Pyramid of Userkaf
| Pyramid of Userkaf | |||||||||||||||||
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| Userkaf, 5th Dynasty | |||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 29°52′25″N 31°13′08″E / 29.87361°N 31.21889°ECoordinates: 29°52′25″N 31°13′08″E / 29.87361°N 31.21889°E | ||||||||||||||||
| Ancient name |
Wˁb-swt-wsr-k3=f Wab-sut-Userkaf The pure sites of Userkaf |
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| Constructed | c. 2490 BC | ||||||||||||||||
| Type | True (now ruined) | ||||||||||||||||
| Material | Limestone | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 49 metres (161 ft) | ||||||||||||||||
| Base | 73.5 metres (241 ft) | ||||||||||||||||
| Volume | 87,906 m3 (114,977 cu yd) | ||||||||||||||||
| Slope | 53°07'48" | ||||||||||||||||
The pyramid complex of Userkaf was built c. 2490 BC for the pharaoh Userkaf (reign 2494–2487 BC), founder of the 5th dynasty of Egypt (c. 2494–2345 BC). It is located in the pyramid field at Saqqara, on the north-east of the step pyramid of Djoser (reigned ca. 2670 BC). 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.
Userkaf's pyramid is part of a larger mortuary complex comprising a mortuary temple, an offering chapel and a cult pyramid as well as separate pyramid and mortuary temple for Userkaf's wife, queen Neferhetepes. Userkaf's mortuary temple and cult pyramid are today completely ruined and difficult to recognize. The pyramid of the queen is no more than a mound of rubble, with its funerary chamber exposed by stone robbers.
The complex is markedly different from those built during the 4th Dynasty (c. 2613–2494 BC) in its size, architecture and location, being at Saqqara rather than Gizah. As such, Userkaf's pyramid complex could be a manifestation of the profound changes in the ideology of kingship that took place between the 4th and 5th dynasties, changes that may have started during the reign of Userkaf's likely immediate predecessor, Shepseskaf. Some 1500 years after its construction, the pyramid complex was restored under Ramses II. During the much later Saite period (664–525 BC), it was used as a cemetery.
The entrance of the pyramid was discovered in 1831 by the Italian Egyptologist Orazio Marucchi but was not entered until 8 years later in 1839 by John Shae Perring, who took advantage of an existing tunnel dug into the pyramid by tomb robbers. Perring did not know for sure who the owner of the pyramid was and attributed it to Djedkare Isesi (reign 2414–2375 BC), a late 5th dynasty pharaoh. After his investigations Perring buried the robbers tunnel which remains inaccessible to this day. The pyramid of Userkaf entered the official records a few years later in 1842 when Karl Richard Lepsius catalogued it in his list of pyramids under number XXXI. Since Perring had already buried the robbers tunnel by that time, K. R. Lepsius did not investigate the pyramid any further.
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