of these were entered by de Morgan, the third entrance was
not discovered until 1994 when the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art
Expedition, directed by Dieter Arnold, was excavating the area. This shaft, known as
'Mastaba 9', leads to the burial chamber of Queen Khnemet-nefer-heget, known as
Weret, wife of Senwosret II and mother of Senwosret III. The Met Expedition found
the Queen's sarcophagus, canopic jars and another rich cache of jewellery.
The king's pyramid complex, which included the pyramids of the royal ladies, was
enclosed by a square perimeter wall decorated on the outside with niches. A small
mortuary temple, now destroyed, lay at the centre of the eastern side of the pyramid.
In a second phase of construction the perimeter wall was extended to north and south
and another larger 'southern temple' was constructed, with a courtyard and causeway.
The causeway has not yet been investigated and a valley temple has never been found,
but to the south-west of the complex a mudbrick vaulted structure was found buried
by sand. Close to this was a crypt containing the burial of six wooden funerary boats,
each 6m long.

Amenemhet III (Nimaatre)

Monuments

Pyramid at Dashur (Black Pyrmiad)

Attempt to build the first true pyramid. Failed.
Built on unstable subsoil of hard clay and being built on one of the lowest locations in
Egypt. It is only 33 feet above sea level. Additinoally, so many coridors and chambers
within cause structural problems, especialy with poor ceilings.
Ground water seeped in early on, causing cracks in the corridor and chamber walls
soon after it ws completed. The weight of the pyramid was pyshing down so hard on
the queens chamber that the walls sank up to 2 inches into the pavements in some
places.
Called the “Black Pyramid”
This took 15 years to built, but waas abandoned for a second pyramid in Hawara
Mentioned by Perring,b ut not investigated. Noticed in 1843 by Lepsius, but no
investigation. Extensive excavations were done by deMorgan. Modern escavation was
done between 1976 and 1983.
Valley temple is simple and very damaged. The side walls are thickened to resemble a
pylon. Inside ther uins was found a limestone model of the subterranean corridros and
chambers of a 13th dynasty pyramid that has not yet been found. It may be a model of
the pyramid at Hawara
A causeway led from the valley temple and mortuary temple. It was built between two
brick walls.
Mortuary temple was small, and badly damageed.
Two plastered mudbrick enclosure walls surround the pyramid, with the inner wall
diviting the open courtyard of the temple from the inner sanctuary.
Pyramid core is mudbrick, but lacked the stone and fill framework grid of earlier
pyarmids. They attempted to strengthen the pyramid by buildling the core in step
form. The outer mantle was 5m of blocks of limestone held together wit a system of
wooden dovetail joining pegs. Near the top ot the pyramid the angle decreased and the
top was a pyramidon, discovereed in the rubble in 19990, that was 1.3 meters tall.
First pyraid built to hold the remains of a king and several of his queens, so the
substructure differs markedly from earlier pyramids. Inside, the chambers are divided
into two parts – the kings, and the his consorts, connected by a corridor. The entrance
ot the kings tomb is near the se corner on the east side.
The kings section lies under the easter quadrant of the pyramid and are lined in white
limestone.
More underground chambers and passages than any other pyramid since the 3rd
dynsty.
Bones of two queens found in the queen’s part of the pyramid, and four additional
burials have been found. Some believe that two fo them may be Amenemhet IV and
Sobekhnefru.
Sealed in year 20 of Amenemhet IIs reign – no only filling the entrance stairway, but
alsothe king’s chambers and antechambers, queens burial chambers and etrnace
corridoers with limestone blocks, and the rest of the chambers with mudbrick.
Outside, two enclosure walls. Between the on thenorth are shaft tombs for the
reamining royal familyl Second tomb from the east belongs to Princess
Nubheteptikhered. First tomb on the east ususrped by King Auibre hor (13th dynasty)
The pyramid remains in a military zone and can be seen only from afar from Dashur
proper.
Possibly Joseph's Pharaoh from the old testament
Limestone casing is gone, leaving a black mud brick core
Basalt capstone (pyramidion) is in the Cairo museum
The last pyramid to be built at Dashur is dated to the reign of Amenemhat III, towards
the end of the 12th Dynasty. It was located in the South of Dashur, quite near to the
edge of the cultivated land. The choice of location was probably inspired by the
presence of a nearby lake.
The core of this pyramid was made up entirely of mudbricks. This core was encased
in limestone blocks that were joined together by dovetail shaped cramps. Most of the
encasing blocks were removed over the centuries by stone robbers, so that only a
mound of mudbrick blocks remains.
The pyramid had a base length of 105 metres and a slope that with its 57°15'50" was
slightly more steep than the pyramid of Sesostris III, which stands a bit more to the
North. It rose to an estimated height of more than 75 metres.
Unfortunately, the pyramid was built too close to the valley and to Lake Dashur and
the mudbrick core was weakened by ground water. The substructure was too complex
to support the weight of the pyramid. Wooden beams were intended to give the roofs
of chambers additional support, but ultimately, work on this pyramid was largely
abandonned.
The pyramid's substructure is one of the most complex in the history of Ancient
Egypt. Like Snofru's Bent Pyramid, which stood at some distance to the West, this
pyramid has two entrances. One entrance was in the south side of the East face of the
pyramid, the other opposite that in the West face. Both entrances start with a
descending passage, at the end of which there are some chambers. But before getting
to the first chambers, each passage has a corridor splitting off to the South, leading to
two South Tombs. This is reminscent of the South Tomb in the complexes of
Netjerikhet and Sekhemkhet at Saqqara, and the satellite pyramids of the Old
Kingdom complexes.
Following the western entrance corridor into the first chamber leads to a set of
chambers to the North where the sarcophagus of a queen named Aat was found, along
with the remains of her canopic chest.
Continuing along the western entrance corridor, there is a second set of chambers to
the North, with a burial chamber for a second queen. Both in Aat's and in the second
queen's burial chamber, some bones were found of women aged around 35 and 25
respectively.
A corridor connects the two queen's chambers with an antechamber. The chamber to
the south of this antichamber leads to the eastern entrance corridor, while a corridor in
the East wall of the antechamber leads to another set of chambers and to the King's
unused burial chamber. The sarcophagus inside this burial chamber was made in
granite. It was decorated to resemble the Enclosure Wall of the complex of
Netjerikhet in Saqqara, including a larger bastion in the Southeast where the
"entrance" was located.
Eventhough the pyramid itself was abandonned due to structural problems, a temple,
causeway and Valley Temple were constructed. Only little remains of the mortuary
temple. The Valley Temple consisted of two open courts, located on a different level.
The front of the first court was heavier and formed a pylon-like entrance.
Archaeological research has shown that this pyramid was abandonned somewhere
around Amenemhat's 20th year, after the burial of Queen Aat. The corridors were
stuffed with mudbricks, perhaps in an attempt to add further support to the pyramid or
to mislead any tomb robbers. The king would ultimately be buried in a pyramid at
Hawara, near the Fayum Oasis, to the South of Dashur.
About 2km to the east of Snefru's Bent Pyramid at Dahshur is one of a series of three
Middle Kingdom pyramids, a dark ruined structure rising from the sand and looking
more like a rocky outcrop than the remains of a pyramid. Sometimes called the 'Black
Pyramid', Amenemhet III's monument was built with a core of dark unfired mudbrick,
but without the stabilising stone framework of other structures of its type. It's strange
shape is mostly due to the effects of weathering after its outer limestone layer was
removed by robbers. Amenemhet III Nimaatre, the son and successor of Senwosret III
(who had also built a pyramid at Dahshur), was one of the last great rulers of Dynasty
XII.
The Black Pyramid from the west
The Black Pyramid was visited by Perring and Lepsius in the mid-1800s and first
investigated by Jacques de Morgan and Georges Legrain in 1894-5. It was during an
inspection of the Dahshur site by the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation in 1900 that a
beautiful dark basalt pyramidion was found on the eastern side of the structure,
decorated with hieroglyphic inscriptions on each side (now in Cairo Museum). It is
not known whether the pyramidion was ever set in place on the top of the pyramid,
though it seems unlikely because of its well preserved condition. The small
monument raises important questions because the name of the God Amun has been
deleted from the inscriptions - presumably during the reign of Akhenaten, which
suggests that it was not at that time in place. The Black Pyramid has been re-
investigated in modern times by the German Archaeological Institute in Cairo,
directed by Deiter Arnold since 1976.

The substructure of the pyramid has a complex plan differing from other Dynasty XII
structures, with two entrances connected by corridors. The first entrance, low on the
south-east corner of the eastern side, has a descending staircase leading to a warren of
passages, chambers and side-chambers at various levels on the eastern side of the
pyramid. The royal burial chamber was oriented east to west with a vaulted roof and
like most of the underground chambers was sheathed in fine white limestone. A large
empty pink granite sarcophagus was found on the western side of the burial chamber.
The second entrance, on the western side of the pyramid, mirrors the first, and leads to
the burial apartments of two of Amenemhet's queens. The first chamber, reached from
the descending corridor belongs to a Queen Aat and although we do not have a name
for the owner of the second apartment, it would seem that two queens were buried in
the pyramid. In Aat's chamber a sarcophagus was found, similar in decoration to that
of the king, along with a canopic chest and several items of funerary equipment which
had been left behind by robbers. A sarcophagus was also found in the second queen's
chamber.
Another series of passageways connects the king's and queens' apartments via an
underground corridor lying outside the southern side of the pyramid. It has been
suggested that this may represent a 'south tomb' similar to the dummy tomb built by
Djoser at Saqqara.
The pyramid is surrounded by two perimeter walls, built from mudbricks and
plastered. The inner wall, which was decorated with niches on its outer sides, bisected
a simple mortuary temple on the east, which is now almost completely destroyed. The
inner part of the funerary temple consisted of a long offering hall up to the first
perimeter wall and the outer part had a large courtyard with a portico supported by 18
papyrus columns.
There may have been a small 'entrance' chapel on the pyramid's northern wall
although nothing now remains. Between the inner and outer northern perimeter walls
de Morgan discovered a row of ten shaft tombs which were found to belong to
members of Amenemhet's family. The shaft at the eastern end was usurped by a little-
known Dynasty XIII king, Hor-Awibre, whose mummy was found in a wooden coffin
in the tomb. Other funerary equipment included a wooden ka statue which is one of
the treasures of Cairo Museum. A canopic chest which bore the seal of Nimaatre
(Amenemhet III) has puzzled Egyptologists, who now suggest that this name may
refer to Khendjer, one of Hor-Awibre's successors. The next tomb belonged to a
Princess Nubhotepti-khered.
A wide mudbrick open causeway led eastwards from the mortuary temple to a badly
damaged valley temple which consisted of two open courts built on terraces - the first
Dynasty XII valley temple to be partially cleared. A limestone model of an unknown
Dynasty XIII pyramid's subterranean chambers was found in Amenemhet's valley
temple, as well as the name of Amenemhet IV. On the northern side of the causeway
there are the remains of residential buildings for temple personnel. Although
Amenemhet III was not buried in his Dahshur pyramid, there must have been a
funerary cult for his queens - fragments of a false door of Queen Aat were found in
these buildings.
Amenemhet III seems to have virtually completed then abandoned his Dahshur
pyramid at around year 15 of his reign, when he began a new monument at Hawara in
which he was buried. It would appear that the construction of the Dahshur pyramid
had become too unstable with structural stresses placed on the underground chambers.
This was probably partly due to its location on unstable ground too close to the Nile
valley floor - a similar mistake previously made by Snefru when he constructed his
'Bent Pyramid'.

Pyramid of Hawara
Of Amenemhat (1842-1797 BCE)
Stripped of limestone casing, a lumpy mound with good views
Entrance is blocked, but on the south side
Sarcophagus was looed, found next to daughter Nefer-Ptah
To the ast lies a bone and bandate littered necroplis
Also the site of the Labrynth, with 3000 chambers, probably trhe mortuary temple of
Amenemhat III
Site of the 146 Fayoum portraits in the cemetary (beeswax-based paint and
perfunctory embalming
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.
Pyramid of Amenemhet III The Labyrinth extending to the south across the canal
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.
Remains of a Roman statue on the east side of the pyramid Entrance corridor on the
southern side of the pyramid Remains of crocodile reliefs from the mortuary temple
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.

Temple of Medinet Madi

I na sandy hollow, avenue of sphinxes and lions -- one bearded and another ruffled
like a renaissance grandee
Built for XII dyn Pharaohs Amenemhet III and IV and decidated to Sobek and
Renenutet
Ptolemies added two winged sphinxes
Legent attributes destruction to the 11th centur Nedj warriors enraged by the town's
refuasl of hospitality
Embankment is really the beach in ancient times, now nearly 68m tall
Limstone is a very soft medium; contains cartouches for both Amenemhets.

Amenemhet IV (Maakherure)

Monuments

The South Pyramid

The South Pyramid at Mazghuna is often attributed to Amenemhet IV, the last king of
Dynasty XII and the son of Amenemhet III, although no names have been found in
the complex. The reason for the attribution is based on stylistic grounds - the layout of
the substructure and burial chamber resembles that of Amenemhet III's pyramid at
Hawara in the Faiyum. Amenemhet IV completed his father's temples at Medinet
Madi and probably also built the temple at Qasr el-Sagha, but his reign was short and
there is no certainty about the location of his burial place. Mazghuna South Pyramid
was investigated in 1910 by British archaeologist, Ernest MacKay. Today, only the
ruined mudbrick core of the pyramid remains, with no trace of casing, suggesting that
the superstructure was left unfinished.
The pyramid's entrance opens in the centre of its southern side, with a descending
staircase in a corridor flanked by side ramps. As it levelled out the passage was
blocked by a barrier slab of granite, with two more blocking slabs at further points.
The position of the burial chamber was beneath the vertical axis of the pyramid, after
turning three times in a series of short corridors. A single massive block of red
quartzite fills the burial chamber, with a trench for the coffin and a carved recess for
the canopic jars - a similar arrangement and closing mechanism to Amenemhet III's
burial chamber at Hawara. The ceiling was probably supported by vaulted limestone
blocks.
The whole complex was surrounded by a wavy perimeter wall built from mudbrick,
with an entrance at the south-east corner. The mudbrick mortuary temple, consisting
of a large chamber or court with magazines on either side, was attached to the east
side of the enclosure wall, rather than to the pyramid itself. There is no trace of a
causeway or valley temple.

Neferusobek (Sobekkare) 1763 – 1759

Monuments

The North Pyramid

Immediately to the north of the previous pyramid, the second pyramid at Mazghuna is
also of uncertain origin, but is sometimes attributed to Amenhotep IV's successor,
possibly his sister (and perhaps wife), Queen Sobeknefru (Nefrusobek) who ruled for
about three years in her own right. Sobeknefru was the first definitely attested female
pharaoh (although Queen Nitiqret may have ruled in Dynasty VI). The North Pyramid
was planned to be larger than its neighbour and attributed to the queen solely on
structural grounds.
The superstructure of the pyramid seems never to have been begun, but the plan of the
underground chambers is more advanced than that of Amenemhet IV. The entrance to
the substructure is to the east of the northern side of the base and has a descending
staircase which turned several times through various chambers fitted with blocking
plugs before reaching the burial chamber. The burial chamber once more contained a
huge quartzite block with carved-out spaces for the coffin and canopic jars. Although
the sarcophagus block was smoothed, plastered and painted red, there was never any
burial here.
Neither was the rest of the pyramid complex completed, although mudbrick walls of a
causeway were found to approach the structure from the east. It was investigated in
1910 by Ernest MacKay.

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