With the pyramid of Sekhemkhet at Saqqara and the pyramid at Zawyet el-Aryan, credited to Khaba being left unfinished, the one at Meidum was the second large-scale Step Pyramid to have been completed. You may change your settings at any time. In the XV century Egyptian historian and geographer Al-Maqrizi was the first, who reported about the unusual shapes of the Pyramid. It is one of those sites that had and still keeps, lots of secrets medium. It was an optional extra on my Egyptian holiday so here I was. The pyramid of Meidum is often known as the “collapsed pyramid” because of its ruined state. Cookies that are necessary to enable my site to function. The entrance on the north face leads down to a small burial chamber in which fragments of a limestone stele bearing the image of Horus were found. Following the tradition that was started by the funerary monument of the Horus Netjerikhet at Saqqara, this pyramid was started as a Step Pyramid. The one at Meidum is believed to have collapsed as the builders tried transforming it from a step pyramid to a smooth-sided one. It is tempting to see this pyramid as a practice run for his later, better constructed, pyramids at Dashur. It has a corbelled roof that is not well done and the rest of the room is empty. Experts were tempted to ascribe the pyramid to Huni partly because he is not associated with any other large pyramid or mastabas; although he may have built one or more of the seven small pyramids stretched from Seila to Elephantine. The entrance that you use to get inside was actually made by the tomb robbers. It is the highlight of the visit. However the name of king Huni has never been found at Meydum. RA- HOTEP was the son of King Senfru and the commander of the Egyptian army in the 4th dynasty a chief priest of center of the worship of god RA the sun god. The pyramid of Maidum was originally a seven-stepped pyramid. It was plundered by tomb robbers thousands of years ago. The pyramid is called today the collapsed pyramid as it looks from afar like a huge tower. Meidum Pyramid is located 65 km to the South of Sakkara and can be visited as part of a Fayoum tour. Unfortunately this is one of the forgotten sites. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. There was also a causeway cut into the bedrock and paved with limestone but this is largely ruined. 14. This pyramid was probably built during the reign of the 4th Dynasty King named Sneferu. Meidum, Maydum or Maidum is an archaeological site in Upper Egypt. Subsequently, the outside casing collapsed producing rubble around the bottom of the pyramid. It was then turned into the first true pyramid by filing in the steps and capping them with limestone. It is one the greatest master pieces of the Egyptian museum. You will rarely find it included in the regular tourist itineraries, as most of the visitors nowadays follow a very traditional itinerary, which mainly includes the traditional sites such as Giza pyramids and the step pyramid in Sakkara ! The site includes one pyramid and a number of mastaba tombs and it lies to the south of Giza and Memphis.. Pyramid of Sneferu; satellite pyramid The pyramid of Mydoum has a special magic, in my opinion the visit to this collapsed pyramid of Mydoum is very worthwhile. The pyramid at Meidum is thought to be just the second pyramid built after Djoser's and may have been originally built for Huni, the last pharaoh of the Third Dynasty, and continued by Sneferu. It took the ancient Egyptians about 400 years to progress from using building materials such as wood, reeds, and mudbrick to smooth-sided pyramids. In front of the northern side of the pyramid about 300 meters to the north there is a set up of tombs built in the time of the fourth dynasty and found in 1855. The entrance of the pyramid is located almost 30 meters above the ground level in the northern side of the pyramid. The Plan of the Pyramid . Despite the fact that a last ruler of the Dynasty III, pharaoh Huni and father of Snefru, erected the Meidum Pyramid, the structure was definitely completed by Snefru, most probably after his father’s death. In front of the temple you can see the causeway that traditionally led to the mummification temple located at the end of the causeway. Entering the tomb was a matter of quite a ways down, then up on some ladders, and finally arrival in the burial chamber which is unadorned, although the bats checking us out added a certain 'inside the pyramid' charm to the place. Inside the Bent Pyramid, an inscription with Snefru's name and a stela discovered by archaeologists alongside the neighboring, subsidiary pyramid shows Snofru himself.) The builders of the pyramid constructed a long passage from near the center of the northern face of the pyramid, leading to the alleged burial chamber. Chambers inside the pyramid were found intact and king’s remains found even including the viscera (the group of tissues and organs inside the body) ... Pyramid of Meidum – Route from Cairo Pyramid of Meidum Map. The whole complex is surrounded by an enclosure wall, traces of which remain. Archaeologists agree that the stepped pyramid was built by pharaoh Huni who reigned about 2599 - 2575 BC and that Snefru who reigned about 2575 to 2551 BC converted it to a true pyramid . There is some evidence that the pyramid was built within the first fifteen years of his reign and then he abandoned Meidum for Dashur. The pyramid was Egypt's first straight-sided one, but it partially collapsed in ancient times.The area is located around 62 miles (100 km) south of modern Cairo. As a matter of fact it seems that the last king of the third dynasty “Huni” left his pyramid unfinished and it seems that his successor King Senfru finished the building for him, so that latter generations thought it was the work of Senfru. From the entrance on the north face an unusually high fifteen meters above ground level, a steep passage descends to meet a horizontal passage just below ground level. At the end of the corridor you will find a small chamber roughly cut in the bed rock exactly underneath the apex line of the pyramid. In the midst of the 19th century a small wooden coffin was found here and later on it was taken to the Egyptian Museum. The pyramid was 93 m high and built on square base that measures about 114 m long. Most modern travellers primarily visit sites such as the Pyramids of Giza or the Step Pyramid of Sakkara but it should be on everyone list at least once to visit. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. And at the end of this room you will find a wooden ladder that leads up to the burial chamber. With us you will discover Egypt, wander the Egyptian streets, ride a camel by the pyramids, watch the sunset over the Nile River from a luxury cruise, discover the tombs inside the Valley of the Kings, and much more. The corridor connects with a vertical shaft which rises ten meters to meet a small burial chamber. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. I usually take my groups there but first I always make sure that they are fit to do it, as it is tiring but worth the visit. It has non-standard shape and consists of 7 steps, theree of which are visible. And yes when you are finished, to get out of the tomb, you have to use the same way as you did to get in!!! However, the Meidum pyramid was named “Sneferu Endures” and it is surrounded by a number of mastabas in which the sons of Sneferu were buried, so it seems reasonable to ascribe it entirely to him. They investigated the inside of the pyramid and discovered the pyramid temple, an approach causeway, and a series of private tombs in the area around the pyramid. The pyramid was 93 m high and built on square base that measures about 114 m long. The Bent Pyramid located at Dahshur was the next attempt to build a true pyramid. The burial chamber is very small if compared with other burial chambers found inside other pyramids. Malek, Jaromir (2000) “The Old Kingdom”, in. Visitors Can Now Explore Hidden Tombs Inside Two Newly Opened Pyramids in Ancient Egypt. In older literature king Huni of the Third Dynasty is often named as the owner of the pyramid at Meydum. Snefru was identified as owner of the pyramid … He was the first king of Egypt’s 4th Dynasty. The last King of the 3rd Dynasty, King Huni, built the Pyramid of Meidum in the style of a step pyramid. Here we found two beautiful limestone statues of them still in perfect condition and they are among the most famous master pieces in the Cairo Museum today. When the workers were 2/3 finished the pyramid became unstable because the slope was too steep. The Pyramid of Meidum is built of limestone blocks. This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. To get into the inner burial chamber, you will need to descend down a narrow passage and crawl through a hole, which is the highlight of the visit for many. It was Borchardt who first realised that this was because the pyramid was built in three stages with the design altering at each point. Today it is strongly believed it had been the work of Huni in the first place and then completed by his son after his death. In the last few years I have led special groups to that pyramid. It is known as “el-haram el-kaddab” (the “False Pyramid”) in Arabic because it now barely resembles a pyramid. It was an optional extra on my Egyptian holiday so here I was. Its interior arrangement is innovative and one that would become standard in later pyramids. One of them is a tomb for an unknown person that was found with no inscription at all. In front of the eastern side of the pyramid you will find a small funerary temple that is still intact. The Bent Pyramid at Dahshur marked a clear departure in architectural styles, signalizing the arrival of smooth-sided pyramids. To the east of the pyramid, there is another set of tombs dating back to the 4th dynasty. There underneath the lid, you will notice a small ancient hammer stuck underneath the heavy led, forgotten by the ancient tomb robbers. Yes, you will have to do the same way ancient tombs robbers once did it. On the opposite side of the courtyard was another small mastaba, possibly for the queen. This pyramid represents the first known attempt at the construction of a "true" pyramid. The Meidum Pyramid was originally built as a step pyramid and the limestone slab casing was added later making it a true pyramid. Your choices will not impact your visit. By the fifteenth century the Egyptian historian al-Maqrizi recorded that only five steps remained and by the time it was surveyed by Napoleon’s men only three steps were still in place. Required fields are marked *, One of the forgotten sites and rarely found in the regular tourist itineraries, as most of the visitors nowadays follow a very traditional itinerary, which mainly includes the traditional sites such as Giza pyramids and the step pyramid in Sakkara. It is great to see and touch, to put your hand on the handle of something that is thousands of years old. The funerary set is very simple and constitutes one of the rare private sets of satellite pyramids. This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. There is another way to reach Mydoum, it is longer but faster. In 2001 a French team of Egyptologists found a small corridor at the end of the wooden ladder that takes you up to the burial chamber, it is about 3 meters long. It was a step pyramid at first, like Djoser's. The pyramid of Meidum is often known as the “collapsed pyramid” because of its ruined state. Then you will find a larger passage way and huge blocks of limestone, midway across this tunnel you will find the entrance to the burial chamber, it is so impressive, so elegant, all of limestone. Unfortunately the mummification temple has been destroyed and nothing left of it.. We are a team of professionals who specialize in tourism in Egypt with over 15 years of experience. This passage has two small niches, on the east and west walls, the purpose of which is not clear. The pyramid at Meydum was the first of these three buildings. Nearby the tomb of RA- HOTEP, another one was found, the great tombs of Nefer-Matt. This pyramid was 25 miles north of the Meidum Pyramid. You can drive on the Fayoum oasis road and then join the Asyout desert road, after about 77KM you can see the pyramid of Mydoum on your left side. Exactly how or when she died is a mystery, though the experts say the site itself dates back to the end of the Third Dynasty roughly 4,600 years ago. Height: 65 meters (213 feet) The Meidum Pyramid was built for, and during, the reign of Sneferu. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. While inside, look up to see a corbeled ceiling. Every time I go there I get overwhelmed with the place and the feeling that there still dozens of secrets in this site uncovered, I feel it never had the chance to have a proper investigation. On your way up you will notice some huge beams of cedar wood that are 4600 years old. The entrance of the tombs leads through a descending corridor that is about 10 m long then you will find a small shaft inside of which there is a modern wooden ladder that takes you down to another tunnel, at the end of which you will find a hole in the wall, like the needle hole, you can’t get through so easily, you will have to crawl on your stomach. It is hard today to believe that one king did actually have 3tombs built for him, the two pyramids in Dahshour, and a third one in Mydoum. Petrie recorded finding the remains of a wooden coffin possibly dating to the Old Kingdom, but he provided no specific evidence of this and his notes are a little confused on the matter. The temple has no paintings or inscriptions. There you have to pay an entrance ticket, it costs 16LE( 3$) and to use your camera you have to get a camera ticket that will cost you 5 LE (1$). The pyramid at Meidum is thought to be just the second pyramid built after Djoser's and may have been originally built for Huni, the last pharaoh of the Third Dynasty, and continued by Sneferu. They do not store any information about you other than that which is strictly required for navigation and function, and I have no aceess to any of the data. There you will find the tomb of Ra-Hotep and his wife Nofert. Mydoum is located 65KM to the south of Sakkara. At the end of the chamber there is a huge granite sarcophagus with the lid slightly set opened. According to researchers, Meidum might have been the second pyramid completed after Djoser’s. Meidum (Maidum) is the location of a necropolis used during the Old Kingdom, particularly in the fourth dynasty by Sneferu and members of his family. The pyramid of Mydoum was built by the last king of the third dynasty king “HUNI” in the style of a step pyramid, it was originally 8 steps on top of each other. The pyramid is generally attributed to Pharaoh Sneferu, the king behind the two pyramids at Dahshur and the father of Khufu.Most Egyptologists believe that Sneferu built a step pyramid at Meidum before going on to build the Bent and Red pyramids. When the pyramid was complete it is estimated that its proportions were similar to those of the Great Pyramid but it is likely that the pyramid began to crumble during the reign of Sneferu and that this may have contributed to his decision to alter the angle of his pyramid at Dashur in mid construction. It contains a large pyramid and several mudbrick mastabas. On the south side of the courtyard there is a ruined satellite pyramid which is the oldest known example of a cult pyramid. It is sometimes suggested that the Meidum pyramid was begun as a step pyramid by Huni but completed by Sneferu. It was built a long way south of most of the pyramids, at Meidum, which is about 60km south of Cairo. Fill out the form to book the Tour. The burial chamber is the first to have been cut into the core of the pyramid and, to bear the weight of masonry above, it has a corbelled roof. During the first two stages of building, the blocks were angled towards the middle of the pyramid (as was done with the pyramid of Djoser) which increased stability. When it was newly constructed, it featured 8 steps, one built right on top of the other! Because of its unusual appearance, the pyramid is called el-heram el-kaddaab — (Pseudo Pyramid) in Egyptian Arabic. NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using. It has often been assumed that the original builder of this Step Pyramid was Huni, the last king of the 3rd Dynasty. This discovery has not been released to the public yet. Wildung has gone as far as to suggest the Meidum pyramid is a precursor to the sun temples the Fifth Dynasty pharaohs built near Abusir. Others suggested they related to a burial in the pyramid, but no sarcophagus was found inside the chamber and there is no evidence that Sneferu or anyone else was ever buried in this pyramid. Just across from the Fayoum in the Nile Valley, south of Cairo, situated alone on the edge of the Western Desert above the lush green fields at Meidum is a tower shaped structure some sixty-five meters high that was once a pyramid that we believe was built by the 4th Dynasty King, SnefruEgyptologists. Entering the tomb was a matter of quite a ways down, then up on some ladders, and finally arrival in the burial chamber which is unadorned, although the bats checking us out added a certain 'inside the pyramid' charm to the place. The Meidum pyramid may have been first built for Sneferu's father Huni, but Sneferu certainly finished it, and it is named after Sneferu. The pyramid at Meidum is thought to have been patterned after Zoser’s pyramid and seems to have undergone several transformations during its construction.After carefully perusing some drawings on rocks, and from observations made on the site, the Egyptologists came to the conclusion that the pyramid was first built with two, three and then four steps. Meidum Pyramid: Meidum Pyramid, down near Fayoum - See 89 traveller reviews, 63 candid photos, and great deals for El Wasta, Egypt, at Tripadvisor. Our stay inside the pyramid was short and rushed, as by that time it was nearing dusk. Ricke has suggested that the myth of Osiris was incorporated into the worship of the dead king at around this time and that this caused a theological shift towards solar rather than stellar religion which in turn altered the form of the pyramid from step to true and the orientation away from North-South to East-West. pyramid of Meidum, Egypt. You simply drive along the road that takes you to Sakkara, past the site of Sakkara and drive straight for about an hour, or until you can see the pyramid. No pharaoh would ever put their inscription on this failure, for fear it would be their legacy. Before the Pyramid at Meidum was built, the only preceding pyramids were all "step" or "layer" pyramids. But nobody was ever actually buried in the Meidum pyramid, and the two stelae inside remain unmarked, furthering the idea that it was abandoned mid-construction. Required fields are marked *, Enquiry about the Tour availability or anything you’d like to know. Finally, the first examinations of the Meidum Pyramid found everything below the surface of the rubble mound fully intact. Meidum Pyramid is a bit off the normal tourist route. It’s permitted to … This graffiti on the eastern wall of the temple, was left by some ancient Egyptian travelers from the time of the 19th dynasty (1300 BC) recording their admiration of the great structure that King Senfru had built in Mydoum. The inside had two passageways. It would most likely have run around two hundred meters to connect with the valley temple at the edge of the Nile, but due to the marshy nature of the ground and the high water level no evidence of this building has been found.