Bent Pyramid
Egyptian Temples & Tombs | April 6, 2010Bent Pyramid is located at Dahsur, the royal necropolis situated about 40 kilometres south of Cairo, the capital of Egypt. Bent Pyramid dates back to 2596 BC, the time of the Old Kingdom Pharaoh Sneferu and is a spectacular illustration of the early development of the wonder called pyramid. The pyramid gets its name from the sudden change in the angle halfway up. The pyramid is a top tourist attraction in Egypt. It remains open for public viewing from 8 am to 4 pm.
‘Bent’ nature:
The lower portion of the pyramid rises at 55 degrees inclination while the top section is built at 43 degree angle, which gives the pyramid a ‘bent’ appearance. The pyramid has a height of 101 metres while its base is 188 metres.
According to archaeologists, Bent pyramid marked a transition from step-sided to smooth-sided pyramids.
Why bent construction?
It is believed that the constructors of the massive structures preferred a lesser angle to avert any possible collapse of the building. The Red Pyramid, located nearby the Bent Pyramid and also built by Sneferu, was constructed at an angle of 43 degrees from the very base, which validates the archaeologists’ opinion.
Another theory says that construction of the temple, if continued at 55 degree, would consume more time and hence the top angle was altered to complete the structure early.
About the pyramid:
In the ancient days, Bent Pyramid was known by the names of either ‘The Southern Shining Pyramid’ or ‘Sneferu is Shining in the South’. The pyramid is 599 square feet in area. Today it is the only Egyptian pyramid that retains most of its original limestone casing.
Features:
- Bent Pyramid has two entrances: north-face and west. The western entrance passage is blocked by two stone blocks
- Bent Pyramid has a small satellite pyramid to its south
- The eastern side of the temple has fragmentary remains of the pyramid temple. There are two stelae behind the temple
- Queen’s Pyramid to the southern side of the Bent Pyramid
- Causeway and Valley Temple
- About Dahshur:
Dahshur is located 10 km from Saqqara and 35 km from Cairo. It was part of the necropolis of ancient Memphis during the Old Kingdom or the ‘Pyramid Age’. Pharaoh Sneferu, father of Khufu, builder of the Giza Pyramid by the same name, had built two pyramids (Bent and Red Pyramids) besides completing another pyramid at Meidum. Till 1996, Dahshur was a restricted military zone. It has only been promoted as a tourist spot in recent times to ease the tourist pressure on other great pyramids.
Reaching:
Dahshur can be reached by road from Cairo as part of a day trip to Saqqara and Memphis.
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The Bent Pyramid has two entrances, one fairly low down on the north side, to which a substantial wooden stairway has been built for the convenience of tourists (though so far the pyramid is not open to the busy tourists, though plans have been proposed to open it).
The second entrance is high on the west face of the pyramid.
Each entrance leads to a chamber with a high, corbelled roof; the northern entrance leads to a chamber that is below ground level, the western to a chamber built in the body of the pyramid itself. A hole in the roof of the northern chamber (accessed today by a high and rickety ladder 50′ long) leads via a rough connecting passage to the passage from the western entrance.