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. The inside of Meidum’s pyramid also features an important architectural mark. It was plundered by tomb robbers thousands of years ago. In older literature king Huni of the Third Dynasty is often named as the owner of the pyramid at Meydum. Unfortunately this is one of the forgotten sites. The corridor connects with a vertical shaft which rises ten meters to meet a small burial chamber. It has often been assumed that the original builder of this Step Pyramid was Huni, the last king of the 3rd Dynasty. 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. The pyramid of Maidum was originally a seven-stepped pyramid. It was an optional extra on my Egyptian holiday so here I was. I love this tomb; to go inside is a real adventure! 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. 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 Like other pyramids, it was built in accretion layers. Meidum Pyramid is a bit off the normal tourist route. Meidum Pyramid is a bit off the normal tourist route. It is the highlight of the visit. Visitors Can Now Explore Hidden Tombs Inside Two Newly Opened Pyramids in Ancient Egypt. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 is called today the collapsed pyramid as it looks from afar like a huge tower. It took the ancient Egyptians about 400 years to progress from using building materials such as wood, reeds, and mudbrick to smooth-sided pyramids. The burial chamber is very small if compared with other burial chambers found inside other pyramids. After we went through the gates a car with 4 guards led us out to the pyramid and stayed while we went inside. It has a corbelled roof that is not well done and the rest of the room is empty. However the name of king Huni has never been found at Meydum. 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. For a long time, Egyptologists thought that the pyramid was built by King Snefru, the builder of the two pyramids in Dashur. It was originally designed as a seven step pyramid with a further step being added once construction was in a fairly advanced stage. The Meidum Pyramid was originally built as a step pyramid and the limestone slab casing was added later making it a true pyramid. 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. Because of its unusual appearance, the pyramid is called el-heram el-kaddaab — (Pseudo Pyramid) in Egyptian Arabic. 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. There underneath the lid, you will notice a small ancient hammer stuck underneath the heavy led, forgotten by the ancient tomb robbers. 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. Meidum Pyramid: Meidum Pyramid, down near Fayoum - See 89 traveller reviews, 63 candid photos, and great deals for El Wasta, Egypt, at Tripadvisor. 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. It is sometimes suggested that the Meidum pyramid was begun as a step pyramid by Huni but completed by Sneferu. Our stay inside the pyramid was short and rushed, as by that time it was nearing dusk. The mortuary temple was the first example to be built on the east side rather than the north, and although it is a simple building it is fairly well preserved. The chapel at the Bent Pyramid is similar to the one at the Meidum Pyramid. While inside, look up to see a corbeled ceiling. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. Started as a Step Pyramid but then converted into a true pyramid, the pyramid at Meidum marks the transition from the Early Dynastic Period to the Old Kingdom. It’s permitted to … It was Borchardt who first realised that this was because the pyramid was built in three stages with the design altering at each point. pyramid of Meidum, Egypt. 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. The last King of the 3rd Dynasty, King Huni, built the Pyramid of Meidum in the style of a step pyramid. One of them is a tomb for an unknown person that was found with no inscription at all. 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. In the midst of the 19th century a small wooden coffin was found here and later on it was taken to the Egyptian Museum. These tombs yielded great treasure to the Egyptian Museum. On your way up you will notice some huge beams of cedar wood that are 4600 years old. After a long interruption Petrie again returned to Meidum with Egyptologists, Ernest Mackay and Gerald Wainright. 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. It is one the greatest master pieces of the Egyptian museum. 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. Sneferu is credited with having erected three pyramids: One at Meidum and two at Dahshur. Required fields are marked *, Enquiry about the Tour availability or anything you’d like to know. The Pyramid of Meidum is built of limestone blocks. Originally built as a stepped pyramid, Meidum was later converted into what is known as a ‘true pyramid’, defined with smoothed surfaces, just over 300 feet (92 meters) tall. 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. 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. 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. 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. The one at Meidum is believed to have collapsed as the builders tried transforming it from a step pyramid to a smooth-sided one. According to researchers, Meidum might have been the second pyramid completed after Djoser’s. The pyramid is called today the collapsed pyramid as it looks from afar like a huge tower. The mummy was never found, most probably it was taken by the robbers. Your choices will not impact your visit. 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. 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. In the last few years I have led special groups to that pyramid. 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. 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. 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 . Nearby the tomb of RA- HOTEP, another one was found, the great tombs of Nefer-Matt. The pyramid of Meidum is often known as the “collapsed pyramid” because of its ruined state. 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. This pyramid was probably built during the reign of the 4th Dynasty King named Sneferu. This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. No pharaoh would ever put their inscription on this failure, for fear it would be their legacy. For a long time Egyptologists believed that the pyramid was built by King Senfru, the builder of the two pyramids in Dahshour, the belief came as we found some graffiti in the funerary temple located at the eastern side of the pyramid which had been discovered at the end of the 19th century. There we found some great paintings considered the best and the oldest ever found in a tomb, exhibited in the Egyptian Museum in the same room as you will see the statues of Ra hotep and his wife. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. When Maspero first entered the burial chamber he found ropes and beams which he thought may have been left by tomb robbers. It was a step pyramid at first, like Djoser's. The pyramid of Mydoum has a special magic, in my opinion the visit to this collapsed pyramid of Mydoum is very worthwhile. 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. Finally, the first examinations of the Meidum Pyramid found everything below the surface of the rubble mound fully intact. In front of the temple you can see the causeway that traditionally led to the mummification temple located at the end of the causeway. 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 entrance of the pyramid is located almost 30 meters above the ground level in the northern side of the pyramid. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. 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 pyramid was 93 m high and built on square base that measures about 114 m long. The most famous is what we call the scene of the geese of Mydoum. 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. Before the Pyramid at Meidum was built, the only preceding pyramids were all "step" or "layer" pyramids. It is known as “el-haram el-kaddab” (the “False Pyramid”) in Arabic because it now barely resembles a pyramid. 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. 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 ! 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. I can simply call it a virgin site. The entrance that you use to get inside was actually made by the tomb robbers. 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. The whole complex is surrounded by an enclosure wall, traces of which remain. In front of the eastern side of the pyramid you will find a small funerary temple that is still intact. Cookies that are necessary to enable my site to function. 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. 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. There is another way to reach Mydoum, it is longer but faster. A cookie which helps me track how many visitors come to my site and what pages they look at. In the XV century Egyptian historian and geographer Al-Maqrizi was the first, who reported about the unusual shapes of the Pyramid. This passage has two small niches, on the east and west walls, the purpose of which is not clear. 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. Subsequently, the outside casing collapsed producing rubble around the bottom of the pyramid. It is a beautiful scene of the 6 Egyptian geese together made on a mud brick wall that was covered with a coat of stucco and painted. It was an optional extra on my Egyptian holiday so here I was. The Bent Pyramid at Dahshur marked a clear departure in architectural styles, signalizing the arrival of smooth-sided pyramids. He was also the father of Khufu, who later built the Great Pyramid of Giza. 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. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Malek, Jaromir (2000) “The Old Kingdom”, in. The funerary set is very simple and constitutes one of the rare private sets of satellite pyramids.