Pyramid of Sneferu at Dahshur

E53540

The Pyramid of Sneferu at Dahshur, commonly called the Red Pyramid, is an Old Kingdom Egyptian pyramid and the first successful attempt at constructing a true smooth-sided pyramid, built as a tomb for Pharaoh Sneferu.

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Egyptian pyramid
Old Kingdom monument
archaeological site
royal tomb
access interior accessible to visitors
alsoKnownAs Bent Pyramid
surface form: North Pyramid

Red Pyramid
architecturalType true pyramid
associatedWith cult of Sneferu
baseLength about 220 metres
baseShape square
builder Pharaoh Sneferu
colorOriginOfName reddish hue of exposed limestone blocks
constructionEnd circa 26th century BCE
constructionStart circa 26th century BCE
contains descending passage
three burial chambers
coreMaterial local limestone
country Egypt
culturalContext ancient Egyptian funerary architecture
discoveredByModernScholars 19th century CE explorers
dynasty Fourth Dynasty of Egypt
entranceLocation north face
excavatedBy Ahmed Fakhry
function tomb of Pharaoh Sneferu
governorate Giza Governorate
heightCurrent about 104 metres
heightOriginal about 105 metres
influenced later pyramids at Giza
interiorDesignFeature corbelled ceilings
locatedIn Dahshur necropolis
surface form: Dahshur

Memphis necropolis
material red limestone
namedAfter Pharaoh Sneferu
surface form: Sneferu
nearbyStructure Bent Pyramid
surface form: Bent Pyramid of Sneferu

Pyramid of Amenemhat III (Black Pyramid)
surface form: Black Pyramid of Amenemhat III
necropolisRole northernmost pyramid at Dahshur
outerCasingMaterial fine Tura limestone
partOf Dahshur necropolis
surface form: Dahshur pyramid field
period Old Kingdom of Egypt
pharaoh Pharaoh Sneferu
surface form: Sneferu
predecessorStructure Bent Pyramid
significance first successful true smooth-sided pyramid in Egypt
slopeAngle about 43 degrees
surveyedBy Lepsius
Perring
touristAttraction yes
UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteSince 1979
UNESCOWorldHeritageStatus part of Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Red Pyramid alsoKnownAs Pyramid of Sneferu at Dahshur