Pyramid of Sesheshet

The Pyramid of Sesheshet is a small, unfinished pyramid located in the necropolis of Saqqara, just south of the city of Cairo in Egypt. It was built for Queen Sesheshet, the mother of Pharaoh Teti, who was the first ruler of the 6th Dynasty. The pyramid was originally built in the earlier 5th dynasty, but it was abandoned and never completed. It was later finished during the reign of Teti in the 6th dynasty, but it was still much smaller than most other pyramids of the time.

The Pyramid of Sesheshet stands only about 30 feet tall and has a base that measures approximately 200 feet by 200 feet. It was constructed of mud brick and limestone, and the interior was lined with polished limestone blocks. Inside the pyramid, there was a chamber that contained the sarcophagus of Queen Sesheshet, but it was later robbed and plundered by tomb raiders. Despite its small size, the pyramid was surrounded by a complex of temples, buildings, and courtyards that were used in the burial ceremonies and offerings to the gods.

One unusual feature of the Pyramid of Sesheshet is that it was built on a long east-west axis, rather than the typical north-south axis of most other pyramids. This may have been due to the pyramid’s location near the Saqqara plateau, which runs east to west. The Pyramid of Sesheshet is notable for its intricate and sophisticated construction techniques. Despite its small size and unfinished state, it was built with a high degree of precision and quality workmanship.

Today, the Pyramid of Sesheshet is a popular tourist attraction in Egypt, and it is visited by thousands of people each year. It remains one of the most intriguing and enigmatic structures from ancient Egypt, and it continues to inspire speculation and fascination from historians and visitors alike.