Bent Pyramid in Dahshur An Architectural Marvel of Ancient Egypt

Where is the pyramid of Dahshur?

Dahshur was the southern part of the cemetery of Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt. Pyramids of the kings of the Old and Middle Kingdoms were erected on this hill. The first king of the 4th Dynasty Sneferu chose the rocky plateau of Dahshur to establish his first pyramid to compete with the pyramid of King Djoser in Saqqara but failed to complete it. This first attempt turned into a broken shape, but he built a complete pyramid at a distance from it, called the Red Pyramid. Nearby, the pyramids dating to the Middle Kingdom, starting from the pyramid of King Amenemhat II, stand although in a bad state. The pyramid of King Senwosret III is surrounded by the tombs of the princesses Sit-Hathor and Ment.

As for the Black Pyramid of King Amenemhat III, it is also in poor condition of conservation. Despite the erosion of its stones, it is still standing at a distance from the pyramid of Sneferu. The stone pyramidion, the tip of the pyramid, is on display at the Egyptian Museum. Several other pyramids of the 13th Dynasty were built at Dahshur.

The Bent Pyramid in Dahshur stands as a testament to the innovative spirit and architectural prowess of ancient Egypt. Located about 40 kilometers south of Cairo, this remarkable structure offers a unique glimpse into the evolutionary history of pyramid construction. If you're planning a trip to Egypt or simply have a fascination with ancient wonders, the Bent Pyramid should undoubtedly be on your list of must-see sites.

What are the bent pyramids in Egypt?

Commissioned by Pharaoh Sneferu during the Old Kingdom around 2600 BCE, the Bent Pyramid is one of the earliest pyramids built by the ancient Egyptians. What makes this pyramid particularly fascinating is its unusual shape. Unlike the straight-sided pyramids that came later, the Bent Pyramid's lower half rises at a steep angle of 54 degrees, while the upper half tapers off at a gentler angle of 43 degrees. This unique design has puzzled historians and archaeologists for decades.

The Bent Pyramid's distinctive shape is not just an aesthetic choice but a significant step in the evolution of pyramid construction. Initially intended to be a true pyramid with smooth sides, the change in angle was likely due to structural concerns. The steep angle of the lower portion may have caused instability, prompting builders to alter the design midway through construction. This adjustment allowed the pyramid to be completed without risking collapse, showcasing the ancient Egyptians' adaptability and engineering skills.

Visiting the Bent Pyramid 

Visiting the Bent Pyramid offers a unique experience, as it is one of the few pyramids where visitors can explore the interior. Here are some tips for making the most of your visit:

Getting There: Dahshur is a short drive from Cairo, making it an easy day trip. You can hire a taxi or join a guided tour that includes transportation and a knowledgeable guide.

What to Bring: Comfortable walking shoes, a hat, and plenty of water are essential, as the site involves a fair amount of walking and can get quite hot.

Exploring the Interior: Be prepared for narrow passages and steep inclines when venturing inside the pyramid. It's an exhilarating experience but may not be suitable for those with claustrophobia or mobility issues.

The Bent Pyramid has two entrances, one on the north side, with modern wooden stairs, and the other is high on the west side. Each entrance leads to a chamber with a corbelled roof, giving this gradual effect. The northern entrance chamber is below ground level. As for the western entrance chamber, it is built higher up in the body of the Bent Pyramid.

Photography: The exterior of the Bent Pyramid is a photographer's dream. Capture the pyramid from different angles to appreciate its unique structure.

Nearby Attractions Bent Pyramid 

While in Dahshur, take the opportunity to visit other nearby pyramids and sites: 

The Red Pyramid: Also built by Sneferu, this pyramid is considered the first true smooth-sided pyramid and offers another fascinating glimpse into ancient Egyptian architecture. 

The Black Pyramid: Although in a state of ruin, this pyramid adds to the rich tapestry of Dahshur's historical landscape. 

Memphis and Saqqara: Located nearby, these sites offer additional ancient wonders, including the Step Pyramid of D

The Red pyramid of King Snefru in Dahshur Egypt

The Red pyramid known also as the Shinning or the Northern Pyramid has the 2nd-largest base of pyramids in Egypt. It is about 220 metres (722 feet) wide at the base and 104 metres (341 feet) high. 

The Red Pyramid is the highest in Dahshur, and its name of “Red” is due to the reddish rusty color of its blocks. It was not this color originally, but a beautiful pure white of limestone of Tura, south of modern Cairo. All pyramids had a casing made of this white limestone, which was reused in medieval times.

It is the third-largest Egyptian pyramid after those of Khufu and Khafre at Giza. The Red Pyramid was one of three pyramids built by King Sneferu after the Bent Pyramid, located one kilometer to the south, and the so-called Meidum pyramid. This pyramid may have been started in the 13th year of his reign, taking 10 years to be built.

Dahshur is an ancient Egyptian pyramid complex and necropolis and shares the name of the nearby village of Manshiyyat Dahshur in markaz Badrashin, Giza.

Dahshur is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is located on the Western Desert plateau at the edge of the cultivated plain, and along with the pyramid complexes at Saqqara, Abusir, and Giza, to its north, forms the pyramid fields of the ancient capital city of Memphis. It is known chiefly for several pyramids, mainly Senefru's Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid, which are among the oldest, largest and best preserved in Egypt, built from 2613 to 2589 BC.

Realizing his shortcomings and learning from his mistakes, King Sneferu ordered the building of the second pyramid of Dahshur, the Red Pyramid. Once completed, the pyramid was considered to be a success, as it was a fully constructed, smooth sided, and a free standing pyramid rising to a height of 341 feet (104 meters), with an angle of 43 degrees. The Red Pyramid's name derives from the material that was used to construct the pyramid, red limestone. This pyramid is believed to be the resting place of King Sneferu.

The visitor can enter the pyramid from an entrance on the northern side, leading to a passageway (a meter in height and a meter in width). It then slopes down to another gallery into a chamber with a corbelled roof, similar to an inverted stairway. Another passage leads to a second chamber located in the middle of the pyramid, directly at the western end of that chamber. To the south of it, a passageway leads to a third chamber, which is believed to have been the pyramid’s burial chamber.

Pyramid of Djoser Saqqara necropolis The Step pyramid

The pyramid of Djoser, sometimes called the Step Pyramid of Djoser, is an archaeological site in the Saqqara necropolis, Egypt, northwest of the ruins of Memphis. It is the first pyramid to be built. The 6-tier, 4-sided structure is the earliest colossal stone building in Egypt.

What is a step pyramid?

A step pyramid or stepped pyramid is an architectural structure that uses flat platforms, or steps, receding from the ground up, to achieve a completed shape similar to a geometric pyramid. Step pyramids are structures which characterized several cultures throughout history, in several locations throughout the world.

Who was buried in the step pyramid?

The ancient Egyptian pharaoh that gave the pyramid its name, Djoser, sometimes spelled Zoser (though he was actually called Netjerykhet) ruled during Egypt's third dynasty. Scholars attribute the planning of the pyramid to Imhotep, a vizier who would later be deified for his accomplishments.

The Step Pyramid of Djoser was built about 4,700 years ago with six layers above ground and a series of tunnels below.

The sheer age of the Step Pyramid is astounding. It was built in the early Third Dynasty, during the reign of King Netjerykhet (c.2667–2648 BC), who is now more well-known as Djoser.

Before his reign, royal and elite Egyptians were buried in mastabas. This word, meaning “bench” in Arabic, refers to a type of funerary structure that was generally rectangular in shape and built over the tomb proper, which was underground. The Step Pyramid is composed of six stacked mastabas, thus creating the stepped effect. Imhotep, its architect, may very well have been responsible for this major innovation.

At one end of the pyramid complex, a structure known as the South Tomb is believed to have acted as an additional, symbolic, tomb for Djoser, perhaps reflecting his role as the dual king of both Upper and Lower Egypt.

Djoser’s pyramid complex also has some unique features. The two courts in front of the pyramid recreate the setting of the Sed Festival, a royal ceremony aimed at rejuvenating the king and regenerating his power. The structures on the side of the eastern court emulate in stone the ephemeral shrines that were used in this festival, thus ensuring that the king could continue being rejuvenated forever.

Visiting the Pyramid of Djoser Today 

Today, the Pyramid of Djoser remains a major tourist attraction, drawing visitors from around the globe to marvel at its ancient grandeur. Efforts to preserve and restore this architectural wonder continue, ensuring that future generations can experience its historical significance.

Guided Tours: Visitors can take guided tours of the Saqqara necropolis, providing in-depth insights into the history and architecture of the Step Pyramid and surrounding structures. 

Virtual Tours: For those unable to visit in person, virtual tours offer an immersive experience, allowing exploration of the pyramid’s intricate details from anywhere in the world.

How to Access the Virtual Tour

3D Models and Animations: Engage with interactive 3D reconstructions and animations that bring the ancient structures to life, showing how they would have appeared in their prime.

Access here free : Virtual Tour in The Complex of Djoser

The Southern Tomb

The South tomb is located at the southwestern corner of the King Djoser funeral complex, dating to the 3rd Dynasty, Old Kingdom period. This magnificent complex is the oldest stone building of the ancient world. Basically, it was named the “Southern Tomb'” following its discovery by the English archaeologist Cecil Malaby Firth in 1928.

Significantly, the tomb is composed of an upper level in the form of a rectangular stone building. Its walls are decorated with a series of stone sockets in the form of entrances and exits, crowned by a frieze of cobra heads that symbolize protection and power.

The lower level of the tomb consists of an entrance towards a ramp leading to the burial chamber, which is located at the bottom of a great shaft measuring 7.5 x 7.5 m, and with a depth of approximately 31 m. It housesg a large sarcophagus made of 16 blocks of pink granite, each measuring approximately 3.60 metres high, 3.5 metres wide, and 3.6 metres long. urthermore, one can note the similarity between the shaft and the sarcophagus with those inside the step pyramid.

One of the most important architectural and decorative elements of the Southern Tomb are a series of corridors, one of which contains three false doors, each topped with exquisite reliefs depicting the king taking part in the Heb-Sed Festival. This was a vital event, a royal jubilee, with the aim of rejuvenating the king and renewing his right to rule. One can admire the king represented wearing the royal beard, as well as the White Crown of Upper Egypt. Several walls of the southern tomb’s corridors are decorated with the same blue faience tiles into the step pyramid.

Various theories have been proposed about this tomb, as it is believed that it belonged to the royal wife of the king, or that it was built in order to house the internal organs of the king (lungs, stomach, intestines and liver).

The famous French Egyptologist Jean-Philippe Lauer undertook many important excavations at Saqqara, including the restoration and reconstruction of Djoser’s Step Pyramid Complex throughout a period of over 70 years. Lauer believed that this South Tomb was a symbolic burial for the king’s soul, replacing the royal tomb at Abydos (in the Sohag governorate).

In 2006, restoration work of the South Tomb began. It involved conservation and restoration work of the lower corridors, strengthening of the walls and ceilings, fixing of the blue faience tiles to complete the interior inscriptions in the tomb, as well as  reassembling and restoring the granite sarcophagus. In addition, this conservation project also included the paving of floors and the installation of a ladder; installations of indoor and outdoor lighting provide the visitor an enhanced and enjoyable experience.

Mit Rahina Museum Badrasheen Giza Egypt

Mit Rahina Museum Giza Egypt located in Giza governorate, with people always visiting the Giza Pyramids, yet most of them know nothing about this town.

Memphis city is the centre of Badrasheen in Giza. Memphis was the capital of the first Old Kingdom in ancient Egypt, since the unification of the north and south by King Narmer, until the year 2,200 BC.

Narmer was an ancient Egyptian king of the Early Dynastic period. He was considered the unifier of Egypt, and the founder of the First Dynasty, and in turn the first king of a unified Egypt.

What is in Memphis, Egypt?

Memphis was the first capital of ancient Egypt and is located about 18km south of Cairo. According to ancient Egyptian stories, the city was founded by King Menes about 3000 BC. It was protected by the patron Ptah, whose temple is located in the center. Since Memphis is located at the outlet of the Nile, it had many works and production sites. After Alexandria slowly rose, Memphis gradually lost its importance. In 1982, researches proved that the location of the city was shifted by the Nile, during the past millennia. The Nile was not regulated in ancient times and could flow back into a completely different riverbed in the event of a flood. The ancient capital was then founded much farther north, near the mastabas (stone bank) dating from the 1st and 2nd dynasties and the present small town of Abusir.

The museum consists of two parts, the indoors museum, and the outdoors museum. The indoors area contains that statue of Ramses II, and the ancient columns and statues of dwarfs. On the other hand, the outdoor area contains the Ramses Sphinx, and the Triad of Memphis statue.

The Ramses Sphinx

This Sphinx was fashioned to imitate the original Sphinx at the Giza Pyramids. Yet, the head of this Sphinx represents the face of Ramses II, rather than King Khufu, with the lion’s body constant.

The archetypal Egyptian sphinx usually had the body of a lion and the head of a man — usually the king, although examples of female (queen) sphinxes exist. A combination of human and leonine elements endowed the sphinx with the intelligence of a human being and the awesome physical prowess of a lion. 

Sphinxes appear early in the Egyptian artistic canon and remain an important royal and divine symbol throughout the Pharaonic Period. The Egyptian sphinx was quite distinct from the sphinx found in Greek mythology. The Egyptian sphinx was a protective, positive entity, while the Greek sphinx was a fearsome and dangerous creature.

Excavated by W. M. Flinders Petrie in 1913 near the Ptah Temple at Memphis, the Penn Museum's 13-ton sphinx is the largest sphinx in the Western Hemisphere. The sphinx, a lion with a human head, represents the power of the Egyptian king. Carved of a single block of red granite, quarried at Aswan, the five-fold titulary of Ramses II appears along the base of this sphinx.

 Ramses II's son and successor, Merenptah, added his own cartouches on the shoulders after his father's death. For several years after its arrival in Philadelphia, the sphinx sat in the garden in front of the Museum. The sphinx was moved inside the building in 1916. When the Coxe Wing was nearing completion in 1926, the sphinx was moved to the Lower Egypt gallery. In 2019, it was moved to the Main Entrance.

The statue of the Triad of Memphis

The Triad of Memphis consists of Ptah, Sekhmet, and their son Nefertem. The three Gods’ centre of worship was in Memphis. In Egyptian mythology, Memphis was believed to be under the protection of the God Ptah.

Ptah is the God of craftsmen and architects. Sekhmet was Ptah’s wife and the mother of Nefertem, the Lotus God. Sekhmet, meaning strong, was always represented as a lady with the head of a lioness sitting on the throne adorned by the sign of unification of the north and south of Egypt, topped by the sun disk and the Cobra snake.

Ramses II statue

The statue of Ramses II was discovered in 1820 by the Explorer Giovanni Batista Cavellia, near Memphis in Egypt.

Ramses II was the third pharaoh of the 19th Egyptian dynasty. He is regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the New Kingdom, who ruled for the longest time any pharaoh did.

There are protective cartridges on the shoulders of the statue, with Ramses wearing a dagger, and two heads representing Horus.

The statue’s hand is closed to represent intensity and strength, while the statue’s smiling face represents mercy and tolerance.

The ancient columns

The museum also contains columns representing the late age of the ancient Egyptian civilisation, through displaying the lotus flower.

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Pompey's Pillar Kom Ash Shoqafah Serapeum of Alexandria

The Serapeum was built during the reign of Ptolemy III Euergetes (246–221 BCE), on a hill to the west of the city just outside the ancient Ptolemaic city boundary, in what is today Kom El Shogafa district.

The Serapeum was built during the reign of Ptolemy III Euergetes (246–221 BCE), on a hill to the west of the city just outside the ancient Ptolemaic city boundary, in what is today Kom El Shogafa district.

It was dedicated to Serapis: a syncretic deity created by the Ptolemies, with traits of the Egyptian gods Osiris and Apis, and a physical appearance similar to the Greek god Zeus. Appealing to both Egyptians and Greeks, Serapis became one of the most important Alexandrian cults.

In the late first century CE, the Serapeum was largely destroyed by fire, and during the Roman era a larger temple was built on the same site. The Alex Med scale model is a reconstruction of the Serapeum built under the Romans. Archeological evidence shows that it had a large colonnaded courtyard, and in 289 CE, Diocletian's column was erected within this courtyard to commemorate Diocletian’s victory over an Egyptian rebellion.

Other features included underground passages and a sister library to the Library of Alexandria. In 391 CE, the Serapeum was destroyed two years after Emperor Theodosius had ordered the closure of all pagan temples throughout the Roman Empire. Today, the only element which remains standing intact is Diocletian’s column, erroneously referred to as Pompey's Pillar.Around the Roman Amphitheatre in Alexandria are some statues and columns’ capitals, dating back to the Roman era in Egypt.

Pompey's Pillar (column)

The name of Pompey pillar in relation to the pillar was used by many European writers in early modern times. The name is considered to stem from a historical misreading of the Greek dedicatory inscription on the base; the name ΠΟΥΠΛΙΟΣ (Πού̣π̣[λιος], Pouplios) was confused with ΠΟΜΠΗΙΟΣ (Ancient Greek: Πομπήιος, romanized: Pompeios)

Pompey's Pillar construction

In 297 Diocletian, Augustus since 284, campaigned in Egypt to suppress the revolt of the usurper Domitius Domitianus. After a long siege, Diocletian captured Alexandria and executed Domitianus's successor Aurelius Achilleus in 298. In 302 the emperor returned to the city and inaugurated a state grain supply. The dedication of the column monument and its statue of Diocletian, describes Diocletian as polioúchos (Ancient Greek: πολιοῦχον Ἀλεξανδρείας, romanized: polioúchon Alexandreias, lit. 'city-guardian-god ACC of Alexandria').In the fourth century AD this designation also applied to Serapis, the male counterpart of Isis in the pantheon instituted by the Hellenistic rulers of Egypt, the Ptolemies. 

The sanctuary complex dedicated to Serapis in which the column was originally erected, the Serapeum, was built under King Ptolemy III Euergetes in the third century BC and rebuilt under Roman rule, likely in the late 2nd to early 3rd century CE, being completed under Emperor Caracalla. In the later fourth century AD it was considered by Ammianus Marcellinus a marvel rivalled only by Rome's sanctuary to Jupiter Optimus Maximus on the Capitoline Hill, the Capitolium.

The monument stands some 26.85 m (88.1 ft) high, including its base and capital, and originally would have supported a statue some 7 m (23 ft) tall. The only known monolithic column in Roman Egypt (i.e., not composed of drums), it is one of the largest ancient monoliths and one of the largest monolithic columns ever erected. The monolithic column shaft is 20.46 m (67.1 ft) in height with a diameter of 2.71 m (8 ft 11 in) at its base, and the socle itself is over 6 m (20 ft) tall. Both are of lapis syenites, a pink granite cut from the ancient quarries at Syene (modern Aswan), while the column capital of pseudo-Corinthian type is of grey granite. The weight of the column shaft is estimated to be 285 tonnes (314 short tons).

The surviving and readable four lines of the inscription in Greek on the column's socle relate that a Praefectus Aegypti (Ancient Greek: ἔπαρχος Αἰγύπτου, romanized: eparchos Aigyptou, lit. 'Eparch of Egypt') called Publius dedicated the monument in Diocletian's honour. A praefectus aegypti named Publius is attested in two papyri from Oxyrrhynchus; his governorship must have been held in between the prefectures of Aristius Optatus, who is named as governor on 16 March 297, and Clodius Culcianus, in office from 303 or even late 302. Since Publius's name appears as the monument's dedicator, the column and stylite statue of Diocletian must have been completed between 297 and 303, while he was in post. The governor's name is largely erased in the damaged inscription; the Greek rendering of Publius as ΠΟΥΠΛΙΟΣ (Πού̣π̣[λιος], Pouplios) was confused with the Greek spelling of the Republican general of the first century BC Pompey, ΠΟΜΠΗΙΟΣ (Ancient Greek: Πομπήιος, romanized: Pompeios, Latin: Pompeius).

The porphyry statue of Diocletian in armour is known from large fragments that existed at the column's foot in the eighteenth century AD. From the size of a 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) fragment representing the thighs of the honorand, the original height of the loricate statue has been calculated at approximately 7 m (23 ft). While some fragments of the statue were known to be in European collections in the nineteenth century, their whereabouts were unknown by the 1930s and are presumed lost.

It is possible that the large column supporting Diocletian's statue was accompanied by another column, or three smaller columns bearing statues of Diocletian's co-emperors, the Augustus Maximian and the two Caesares Constantius and Galerius. If so, the group of column-statues would have commemorated the college of emperors of the Tetrarchy instituted in Diocletian's reign.

Muslim traveller Ibn Battuta visited Alexandria in 1326 AD. He describes the pillar and recounts the tale of an archer who shot an arrow tied to a string over the column. This enabled him to pull a rope tied to the string over the pillar and secure it on the other side in order to climb to the top of the pillar.

In early 1803, British naval officer Commander John Shortland of HMS Pandour flew a kite over Pompey's Pillar. This enabled him to get ropes over it, and then a rope ladder. On February 2, he and John White, Pandour's Master, climbed it. When they got to the top they displayed the Union Jack, drank a toast to King George III, and gave three cheers. Four days later they climbed the pillar again, erected a staff, fixed a weather vane, ate a beef steak, and again toasted the king. An etymology of the nickname "Pompey" for the Royal Navy's home port of Portsmouth and its football team suggests these sailors became known as "Pompey's boys" after scaling the Pillar, and the moniker spread; other unrelated origins are also possible.

The Egyptian Emirati Al Alamein Air Show 2023

The Egyptian Emirati Al Alamein Air Show 2023

Mediterranean city of Al-Alamein on the northern coast, with the participation of the Egyptian aerobatics team, Silver Stars, and the UAE team, Al-Fursan The Egyptian-Emirati Al-Alamein Air Show 2023.

El-Alamein Air Show 2023 took place in New Alamein City, co-hosted by aircraft from Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. The ministries of civil aviation, social solidarity, tourism and antiquities, youth, and sports, and attended the occasion. 

The New Alamein Festival’s events included the magnificent flying display in the Mediterranean seaside city. Egyptian and United Arab Emirates air demonstration teams put on the spectacle. Aerobatic planes performing climbs, spins, and dives, left breathtaking plumes of colored smoke behind their flight paths against the clear blue sky at the El-Alamein Air Show in 2023.

The impressive flight performance in the Mediterranean coastal city is part of the activities of the New Alamein Festival. At the El-Alamein Air Show 2023, planes performing climbs, turns and dives left breath-taking plumes of colored smoke behind their flight paths against the blue sky.

The event was attended by the Egyptian ministers of civil aviation, social solidarity, tourism and antiquities and youth and sports. Also, the Emirati ambassador in Cairo and a number of military attaches, House of Representatives, public figures and media professionals attended the event.

The Egyptian Emirati Al Alamein Air Show 2023