Black Pyramid
Encyclopedia
King Amenemhat III
built the Black pyramid during the Middle Kingdom of Egypt (2055-1650 BC). It is one of the five remaining pyramid
s of the original eleven pyramids at Dahshur
in Egypt
. Originally named Amenemhet is Mighty, the pyramid earned the name the Black pyramid for its dark, decaying appearance as a rubble mound. The Black pyramid was the first to house both the deceased pharaoh and his queens. Jacques Jean Marie de Morgan, on a French mission, began the excavation on the pyramids at Dahshur in 1892. The German Archaeological Institute of Cairo completed excavation in 1983.
, which is the capstone of a pyramid, was covered with inscriptions and religious symbols. Some of these were scratched off, leading researchers to conclude the pyramidion was never used or it was defaced during Akhenaton’s rule.
Below ground level in the subterranean structure lay a network of complicated passages. The king’s section remains mostly intact with a sarcophagus
and canopic jar
; however, the king was not buried here. The section for the queens was broken into and looted. There are four other burial chambers in the subterranean structure; who they belong to, however, is unknown. Two are thought to belong to King Amenemhet IV and king Sobekneferu
.
Amenemhat III
Amenemhat III, also spelled Amenemhet III was a pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt. He ruled from c.1860 BC to c.1814 BC, the latest known date being found in a papyrus dated to Regnal Year 46, I Akhet 22 of his rule. He is regarded as the greatest monarch of the Middle Kingdom...
built the Black pyramid during the Middle Kingdom of Egypt (2055-1650 BC). It is one of the five remaining pyramid
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
s of the original eleven pyramids at Dahshur
Dahshur
Dahshur , is a royal necropolis located in the desert on the west bank of the Nile approximately 40 kilometres south of Cairo...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Originally named Amenemhet is Mighty, the pyramid earned the name the Black pyramid for its dark, decaying appearance as a rubble mound. The Black pyramid was the first to house both the deceased pharaoh and his queens. Jacques Jean Marie de Morgan, on a French mission, began the excavation on the pyramids at Dahshur in 1892. The German Archaeological Institute of Cairo completed excavation in 1983.
Structure
The pyramid was originally about 75 meters tall with a base 105 meters long and an incline of 57°. Typical for pyramids of the middle kingdom, the Black Pyramid, encased in limestone, is made of mud brick and clay instead of stone. The ground level structures consist of the entrance opening into the courtyard and mortuary temple, surrounded by walls. There are two sets of walls; between them, there are ten shaft tombs, which are a type of burial structure formed from graves built into natural rock. The pyramidionPyramidion
A pyramidion is the uppermost piece or capstone of an Egyptian pyramid in archaeological parlance. They were called benbenet in the Ancient Egyptian language, which associated the pyramid as a whole with the sacred benben stone...
, which is the capstone of a pyramid, was covered with inscriptions and religious symbols. Some of these were scratched off, leading researchers to conclude the pyramidion was never used or it was defaced during Akhenaton’s rule.
Below ground level in the subterranean structure lay a network of complicated passages. The king’s section remains mostly intact with a sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
and canopic jar
Canopic jar
Canopic jars were used by the Ancient Egyptians during the mummification process to store and preserve the viscera of their owner for the afterlife. They were commonly either carved from limestone or were made of pottery...
; however, the king was not buried here. The section for the queens was broken into and looted. There are four other burial chambers in the subterranean structure; who they belong to, however, is unknown. Two are thought to belong to King Amenemhet IV and king Sobekneferu
Sobekneferu
Sobekneferu was an Egyptian pharaoh of the twelfth dynasty. Her name meant "the beauty of Sobek." She was the daughter of Pharaoh Amenemhat III. Manetho states she also was the sister of Amenemhat IV, but this claim is unproven. Sobekneferu had an older sister named Nefruptah who may have been...
.
Structural Problems
The Black Pyramid, with all its grand passageways, had multiple structural deficits. The pyramid was built in one of the lowest regions of Egypt, only 10 meters above sea level. There are myriad corridors and chambers underground, and there are not enough stress relievers to hold up the ceilings. The pyramid is not very sturdy, as it was built with mud brick instead of the traditional stone. The low elevation, corridors, and unstable building material allowed groundwater from the Nile to seep into the walls, causing the entire pyramid to sink into the ground and crack. This dilapidated appearance, however unappealing, gave the pyramid its name and its fame.Works cited
- Encyclopædia Britannica. "Dahshur". 2007.
- Hooker, Richard. "The Middle Kingdom." World Civilizations. June 1999.
- Kinnaer, Jacques. The Ancient Site. September 2007.
- Winston, Alan. The Pyramid of Amenemget III At Dahshur. InterCity Oz, Inc., 1996. http://touregypt.net/featurestories/amenemhet3p.htm
Further reading
- Verner, Miroslav, The Pyramids Their Archaeology and History, Atlantic Books, 2001, ISBN 1-84354-171-8
- Lehner, Mark, The Complete Pyramids, Thames & Hudson ISBN 0-500-05084-8