Headless Pyramid

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The Headless Pyramid in Saqqara was most likely built by the fifth dynasty pharaoh Menkauhor.

Archaeology

Karl Richard Lepsius, who visited Egypt in 1843 provided a first brief description and catalogued it as number XXIX (29) in his pyramid list. Gaston Maspero entered the underground chambers in 1881. A first, very brief and unsystematic excavation of the ruins was made in 1930 by Cecil M. Firth. Then the ruins were once again covered with sand. A systematic excavation of the substructure in 2008 under Zahi Hawass corroborated the assignment to the fifth Dynasty on the basis of structure and materials that were typical of that era. Although no inscriptions with the name of a pharaoh were found, Hawass attributed it to Menkauhor because he is the only pharaoh of the fifth dynasty whose pyramid has not been identified.^[1]

The Pyramid

The pyramid had a length of approximately 52 metres and was probably, but instead aligned with the Teti's pyramid. Virtually nothing is left of the superstructure, hence its name. On the north side lies the entrance to the underground chamber system, which was sealed by two granite portcullises. A broken sarcophagus lid was found in the burial chamber.

References

↑ Reuters: Jonathan Wright: Eroded pyramid attributed to early pharaoh, June 5, 2008

Literature

Mark Lehner: The Complete Pyramids. Thames & Hudson, London 1997, p. 165, ISBN 0-500-05084-8.
Miroslav Werner: The Pyramids. 1998, ISBN 0-8021-3935-3

External links

BBC News: Missing pyramid found, June 5, 2008
Associated Press: Missing Pyramid Found in Egypt, June 5, 2008

Egyptian pyramids

Old Kingdom
(2686–2181 BC)

Dynasty III	Djoser Buried Layer

Dynasty IV	Meidum Bent Red Khufu Djedefre Khafre Menkaure Mastabet el-Fara'un G1-a G1-b G1-c G1-d

Dynasty V	Userkaf Sahure Neferirkare Neferefre Niuserre Djedkare-Isesi Unas Headless

Dynasty VI	Teti Pepi I Merenre Pepi II Sesheshet

1^st Intermediate Period
(2181–2040 BC)

Dynasties VII & VIII	Ibi Khui

Middle Kingdom
(2040–1782 BC)

Dynasty XII	Senusret I White Amenemhet I Senusret III Amenemhat III Hawara

2^nd Intermediate Period
(1782–1570 BC)

Dynasty XIII	Ameny Qemau Khendjer

New Kingdom
(1570–1070 BC)

Dynasty XVIII	Ahmose

Coordinates: 29°52′31″N 31°13′25″E / 29.87528°N 31.22361°E / 29.87528; 31.22361

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