Zawyet El Aryan () is a town in the

Giza Governorate Giza Governorate ( ar, محافظة الجيزة ') is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is in the center of the country, situated on the west bank of the Nile River opposite Cairo. Its capital is the city of Giza. It includes a stretch of ...

, located between Giza and

Abusir Abusir ( ar, ابو صير ; Egyptian ''pr wsjr'' cop, ⲃⲟⲩⲥⲓⲣⲓ ' "the House or Temple of Osiris"; grc, Βούσιρις) is the name given to an Egyptian archaeological locality – specifically, an extensive necropolis o ...

. To the west of the town, just in the desert area, is a necropolis, referred to by the same name. Almost directly east across the Nile is

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

. In Zawyet El Aryan, there are two

pyramid A pyramid (from el, πυραμίς ') is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge to a single step at the top, making the shape roughly a pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilat ...

complexes and five mastaba cemeteries.

Pyramids

Layer Pyramid

The Layer Pyramid was built in the

Third Dynasty The Third Dynasty of ancient Egypt (Dynasty III) is the first dynasty of the Old Kingdom. Other dynasties of the Old Kingdom include the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth. The capital during the period of the Old Kingdom was at Memphis. Overview Af ...

, probably during the reign of Khaba. The pyramid was meant to be a step pyramid of possibly five to seven steps. No casing stones have been found, suggesting that the pyramid was never finished. The layout of the underground chambers resembles that of the

Buried Pyramid The Buried Pyramid (also called the Pyramid of Sekhemkhet) is an unfinished step pyramid constructed c. 2645 BC for Sekhemkhet Djoserty. He was the second pharaoh of the Third Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, which reigned over Egypt circa 2686� ...

. A corridor leading into the interior has thirty-two side chambers meant for storage of the burial equipment.Verner, Miroslav: ''The Pyramids: The Mystery, Culture, and Science of Egypt's Great Monuments''. Grove Press. 2001 (1997). , p. 270.Rainer Stadelmann: ''Die ägyptischen Pyramiden. Vom Ziegelbau zum Weltwunder'' (= ''Kulturgeschichte der antiken Welt'', Bd. 30). von Zabern, Mainz 1997, , p. 140-144.

Unfinished Pyramid

This unfinished pyramid belongs to a king with an illegible name and comprise little more than a massive descendry. All that stands now is a square base on which the core of the pyramid would have been constructed. A pink granite sarcophagus was found in a trench which cuts through the structure, although it may date to a later time period. The existence of underground chambers has been suspected, but excavations have not been possible as the structure is now part of a military restricted zone. Also called the "Northern Pyramid", this structure dates to the

Fourth Dynasty The Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (notated Dynasty IV) is characterized as a "golden age" of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. Dynasty IV lasted from to 2494 BC. It was a time of peace and prosperity as well as one during which trade with other ...

Necropolis

The area of Zawyet El Aryan is surrounded by a total of five cemeteries dating to the 1st Dynasty, 2nd Dynasty, late 3rd Dynasty, 18th Dynasty and Roman Period. Of these cemeteries, only the one dating to the late 3rd Dynasty contains large tombs, of which are four mudbrick mastabas. Reisner and Fisher observed that this is to be expected of the necropolis surrounding the pyramid of a pharaoh, the large tombs being those of the royal family and court officials. In particular, around north of the Layer Pyramid is a huge mastaba, today known as "Mastaba Z500", which yielded eight

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...

bowls inscribed with the

serekh In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a serekh is a rectangular enclosure representing the niched or gated façade of a palace surmounted by (usually) the Horus falcon, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name. The serekh was the earliest conven ...

of king Khaba. Reisner and Fisher therefore conclude that "if the mastabas belong to people connected with the king who built the pyramid, it is probable that the king’s name was Khaba". This opinion is shared by most Egyptologists who attribute the Layer Pyramid to Khaba.Rainer Stadelmann: ''King Huni: His Monuments and His Place in the History of the Old Kingdom''. In: Zahi A. Hawass, Janet Richards (Hrsg.): ''The Archaeology and Art of Ancient Egypt. Essays in Honor of David B. O’Connor'', vol. II. Conceil Suprême des Antiquités de l’Égypte, Kairo 2007, p. 425–431.

Zawyet El Aryan today

Since 1960, much of the area near Zawyet El Aryan has been restricted for use as a

military base A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. A military base always provides accommodations for ...

. Access to the pyramids has been restricted since 1964. No excavations are allowed, the original necropolis is overbuilt with military bungalows, and the shaft of the Unfinished Pyramid has allegedly been misused as a trash dump. The condition of both burial shafts is uncertain and most possibly disastrous.Roman Gundacker: Zur Struktur der Pyramidennamen der 4. Dynastie. In: Sokar, vol. 18, 2009. {{ISSN, 1438-7956, p. 26–30.

References

Populated places in Giza Governorate