The Pyramid of Sahure at Abusir

All complexes assault pyramids in ruins, and stone for both robbers from the ravages of time. Sahure complex, which he calls "the spirit shines Sahure" was perhaps the first pyramid built in the pyramids area of ill-treatment, and important for both building materials and decorative carvings, the type used in the complex. He was famous for his art in the ancient times, and today recognized as complex as another milestone in the tomb of ancient Egyptian architecture.


Specifically, the pyramid is smaller than the above, with the decline in the volume of construction materials, compared with 4 examples of the breed, although this was offset by better quality and more diverse types of stone. There was also a marked change in the design and the mortuary temple at the same time, decorative relief funerary temples and the valley, a road, even in countries rich in art, imagination and technical quality of the workforce and the highest level of the type that has not been discovered in the Old Kingdom. At the outset, there were about 10,000 square meters of the prosecutors in those architectural elements, and therefore it is not surprising that the complex pyramid Sahure, including the architectural plan and the system of relief decorations, and became the starting point for designers of the royal tombs in the later 5th and 6th dynasties.

Egyptologist in the early, PERRING, first investigated the pyramid, and shortly after him, Lepsius also examined the structure, but perhaps because it was so ruined pyramid, paid little attention to the excavation work. Later, Morgan opened the entrance corridor, but also showed lack of interest in further exploration. Century and then in the 20th, Ludwig Borchardt finally recognized the importance of the pyramid. Wrote two of the study size, Das Grabdenkmal Des Königs Sahure ( "To commemorate the King Sahure") who created a real interest in the community to Egyptology. For many years, and his work on the pyramid appeared in full, despite the fact that the pyramid was the subject of further study.
But in 1994 when he decided to open the pyramids depicting the tourists, and made new discoveries. Many of the monuments in Abu Sir, and especially the pyramids Sahure complex, the themes of restoration efforts. During this process, was discovered several large blocks in the upper part of the Sahure the road to be decorated with patterns unique artistic iconography. They've created a new understanding of the complex decorative program.

Sahure valley temple, directors and landing, and the opportunity from the east and south one. As a general rule should be the only one, landing the eastern slope, allowing access from the Nile through the Suez Canal. However, the reason for this is not set
Valley temple has a major focus oriented between north and south, with the ramp-south and east. Eight columns of pink granite adorn the temples of the eastern entrance, the south portico of the temple while he was only four columns. Valley Temple had a floor basalt, and decorated the walls and ceiling astronomical. All entrances lead to the central room in the walls of the temple and decorated with multi-colored patterns.

    The underlying theme is the King in the form of a sphinx from trade on a number of enemies in the families and the envelope from Egypt. Of the center, in turn leads to the road that leads to the funerary temple. Room also has stairs on the balcony.
What little remains of the bridge, with the exception of large lumps of limestone slope in your primary product.

    Roofed corridor was originally decorated the walls to reduce a multi-color and the ceiling with small holes for lighting. Way connected to the pyramid and the mortuary temple and valley temple, which is now a lot of devastation.

In 1994, Dr. Zahi Hawass decided to clean up and rebuild parts of the Sahure the way, but in doing so found some surprises. While cleaning the upper part of the road, and huge blocks of limestone extracted unique artistic contain iconographic sculpture and inscriptions. Among other things, some of the patterns represented in the display crowned Sahure golden pyramid, ceremonies and events that accompany the completion of the pyramid, and perhaps most importantly, a group of Bedouin poor that hunger has led to just skin and bones.
 
Bedouin portrays the scene reflected poorly in what was considered unique pictures of the bridge of the pyramid of Unas. Until recently, the scene is evidence of a decline in standard of living of the population of the oases in the Western Sahara, as a result of the end of the desert and the beginning of the wet climate is hot and dry in the middle of the third millennium BC. However, some believe, based on the broader context of Sahure other scenes from the street, that the Bedouins of the poor had been made in the pyramid of the city to demonstrate the difficulties and dangers of the pyramid builders had to deal with pickles on the quality of the stone is better than the remote mountains, wild and inaccessible .

Mortuary temple, as is common on the eastern side of the pyramid on the base of two layers of limestone blocks in the rough. A section is divided into internal and external section through the corridor. This corridor is divided into

sections on complex public and private sectors, but also serve as a corridor linking the central courtyard of the pyramid and the small cult pyramid. Corridor was paved in basalt walls of limestone and scenes of naval battles and trips to Asia, but only fragments remain. There are stairs at the north end leading to the roof-terrace.

On the outer surface of the temple is the entrance hall and columns in the open air courtyard. Hall, built of limestone has a good program excellent decorating. In the rubble, a frieze of pink granite.
 
Patio contains 16 columns of blocks of pink granite, each of which had a trunk and the crown of the palm panels, irregular flat black basalt. For the ancient Egyptians, the symbol of fertility and eternal life this, and some Egyptologists believe that the court represents the sacred palm Bhutto, Ancient Egypt, "National Cemetery".

    Columns, and adorned with the names and titles of Sahure, side by side with the gods Nekhbet in the southern part of the yard, and the Cobra Goddess, Djt in the northern hemisphere. There was a time in the columns supporting the architrave bearing titles of ownership, supported by slabs of limestone ceiling decorated with stars. On the walls of the courtyard, and the scenes, although very fragmented, and the victory Sahure Asians and Libyans, with the spoils of battle. In the northwest corner of the yard one time there was a marble altar with scenes depicting symbols of unification of Egypt (between north and south of Egypt), along with scenes from the presentations for Sahure. Between the columns that originally there were statues of the Pharaoh.


Corridor surrounding the yard, and walls Sahure scenes of fishing, hunting and bird hunting in the desert. There is also an important scene in the royalist party and the representation of Neferirkara, we find in the text, which provides for "Neferirkara, King of Upper and Lower Egypt." This is one of the reasons that many scientists believe that instead of Egyptian Neferirkara Shepseskare Sahure messages by this author to achieve.
 
This Court is not more then worship Sahure. After a thousand years, also served as the worship of Sekhmet, probably due to the fine relief sculpture of the goddess al-Assad. His wife of Ptah, and together they were the gods of Memphis near the top. Still later, the early Christians in Egypt and also started a church in this court.

Entrance to the interior of the tomb, which drawer in the center of the western wall of the corridor separating the main. Peace goes from two to six columns of the papyrus stalks, down deep in the recesses. They expressed their support for the architrave, part of which was found in the olive presses in the monastery of St. Jeremiah at Saqqara.

Staircase leads to a large part of the temple, a chapel with five niches. Statues stood in niches, and perhaps destroyed. The walls of this church was covered in textured limestone with the exception of the niches of the west wall and the ledge. Since niches and covered with pink granite. Roof of limestone decorated with the subject of astronomy and the floor was made of alabaster.

The road from the back of the cabin, and can only use a funeral priests lead to the hall. This was probably the most important piece in the temple to worship the King.





This room also has a floor of alabaster ceiling decorated with stars astronomy. Here, the walls decorated with scenes depicting gods carrying offerings to the king of the dead. This room is adjacent to the eastern wall of the pyramid, and there is a large section of granite rooms, the Western Wall. Section should have the entries from the magic spells and Sahure names and titles, but it is not.

This belief has led some Egyptologists was covered in copper or gold, which was inscribed with this information. The ancient Egyptians believed that the spirit of the Dead King will come here from the back door for their meals.
    Food offerings are willing to pay to change the stone.

Annexes to the next room, and was probably used for storage and other features related to the room. Some of these rooms were connected with copper tube, with a central spillway lined with limestone.
 
    In fact, there were about 180 meters from the pipeline that runs through the temple. Another section of the annex to the so-called treasure room, where the ritual objects used by the priests for the cult were stored. Parts of the southern part of the annexes comprising two tiered storage.

South side of the central corridor also leads to the main courtyard of the pyramid, and a smaller cult pyramid and a portico with two columns of pink granite, which later led in the cemetery. Cemetery probably where relatives are buried Sahure, but has not been investigated.

Annex, the pyramid of worship, albeit small compared with the main pyramid, however, has two phases and the inner chamber, but nothing was found inside. Although the pyramid cult badly damaged by thieves from the stone, and we can say that the entrance corridor first descended before climbing into the inner chamber.

- The Pyramid
 
Because of its destruction of the pyramid complex, and the exact specifications and the emergence of the pyramids is impossible to determine.

    The pyramid is probably founded on a platform made of at least two layers of blocks of limestone, but this assumption is based on the study of other effects of the region, where the institution has not been investigated.

    Center was built of horizontal layers of limestone blocks in the ore, and was originally six main layers. Cover is fine, white limestone from quarries near the Masai modern. It is interesting that there are flaws in the design of the structure of the pyramid as a result the southeastern corner of 1.58 meters is still too far east.

    Therefore, the pyramid perfectly square.
Entrance of the pyramid on the north side, just above the ground level. At first there was a short corridor that leads down to a small vestibule. The lobby is behind the portcullis pink granite, and then the next runner may slope gradually to the level near the lobby.

Waiting room and the burial chamber, and so ruined his flour can not be determined, although the waiting room is located directly under the Pyramid of the vertical axis.



Technique:
Main pyramid
• Original name: Sahure spirit shines
• Date of construction: 5th Dynasty
• Original length: 48 m / 160 m
• Inclination: 50 º 30 '
• along both sides of the base 78.5 m / 262 m
Of the pyramid of worship
• Original Height: 11.6 meters / 38 feet
• Tilt Angle: 56th
• along both sides of the base: 15.7 m / 51.5 m