Tomb of Chentkaus I.

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Tomb of Chentkaus I.
Tomb of Chentkaus I.
Tomb of Chentkaus I.
Data
place Giza
builder Chentkaus I.
construction time 4th dynasty
Type Step grave
Building material Limestone rock (1st level)
Limestone (2nd level)
Base dimension 45.8 m × 43.7 m
Height (originally) 18.5 m
Height (today) 17 m
stages 2
Cult pyramid No

The tomb of Chentkaus I is a peculiar funerary monument of the ancient Egyptian queen Chentkaus I located on the Giza plateau , which combines elements of a pyramid , a mastaba and a rock tomb . It is often referred to as the "fourth pyramid of Giza" because of its size and step structure. It is the only ancient Egyptian tomb that was built in this form. It is located in the Giza necropolis, southeast of the three great pyramids, in the immediate vicinity of the great Sphinx .

exploration

The tomb of Chentkaus I was believed by early Egyptologists such as John Shae Perring to be a fourth pyramid of the necropolis or an unfinished pyramid. Karl Richard Lepsius, on the other hand, counted the building among the private graves. Selim Hassan was the first to explore the unusual grave in 1932/33 when excavating the central cemetery in Giza. He originally assigned it to Schepseskaf , but inscriptions on the entrance gate identified Queen Chentkaus I, who ruled at the end of the 4th dynasty , as the builder.

Construction circumstances

The tomb was built at the end of the 4th dynasty between the roads of the Chephren pyramid and the Mykerinos pyramid . It is the largest tomb of a queen in the Old Kingdom . The quarry of the Chephren pyramid served as the site. The choice of Giza for the site of the tomb is unusual, as Chentkaus' alleged husband Sheepseskaf had his tomb built in the south of the Saqqara necropolis .

construction

Damaged southeast corner of the Tomb of Chentkaus I.

The grave of Chentkaus I is a block-shaped rock grave with an additional mastaba-like step. As a result, the structure also appears as a two- step pyramid . The structure was built in two phases.

1st phase

The base block with an almost square base and the basic dimensions 45.8 m × 43.7 m (corresponds to 90 × 85  Königsellen ) and a height of 10.5 m (20 Königsellen) is a rock stump left in the quarries of the great pyramids. All four sides of the truncated pyramid were originally provided with niches resembling false doors . According to Rainer Stadelmann , only the south side was equipped with niches and a false door was attached to the northeast corner as a counterpart to the entrance in the southeast corner.

In the area of ​​the southeast corner, the rock block of the first stage is massively damaged, so that the entrance chamber in it is now exposed.

2nd phase

Building the second stage

In a second construction phase, probably at the beginning of the 5th dynasty , a rectangular mastaba-like structure made of large limestone blocks was put on, the wall structure of which is similar to the Sheepseskaf mastaba . Presumably, this served to illustrate the increased importance of the grave owner as the royal mother after the seizure of power by two of her sons.

The structure had a height of about 8 m (15 royal cells) and a domed top. This structure is not centered, but leaves the eastern part of the rock plinth free, under which the upper chambers of the substructure are located. Presumably, there was a fear that these rooms would collapse due to the additional weight.

Tomb was in the second phase with Tura - limestone covered with an inclination of 74 °, wherein the slots of the first stage have been overbuilt. The original height of the grave with the top was about 18.5 m. The height of the entire structure is now around 17 m due to the loss of the facing stones.

  • Tomb of Chentkaus I (view from the south). Remains of the niche structure can be seen in the base

  • Side view of the grave with substructure

  • Top view of the grave with substructure

  • Depiction of Chentkaus I on a granite tablet from her grave with a ceremonial beard that identifies her as ruler.

Substructure

The entrance, consisting of a rose granite gate, at the southeast corner leads to a granite- lined hall, which is adjoined to the west by a room with three statue niches and to the north by the antechamber. From there a sloping corridor leads west to the burial chamber and the six small magazine chambers. The burial chamber had two false doors . The inside of the tomb was already badly damaged and robbed in ancient times. Fragments of from alabaster -made sarcophagus , however, could still be found.

Grave complex

A wall made of plastered mud bricks enclosed the entire complex. Along the approach from the east there was a planned settlement consisting of terraced houses with a very similar structure, whose residents in the 5th and 6th dynasties preserved the memory of Chentkaus I. A mock palace may have been located south of the settlement. The L-shaped settlement encloses the valley temple of the Mykerinos pyramid . At the southwest corner, similar to other royal tombs, there is a ship's pit , in which, however, the ship itself has not been preserved.

A valley temple may have been near the valley temple of Mykerinos, but has not yet been proven. Stadelmann, however, suspects that the valley temple did not exist.

literature

Web links

Commons : Tomb of Chentkaus I.  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f Miroslav Verner: The pyramids. P. 291 ff. The step grave of the Chentkaus.
  2. ↑ a b c Rainer Stadelmann: The Egyptian pyramids. From brick construction to the wonder of the world. P. 155 ff.
  3. ^ A b Zahi Hawass: Silent Images: Women in Pharanoic Egypt. Pp. 41-42.

Coordinates: 29 ° 58 '23.9 "  N , 31 ° 8' 7.3"  E