Red Pyramid

The Red Pyramid, also known as North - pyramid is a pyramid in the necropolis of Dahshur. The name comes from the reddish coloration of the rock from which it was built. She was the third great pyramid for king (Pharaoh) Sneferu was built (about 2670-2620 BC) during the 4th dynasty (Old Kingdom) and probably served him as a tomb. With the Red Pyramid first time from the start real as such planned geometric pyramid was completed. It is a present height of about 104 meters, the third highest in the ancient Egyptian pyramids and also the third largest by volume forth. In the base length, it even surpasses the Pyramid of Chephren.

9.1 General Overview
9.2 detailed questions
9.3 Notes and references

Research

Pietro della Valle delivered during his visit to the pyramid in the winter 1615/1616 the first description of the first two chambers of the pyramid. Edward Melton visited the Red Pyramid in 1660, just as the Bohemian Franciscan missionary Václav Remedius Prutky in the 18th century. Robert Wood, James Dawkins and Giovanni Battista Borra led in 1750 by a first measurement, but could not reach the grave chamber because they had no right ladder.

At the beginning of archaeological investigations of the Red Pyramid were studies by John Shae Perring in 1839 and the Lepsius expedition in 1843. Lepsius cataloged the pyramid under the number XLIX in his pyramid list. These were followed by investigations by Flinders Petrie and George Reisner. From 1944, followed by more detailed research by Abdul Salam Hussein and in 1951 by Ahmad Fakhri. However, these works were not published. A thorough, systematic investigation it was carried out in 1982 by Rainer Stadelmann.

The pyramid complex was until the mid- nineties of the 20th century in military area and is currently place several excavations. In the district a workers' settlement and a necropolis of the builders were detected.

Assignment of the pyramid

The assignment to Sneferu arose originally from the fact that the nearby necropolis comprises only tombs of officials Sneferu. Furthermore, a decree of King Pepi I., which was found in the valley temple refers to the pyramid city Sneferu. This assignment was confirmed, since the area of the mortuary temple casing stones were found, the inscriptions, including the King Sneferu's name bear. Likewise, there was a limestone block with hieroglyphics residues that differ for Horus Sneferu's name, " Neb -maat " ( nb- m3 ˁ. T), can be supplemented.

Bauumstände the pyramid

The construction of this pyramid began in the 29th or 30th year of the reign of Sneferu (c. 2640 BC), which is occupied by a hieratic inscription on one of the foundation blocks that refers to the year of the 15 two -annual livestock census. The recent inscription found refers to the 24th year of the livestock census. She was thus the third Great Pyramid, which was built by Sneferu. At the time of commencement, the Step Pyramid was completed in Meidum as full pyramid. Similarly, the Bent Pyramid was largely completed in Dahshur already, but showed in this serious construction defects that could not be used as king grave desirable.

Apparently, the building was operated in parallel with the reconstruction of the Step Pyramid at Meidum. The problems encountered during the construction of the Bent Pyramid, were taken into account. Thus, a building site was chosen with more stable ground and tilt angle and wall techniques adapted so that no problems occurred more through cracks in the brickwork.

The Pyramid

The pyramid was built on a foundation of multiple layers of high-quality Tura limestone. The core of the pyramid consisted of reddish limestone blocks that were obtained from quarries directly in the area of the pyramid. The name of the Red pyramid is due to the color of this material. In different blocks of the core material inscriptions were found with dates.

A block foundation is dated to the "year of the 15th cattle count ", the recent inscription found on the " year of the 24th cattle count ". Based on the information found can be provided that the livestock census was held every two years, conclude that within two years, about one-fifth of the pyramid was built. However, the two- year cycle of livestock census is not without controversy.

The pyramid was constructed using the improved techniques, which have already been applied in the upper part of the bending pyramid. The layers of stone were now running horizontally from the beginning, so that the pressure inside the pyramid, which had led to cracks and collapse hazards to the chambers inside the Bent Pyramid, was not amplified. Even now, the inclination angle of the side surfaces in the upper part of the Bent Pyramid was limited to 43 ° 22 ', which is the flattest angle of inclination with the Egyptian pyramids. As they should reach a height comparable to the Bent Pyramid 109.5 m, the base length has been increased significantly to 220 m (420 King Sellen ). The side faces of the pyramid core have a slightly concave bend, extending from the center of the base to the top. This should be able to improve the stability of the cladding. The pyramid was completed in contrast to the earlier buildings without plan changes.

The found in the rubble, destroyed, but restored Pyramidion is the only one that is known by a king pyramid of the Old Kingdom. It is like the lining of the pyramid of fine Tura limestone and is from a monolithic block of 1.57 m (3 king Sellen ) worked base length. The tilt angle of the pyramidion is somewhat steeper than that of the remaining pyramid and slightly different on all four sides to correct inaccuracies in the construction. It can be found on neither inscriptions nor references to the attachment of metal sheets, which are said to have been found according to a report by Herodotus at the tips of the pyramids. The restored Pyramidion is now situated in the area of the mortuary temple.

Restored parts of the fairing

Restored pyramidion

Entrance to the pyramid

The substructure

All corridors and chambers of the Red Pyramid are above the pyramid base in the brick core. She is the first and only pyramid that has no underground passages. The reason may lie in an increasing identification of the king with the sun god Re, but an acceleration of work on the pyramid by waiving underground components is also possible for purely practical reasons. Although the chambers are above ground, they are built from brick on a flat excavation of about 10 m depth.

The entrance to the pyramid is on the north wall at a height of 28 m and 4 m from the central axis shifted to the east. The descending passage leads down 62.63 m at an angle of 27 ° to the pyramid base. This transition is only 0.91 m high and 1.23 m wide. At the foot of the descending passage is a short shaft, which presumably should prevent the entry of rain water into the chambers during construction. From there, a short horizontal passage in the first antechamber. Fallstein locks are not available.

The atria both have identical proportions. With a length of 8.36 m and a width of 3.65 m, the elfstufiges designed as corbelled roof rises to a height of 12.31 m. In design and visual impact is the precursor of the Grand Gallery of the Great Pyramid of Cheops. From the southwest corner of the first antechamber leads a 3 m long corridor to the northeast corner of the second antechamber, which is located exactly in the middle of the pyramid. In 7.6 m height is located on the south side of the chamber, the input to another, 7 m long corridor that leads to the actual grave chamber. The wooden staircase to the second antechamber is to enable a modern design to visitors entering the grave chamber.

The actual grave chamber has dimensions of 8.55 m × 4.18 m and a height of 14.67 m. It is in contrast to the two atria oriented in an east-west direction, which was a novelty in the pyramid. Remains of a sarcophagus have not been found. The chamber itself has been heavily damaged by grave robbers who tore out several layers of ground stones. The ceiling and walls are blackened with soot, which flares and a possible burning of the wooden sarcophagus may be due by the grave robbers. The chamber was partly walled up in their reopening by Perring with limestone, which probably came from a restoration of the Ramesside period. During the evacuation of the chamber in 1950 by Hussein both the Vermauerungssteine and loose stones of the flooring were removed and went undocumented lost. Follow-up with Stadelmann could not provide insights into the remains of the original chamber contents more.

Verkragte ceiling construction of the first antechamber

Passage from the second to the first pre-chamber

Damaged bottom of the grave chamber

The pyramid complex

In contrast to the other pyramids of the 4th Dynasty, the Red Pyramid has no cult pyramid. Perhaps this element has been omitted because the nearby Bent Pyramid had taken over its function as a symbolic southern tomb.

Remnants of the causeway have not yet been found, although such was certainly fitted between the valley and mortuary temples. Perhaps, however, this is no longer been completed or even started.

Southeast of the plant, a larger brick building was found, which apparently housed workshops. There were also the remains of a furnace.

The enclosure

During excavations of the remains of a Stadelmann Lehmziegelbaus were found at the northeast corner of the pyramid, leading directly from an also made of mud-brick wall. The exact purpose of the building date could not be determined, but a connection with the ruler cult is obvious.

Further exploratory excavations have demonstrated around the pyramid enclosure. Partially owned a limestone wall cladding. The distance between the wall of the pyramid is different on the four sides: 15 to 16 m on the north and south sides, 19 m on the west side and 26 m on the east side. In contrast to the wall of the Bent Pyramid is not square, but slightly east-west oriented.

Stadelmann, the fact that the wall was built of adobe and not of limestone as the Bent Pyramid, as an indication that it was apparently built in a hurry to complete the complex. The Northeast building was apparently a later addition, because the walls were not sealed with the surrounding wall.

The mortuary temple

The mortuary temple was largely destroyed, and is preserved only in the form of some rudimentary ruins. He has not the size of the mortuary temple of later pyramids. In the center of the temple was located in the inner temple, a place of sacrifice with a false door. Steles like the older Sneferu pyramids are not detectable here. On either side of the open courtyard was ever a stone chapel. Whether these chapels were free -standing buildings or were integrated with the court and the inner temple to a building complex, is no longer detectable. The yards north and south of the temple have circular depressions, probably once served as plant pits or receiving offerings. The store rooms in the outer area of the temple were made of mud bricks. Apparently, the mortuary temple was not completed until after Sneferu's death in a hurry, after which the change in the building material of limestone suggesting Adobe.

The Valley Temple

In agricultural work in the spring of 1904 the remains of a perimeter wall of limestone measuring 100 m × 65 m were discovered. A stele was found on the south east corner of the walls with a decree of Pharaoh Pepi I. Ludwig Borchardt, who secured the stele, held this fund for the perimeter of the pyramid city. However, Stadelmann sees the perimeter of the valley temple, since the walls of the pyramid cities were made ( with the exception of Giza ) made of mud brick. The wall found by 3.65 m thickness of yellow limestone and made of white, mutually geböschter blindness corresponds in its design of the typical religious architecture. However, no further systematic investigation was carried out and the remains are now inaccessible under agricultural land.

Open Questions

The Red Pyramid is generally regarded as the most likely burial Sneferu, but this can not be known with certainty, since in none of the three major pyramids attributed to Sneferu a stone sarcophagus could be detected. If the Red Pyramid was the tomb, is also still unclear why no locking mechanisms were installed exactly as they existed before the upper chamber of the Bent Pyramid.

The Mummy remains found in the 1950s in the Red Pyramid could not be assigned to certain Sneferu and came with a large probability of a subsequent, unrelated with Sneferu funeral.

Importance

With the Red Pyramid, the peak of the pyramid construction of the 4th dynasty was reached. The necessary techniques were developed and mastered the problems occurring, so that the way to build the Great Pyramid of Cheops was free. While the Red Pyramid had an over-cautious shallow inclination angle, the following pyramids had a greater slope again.

Literature / Sources

General Overview

Michael Haase: The field of tears. Ullsteinhaus, Munich 2000, ISBN 3-550-07141-8.
Mark Lehner: Secret of the Pyramids. Econ, Dusseldorf 1997, ISBN 3-572-01039- X.
Rainer Stadelmann: The Egyptian pyramids. From brick to the wonders of the world. 3rd edition, of Saverne, Mainz 1997, ISBN 3-8053-1142-7.
Miroslav Verner: The Pyramids. Rowohlt, Hamburg 1999, ISBN 3-499-60890-1.

Detailed questions

Rainer Stadelmann: Sneferu and the pyramids of Meidum and Dahshur. In: Reports of the German Archaeological Institute, Cairo Department ( MDAIK ) Vol 36, of Saverne, Mainz 1980, ISSN 0342-1279, pp. 437-449.
Rainer Stadelmann: The Pyramids of Sneferu at Dahshur. Second report on the excavations at the northern stone pyramid with a digression on the false door stelae or the Mortuary Temple of AR. In: Reports of the German Archaeological Institute, Cairo Department Vol. 39, of Saverne, Mainz 1983, ISSN 0342-1279, pp. 225-241.
Rainer Stadelmann, Nicole Alexanian, Herbert Ernst Günter Heindl, Dietrich Raue: Pyramids of Sneferu at Dahshur necropolis and. Third Preliminary report on the excavations of the German Archaeological Institute in Dahshur. In: Reports of the German Archaeological Institute, Cairo Department Vol. 49, of Saverne, Mainz 1993, ISSN 0342-1279, pp. 259-294.
Rainer Stadelmann, Hourig Sourouzian: The Pyramids of Sneferu at Dahshur. First report on the excavations at the northern stone pyramid. In: Reports of the German Archaeological Institute, Cairo Department Vol. 38, of Saverne, Mainz 1982, ISSN 0342-1279, pp. 279-393.

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