Userkaf pyramid
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 North side of the Userkaf pyramid
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The Userkaf pyramid is the first pyramid of the 5th dynasty and was built as the tomb of the king ( pharaoh ) Userkaf in Saqqara in the immediate vicinity of the Djoser pyramid . With this pyramid, a new phase of pyramid construction in the Old Kingdom begins, with the huge monumental buildings of the 4th Dynasty being replaced by significantly smaller grave structures. Today it has a very dilapidated character and its substructure is not accessible.
exploration
Karl Richard Lepsius cataloged the pyramid in his list of pyramids under the number XXXI , but did not research it further. In 1831 the Italian Egyptologist Orazio Marucchi discovered the entrance to the pyramid, which is not on the northern side of the pyramid, but in the northern courtyard. The inside of the pyramid was explored for the first time in 1839 and so far only by John Shae Perring , who used an existing tomb robber tunnel for this purpose. Perring did not yet know the actual builder of the pyramid and attributed it to Djedkare . After Perring's investigation, the access was buried again and has remained inaccessible to this day. Only Cecil M. Firth was able to appoint Userkaf as the builder in 1928. After Firth's death in 1931, research was suspended until Jean-Philippe Lauer resumed it in 1948. Lauer's work continued until 1955. Ali el-Choli conducted further research on the complex in 1970.
In 1991 the entrance to the pyramid was buried in an earthquake.
Construction circumstances
The 5th dynasty began with King Userkaf (2500 to 2490 BC) . Chentkaus I , wife of Shepseskaf, is considered the likely mother of Userkaf . She built her grave in the necropolis of the 4th dynasty in Gizeh , north of the valley temple of the Mykerinos pyramid . Userkaf, however, returned to the old necropolis of Saqqara.
With the construction of the Userkaf pyramid, the Egyptian rulers returned to the pyramid as a tomb after Userkaf's predecessor Schepseskaf and the presumably reigning Queen Chentkaus I were buried in a giant mastaba or in a stepped mastaba-like grave .
Userkaf chose the immediate vicinity of the Djoser pyramid as the location for his tomb. To do this, he used the narrow intermediate area between the surrounding wall of the Djoser complex and the large trench surrounding the complex as a location. The large moat was probably already filled in at this time, but did not offer any solid subsoil for building, which meant that the Userkaf complex had some special features in terms of execution.
One reason for the changed priorities of the pyramid building could be traced back to the growing sun cult of Heliopolis . With Userkaf, a number of rulers began to build monumental sun temples in addition to their pyramids, which had a complex similar to the pyramids, consisting of a valley temple, an avenue and an upper sanctuary. Userkaf built his solar sanctuary in Abusir .
The orientation of the pyramid complex of the Userkaf to the north was much more precise than that of the adjacent Djoser district, so that the two pyramid districts had an angle of about 4 ° to each other.
The pyramid
At the northeast corner of the Djoser pyramid , Userkaf's tomb complex was built with the name “The (cult) sites of Userkaf are pure” . The pyramid body was built according to the substructure built in an open pit. The pyramid originally had a base length of 73.3 m and was originally 49 m high at an inclination angle of 53 °. The angle of inclination corresponded to the Cheops pyramid . The core was built with roughly hewn blocks of local limestone in horizontal layers. This meant a significant saving in labor compared to the much more precisely hewn core stones of the pyramids of the 4th dynasty. It cannot be determined with certainty whether the core had a step structure. However, this core of significantly lower quality was also provided with a neatly crafted cladding made of fine Tura limestone, so that the visual impression of the structure did not have to lag behind that of the previous buildings. There was no rose granite cladding of the lower pyramid area, as was the case with the Mykerinos pyramid .
However, after the cladding had become a victim of stone robbery over the millennia, the loosely built core area was far less able to withstand the eroding influences than the cores of the older pyramids, which explains the ruinous character of the pyramid today .
Userkaf pyramid
Southwest area of the Userkaf pyramid
North side of the Userkaf pyramid. (1858) In the background the Djoser pyramid
_-_The_Pyramids_of_Sakkarah_from_the_North_East._1858.jpg)
The substructure
The substructure was built in a deep, open trench before the pyramid body was built. The entrance is in the north in front of the pyramid, not in the north wall of the pyramid as with the pyramids of the 4th Dynasty. From there an 18 m long, granite-clad corridor leads downwards until it merges into a horizontal corridor about 8 m below the base of the pyramid. In the horizontal corridor there is a single granite stone barrier.
Behind the barrier, a corridor branches off to the east and leads to a T-shaped magazine chamber. This is the only case in the 5th and 6th Dynasties that such a magazine chamber is located in the substructure of a pyramid.
From the junction to the south, the corridor leads to the antechamber, which is located directly under the center of the pyramid. The antechamber is oriented in an east-west direction and opens into the actual burial chamber in the west, which has the same height and width as the antechamber, but is longer. At the western end of the burial chamber there were some fragments of a sarcophagus that was originally located in a slight depression. The chambers are lined with fine Tura limestone, the floor being the victim of stone robbery. The thick blocks of the gable roof of the two chambers are made of the same material.
The pyramid complex
The rectangular pyramid complex is oriented in a north-south direction, but shows significant deviations from the usual arrangement of the pyramid complexes. Although the usual elements such as mortuary temple , cult pyramid , enclosure and access path are present, the positioning of the elements has changed. The one-off relocation of the mortuary temple to the south side and the otherwise non-existent sacrificial chapel on the east side are particularly striking. The reasons for this have not yet been clearly clarified. One theory suspects religious motifs in the context of the sun cult, while other theories assume space reasons due to the location between the Djoser complex and the large moat surrounding it.
The valley temple at the end of the path on the Nile side has not yet been discovered.
A small side pyramid with a side length of 21 m was located within the pyramid complex west of the mortuary temple, another with a side length of 26 m south of the surrounding wall. The first is considered a cult pyramid, the second as the grave for Userkaf's queen.
Cult pyramid
In the southwest corner of the complex, right next to the mortuary temple, there was a small cult pyramid with a base length of 21 m. At 53 °, the side slope corresponded to that of the main pyramid. The position is unusual, as cult pyramids were mostly in the southeast corner.
The core of the cult pyramid, similar to that of the king pyramid, consisted of roughly hewn limestone blocks and was arranged in steps. Of these, only the two lowest levels are still detectable. There was a cladding made of fine Tura limestone over the core.
The substructure corresponds to the typical cult pyramid and consisted of the entrance from the north, which led down to a T-shaped chamber. There was no sarcophagus in the chamber. Like that of the main pyramid, the chamber was laid out in a shallow, open shaft just below the surrounding level.
Mortuary temple
In this unique case, the mortuary temple was on the south side of the pyramid. The building material here was also limestone.
The entrance formed by the confluence with the Aufweg was on the southwest corner of the complex. The area of the temple behind it is badly damaged by shaft graves that were built later. Apparently there was an entrance hall in the shape of an inverted "L", a staircase to the roof terrace and storage rooms. The entrance hall led into an open pillar courtyard, the floor of which was paved with basalt . With the exception of the south side, the courtyard was bordered with rose granite pillars that were inscribed with the names and titles of the ruler. There were also various and masterfully executed reliefs above the basalt cladding of the walls, showing both inscriptions and pictorial scenes. Only fragments remained of these reliefs. One of the reliefs is in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (JE 56001).
On the south wall of the inner courtyard was a granite statue of Userkaf about 5 m high. The head of this is the second oldest monumental statue of an Egyptian ruler after the great Sphinx and is now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (JE 52501). Userkaf is depicted with a Nemes headscarf and a uraeus snake .
The inner sanctuary of the temple was on the south side and not, as in other mortuary temples, on the side facing the pyramid. Access was from the south side of the courtyard. This area consisted of a pillar hall with four pairs of rose granite pillars. From there you went south into the niche chapel, which had three (after Herbert Ricke ) or five (after Jean-Philippe Lauer) niches with statues of rulers. In this inner area of the temple, however, the sacrificial chapel, which was relocated as a separate building on the east side of the pyramid, was missing.
Ruins of the mortuary temple
Ruins of the mortuary temple with remains of the basalt floor
East chapel
The sacrificial hall necessary for the royal cult was not located in the mortuary temple, but was realized as a small chapel on the east side of the pyramid. This chapel thus took the place that is normally occupied by the mortuary temple in other pyramid complexes. The building material was limestone, but two supporting pillars were made of granite and the floor was made of basalt. On the side facing the pyramid side a was false door of quartzite . Access was through the pyramid courtyard, but direct access through the surrounding wall could also have been possible.
Queen's pyramid of Neferhetepes (?)
→ Main article Neferhetepes pyramid
The pyramid of the queen was an independent pyramid district in the south about 10 m away from the wall surrounding the Userkaf pyramid. The alignment of the queen pyramid and the fencing of the district according to the cardinal points corresponded to that of the main pyramid. Since the temple was on the east side, the rectangular complex extended in an east-west direction. The name of the queen buried here has not been passed down directly, but an inscription in the nearby grave of the priest Persen indicates the name Neferhetepes .
construction
The queen pyramid originally had a height of 16.8 m with a base length of 26.2 m and a side inclination of 52 °. The core, like that of the main pyramid, consisted of roughly hewn local limestone laid in horizontal layers on three levels. The core area was clad with fine Tura limestone. This small pyramid was exposed to a much greater degree of stone robbery, so that today significantly less structure is preserved than from the main pyramid and parts of the substructure are exposed.
Substructure
Remains of the Queen's Pyramid
Remains of the burial chamber of the queens pyramid
The substructure of the queen pyramid consists of an ascending corridor coming from the north, which leads to a T-shaped antechamber and main chamber directly below the center of the pyramid. The chamber is oriented in an east-west direction and had a gable roof made of large limestone blocks. The substructure thus represents a reduced version of the substructure of the Userkaf pyramid with the omission of the magazine chambers on the side. The cladding of the burial chamber and its ceiling blocks were made of fine Tura limestone. Due to the destruction of the pyramid body, the chamber is now exposed and the ceiling blocks, some of which still exist, are visible.
complex
The pyramid had its own mortuary temple, which, in contrast to the main pyramid, was in the usual position on the east side. Due to the significantly smaller dimensions of the queen complex, it was possible to carry it out in the usual orientation despite the cramped construction area. Relief representations were found in the remains that once adorned the walls of the temple. Due to the severe destruction of the mortuary temple, the previous attempts at reconstruction remain speculative. The remains indicate an open pillar courtyard, a sacrificial hall on the pyramid wall, three statue niches and storage rooms. The queen pyramid did not have its own cult pyramid.
Subsequent changes
During the reign of Ramses II , Prince Chaemwaset carried out restoration work on the pyramid, which is attested by inscriptions on stone facing.
In the eastern part of the mortuary temple a large shaft grave was dug in the 26th dynasty (Saïten period), so that this area of the temple is badly damaged and can only be reconstructed with difficulty. The layout of the shaft tomb indicates that the temple was largely destroyed by this time.
meaning
With the Userkaf pyramid, after the huge and carefully built pyramids of the 4th Dynasty, a new era in pyramid construction began, in which a much more economical, albeit far less durable, construction method was preferred. The dimensions also decreased to a size that made completion more likely during the Pharaoh's lifetime. Outwardly, the appearance of the pyramids remained the same due to the fine cladding, but the importance of the pyramid compared to the mortuary temple decreased.
literature
General
- Zahi Hawass : The Treasures of the Pyramids. Weltbild, Augsburg 2004, ISBN 3-8289-0809-8 , pp. 48, 127, 237, 238, 239, 240, 242, 253, 259, 267, 290, 302, 329, 389.
- Jean-Philippe Lauer : The royal tombs of Memphis. Excavations in Saqqara. Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 1988, ISBN 3-7857-0528-X .
- Mark Lehner : Secret of the Pyramids. ECON, Düsseldorf 1997, ISBN 3-572-01039-X , pp. 140 ff .: The Userkaf pyramid.
- Rainer Stadelmann : The Egyptian pyramids. From brick construction to the wonder of the world (= cultural history of the ancient world . Volume 30). 2nd, revised and expanded edition. Philipp von Zabern, Mainz 1991, ISBN 3-8053-1142-7 , pp. 159-164.
- Miroslav Verner : The pyramids (= rororo non-fiction book. Bd. 60890). Rowohlt-Taschenbuch-Verlag, Reinbek 1999, ISBN 3-499-60890-1 , pp. 306-313, 166, 295-299, 307-313, 315, 331, 345f., 352.
Excavation publications
- Cecil Mallaby Firth: Excavation of the Department of Antiquities at Saqqara. In: Annales du service des antiquités de l'Égypte. (ASAE) No. 29, 1929.
- Jean-Philippe Lauer: Le temple haut de la pyramide du roi Ouserkaf à Saqqarah. In: ASAE No. 53, 1955.
- Ahmed El-Khouli: Excavation at the pyramid of Userkaf. In: Journal of the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities. (JSSEA) No. 15, 1985.
- Audran Labrousse, Jean-Philippe Lauer: Les complexes funéraires d'Ouserkaf et de Néferhétepès. - Vol. 1 and 2, In: Institut français d'archéologie orientale du Caire. (IFAO), 2000.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Years after Thomas Schneider : Lexicon of the Pharaohs. Albatros, Düsseldorf 2002, ISBN 3-491-96053-3 .
- ↑ a b c Mark Lehner: Mystery of the pyramids , p. 140 ff The Userkaf pyramid
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l Miroslav Verner: Die Pyramiden , p. 306 ff Die Pyramid des Userkaf
- ↑ a b c d e f Rainer Stadelmann: The Egyptian pyramids. From brick building to the wonder of the world , p. 159 ff
- ^ Alan Winston: The Pyramid Complex of Userkaf at Saqqara in Egypt
- ↑ Mark Lehner: Mystery of the pyramids , p. 140 f The Userkaf pyramid - the interior of the pyramids
- ↑ a b c d e f Mark Lehner: Mystery of the pyramids , p. 141 f The Userkaf pyramid - The pyramid complex
- ^ Illustration of relief JE 56001
- ^ The Global Egyptian Museum | JE 52501: data and illustration
Web links
- Alan Winston: The Pyramid Complex of Userkaf at Saqqara in Egypt
Coordinates: 29 ° 52 ′ 24.7 ″ N , 31 ° 13 ′ 7.5 ″ E