The causeway was unusually wide with a large open area. Queen Aat's chamber contained a sarcophagus similar to the king's. Although both chambers had been entered and looted in antiquity, archaeologists found many items overlooked by the looters, including one of Queen Aat's canopic jars. The 'King's section' contained a burial chamber containing a large sarcophagus that was carved to imitate the outer wall of Djoser's Pyramid complex at Saqqara, possibly another attempt to reinforce the legitimacy of his rule.īurial chambers for two of his queens were created beneath the pyramid the first chamber of the 'Queen's section' under the south-western quadrant of the pyramid was for Queen Aat and the second chamber was for an unnamed queen. The builders tried hastily installing supporting beams and mud brick walls to stop the sinking, but this final effort was unsuccessful and the pyramid was ultimately abandoned. Two are thought to belong to King Amenemhet IV and queen Sobekneferu.Īs the pyramid sank, it began to crush the chambers located beneath it. There are four other burial chambers in the subterranean structure to whom they belong, however, is unknown. The 'Queen's section' was broken into by robbers and looted. The 'King's section' remains mostly intact with a sarcophagus and canopic jar however, the king was not buried there. Some of these were later scratched off, leading researchers to conclude that the pyramidion was either never used or was defaced during Akhenaten's rule.īelow ground level in the subterranean structure lay a network of complicated passages. The pyramidion (capstone) was covered with inscriptions and religious symbols. Pyramidion (capstone) at Egyptian Museum, Cairo The finished dimensions were approximately 200 cubits per side and 150 cubits high. The outer cladding of limestone 'veneer' was held together with dovetail pegs, following the style of his father's tomb. The two pyramids are approximately 1.5 km apart. The pyramid was, however, built on clay that was incapable of supporting its weight and it began to sink, just as the Bent Pyramid of Sneferu at Dashur had done centuries before. The core of the superstructure was of mud brick with no internal walls possibly a weight saving measure considering how close the pyramid was to the Nile. The pyramid was built with an east–west orientation and has two entrances located on the south-eastern and south-western corners. 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 ground-level structures consist of the entrance opening into the courtyard and mortuary temple, surrounded by walls. Typical for pyramids of the Middle Kingdom, the Black Pyramid, although encased in limestone, is made of mud brick and clay instead of stone. The pyramid was originally about 75 metres tall with a base 105 metres long and an incline of 57°. Name of the pyramid of Amenemhat III on a funerary stele, Musée du Louvre
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