G3-b (also G3b, G3 b, GIIIb) is one of the three satellite pyramids of the larger

Pyramid of Menkaure The pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the three main pyramids of the Giza pyramid complex, located on the Giza Plateau in the southwestern outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. It is thought to have been built to serve as the tomb of the Menkaure , Four ...

, located at the

Giza pyramid complex The Giza pyramid complex (also called the Giza necropolis) in Egypt is home to the Great Pyramid of Giza, Great Pyramid, the pyramid of Khafre, and the pyramid of Menkaure, along with their associated pyramid complexes and the Great Sphinx of G ...

. Situated south of the main pyramid between satellites G3-a and G3-c, this structure contained the body of a woman. The pyramid was built during the

Fourth Dynasty of Egypt 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 c. 2498 BC. It was a time of peace and prosperity as well as one during which trade with othe ...

, presumably for one of the wives of

Menkaure Menkaure or Menkaura (; 2550 BC - 2503 BC) was a king of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt during the Old Kingdom. He is well known under his Hellenized names Mykerinos ( by Herodotus), in turn Latinized as Mycerinus, and Menkheres ( by Manetho). ...

. The

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

archaeologist Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...

George Andrew Reisner George Andrew Reisner Jr. (November 5, 1867 – June 6, 1942) was an American archeologist of Ancient Egypt, Nubia and Palestine. Early life Reisner was born on November 5, 1867, in Indianapolis. His parents were George Andrew Reisner Sr. and M ...

has speculated that the queen buried in the pyramid may have been Menkaure's half-sister, Shepsetkau, the daughter of

Meresankh III Queen Meresankh III ( 2578 BC - 2520 BC) was the daughter of Hetepheres II and Prince Kawab and a granddaughter of the Egyptian king Khufu. She was the wife of King Khafre. Hetepheres also provided her daughter with a black granite sarcophagus ...

and

Khafre Khafre or Chephren (died 2532 BC) was an ancient Egyptian monarch who was the fourth king of the Fourth Dynasty, during the earlier half of the Old Kingdom period (c. 2700–2200 BC). He was son of the king Khufu, and succeeded his broth ...

. The surface of the pyramid is stepped, consisting of four platforms that decrease toward the top. The pyramid's base is square.Verner (2007), p. 463 Gizeh Mykerinos 02

References

Bibliography

* * (Note: This is the second unpublished follow-up to Reisner's work ''A History of the Giza Necropolis'' Vol. I, published by

Harvard University Press Harvard University Press (HUP) is an academic publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University. It is a member of the Association of University Presses. Its director since 2017 is George Andreou. The pres ...

) *

External links

Pyramid G3-b at Digital Giza
{{Egyptian pyramids, Egyptian pyramids= Pyramids in Egypt Pyramids of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt Buildings and structures completed in the 26th century BC

See also

References

Bibliography

External links