Bent Pyramid
The ancient Egyptian Bent Pyramid is the southern of the two great pyramids at Dahshur and differs because of their unique construction problems caused by the form of all other Egyptian pyramids.
It was built around 2650 BC by King Sneferu, the first king of the 4th dynasty. This pyramid is the first building, which was designed from the ground up as a true pyramid, although Sneferu was already engaged in Meidum with the construction of a tomb in the form of a stepped pyramid. It is the fourth largest Egyptian pyramid. In contrast to all other pyramids Siding get here is to a great extent. Probably this pyramid was not used for burial, but served only as a cenotaph or place of worship, as with the Red Pyramid another, true pyramid was built as a tomb for Sneferu.
- 4.1 Lower chamber system
- 4.2 Upper chamber system
- 4.3 passageway
- 5.1 pyramid temple
- 5.2 In addition to the pyramid 5.2.1 Substructure of the satellite pyramid
- 5.2.2 sacrificial site of the satellite pyramid
Research
In the 17th century, described Egypt European travelers such as Robert Huntington, Richard Melton and Richard Pococke the extraordinarily shaped pyramid in their travelogues. The pyramid complex was first systematically investigated by John Shae Perring in September 1839. Also involved in the 19th century Karl Richard Lepsius and in the early 20th century Flinders Petrie to the building. After 1945, Abdel Salam Hussain and Alexandre Viarilles conducted research, but the documentation was not maintained. A basic investigation in the early 1950s under Ahmed Fakhry took place only. Later research by Vito Maragioglio and Celeste Rinaldi, Josef Dorner and by the German Archaeological Institute in Cairo followed, led by Rainer Stadelmann around 1980.
Bauumstände
The Bent Pyramid of King Sneferu was begun in the 15th year of his reign as a second tomb after the completion of his Step Pyramid at Meidum. As the site he chose a new necropolis at Dahshur present location. The reason why he started building a second pyramid is not known, but may have to do with the transfer of the capital. The new building was the first pyramid that was planned from the beginning as a true pyramid, even if it could not be completed as such because of Bauproblemen.
The Pyramid
The location of the building with the name of publication of Sneferu - Südpyramide is a previously unused desert plateau, whose subsoil is relatively soft Tonschieferplatten. The pyramid was built of rough-hewn blocks of local limestone. Gaps in the walls were filled with rubble and debris, and partly also with gypsum mortar.
First construction phase
In the first phase a steep pyramid of 157 m base length and a tilt angle of approximately 58 ° (possibly even 60 ° ) was planned. If the pyramid been completed in this form, they would have reached a height of about 125 m. The pyramid was built in this form in so far proven in the step pyramids technique of inclined layers. While this technique in the step-pyramids where the substructure was below the pyramid shown to improve the stability, it resulted in this pyramid to massive problems, since the oblique layers of the pressure on the pyramid inside increased and needs in the pyramid body compartments and transitions to stability problems, cracks and even resulted in collapse. The building was presumably highly walled in this phase only up to half, as the stability problems were evident. This first phase is due to the good overall condition level of the pyramid only indirectly through offsets by about 12.70 meters from the entrance in the lower descending passage and at about 11.60 m in the upper descending passage detectable.
2nd stage
To improve stability, the builders reduced the angle of inclination at 54 °. For an approximately 15.70 m wide belt was erected around the pyramid of the first construction phase. Thus, the base length grew to 188 m. Here, too, was re- worked with inclined wall layers. If the slope angle of 54 ° have been observed, they would have reached a height of 129.4 m and a volume of about 1.524 million cubic meters. The Bent Pyramid was it the third highest pyramid in the world, but would with the volume still behind the Red Pyramid ( 1.694 million cubic meters) are located so that they only the fourth largest pyramid of Egypt would also then. Since the construction problems through the measures, however, could not be solved, the construction was stopped at a height of 49 m. The masonry of this phase is covered with fine Tura limestone.
Third construction phase
In the third construction, the angle was reduced to 43 ° and the walls were, as well as in the Red pyramid layed in horizontal layers, leading to a pressure relief on the inside. This created the unique kink which again can be found in any other pyramid. The reduced angle of inclination of the top of the overall height reduced to 105 m. The total volume was 1.237 million cubic meters. Also, the upper portion has a lining of fine Tura limestone.
Construction problems
The pyramid was built on a soft Tonschieferuntergrund, not like most other on a solid bedrock. This was presumably to facilitate the work on the substructure, because the slate was easier hew. However, the underground offered only insufficient support for the masses of stone of the pyramid, and there were depressions, who showed up through cracks in the masonry of the pyramid and in particular the passages and chambers. Combined with the problems that caused the inwardly sloping walls, this apparently led to doubts about the stability and thus the suitability of the building arose as a tomb. It was first tried to conceal cracks in the walls of the corridors with gypsum mortar, later wooden beams were placed as props in the chambers. Obviously enough, the quality of the building not for a funeral of the king, which probably resulted that he was a little further north with the Red Pyramid is another monument in order. At the same time, he ran the conversion of the Meidum pyramid to a true pyramid. The Bent Pyramid itself was completed with reduced stamp program and took probably the function of a cult pyramid for the northerly Red Pyramid.
The substructure
The internal buildings of the Bent Pyramid is unique in that because here two approaches have been applied to two separate grave chambers which are connected together by a later -scale transition.
Lower chamber system
An input is in the middle of the north side, about 11.80 m above ground level. During the first phase of the input was about 6 m. A 25 ° steep, 74 m long passage with a height of 1.05 m and a width of 1.10 m leads down to a pre-chamber that is already underground. The dimensions of the antechamber be 5.40 m in length and 12.60 m in height with a width corresponding to the passage of only 1.10 m. The ceiling of the atrium is formed by a corbelled from mighty limestone blocks.
A steep and narrow stairs to reach at a height of 6.50 m, the actual lower main chamber. Also this has a ceiling made of stone corbels and is therefore 17.20 m high with a floor area of 4.96 m × 6.30 m. There are no indications that this chamber has ever served a funeral. On the southern side of the Kraggewölbes the passageway leads to the upper chamber system at a height of about 12 m. A short passage leads into a vertical shaft, which is exactly on the pyramid axis. This shaft is usually referred to as " fireplace ". The shaft includes up from a small corbelled. A few meters above the short access to the bay is also to relieve the pressure a little corbelled, which is open to the lower main chamber.
Head to the passage to the lower main chamber
View from the lower main chamber into the anterior chamber
Main chamber of the lower chamber system. The scaffolding and ladders are modern.
Upper chamber system
In 33.32 m height on the west side lies the second input. A 67.66 m long passage leads downward. At the end of the descending passage is a small pit, which probably served as protection against the ingress of rain water during construction. In the last part before the upper chamber of the grave now horizontal, about 20 m long corridor with two locks is provided.
The closure systems are unique in that they were not the usual case, stone blocks, but from chambers with an inclined plane on which the blocking stone could slide into position. A shaft is located between the two locking systems in the full width of the aisle. The blocking stone chambers are provided as all chambers with Kraggewölben. The outer of the two closure systems was locked. The blocking stone is still in place, but is pierced with a rectangular opening. The internal shutter mechanism was never closed. Its closure stone is still held by a wooden beam in the open position.
This grave chamber measuring 7.97 m × 5.26 m and is characterized by the gekragte from all sides vault 16.50 m high. The upper chamber was apparently never completed because the walls were left untreated and not smoothed. Cracks in the chamber and corridor walls were covered with plaster. One of the bricked-up in the grave chamber blocks construction workers had graphics on the name of Sneferu, the pyramid which could be clearly assigned.
A sarcophagus was not found, but the lower part of the chamber was lined with bricks and the remains were found of cedar beams. Vito Maragioglio and Celeste Rinaldi took the view that the lining of either a socket for a coffin was or should be used as a substitute for a wooden sarcophagus coffin. According to Rainer Stadelmann both the masonry as well as the bars of the preparation for the smoothing of the Kraggewölbes or to support the chamber against an impending collapse may have served.
Stadelmann believed that the western entrance was only scheduled during the construction, as you may have had to fight already at this time with reduction problems in the lower chamber system. Thus, the "chimney " was supposed to represent the originally planned access to the grave chamber.
The passage of the upper chamber system was locked up in the 1950s, and only through the vestibule from the lower chamber system reachable. It was opened to the outside of the pyramid only when the former research.
Connecting corridor
Both grave chambers are connected by a 0.74 m wide and 0.92 m high, slightly winding, sloping tunnel, which began before the upper chamber between the locks and high corbelled ended in the lower chamber. This transition was not until later carved into the brickwork and testifies to an accurate knowledge of the position of the chambers. He probably should connect the upper transition system with the chimney shaft of the lower system. This shaft was apparently just missed and the transition ended in the upper corbelled the lower main chamber.
The pyramid complex
The entire pyramid complex is surrounded by a limestone wall with a square base and 298.55 meters on each side, with the included in a bulge and a smaller satellite pyramid.
Pyramid temple
Prior to the east side of the Bent Pyramid, at the point where there is an extended mortuary temple in the normal case, there was a small chapel with two 9 m high limestone monolith with the name of the king. The rest of this stele is now in the garden of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Since the pyramid probably not served for burial of the king, full mortuary temple here was not necessary, so that after the completion of the pyramid as a cenotaph or cult pyramid only a small place of worship was built. The necessary for the death cult temple was located at the Red Pyramid.
Over time, the small chapel was surrounded by mud-brick walls and extended to a small temple. From the Middle Kingdom renovations to the temple are detected, witnessed a continuation of Sneferu cult for a long time.
Stele from the chapel of the Bent Pyramid with the name of Sneferu (now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo )
Reconstruction of the stele and the chapel ( Gaston Maspero, 1930)
Besides pyramid
On the south side of the pyramid complex, there is a satellite pyramid base length of 53 m and a height of 32 m. The side slope is in the upper part of the Bent Pyramid 43 °. Just like there masonry was used in horizontal layers, suggesting that the satellite pyramid was built in the final stage of construction on or after. In contrast to the main pyramid, the cladding Tura limestone is largely destroyed. Thus, the overall picture of the satellite pyramid is heavily influenced by erosion.
It is the largest satellite pyramid of all Egyptian pyramid complexes and also the only one that has a complex substructure.
The satellite pyramid was originally held by Herbert Ricke for the grave of Queen Hetepheres I.. Today's pyramid research recognizes in this building a cult pyramid ( Rainer Stadelmann ), especially since the whole district of the Bent Pyramid was converted as a place for the King cult and there is no evidence of a burial.
Substructure of the satellite pyramid
From an input of about 2 m height on the eastern side of the satellite pyramid a descending path extends about 10 meters into the ground. From there, a rising gallery leads to the main chamber. This ascending gallery represents the direct model of the Grand Gallery of the Great Pyramid in miniature
The ascending gallery leads to a chamber with a floor height about 7 m above the ambient level, which is thus the only chamber of a satellite pyramid in pyramid corpus itself. The chamber is the same as that of the main pyramid provided with a corbelled. With a length of only 1.6 m in a funeral this is excluded, so that the satellite pyramid can easily be recognized as a cult pyramid.
Sacrificial site of the satellite pyramid
On the east side of the cult pyramid was a small sacrifice. This had an alabaster altar and was flanked by two 5 m high monolithic stone stelae.
Causeway
A 700 m long causeway leads from the pyramid to the Valley Temple District. The causeway was enclosed with walls of limestone. A canopy of the causeway could not be found. In contrast to most other pyramid complexes of the causeway leads to the north side of the enclosure.
Temple in Snofrutal
At about half way between the pyramid and the Valley Temple, the temple was in Snofrutal. It is a rectangular building, which was surrounded by a wall. The entrance to the temple area was located on the south east side. On the opposite west side of the causeway led to the pyramid. The actual temple entrance was in the south wall. From there you got into an antechamber, where two magazine chambers were accessible on every page. Through the pre-chamber was reached the courtyard. There were four niches with statues of the pharaoh, before two rows of five rectangular piers on the northern wall of the courtyard. The walls of the courtyard were decorated with reliefs, representations of the estates of the king, sacrifice him. There is evidence that here the cult has been completed for King Sneferu and around the Middle Kingdom. In the space between the temple and the priests of the wall Sneferu cult built up the Middle Kingdom, a number of dwellings.
From this temple led a 140 m long causeway to the Valley Temple, which has not yet been excavated.
Importance
This pyramid is a change in the conception of ancient Egyptian Monumentalgrabbauten of the step pyramid to true pyramid took place. However, the problems were encountered in that the structure of the existing buildings did not easily transferable to the new Bautentyp. Based on the design changes that had learned its three phases in the course of the Bent Pyramid, reveals how the former builder responded to the problems occurring and experimentally as the construction techniques developed, which were necessary for the subsequent giant pyramids.
Outstanding issues
So far it is not clear which of the three pyramids Sneferu was actually used for his funeral, but most Egyptologists believe that the Red Pyramid was the final resting place, as they had a full mortuary temple. Ahmad Fakhri is, however, assume that Sneferu was buried in the upper chamber of the Bent Pyramid.
Similarly, so far lack a satisfactory explanation for the two transition systems of the Bent Pyramid, which were repeated in any other pyramid and for which no satisfactory theory in the context of ancient Egyptian theology exists. One theory, the " double pyramid " represent the building as symbolizing Upper and Lower Egypt with two different inclinations and separate grave systems is not supported by findings.