Amenemhet is Beautiful
Amememhet is Mighty

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Height 75 m
Base 105 m
Volume 274,625 cu. m
Slope 57° 15' 30"
Dynasty 12
Satellite Pyramids (?)
Queens Pyramids (?)
Ruled 53 years

The (Black) Pyramid of Amememhet III

Amememehet III index
The Pyramid of Amememhet III

 

The Black Pyramid
The Black Pyramid
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Amememhet III Dahshur Pyramid is today but a heap. Amememehet III built two pyramids, both of mudbrick, the other being at Hawara. The pyramid lies about 1 km, almost directly south of Sneferu's Bent Pyramid. The fine limestone casing was robbed in antiquity and the darker mudbrick core lies exposed, were it's name, The Black Pyramid is derived. The pyramid appears to be a cenotaph, as Amememehet III was entombed at Hawara. The pyramids substructure is complex. The east devoted to the king and the section for two of his consorts, Queen Aat, and than of a queen not yet identified. Amemmehet II was the last powerful ruler of the 12th dynasty and started construction of the his Dahshur pyramid in the first year of his reign. The core was built entirely of mudbrick with no supporting superstructure of stone. It was built in steps, in order to increase satiability with an outer mantle five meters thick. The outer limestone blocks were held together with wooden dovetail pegs. Near the beginning of the causeway, near the pyramid temple, are are series priests' houses. The pyramid was built on compacted clay foundation. The pyramid was completed in the fifteen year of Amememhet II reign and probably abandoned soon afterwards, according to Egyptologist, because of cracks that appeared in some of the underground spaces. A new pyramid was built at Hawara in the Fayyum oasis.