Pyramid of Ameny Qemau

The pyramid of Ameny Qemau is an ancient Egyptian pyramid located in southern Dahshur. It was constructed for Ameny Qemau, a obscure king of the 13th Dynasty during the Second Intermediate Period.

Pyramid
The stone constituting its upper structure has been entirely robbed but the damaged substructures remain. The pyramid was discovered by Charles Arthur Musès in 1957 and excavated in 1968. The pyramid originally stood 35 metres (115 ft) high with a base length of 52 metres (171 ft). The burial chamber comprised from a single colossal block of quartzite similar to that of Amenemhat III, with receptacles for the sarcophagus and the canopic jars hewn out of the interior of the block. The Pyramid of Ameny Qemau is a relatively unknown pyramid located in the ancient city of Dahshur in Egypt. The pyramid dates back to the late Middle Kingdom, around the 13th dynasty, and is believed to have been built for the Pharaoh Ameny Qemau. The use of mudbrick for the construction of the pyramid is believed to be a cost-saving measure. Mudbrick was a cheap and readily available building material, and it allowed the builders to construct the pyramid quickly and efficiently. However, this decision may have been a mistake, as the mudbrick construction proved to be less durable than the limestone used in other pyramids. The Pyramid of Ameny Qemau was also unique in its architectural design. The pyramid was built with a double inner core, which is believed to have been a structural support. The double core created a gap between the walls, which allowed for ventilation and prevented the pyramid from collapsing under its own weight.

Discovery and excavations
The earliest known historical mention of the pyramid of Ameny Qemau is found in the book of the medieval Arab historian Taqi al-Din Ahmad Al-Maqrizi “Geography and History of Egypt” where Al-Maqrizi describes the “pyramids of Dashur”. The pyramid of Ameny Qemau was rediscovered in 1957 by a team led by Charles Arthur Musès. In 1968, Vito Maragioglio and Celeste Rinaldi investigated the architecture of the pyramid. More recently, the remains of the funerary equipment of the king were published by Nabil Swelim and Aidan Dodson.

Overall,

Despite its unique construction and architectural design, the Pyramid of Ameny Qemau remained relatively unknown until recent times. The pyramid suffered extensive damage over the centuries, and only small fragments of the mudbrick construction remain. However, the pyramid remains an important archaeological site and a testament to the ingenuity and creativity of ancient Egyptian builders.