Bent Pyramid

Dahshur is an area next to the necropolis of South Saqqara. Many pharaohs chose this place to build their pyramids. It used to be a military zone and was not open to the public until October 1996. This pyramid field is significant because it shows the different stages of pyramid construction, starting with Snefru's monuments. Snefru, the founder of Dynasty IV, was the father of Khufu, who built the famous 'Great Pyramid' in Giza. Snefru likely started his pyramid building career by trying to finish his father Huni's monument at Meidum. However, he later shifted his focus and moved his workers to Dahshur, where he started constructing another pyramid. This pyramid, originally called 'Snefru is shining in the south', is now known as the ' The Bent Pyramid, constructed by Pharaoh Sneferu during the Old Kingdom, is an ancient Egyptian pyramid situated in the royal necropolis of Dahshur. Bent Pyramid ' due to its unique shape. It can be found approximately 3km west of the present-day village of Dahshur on the desert plateau.

Snefru had big ideas for his second pyramid, which, if finished as planned, would have been the biggest pyramid in Egypt. The base length was about 189m, and the original height was 105m. However, during construction, the architects realized that the slope was too steep, so they changed the plan and reduced the inclination halfway up. This reduced the projected height and the weight of the upper stone courses. It's understandable that they experimented since there was no previous pyramid prototype for reference. There are numerous explanations for the alteration of the plan. The base of the structure was unstable, and there might have been indications of collapse in the inner chambers. This led to the need to reduce the weight of the stone above the central axis. Alternatively, there could have been a religious or political reason behind the change in angle, resulting in the peculiar bend.

King Snefru of Egypt is best known for his impressive architectural achievements, particularly his three or possibly four pyramids. As the founder of the 4th dynasty, he played a significant role in shaping Ancient Egypt. Despite limited information about him, his grand structures stand as a testament to his greatness. Snefru's lineage further solidified his claim to the throne, as he married his half-sister who later became the mother of the renowned King Cheops. Cheops is famous for owning the largest pyramid in history, a popular attraction for tourists visiting the Giza Pyramids. during his rule, the king led two military expeditions. One was to Nubia, and the other was against the Libyan tribes. Additionally, a fleet of forty ships carrying cedarwood arrived from Byblos.

The The Bent Pyramid, constructed by Pharaoh Sneferu during the Old Kingdom, is an ancient Egyptian pyramid situated in the royal necropolis of Dahshur. Bent Pyramid stands out because it has two entrances. One entrance is located on the northern side, approximately 12m above the ground. The second entrance is on the western face, about 30m above the base. Some believe that this indicates a structural collapse, leading to one of the passages being blocked for safety reasons. The northern entrance leads to a steep passage that goes down to the lower of the three underground chambers. This chamber opens into a narrow room with a corbelled ceiling made of large limestone slabs. There is also a short vertical passage that leads to a second chamber directly beneath the pyramid's axis, which has been partially destroyed. The western entrance passage of the pyramid has a more gradual slope. It is blocked by two portcullis slabs and then continues horizontally to a higher level where a third chamber is located. This chamber has a high corbelled roof and there are signs that it may have been supported by large cedar wood beams. Snefru's name was discovered on the roughly cut blocks in this chamber, written in red pigment along with the king's cartouche. The upper and lower chambers were connected by a tunnel that was carved through the masonry after the chambers were constructed. Some believe that this was done to imitate the traditional 'South Tomb' of Djoser's complex in Saqqara and to fix the conflicting alignment of the substructure.

A small funerary temple made of mudbrick was located at the center of the eastern side of the pyramid. It initially had a cult chapel, similar to the one at Meidum, which included a limestone offering table shaped like the 'hetep' symbol. This chapel also had two tall monolithic stelae, measuring 9m in height, with Snefru's names and titles inscribed on them. The Cairo Museum displays the remains of one of the stelae's upper part, while the stumps are still in their original position. Later on, the simple chapel was expanded with mudbrick walls.

The valley temple was discovered in the 1950s by Egyptian archaeologist Ahmed Fakhry. It was divided into three sections - a vestibule with store-rooms, a central courtyard, and a columned portico with six chapels or niches. These features are commonly found in mortuary temples built later. The temple's walls and pillars were adorned with exquisite funerary scenes and reliefs, including Snefru's 'heb-sed' celebration. The niches contained large limestone stelae depicting the king in half-sculpture form. Residences of the mortuary priests were found between the valley temple and its large mudbrick wall.

How to get there:
Getting to the Dahshur necropolis is easy. It was opened to the public in 1996, after being used as a military zone for a long time. You can reach the site from Cairo by taking a taxi, which you can combine with a visit to the nearby Saqqara. Alternatively, you can also take a bus to the modern village of Dahshur.