more photos
site information
0900-1600 daily
E£20 entry
E£10 students
E£10 camera
E£100 video camera
avoid Friday, Sunday (crowded)
can also be reached by camel for E£150 (3 hours)
or by horse for E£100
(2 hours)
relevant links
history
old kingdom
dynasty III
djoser
sekhemkhet
dynasty IV
shepseskaf
dynasty V
unas
djedkare
dynasty VI
pepi I
Merenre
pepi II
details
73.3 m (240 ft) square
49 m (161 ft) tall
53º angle
Pyramid of Userkaf
This ruined pile lifes to the northeast of the Step Pyramid and it little more than a pile of stone. We snapped this picture while walking to the complex of Saqqara
However, it is a fairly important monument, marking the return of the pharaohs to Saqqara as a burial place. Userkaf, the first king of the fifth dynasty, built his pyramid here close to the step pyramid. In fact, it is exactly located at the northeast corner of the complex of Djoser.
This was a small pyramid to begin with, and it has collapsed even more with the inevitable plundering of its fine limestone casing. The interior blocks are left in a rough pile, and appear to be uneven, thin slabs of limestone stacked into roughly pyramidal shape.
The interior of the pyramid (not open to the pubic, I think they're afraid the whole thing will cave in at any moment) contains chambers that are sunk below ground level. A 18 m ramp leads down to a small antechamber and a large burial chamber. The corridor is partially granite, and a portcullis slab blocked the entrance to a storage room and the burial chamber.
Despite the relative size of the pyramid, it has the standard layout of Old Kingdon pyramid complexes, including a retaining wall, sateliite pyramid, and entrance courtyard. A colossol statue was found here, the head of which is the Cairo museum.
The four pharaohs after Userkaf built their pyramids in Abu Sir, to the south.
