4,600-year-old pyramid rediscovered in Egypt

Some 4,600 years ago, a majestic structure comprised of carefully-placed stone blocks stood about 43 feet high near the ancient Egyptian city of Edfu. As time passed, however, the towering monument – a step pyramid supposedly built by men working under the Pharoah Huni (2635-2610 BCE) or Snefru (2610-2590 BCE) – was beaten and battered by the harsh elements in the desert, and its bricks were either stolen or dislodged.

 

The step pyramid, which now stands at less than half of its former glorious height ( 16 feet, or 5 m), was lost under a large mound of blocks, sand, and garbage. It remained hidden for quite some time, mistaken by the locals as the final resting place of a Muslim saint.

 

However, in 2010, archaeologists in the area took it upon themselves to uncover the pyramid, in order to learn more about the mysterious structure that predates the Great Pyramid of Giza by at least a few decades.

 

Quality Egyptian craftsmanship

 

"The construction itself reflects a certain care and a real expertise in the mastery of stone construction, especially for the adjustment of the most important blocks," according to Gregory Marouard, a research associate at the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute. Marouard led the team that cleaned and eventually revealed the Edfu pyramid.

 

The three-step pyramid was built using sandstone blocks and clay mortar. A tower of blocks served as its core, supported by two layers of blocks, one on top of the other, right beside it. Marouard observed that the pyramid was built directly on the bedrock using raw materials extracted from a quarry 800 m away.

 

Additionally, the team discovered hieroglyphic markings on the outer faces of the step pyramid.

 

"These are mostly private and rough inscriptions, and certainly dedicated to the child/babies' burials located right under these inscriptions at the foot of the pyramid," said Marouard. The inscriptions include a book roll, a seated man, a four-legged animal, a reed leaf, and a bird.

 

One of seven

 

While the newly discovered step pyramid is indeed a remarkable find, perhaps even more interesting (and perplexing) is the existence of six other “provincial” pyramids scattered all over central and southern Egypt. The specifications of the Edfu pyramid - 60 x 61 feet (18.4 x 18.6 m) – are eerily similar to the dimensions of five of the other pyramids.

 

"The similarities from one pyramid to the other are really amazing, and there is definitely a common plan," Marouard said.

 

As of now, archaeologists are unsure about why the pyramids were built in the first place. A nearby settlement, however, appears to have served as a sort of altar or storage area for food offerings; this could be a hint as to what the true purpose of the pyramids is.

 

Researchers also hypothesize that the pyramids could have been symbolic monuments of power for the royal cult that ruled Egypt’s southern provinces.

 

Their findings also indicate that the Edfu pyramid had already been abandoned by the time Khufu began his reign (2590-2563 BCE), around 50 years after it was built.

 

Giza: a great symbol of job security?

 

Marouard believes that Khufu, feeling secure about his reign, may have opted to allocate all resources towards building the Great Pyramid of Giza, preferring to initiate the construction of a central pyramid close to Memphis (the Egyptian capital) instead of continuing to operate the seven smaller tribute pyramids. At this point, the food offerings may have also halted. This theory is supported by ancient written documents (papyri) found at Wadi al-Jarf, a port near the Red Sea.

 

"[The] center of gravity of Egypt was then at Memphis for many centuries — this region draining resources and manpower from the provinces, all regions being put to use for the large construction sites of funerary complexes."

 

A fence has since been constructed around the pyramid, in order to dissuade looters from pillaging it further.

 

The team’s findings were recently presented at a symposium in Toronto by the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities. Marouard confirmed that his team is working on publishing a more detailed analysis of their study at some point in the future. — TJD, GMA News