Headless Pyramid

The Headless Pyramid, otherwise identified as Lepsius XXIX, is the remain of a pyramid complex built in Saqqara. The identity of the pyramid owner is unclear, though it is suspected to belong to either pharaoh Menkauhor of the Fifth Dynasty[a] or pharaoh Merikare of the Tenth Dynasty,[b] both of whom are known to have built a pyramid. If associated with Menkauhor, the pyramid’s name is Nṯr-ỉswt Mn-kꜣw-ḥr meaning ‘Divine are the places of Menkauhor’; if associated with Merikare, the pyramid’s name is Wꜣḏ-swt Mry-kꜣ-rꜥ meaning ‘Fresh are the places of Merikare’. Other candidates for the pyramid owner that have been proposed are Amenemhat I of the Twelfth Dynasty[c] and an ephemeral pharaoh Ity of the Eighth Dynasty.[d] The pyramid complex is in very poor condition. Only the main pyramid, its substructure, and the mortuary temple can be definitively identified. Trace elements of a cult pyramid and a causeway exist, however, there is no sign of an extant valley temple. The base of the pyramid superstructure has been measured by various Egyptologists as being 52 m (171 ft; 99 cu), 60 m (200 ft; 110 cu), or 65 m (213 ft; 124 cu) by 68 m (223 ft; 130 cu) long. Its substructure was thoroughly investigated between 2005 and 2008 by a team of archaeologists led by Zahi Hawass.

Location and excavation

Karl Richard Lepsius visited the site in 1843, providing brief description and cataloguing it as ‘Steinpyramide XXIX’ in his pyramid list. Gaston Maspero entered the underground chambers in 1881,[3] searching the ruins for evidence of pyramid texts. Alessandro Barsanti was active in Saqqara in 1900, clearing a section of the pyramid. A brief and unsystematic excavation of the ruins was conducted in 1930 by Cecil M. Firth. The most systematic investigation of the site was conducted between 2005 and 2008 by a team led by Zahi Hawass.

Mortuary complex

Old Kingdom mortuary complexes typically consist of five main components: (1) a valley temple; (2) a causeway; (3) a mortuary temple; (4) a cult pyramid; and (5) the main pyramid.[25] The ‘Headless Pyramid’ has an identifiable main pyramid with substructure and a mortuary temple. There are scant remains of a presumed cult pyramid and causeway, but no trace of a valley temple. The complex is overall in very poor condition.

Substructure
The entrance to the substructure lies in the approximate middle of the pyramid’s north face. The descending passage was probably 7.6 m (25 ft) long, though its original entrance point now lies under a house and thus cannot be completely excavated. The remains of the passage are limited, though it appears to have had a downward slope of 30° and a fine white limestone paving. The passage terminates into a hall 2.75 m (9.0 ft) north-south by 2.06 m (6.8 ft) east-west with fine white limestone-lined walls. Beyond the hall is a granite-lined passage sealed by two pink granite portcullises. The passage measures 5.6 m (18 ft) in length and had an estimated ceiling height of 3.8 m (12 ft), and the portcullis stones were found to be 0.5 m (1.6 ft) thick. The sealing of the passage indicates that a burial had been conducted.