The Bent Pyramid of Seneferu

|Assignment: The Bent or South Pyramid of Seneferu.         |
|Prepared for:                                               |
|Mr. Abu Yusuf Swapan                                       |
|Instructor                                                 |
|Couse Id: ARC 111                                           |
|Premier University, Chittagong                             |
|Prepared By:                                               |
|Saika                                                       |
|Student ID: 011                                             |
|Date of Submission: 22th March, 2012                       |


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The Bent or South Pyramid of Seneferu

Introduction:

The Bent Pyramid is an ancient Egyptian pyramid located at the royal necropolis of Dahshur, approximately 40 K.M. south of Cairo, built under the Old Kingdom Pharaoh Sneferu (2723 BC). A unique example of early pyramid development in Egypt, this was the second pyramid built by Sneferu.

The lower part of the pyramid rises from the desert at a 54-degree inclination, but the top section is built at the shallower angle of 43 degrees, lending the pyramid its very obvious "bent" appearance.

Archaeologists now believe that the Bent Pyramid represents a transitional form between step-sided and smooth-sided pyramids (see Step pyramid). It has been suggested that due to the steepness of the original angle of inclination the structure may have begun to show signs of instability during construction, forcing the builders to adopt a shallower angle to avert the structure's collapse. This theory appears to be borne out by the fact that the adjacent Red Pyramid, built immediately afterwards by the same Pharaoh, was constructed at an angle of 43 degrees from its base. Another theory suggests that at the initial angle the construction would take too long because Sneferu's death was nearing, so the builders changed the angle to complete the construction in time.

The Bent Pyramid... [continues]

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