Pyramid G1-d (also known as 'G Id', 'G1d', or 'GId') is a satellite pyramid within the Khufu Pyramid complex on the Giza plateau. The pyramid was discovered in 1992, during work to remove a road, about southeast of the southeast corner of the

Great Pyramid The Great Pyramid of Giza is the biggest Egyptian pyramid and the tomb of Fourth Dynasty pharaoh Khufu. Built in the early 26th century BC during a period of around 27 years, the pyramid is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World ...

(G1) and about west of the subsidiary pyramids G1–b and G1–c.

Superstructure

The pyramid's original base length was with a height of . Joseph Dorner established the mean slope to be about 51°45', very similar to that of the Great Pyramid. This equates to a

Seked Seked (or seqed) is an ancient Egyptian term describing the inclination of the triangular faces of a right pyramid. The system was based on the Egyptians' length measure known as the royal cubit. It was subdivided into seven ''palms'', each of wh ...

of 5 palms and 2 fingers, a ratio of 28 rise to 22 run. Giseh_09

The blocks that remained

In situ ''In situ'' (; often not italicized in English) is a Latin phrase that translates literally to "on site" or "in position." It can mean "locally", "on site", "on the premises", or "in place" to describe where an event takes place and is used in ...

surrounded the substructure in an U-shape. The bedrock below the pyramid slopes downward to the east and south, hence a layer of foundation stones was placed to form an even base. One of the core blocks of the south side was inscribed in red paint on the inside surface. The notation says, "imy rsy S3." This graffiti, meaning "on the south ackside," probably instructed the stone movers where to place the block. Multiple casing blocks were found out of position, scattered around the pyramid. One of which, slanted on three sides, was part of a pair of blocks that once formed the 3rd course from the top. it is long and thick and its top side is hollowed to better hold the convex underside of the stone(s) placed above it. No stones of the second course from the top remained, yet in 1993 the actual pyramidion was discovered accidentally north of the pyramid by assistant AlIa el-Din Shaat. Its underside is faceted, four triangles form a shallow downward pyramid. It is the second oldest capstone of a pyramid ever found, the earliest belonging to the

Red Pyramid of Sneferu The Red Pyramid, also called the North Pyramid, is the largest of the pyramids located at the Dahshur necropolis in Cairo, Egypt. Named for the rusty reddish hue of its red limestone stones, it is also the third largest Egyptian pyramid, after ...

Dahshur DahshurAlso transliterated ''Dahshour'' (in English often called ''Dashur'' ar, دهشور ' , ''Dahchur'') is a royal necropolis located in the desert on the west bank of the Nile approximately south of Cairo. It is known chiefly for several p ...

. The top three courses were reconstructed by Miss Nivien Mohamed Mustafa four meters north of the pyramid. The foundation and parts of the first course of the pyramid was restored as well with newly carved limestone blocks.

Substructure

The substructure consists of an inclined passage of 25-28° which runs north to south. It starts from the pyramid's base line, indicating the original entrance lied somewhat above the ground level on the north face. This two cubit () wide corridor runs for a length of 10 cubits () until it terminates in a chamber extending to the east and west,. Together they form a T-shaped structure that matches satellite pyramids subsequent to Khufu. A distinct cutting in the bedrock indicates that the passage was once blocked by square stones. The floor measures about 15 by 6.5 cubits or long (east to west) by . Traces of mortar hint at a now missing pavement. The walls of the chamber were not smoothed or polished and are slightly inclined, narrowing towards the no longer extant ceiling. Four small holes at the west-end suggest two crossing beams spanning the narrow side of the chamber. Hassan speculates they could have been intended for lowering or covering an object.

Purpose

The purpose of the pyramid is under debate by scholars. Some possible explanations are that it is for the king's Ka, or it represents the king as the ruler of

Upper Egypt Upper Egypt ( ar, صعيد مصر ', shortened to , , locally: ; ) is the southern portion of Egypt and is composed of the lands on both sides of the Nile that extend upriver from Lower Egypt in the north to Nubia in the south. In ancient E ...

, or it is for the viscera of the King, or it is a dummy room for the

Sed festival The Sed festival (''ḥb-sd'', conventional pronunciation ; also known as Heb Sed or Feast of the Tail) was an ancient Egyptian ceremony that celebrated the continued rule of a pharaoh. The name is taken from the name of an Egyptian wolf god, ...

, or it has a solar function.

Zahi Hawass Zahi Abass Hawass ( ar, زاهي حواس; born May 28, 1947) is an Egyptian archaeologist, Egyptologist, and former Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs, serving twice. He has also worked at archaeological sites in the Nile Delta, the Wes ...

, who led the uncovering of the pyramid, believed that the satellite pyramid was used symbolically as a changing room for the Sed festival.

References

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External links

The discovery of the satellite Pyramid of Khufu

The revised and complete article on the pyramidion of the satellite pyramid of Khufu, g1d

Origins of Pyramid GI-d, Southeast of the Great Pyramid

Keith Hamilton guides
{{Coord, 29, 58, 41.1, N, 31, 8, 8.7, E, display=title, name=Pyramid G1-d Giza Plateau Pyramids of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt

Superstructure

Substructure

Purpose

See also

References

External links