Pyramid of Ahmose | |
---|---|
Ahmose I, 18th Dynasty | |
Coordinates | 26°10′30″N31°56′16″E / 26.17500°N 31.93778°E |
Type | cenotaph |
Material | sand and rubble inside a limestone casing |
Height | 45 m (148 ft) (original) 10 m (33 ft) (current) |
Base | 52.5 m (172 ft) |
Slope | 60° |
The pyramid of Ahmose is a pyramid erected in the reign of the Ancient Egyptian king Ahmose I, ca. 1550-1525 BC, [A 1] at Abydos in Upper Egypt. It was the last royal pyramid to be built in Egypt, since Ahmose I's successors also decided not to be interred in pyramids, and is the only royal pyramid to have been built from the beginning as a cenotaph rather than an actual tomb.
The pyramid is now totally ruined and appears like a shallow hill, about 10 metres in height. It forms part of an unusual complex, consisting of a valley temple near the River Nile, at least four temples around the pyramid itself, and to the south of the pyramid another pyramid for the king's grandmother Tetisheri, a symbolic tomb of Osiris, and a terrace temple. The complex was excavated between 1899 and 1904 and further excavations have been ongoing since 1993.
The complex was first investigated and identified as a pyramid by Arthur Mace and Charles T. Currelly between 1899 and 1902 on behalf of the Egypt Exploration Fund. Their work was partial and gave only a rough overview of the structure. The excavations focussed on the pyramid temple. Mace also dug a tunnel under the pyramid, in order to locate a hypothesised lower chamber. Currelly carried out further work in the area until 1904. [1]
Since 1993, new excavations have been undertaken on the complex by Stephen P. Harvey, which have identified numerous relief fragments and made clear that the Tetisheri-chapel is a pyramid. In these excavations many structures outside the temple complex have also been uncovered. [2] [3]
After his victory over the Hyksos, who had ruled Egypt for more than a hundred years, Ahmose I exercised full sovereignty over the whole country (Upper and Lower Egypt) and this marked the beginning of the New Kingdom. Ahmose's grandmother, Tetisheri, seems to have been a driving force in the efforts to reunify the country.
Although Abydos had been a significant location for religious buildings and tombs since prehistoric times, Ahmose's pyramid was the first large pyramid to be built there. Various rulers of the preceding 17th Dynasty had had tombs there in the form of small pyramids, which did not measure more than 10 metres in length. The layout of Ahmose's pyramid and temple complex differed fundamentally from all earlier pyramid complexes, since the typical schema of Valley Temple, Causeway, Pyramid Temple and Pyramid was not followed. Instead, new elements were introduced to the complex: the Terrace Temple and the Grave of Osiris.
The pyramid was a cenotaph; the actual grave of Ahmose, whose location was long unknown, was probably located in Dra' Abu el-Naga'. It might be the small pyramid discovered by Herbert E. Winlock in 1913, but some scholars have ascribed this tomb to Ahmose's predecessor Kamose or his possible son Ahmose Sapair. [4] [5] The mummies of Ahmose and Tetisheri were found in the Royal Cache at Deir el-Bahari, where they were brought in the 22nd Dynasty to protect them from grave robbers. [6]
The cult of Ahmose in the Pyramid and its temple complex is known from a stele inscribed about three hundred years later in the reign of Ramesses II. The inscription records that a processional boat of the cult of Ahmose was used by the locals as an oracle of the deified king. [3]
The pyramid measured 52.5 m (172 ft) on each side, which corresponds to 100 royal cubits, and consisted of a core of rubble and sand, which was hidden with a cladding of fine limestone. This core was given form by the cladding and had no structural support of its own. In his excavations, Mace found cladding stones still in situ in two spots, from which he was able to calculate the slope of the pyramid as 60°, making it substantially steeper than the pyramids of the Old and Middle Kingdoms. Based on this slope, the pyramid would have been 45 metres tall. [1]
After the cladding was spoliated in later times, the core lost its coherence and spread out, becoming the ten-meter-high rubble mound that exists today. The core material might have derived from excavation of the underground Grave of Osiris in the southern part of the complex.
A crescent-shaped structure of mud brick between the north side of the pyramid and the pyramid temple was identified by Harvey as the remains of a construction ramp. [2]
The pyramid is the only one of the large Egyptian pyramids which has no substructure, which indicates that it did not serve as an actual tomb. In 1902, Mace dug a tunnel under the ruins from the north side, searching in vain for a buried entrance tunnel. Later excavations were also unable to find any substructure beneath the pyramid. [1] The existence of chambers within the superstructure of the pyramid can be ruled out because of the looseness of the rubble and sand core.
The pyramid complex has a unique layout that was not used for any previous pyramid. The normal complex consisted of a valley temple in the vegetation zone of the valley and another temple in the desert next to the pyramid. Instead, the pyramid of Ahmose had the valley temple near the floodplain of the Nile. Moreover, in the desert, the pyramid was surrounded by multiple temples instead of just one and, beyond the temple further into the desert, there was a tomb of Osiris and a terrace temple. The stretched-out layout recalls the tomb of Osiris which Sesostris III had built at Abydos. The components are precisely aligned and were probably linked by a straight road, although this is no longer detectable. Unlike earlier pyramid complexes, there is no sign of a precinct wall.
The pyramid temple was located on the north side of the pyramid but was not directly attached to it. The structure has thick walls and accessway, leading to a central courtyard. At the back of this, there was a colonnade. Near the entrance there were two holes which might have contained trees. Harvey found over 2000 painted relief fragments in the temple area, which depict Ahmose fighting the Hyksos and once decorated the temple. These reliefs include the oldest known depictions of horses with war chariots in Egypt.
Another smaller temple (Temple A) was located at the northeast corner of the pyramid and was dedicated to Ahmose and his sister-wife Ahmose-Nefertari. This structure was falsely identified by earlier scholars as a cult pyramid on account of its location. Directly to the east of Temple A are the remains of another temple (Temple B), which was dedicated to Ahmose. A larger temple (Temple C) was located to the north of it, next to the main pyramid temple. It was dedicated to Ahmose Nefertari.
To the east, are the ruins of a building for provisioning or administration. However, the eastern part of the complex is now the site of a modern cemetery, so it is not accessible to researchers. [3]
Halfway between the pyramid of Ahmose and the terrace temple are the remains of a brick structure, measuring 21 metres by 23 metres, which was originally identified as a shrine of Ahmose's grandmother Tetisheri on the basis of an inscription found there. In 1902 another stele (CG 34002) was found in the ruins, which refers to the pyramid and temple of Tetisheri. In this inscription, Ahmose tells his wife about his plans to erect a pyramid as a memorial for Tetisheri, who was buried in Thebes. [A 2]
"I am blessed, who remember the mother of my mother and the mother of my father, the great royal wife and queen mother, Tetisheri. She has her funerary chapel still in the earth of Thebes and Abydos. My Majesty wishes, that a pyramid and a funerary temple be erected for her near my memorial in the sublime land." The lake of the funerary temple was dug, the trees planted, and the offerings gathered, and it was provided with estates and herds.
— Tetisheri Stele (CG 34002)
When this stele was found, it was supposed that the reference to a pyramid was only symbolic, since the ruins were not recognised as a pyramid structure. The gardens and artificial lake mentioned by the inscription have not been detected archaeologically. [1]
Newer work by Harvey proves that the structure was an actual pyramid. Unusually, it was erected on a foundation of brick casemates filled with rubble. An entranceway ran between these casemates to the centre of the pyramid. Excavations revealed fragments of the pyramidion, which indicates that the angle of inclination was similar to that of Ahmose's pyramid. The discovery confirmed that the inscribed stele was referring to a literal pyramid. Traces of a mud-brick enclosure wall around the pyramid, measuring 90 x 70 metres, were also detected. There are traces of several small buildings inside this enclosure, but their purpose is not known. [2] [3]
In the southern part of the complex was a Tomb of Osiris. This was a symbolic grave of the dead god Osiris, whose body had been scattered across the whole land according to the Osiris myth. It could also be seen as a symbolic version of the underworld. [1]
The tomb of Osiris is similar to that of Sesostris III, but very roughly built. The entrance hole was not very visible and did not differ from the entrance to the grave of an ordinary Egyptian. The underground entranceway was roughly cut from the rock. Shortly after the entrance were two small side chambers. Midway along the passage there was a hall with 18 pillars cut from the rock, which has the same height as the passageway. Beyond the hall, the passageway descended further until it reached a simple grotto. The walls of the chambers and the passageway were not plastered or decorated. The tomb is located on the orientation line running from the pyramid to the terrace temple, like the other buildings of the complex. [1]
At the south end of the complex, was a terrace temple, located at the base of a cliff. Votive offerings in the form of ceramic vessels, models of boats, and stone vases were found here. The temple was reached by climbing up several staircases and trapezoid rooms. Above this, a corridor led south to a small chamber, where there was probably a statue of the ruler standing on a podium. [1]
The pyramid of Ahmose was the last royal pyramid to be erected in Egypt. While the resumption of pyramid building in the Middle Kingdom had led to the erection of a series of pyramids, this would be the only pyramid built in the new kingdom and none of Ahmose's successors seem to have attempted to build a pyramid. However, private graves in the New Kingdom were often topped with small pyramidal structures. Much later, the Nubian kings who ruled over Egypt as the 25th Dynasty, built Nubian pyramids for themselves, but these were located outside the traditional area of Egypt.
Abydos is one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, and also of the eighth nome in Upper Egypt. It is located about 11 kilometres west of the Nile at latitude 26° 10' N, near the modern Egyptian towns of El Araba El Madfuna and El Balyana. In the ancient Egyptian language, the city was called Abedju (Arabic Abdu عبد-و). The English name Abydos comes from the Greek Ἄβυδος, a name borrowed by Greek geographers from the unrelated city of Abydos on the Hellespont. Abydos name in hieroglyphs
Ahmose I was a pharaoh and founder of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt in the New Kingdom of Egypt, the era in which ancient Egypt achieved the peak of its power. His reign is usually dated to the mid-16th century BC at the beginning of the Late Bronze Age.
Tetisheri was the matriarch of the Egyptian royal family of the late 17th Dynasty and early 18th Dynasty.
The Giza pyramid complex in Egypt is home to the Great Pyramid, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure, along with their associated pyramid complexes and the Great Sphinx. All were built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt, between c. 2600 – c. 2500 BC. The site also includes several temples, cemeteries, and the remains of a workers' village.
Gisr el-Mudir, also known as the Great Enclosure, is one of the oldest known stone structures in Egypt, located at Saqqara only a few hundred metres west of the Step Pyramid and the Buried Pyramid. The function of the space is not yet clear.
The Black Pyramid was built by King Amenemhat III during the late Middle Kingdom of Egypt.
The pyramid complex of Userkaf was built c. 2490 BC for the king Userkaf, founder of the 5th Dynasty of Egypt. It is located in the pyramid field at Saqqara, on the north-east of the step pyramid of Djoser. Constructed in dressed stone with a core of rubble, the pyramid is now ruined and resembles a conical hill in the sands of Saqqara. For this reason, it is known locally as El-Haram el-Maharbish, the "Heap of Stone", and was recognized as a royal pyramid by western archaeologists in the 19th century.
The Mastabat al-Fir'aun, also referred to in Egyptological literature as the Mastaba el-Faraun, Mastabat el-Faraun or Mastabat Faraun, and meaning "Bench of the Pharaoh") is the grave monument of the ancient Egyptian king Shepseskaf, the last king of the Fourth Dynasty documented to date. It is located in South Saqqara halfway between the Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara and the pyramids of Sneferu, the founder of the Fourth Dynasty, at Dahshur. The structure is located close to the pyramid of Pepi II, a ruler of the Sixth Dynasty. The stone quarry for the structure is located west of the Red Pyramid of Sneferu.
The Buried Pyramid is an unfinished step pyramid constructed c. 2645 BC for Sekhemkhet. He was the second king of the Third Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, which reigned over Egypt c. 2686–2613 BC and is usually placed at the beginning of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. Many historians believe that the third dynasty played an important role in the transition from Early Dynastic Period of Egypt to the Age of the Pyramids.
This page list topics related to ancient Egypt.
The pyramid of Khui is an ancient Egyptian funerary structure datable to the early First Intermediate Period and located in the royal necropolis of Dara, near Manfalut in Middle Egypt and close to the entrance of the Dakhla Oasis. It is generally attributed to Khui, a kinglet belonging either to the 8th Dynasty or a provincial nomarch proclaiming himself king in a time when central authority had broken down, c. 2150 BC. The pyramid complex of Khui included a mortuary temple and a mud brick enclosure wall which, like the main pyramid, are now completely ruined.
The Southern Mazghuna Pyramid is an ancient Egyptian royal tomb which was built during the 12th or the 13th Dynasty in Mazghuna, 5 km south of Dahshur, Egypt. The building was never finished, and is still unknown which pharaoh was the owner, since no appropriate inscription have been found.
The pyramid was rediscovered in 1910 by Ernest Mackay and excavated in the following year by Flinders Petrie.
S 10 is the modern name given to a monumental ancient Egyptian tomb complex at Abydos in Egypt. The tomb is most likely royal and dates to the mid-13th Dynasty. Finds from nearby tombs indicate that S10 suffered extensive state-sanctioned stone and grave robbing during the Second Intermediate Period, only a few decades after its construction, as well as during the later Roman and Coptic periods. These finds also show that S10 was used for an actual burial and belonged to a king "Sobekhotep", now believed to be pharaoh Sobekhotep IV. According to the Egyptologist Josef W. Wegner who excavated S10, the tomb might originally have been capped by a pyramid, although Aidan Dodson states that it is still unclear whether S10 was a pyramid or a mastaba.
The Double Pyramid, also known as Lepsius XXV, designates a pair of adjacent monuments located on the south-eastern edge of the Abusir necropolis, south of the pyramid Lepsius XXIV and of the pyramid of Khentkaus II. The pair of monuments was built during the mid-Fifth Dynasty, likely during Nyuserre Ini's reign, for two female members of the extended royal family.
The Lepsius XXIV Pyramid was an Egyptian pyramid, which was probably built for a wife of King Nyuserre Ini. The largely destroyed 5th Dynasty structure is located in the pyramid field of Abusir, east of the Pyramid of Neferefre and south of the Pyramid of Khentkaus II.
The Vulture crown was an ancient Egyptian crown worn by Great Royal Wives and female pharaohs. It was depicted as a headdress in the shape of a vulture draped over the head, with its wings hanging down on the sides. It was a symbol of protection associated with the vulture goddess Nekhbet, who often wore this crown when depicted in a human form. These crowns were frequently worn by the Great Royal Wife, high ranking priestesses, and female pharaohs. These crowns were also sometimes equipped with the Uraeus to symbolize Wadjet, representing both Upper (Nekhbet) and Lower Egypt (Wadjet).
The pyramid of Khentkaus II is a queen's pyramid in the necropolis of Abusir in Egypt, which was built during the Fifth dynasty of Ancient Egypt. It is attributed to the queen consort Khentkaus II, who may have ruled Egypt as a reigning queen after the death of her husband Neferirkare Kakai. The pyramid is now a heavily damaged ruin, which only stands 4 metres high.
The pyramid of Pepi II was the tomb of Pharaoh Pepi II, located in southern Saqqara, to the northwest of the Mastabat al-Fir’aun. It was the final full pyramid complex to be built in Ancient Egypt. Long used as a quarry, the pyramid was excavated for the first time by Gaston Maspero in 1881. Its ruins were studied in exhaustive detail by Gustave Jéquier, who was able to reconstruct the funerary complex and the texts on the walls of the funerary chamber in the course of his excavation campaigns from 1932–1935. Since 1996, thorough investigations of the pyramid and its surroundings have been being carried out by the Mission a.
S 9 is the modern name given to a monumental ancient Egyptian tomb complex at Abydos in Egypt. The tomb is most likely royal and dates to the mid-13th Dynasty, during the late Middle Kingdom. Finds from the area of the tomb indicate that S9 suffered extensive, state-sanctioned stone and grave robbing during the Second Intermediate Period, only a few decades after its construction, as well as during the later Roman and Coptic periods. Although no direct evidence was found to determine the tomb owner, strong indirect evidence suggest that the neighbouring and slightly smaller tomb S10 belongs to pharaoh Sobekhotep IV. Consequently, S9 has been tentatively attributed by the Egyptologist Josef W. Wegner to Sobekhotep IV's predecessor and brother, Neferhotep I . According to Wegner, the tomb might originally have been capped by a pyramid.
The pyramid of Khentkaus I or step tomb of Khentkaus I is a Fourth Dynasty two-stepped tomb built for the Queen Mother Khentkaus I in Giza. The tomb, built in two phases coinciding with its two steps, was originally known as the fourth pyramid of Giza. In the first phase, a nearly square block of bedrock, around which the stone had been quarried for the Giza pyramids, was utilised to construct her tomb and encased with fine white Tura limestone. In the second phase, most likely in the Fifth Dynasty, her tomb was enlarged with a large limestone structure built on top of the bedrock block. The Egyptologist Miroslav Verner suggests that this may have been intended to convert her tomb into a pyramid, but was abandoned as a result of stability concerns. South-west of the tomb was a long boat pit, which housed the Night boat of Re. A companion day boat has not been found. A chapel was built into the tomb superstructure, with a large granite entrance bearing the queen's name and titles. One of her titles was of particular interest because it had not been known of prior to its discovery at her tomb.
General
Excavation reports