Understanding the news: When is a pyramid not a pyramid?

Understanding the news: When is a pyramid not a pyramid?
When only its substructure remains.
Edit: Some further information and pictures: http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/262348.aspx
The substructure of a 13th Dynasty pyramid was uncovered at Dahshur by a team working near king Sneferu's 'Bent' pyramid in early April 2017. Mahmoud Afifi, the head of the ancient Egyptian antiquities sector at the antiquities ministry said the site was in good condition.
Egyptian pyramids generally were a part of a funerary complex which included various buildings and shrines including a temple to service the needs of the deceased's ka (spirit). Frequently these complexes are fragmentary and sometimes vanish altogether when the site is built over or materials reused for other projects.
Here we see an example where the superstructure or the distinctive 'pyramid' shape is missing and the substructure remains. The substructure lies under the base of the pyramid and was where the burial chamber and storage of funerary goods was located. (There are only a few exceptions to this).
This pyramid has been identified as belonging to 13th Dynasty King Ameny Qemau who is thought to have reigned for only a few years by Aiden Dodsen and James Allen (see http://www.livescience.com/58531-second-pyramid-pharaoh-ameny-qemau-discovered.html).
Some commentators have noted that this would make it the second pyramid attributed to this king, but this is not unusual. Many kings had more than one pyramid, with examples of failed structures teaching us about the materials, techniques and logistics of pyramid manufacture.
Also of note is the fact that this pyramid has probably been previously excavated. This is also reasonably common in Egypt, however new teams with more scientific approaches and equipment frequently get much more comprehensive results than their predecessors, so revisiting sites is usually a worthwhile undertaking.
Recommended reading:
LEHNER, M. (2008) The complete pyramids. London, Thames & Hudson.
ROMER, J. (2007) The Great Pyramid: Ancient Egypt Revisited Cambridge University Press

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/262156.aspx

Comments

Post a Comment

To maintain the quality of discussion, please keep comments and questions on topic.