Pyramids of Dahshur
Dahshur Pyramids
The town of Dahshur, which is located around 40 kilometers southwest of Cairo, represents the southern terminus of the huge pyramid field that starts at Giza. A total of seven pyramids have been discovered in Dahshur, as well as huge tomb complexes that were erected for queens and aristocracy from Memphis up until the 13th Dynasty in the Middle Kingdom, as a result of the excavations.
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In addition to being home to two of Egypt’s best-preserved early pyramids (the Black Pyramid (12th Dynasty, 1929-1885 BC), Dahshur also boasts two of the country’s best-preserved later pyramids (the Red and White Pyramids, both built about 2300 BC). These two pyramids, both built during the reign of King Sneferu (2613-2589 BC), the founder of the 4th Dynasty, at Dahshur, are monumental examples of the architectural development that led to the construction of the Great Pyramid and its companion structures at Giza. The Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid at Dahshur are both massive examples of the architectural development that led to the construction of the Great Pyramid and its companion structures at Giza.
Because Sneferu was the father of Khufu, the building of the Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid at Dahshur occurred directly before the construction of the Giza Pyramids. Khufu’s engineers would improve the concept of smooth-sided pyramids that Sneferu pioneered in the construction of the Giza pyramids, the world’s largest structure at the time.
The Bent Pyramid is referred to as a ‘transitional’ pyramid because the angle of its sides suddenly changes around one-third of the way up the pyramid’s elevation. Archeologists believe that this was caused by an engineering catastrophe during the building process. Although the architect had anticipated that the high 54-degree slope of its sides would render it structurally unsafe, he had not anticipated how dangerous it would be. As a consequence, just a 43-degree inclination was required to build the remainder of the pyramid’s structure.
This site’s second pyramid, built by Sneferu, was one of the earliest smooth-sided pyramids ever built and was, therefore, an immediate forerunner to the Pyramids of Giza. The Great Pyramid of Giza is also the third-tallest pyramid ever built, with only the Pyramids of Khufu and Khafre at Giza surpassing it in height. This part of the Bent is constructed at the same shallow 43-degree slope as was used in the construction of the higher segment.
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