| Pyramid of Amenemhat I | |
|---|---|
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| Amenemhat I | |
| Ancient name | |
| Constructed | Twelfth Dynasty |
| Height | 59 m (194 ft; 113 cu)[3] |
| Base | 84 m (276 ft; 160 cu)[3] |
| Volume | 129,360 m3 (169,200 cu yd)[4] |
| Slope | 54°27'44"[3][4] |
Thepyramid of Amenemhat I is anEgyptian burial structure built atLisht by the founder of theTwelfth Dynasty of Egypt,Amenemhat I.
This structure returned to the approximate size and form ofOld Kingdom pyramids.[5] It also established a new tradition though of giving each component structure in the pyramid complex its own unique name. The structures together were known as "The places of the appearances of Amenemhat".[5]
Archaeological evidence suggests that Amenemhat started to build his pyramid atThebes but for unknown reasons switched his capital and the location of his pyramid to Lisht (1991–1778 BC).[6] The pyramid upon its completion rose to a height of 55 m, with a base length of 83 m and a slope of 54 degrees.[5] The core of the pyramid was made with small rough blocks of locallimestone with a loose fill of sand debris andmud brick. Some of the limestone was stripped from other monuments - blocks of stone from the pyramids ofKhufu,Khafre,Unas andPepi II (or possiblyPepi I) have been found in the pyramid.[7][6] Inside the pyramid a sloped shaft blocked with granite plugs upon burial ran from the ground level entrance chapel to a vertical shaft that descended directly to the burial chamber.[5] The overall construction of the pyramid was poor and little of it remains today.[8]
Around the pyramid were found tombs of high officials serving the king. These include the tombs of the high stewardNakht, the treasurerRehuerdjersen and the vizierIntefiqer.
The first excavation of the site was undertaken by theFrenchEgyptologistGaston Maspero in 1882. His work as later continued by a French archaeological expedition under the direction ofJ.E. Gautier andGustave Jéquier in 1894 and 1895. The investigations were continued from 1920 to 1934 byAlbert Lythgoe andArthur Mace in a team from theMetropolitan Museum inNew York City. By the time of these excavations the pyramid had undergone much disintegration and is now only 20 meters high with most of the surrounding complex gone.[9] None of the expeditions successfully explored the interior of the pyramid due to the internal passageways being flooded with groundwater.
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| Old Kingdom (2686–2181 BC) |
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| 1st Intermediate Period (2181–2040 BC) |
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| Middle Kingdom (2040–1650 BC) |
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| Second Intermediate (1650–1570 BC) |
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| New Kingdom (1570–1070 BC) |
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29°34′30″N31°13′31″E / 29.5749°N 31.2253°E /29.5749; 31.2253
