Mortuary complex of Pepi I
The Pepi I. pyramid is the tomb of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Pepi I, the third ruler of the 6th Dynasty. It is located in Saqqara -South, north of the pyramid and the Merenre Djedkare pyramid. From its ancient Egyptian name of Men - nefer - Pepi, the Greek name of the nearby former Egyptian capital of Memphis is derived.
- 4.5.1 The grave of the Hathor Priestess Anchenespepi
- 4.5.2 The Reherischefnacht Pyramid
Research
The first scientific study of the structure was carried out in the 1830s by John S. Perring. 1881 Gaston Maspero was able to penetrate into the underground chamber system, where it was first vorfand Pyramid Texts. Since 1950, the pyramid of Pepi I. and other surrounding pyramids are the subject of today continuing excavations French Egyptologist. Among the most important results of this research include the discovery of several queens pyramids in the grave complex of Pepi I.
The Pyramid
In their dimensions and their construction, the pyramid of Pepi is largely identical to those of his predecessor Djedkare and Teti II has a side length of 78.8 m and an initial height of 52.5 m. The inclination angle is 53 ° 7 '. The core masonry consists of small limestone pieces that were associated with Tonmörtel. The panel consisted of finely worked limestone blocks, of which, however, only the bottom layer is obtained. Through massive stone robbery at a later time, only a 12 m high hill of the pyramid now left, in the center yawns a big crater.
The substructure
Also, the chamber system of the pyramid is similar to those of Djedkare and Teti. In the middle of the north side of the building was originally a chapel. From there, a corridor leads downward position. This leads first to a gear chamber and then runs horizontally on. In the middle of the horizontal corridor is a locking device with three case stones of red granite. The corridor eventually leads into an antechamber, a small magazine east room and west branch of the grave chamber.
The transition chamber, the horizontal transition, the pre-chamber and the grave chamber are inscribed with Pyramid Texts, which were carved into the walls. In addition, they were painted with green color, which is an advancement over the older Pyramid Texts, in which all painting is missing.
The magazine area is significantly easier than running at Pepi's predecessors. While in their pyramids, this room had three niches, this is entirely missing from Pepi. The room also has no decoration.
The advantages and grave chamber surmounted by a gable roof of limestone monoliths. This consists of three layers, each of which includes sixteen blocks. The entire roof construction has a weight of 5,000 tonnes. This ceiling was decorated as the stars from white stars on a black background. To the west of the grave chamber stands the sarcophagus, which was made of black stone. Before the sarcophagus a completely preserved canopic chest was discovered from rose granite. In addition to the box fragments were found by Kanopenkrügen of alabaster and the embalmed viscera of the king, and the remains of the mummy, linen napkins, a sandal and a flint knife.
The pyramid complex
City of Pyramids, Valley Temple and causeway
The pyramid of Pepi I. city bore the same name as his pyramid: Men- nefer - Pepi. At the end of the old and the beginning of the Middle Kingdom, it became the center of the agglomeration, which had formed around the ancient Egyptian capital Inebu - Hedj ( "White Walls" ). In the Middle Kingdom the name Men - nefer - Pepi was then used for the entire metropolis. From the shortened form of human nefer eventually became the Greek version Memphis, under which the former town is still known today.
The pyramid of Pepi city and the valley temple of his pyramid have not been excavated. From the causeway only the last few meters are explored directly in front of the mortuary temple.
The mortuary temple
Like the pyramid, its chamber system, including the construction of the mortuary temple on the east side of the pyramid is virtually identical to those of Pepi's predecessors. The temple was badly damaged by stone robbery. A significant discovery provide several just under life-size limestone statues of kneeling and shackled enemies of Egypt; they were originally in Pfeilerhof and perhaps also in the entrance hall of the temple erected.
The cult pyramid
The cult pyramid is located on the southeast corner of the Great Pyramid - a position that is standard for this building since Pharaoh Sahura. It is located in a somewhat better state of preservation than the mortuary temple. She has a side length of 15.7 m and a height of 15.7 m also. My inclination angle is 63 ° 26 '.
The queens pyramids
The pyramid of Pepi I. has the largest number of queens pyramids among all pyramid complexes of the Old Kingdom. For royal grave complex includes at least eight queens pyramids, three of which have their own cult pyramids. The first three of these pyramids were discovered in 1988. Their owners are Nubwenet, Inenek / Inti, Meritites II, Anchenespepi II, III Anchenespepi. , Haaheru and Behenu. The owner of the eighth pyramid is not known by name. Since in the area of these buildings relief fragments were found, on which the names of two other wives of Pepi I., I. Anchenespepi and Nedjeftet be called, it is assumed that for them here pyramids were built. Their discovery is still pending.
The pyramid of Nubwenet
The easternmost previously known queens pyramid belonged Nubwenet, a wife of Pepi I. It consists of limestone and has a side length of 21.0 m. The original height was 21.0 m also. There is a small mortuary temple on the east side. The entrance to the chamber system is on the north side of the pyramid. There is a small mud-brick chapel in which a broken limestone altar was also found. From there, down a corridor, which opens only in a gear chamber and then continues horizontally. The grave chamber is located slightly south of the center pyramid. In it, the remains of a sarcophagus of red granite and inscribed slabs of alabaster were found whose function is unclear. To the east branches of the grave chamber a Serdab from. Here remains of grave goods were found.
The pyramid of Inenek / Inti
To the west of the plant Nubwenet is the Pyramid of another wife of Pepi, Inenek, also called Inti. The actual pyramid is Nubwenet largely identical with the. The only significant difference is that the grave chamber is here directly under the center of the pyramid.
Highlighted Stabbing, however, that the pyramid of Inenek has a much larger mortuary temple, which is, however, due to lack of space not only on the east side of the pyramid, but it encloses from the north, east and south. On the southeast corner is a small cult pyramid with a side length and height of 6.30 m. At the entrance of the enclosure two 2.20 m high limestone obelisks were found. They are labeled and painted with red paint, which should mimic expensive red granite.
From the funeral not much has survived. Found a sarcophagus made of greywacke, stone crockery, and some vessels.
The West Pyramid
In addition to the grave of Inenek a third pyramid was found in 1988 yet, which was referred to as "western pyramid " or " pyramid of the Western Queen " because her owner to this day is unknown. These terms are, however, now become somewhat incongruous, as it now stands rather in the center of the known queens pyramids. Their dimensions are the same as in Nubwenet, the chamber system is, however, a different structure. The Serdab here is not on the east, but on the south side of the grave chamber.
From the original grave features numerous items could still be found. Among the remains of a coffin made of rose granite, a gilded sandal, copper utensils, pottery and wooden objects were.
The mortuary temple was built in a hurry from Nilschlammziegeln. At its completion, it was only under Pepi II He was extremely closely built and decorated with reliefs showing processions of the court and of personified dead victims.
The pyramid of Meritites II
South of the West Pyramid was 1995, the grave of Queen Meritites conditioning, a daughter of Pepi I., discovered. The pyramid was built over a natural hill of sand and flint stones. The grave chamber is badly damaged by lowering the ceiling joists, but there were still some grave goods are found, including a headrest and some wood fragments that probably belonged to a box.
The pyramid of Anchenespepi II
1998 of the tomb of Meritites was the pyramid of Anchenespepi II, a wife of Pepi I found southwest. With a side length of 31.20 m, it was the largest queens pyramid of Pepi complex, but today it is almost completely removed. On the north side the remains of a chapel were discovered, from which leads a decorated with reliefs going to the grave chamber. Their walls were inscribed with Pyramid Texts. 2001, a sarcophagus was found in black rock. East of the grave chamber is a undecorated Serdab.
North of the pyramid are 20 storage rooms, in which, however, no major discoveries were made . More revealing, however, is one of the magazines situated east courtyard, were found in the painted reliefs, including the portrait of the Queen. Another important find is a block which is called I and Pepi II, the pyramids of Pepi I, Merenre. It represents an important piece of Fund for reconstruction of the royal family history of the 6th dynasty
On the east side of the pyramid is the mortuary temple, which has a very unusual shape and is extended to the north.
The pyramid of Anchenespepi III.
North of the storage rooms Anchenespepis II The Pyramid of Anchenespepi III. , A daughter of the wife of Pepi II Merenre and was discovered in 2001. The grave chamber is decorated with hieroglyphics band, the name and title of the Queen should call. In the southeast of the building there is a small cult pyramid.
The pyramid of Haaheru
Northwest of the West pyramid is the Pyramid of the heavily damaged queens Haaheru. The reading of her name is uncertain, it was originally mistakenly read Mehaa. He is occupied only once and that in a building that is believed to be the grave of her son Hornetjerichet chamber, in which it may be but it could also be the Mortuary Temple of Haaheru itself.
The pyramid has a side length of 22.60 m. The grave chamber is almost completely destroyed, it could, however, still remains of the wall decoration in the style of a palace facade and some inscriptions are found.
The pyramid of Behenu
In 2007, the remains of an eighth queens pyramids were excavated northwest of the Haaheru pyramid. The name of her owner is Behenu. Is also located on the south side of the building of the mortuary temple on the south side of a small cult pyramid. In the remains of the grave system also fragments of pyramid texts and the head of a statue of Queen Behenu were found. In early 2010 the grave chamber was excavated. It measures 10 m × 5 m and contained remains of the wall decoration as well as the sarcophagus of Behenu.
More grave sites
The grave of the Hathor Priestess Anchenespepi
The western part of the grave system of Anchenespepi III. remained unfinished. There probably the grave of the Hathor Priestess Anchenespepi was built in the 1st split. The superstructure is made of unbaked bricks. By a shaft leads into a vaulted chamber. There is a 20 cm wide grave robbers hole that leads to a small chamber made of limestone, which was intended for the actual burial at the east wall. Its walls were painted. In the five grave decorated wooden handles of mirrors and a 38 cm high wooden statuette of the deceased were found.
The Reherischefnacht Pyramid
→ Main article: Reherischefnacht Pyramid
Directly north of the pyramid complex of Anchenespepi III. Adjacent is a small pyramid, which was built at the end of the 11th or at the beginning of the 12th Dynasty. Its owner was an official named Reherischefnacht, it thus is the earliest known Egyptian pyramid, which was not built for a member of the royal family. The structure consists mainly of recycled fragments that originally came from other buildings of the area.