Pepi I pyramid
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 Reconstruction of the Pepi I pyramid
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The Pepi I pyramid is the tomb of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Pepi I , the third ruler of the 6th dynasty . It is located in Saqqara- South, north of the Merenre pyramid and the Djedkare pyramid . The Greek name of the former Egyptian capital Memphis is derived from its ancient Egyptian name Men-nefer-Pepi .
exploration
The first scientific investigation of the structure was carried out in the 1830s by John S. Perring . In 1881 Gaston Maspero succeeded in penetrating the underground chamber system, where he first found pyramid texts . Since 1950, the pyramid of Pepis I and other surrounding pyramids have been the subject of excavations by French Egyptologists, which continue to this day . One of the most significant results of this research is the discovery of several queen pyramids in the grave complex of Pepis I.
The pyramid
In terms of its dimensions and its construction, the pyramid of Pepi is largely identical to those of its predecessors Djedkare and Teti II. It has a side length of 78.8 m and an original height of 52.5 m. The angle of inclination is 53 ° 7 '. The core masonry consists of small pieces of limestone that were connected with clay mortar. The cladding consisted of finely crafted limestone blocks, but only the bottom layer has been preserved. Due to massive stone robbery in later times, only a 12 m high hill is left of the pyramid, in the center of which there is a large crater.
The substructure
The pyramid's chamber system is also similar to that of Djedkare and Teti. In the middle of the north side of the building there was originally a chapel . From there a corridor leads diagonally downwards. This first leads into a chamber and then continues horizontally . In the middle of the horizontal corridor there is a blocking device with three falling stones made of rose granite . The corridor finally opens into an antechamber, from which a small storage room branches off to the east and the burial chamber to the west.
The passage chamber, the horizontal passage, the antechamber and the burial chamber are inscribed with pyramid texts that were carved into the walls. In addition, they were painted with green paint, which is a novelty compared to the older pyramid texts, which lack any painting.
The magazine space is much simpler than that of Pepi's predecessors. While this room still had three niches in their pyramids, these are completely absent with Pepi. The room also has no decoration whatsoever.
The vestibule and burial chamber are crowned by a monolithic limestone gable roof. This consists of three layers, each of which contains sixteen blocks. The entire roof structure has a weight of 5000 tons. This blanket was decorated as a canopy of white stars on a black background. In the west of the burial chamber is the sarcophagus , which was made of black stone. A completely preserved canopic box made of rose granite was discovered in front of the sarcophagus . Fragments of canopic jars made of alabaster and the embalmed entrails of the king were found next to the box , as well as the remains of the mummy , linen bandages, a sandal and a knife made of flint .
The pyramid complex
Pyramid city, valley temple and access road
The pyramid city of Pepis I had the same name as his pyramid: Men-nefer-Pepi. At the end of the Old and the beginning of the Middle Kingdom , it became the center of the agglomeration that had formed around the ancient Egyptian capital Inebu-Hedj ("White Walls"). In the Middle Kingdom, the name Men-nefer-Pepi was then used for the entire metropolis . The shortened form Men-nefer became the Greek version Memphis, under which the former city is still known today.
The pyramid city of Pepi and the valley temple of his pyramid have not yet been excavated. From the way up, only the last few meters directly before the mortuary temple have been explored.
The mortuary temple
Like the pyramid and its chamber system, the structure of the mortuary temple on the east side of the pyramid is practically identical to that of Pepi's predecessors. The temple was badly damaged by stone robbery. Several limestone statues of kneeling and bound enemies of Egypt are an important find . They were originally placed in the pillar courtyard and perhaps also in the entrance hall of the temple.
The cult pyramid
The cult pyramid is located at the southeast corner of the royal pyramid - a position that has been standard for this building since Pharaoh Sahure . It is in a slightly better state of preservation than the mortuary temple. It has a side length of 15.7 m and a height of 15.7 m. Its angle of inclination is 63 ° 26 '.
The queen pyramids
The pyramid Pepis I has the largest number of queen pyramids of all pyramids in the Old Kingdom . The royal tomb complex includes at least eight queen pyramids, three of which have their own cult pyramids. The first three of these pyramids were discovered in 1988. Their owners are Nubwenet , Inenek / Inti, Meritites II. , Anchenespepi II. , Anchenespepi III. , Haaheru and Behenu . The owner of the eighth pyramid is not known by name. Since relief fragments were found in the vicinity of these buildings on which the names of two other wives Pepis I, Anchenespepi I and Nedjeftet , are mentioned, it is assumed that pyramids were also built for them here. Their discovery is still pending.
The pyramid of the Nubwenet
The easternmost known queen pyramid so far belonged to Nubwenet, a wife of Pepis I. It is made of limestone and has a side length of 21.0 m. The original height was also 21.0 m. There is a small mortuary temple on the east side. The entrance to the chamber system is on the north side of the pyramid. There is a small mud-brick chapel in which a broken limestone altar was found. From there a passage leads down, which first leads into a passage chamber and then continues horizontally. The burial chamber is located slightly south of the pyramid center. The remains of a sarcophagus made of rose granite and inscribed plates made of alabaster were found in it, but their function is unclear. A serdab branches off to the east from the burial chamber . Remnants of the grave equipment were found here.
The pyramid of Inenek / Inti
To the west of the Nubwenet complex is the pyramid of another Pepis wife, Inenek, also called Inti. The actual pyramid is largely identical to that of Nubwenet. The only significant difference is that the burial chamber is here just below the center of the pyramid.
What is more striking, however, is that the pyramid of Inenek has a much larger mortuary temple, which, due to lack of space, is not only on the east side of the pyramid, but surrounds it from the north, east and south. At the southeast corner there is a small cult pyramid with a side length and height of 6.30 m. Two 2.2 m high limestone obelisks were found at the entrance gate of the enclosing wall . They are labeled and painted red, which should imitate expensive rose granite.
Not much has survived from the funeral. A sarcophagus made of greywacke , stone dishes and some vessels were found.
The western pyramid
In addition to the grave of Inenek, a third pyramid was found in 1988, which was called the "western pyramid" or "pyramid of the western queen", as its owner is still unknown today. However, these names have become a bit unsuitable because they are now more in the center of the previously known queen pyramids. Its dimensions are the same as with Nubwenet, but the chamber system is structured differently. The Serdab is not located on the east, but on the south side of the burial chamber.
Numerous objects from the original grave equipment could still be found. Among them were the remains of a coffin made of rose granite, a gold-plated sandal, copper utensils, clay vessels and wooden objects.
The mortuary temple was built in a hurry from Nile mud bricks. It was only completed under Pepi II. It was built extremely tightly and decorated with reliefs showing processions of the court and of personified sacrifices.
The pyramid of the Meritites II.
South of the western pyramid, the tomb of Queen Meritites, a daughter of Pepis I, was discovered in 1995. The pyramid was built over a natural mound of sand and flint bulbs. The grave chamber is badly damaged by the lowering of the ceiling beams, but some grave goods could still be found, including a headrest and some wooden fragments that probably belonged to a box.
The pyramid of Anchenespepi II.
In 1998 the pyramid of Anchenespepi II, a wife of Pepi I, was found southwest of the Meritites' grave. With a side length of 31.20 m, it was the largest queen pyramid in the Pepi complex, but today it has been almost completely removed. On the north side the remains of a chapel were discovered, from which a corridor decorated with reliefs leads to the burial chamber. Pyramid texts were written on their walls. In 2001 a black stone sarcophagus was found. To the east of the burial chamber is an undecorated serdab.
To the north of the pyramid are 20 storage rooms, in which, however, no major finds could be made. A courtyard east of the magazines is more revealing, in which painted reliefs were found, including the portrait of the queen. Another important find is a block that names the pyramids of Pepi I, Merenre and Pepi II. It is an important find for the reconstruction of the royal family history of the 6th dynasty.
On the east side of the pyramid is the mortuary temple, which has a rather unusual shape and is extended to the north. In 2017, a pyramidion and fragments of an obelisk were found near the tomb , which is said to be the largest in the Old Kingdom .
The pyramid of Anchenespepi III.
The pyramid of Anchenespepi III, a daughter of Merenre and wife of Pepis II, was discovered in 2001 north of the storage rooms of Anchenespepis II. The burial chamber is decorated with a hieroglyphic ribbon that gives the name and title of the queen. In the southeast of the building there is a small cult pyramid.
The pyramid of the Haaheru
To the northwest of the western pyramid lies the heavily damaged queens pyramid of the Haaheru. The reading of her name is uncertain, originally it was erroneously read Mehaa. It has only been used once, namely in a building that is believed to be the burial chamber of her son Hornetjerichet , which could possibly also be the Haaheru mortuary temple.
The pyramid has a side length of 22.60 m. The burial chamber is almost completely destroyed, but remains of the wall decoration in the style of a palace facade and some inscriptions were found.
The pyramid of the Behenu
In 2007, the remains of an eighth queens pyramid were excavated northwest of the Haaheru pyramid. The name of its owner is Behenu. On the south side of the building is the mortuary temple, on the south-east side there is also a small cult pyramid. Fragments of pyramid texts and the head of a statuette of Queen Behenu were also found in the remains of the tomb. The burial chamber was excavated at the beginning of 2010. It measures 10 m × 5 m and contained remains of the wall decoration and the Behenu sarcophagus.
More tombs
The tomb of the Hathor priestess Anchenespepi
The western part of the tomb of Anchenespepi III. remained unfinished. The grave of the Hathor priestess Anchenespepi was probably built there in the 1st interim period . The superstructure consists of unfired bricks. A shaft leads to an arched chamber. On the east wall there is a tomb robber's hole only 20 cm wide, which leads to a small limestone chamber that was intended for the actual burial. Their walls were painted. Five decorated wooden handles of mirrors and a 38 cm high wooden statuette of the deceased were found in the grave.
The Reherischefnacht pyramid
→ Main article: Reherischefnacht pyramid
Directly north to the pyramids of Anchenespepi III. Adjacent is a small pyramid that was only built at the end of the 11th or the beginning of the 12th dynasty . Its owner was an official named Reherischefnacht, so it is the oldest known Egyptian pyramid that was not built for a member of the royal family. The structure consists mainly of reused fragments that originally came from other structures in the area.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Nevine El-Aref: Old Kingdom pyramid peak discovered in Saqqara . In: Ahram Online. October 12, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ↑ Nevine El-Aref: Archaeologists unearth largest-ever discovered obelisk fragment from Egypt's Old Kingdom . In: Ahram Online. October 4, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ↑ Archived copy (French) ( Memento from February 20, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ http://www.sis.gov.eg/En/Story.aspx?sid=46926
literature
- Audran Labrousse: The pyramids from the 6th Dynasty . In: Zahi Hawass (ed.): The treasures of the pyramids . Weltbild-Verlag, Augsburg 2004, ISBN 3-8289-0809-8 , p. 268.
- Audran Labrousse, Jean Leclant: New discoveries of the Mission Archéologique Française de Saqqâra (campaigns 2001-2005) . In: Sokar. No. 13, 2006, pp. 36-37.
- Mark Lehner : The Secret of the Pyramids in Egypt . Orbis, Munich 1999, ISBN 3-572-01039-X , pp. 157-160.
- Rainer Stadelmann : The Egyptian pyramids. From brick construction to the wonder of the world (= cultural history of the ancient world . Volume 30). 3rd, updated and expanded edition. Philipp von Zabern, Mainz 1997, ISBN 3-8053-1142-7 , pp. 193-195.
- Miroslav Verner : The pyramids (= rororo non-fiction book. Volume 60890). Rowohlt, Reinbek bei Hamburg 1999, ISBN 3-499-60890-1 , pp. 389-397.
Web links
- The Pyramid of Pepi I at South Saqqara in Egypt
- The queen pyramids of the pyramid Pepis I. ( Memento from June 27, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- The Pyramids of Pepi I's Queens and Family at South Saqqara
- The Pyramid Complex of Pepi I.
Coordinates: 29 ° 51 ′ 16 ″ N , 31 ° 13 ′ 8 ″ E