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The pyramid of Senusret II at el-Lahun is the southernmost royal-tomb pyramid structure in Egypt. Its builders reduced the amount of work necessary to construct it by ingeniously using as its foundation and core a 12 metre high natural limestone hill.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramids

Amenemhet III was the last powerful ruler of the 12th Dynasty, and the pyramid he built at Hawarra, near Faiyum, is believed to post-date the so-called “Black Pyramid” built by the same ruler at Dahshur. It is the Hawarra pyramid that is believed to have been Amenemhet’s final resting place.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramids

Sneferu’s Pyramid at Meidum; the central core structure remains, surrounded by a mountain of rubble from the collapsed outer casing

Sneferu’s Pyramid at Meidum; the central core structure remains, surrounded by a mountain of rubble from the collapsed outer casing

The pyramid at Meidum is one of three constructed during the reign of Sneferu, and is believed by some to have been commenced by that pharaoh’s father and predecessor, Huni. However, this is not very likely, as his name does not appear on the site. Some archaeologists also suggest that the Meidum pyramid may have been the first unsuccessful attempt at the construction of a “true” or smooth-sided pyramid.

The pyramid suffered a catastrophic collapse in antiquity, and today only the central parts of its stepped inner core remain standing, giving it an odd tower-like appearance that is unique among Egyptian pyramids. The hill that the pyramid sits atop is not a natural landscape feature — it is in fact the small mountain of debris created when the lower courses and outer casing of the pyramid gave way.

One face of the pyramid at Meidum collapsed and was shorn off around the year 2600 BC, during the placement of its outer walls. The Meidum pyramid was a true pyramid, a tetrahedron, whereas Djoser’s pyramid was a step pyramid, made of stacked rectangular mastabas. At the Meidum pyramid, the buttresses were not extended to include the structurally significant outer casing.

This addition of the limestone casing without sideways structural support proved fatal, and massive rubble mounds can still be seen beneath the base of the pyramid today. Following this disaster, the builders must have reevaluated their method. The success of Djoser’s pyramid and the failure of the one at Meidum laid out a blueprint followed for the remainder of pyramid construction in Egypt.

It has been suggested that the collapse occurred while construction was underway on the Bent Pyramid at Dahshur (also built by Sneferu), and that this may have been one of the reasons for the design changes implemented during construction of the latter edifice. About 50 meters off the ground, the angle of ascent abruptly changes. Some experts have theorised that the builders of the Bent Pyramid changed their construction techniques after learning of the failure at Meidum. Since there are no known collapses of pyramids built after Meidum, we can surmise that innovations — and the disastrous results when these ideas were not followed — were effective lessons. When a structure fails it does so because of an error in design, and oftentimes this design flaw can be recognised and fixed; pyramids built later than Meidum demonstrate inward slanting of the outer casing. Later architects seem to have understood that the limestone covering of their pyramids held significance in structure as well as aesthetics.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramids

Two major pyramids are known to have been built at Lisht — those of Amenemhat I and his son, Senusret I. The latter is surrounded by the ruins of ten smaller subsidiary pyramids. The site which is in the vicinity of the oasis of Fayyum, midway between Dahshur and Meidum, and about 100 kilometres south of Cairo, is believed to be in the vicinity of the ancient city of Itjtawy (the precise location of which remains unknown), which served as the capital of Egypt during the 12th Dynasty.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramids

Located to the south of Dahshur, this area was used in the First Intermediate Period by several kings who constructed their pyramids out of mudbrick. Today these structures are obscure and unimpressive.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramids

This area is arguably the most important pyramid field in Egypt outside Giza and Saqqara, although until 1996 the site was inaccessible due to its location within a military base, and hence was virtually unknown outside archaeological circles.

The southern Pyramid of Sneferu, commonly known as the Bent Pyramid is believed to be the first (or by some accounts, second) attempt at creating a pyramid with smooth sides. In this it was only a partial — but nonetheless visually arresting — success; it remains the only Egyptian pyramid to retain a significant proportion of its original limestone casing, and serves as the best example of the luminous appearance common to all pyramids in their original state.

The northern, or Red Pyramid built at the same location by Sneferu was later successfully completed as the world’s first true smooth-sided pyramid. Despite its relative obscurity, the Red Pyramid is actually the third largest pyramid in Egypt — after the pyramids of Khufu and Khafre at Giza. Also at Dahshur is the pyramid known as the Black Pyramid of Amenemhet III.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramids

Major pyramids here include the Step Pyramid of Djozer — the world’s oldest monumental stone building — the Pyramid of Userkaf and the Pyramid of Teti. Also at Saqqara is the Pyramid of Unas, which retains a pyramid causeway that is amongst the best-preserved in Egypt. This pyramid was also the subject of one of antiquities’ earliest restoration attempts, conducted under the auspices of one of the sons of Ramesses II. Saqqara is also the location of the incomplete step pyramid of Djozer’s successor Sekhemkhet, known as the Buried Pyramid. Archaeologists believe that had this pyramid been completed it would have been larger than Djozer’s.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramids

There are a total of seven pyramids at this site, which served as the main royal necropolis during the Fifth Dynasty. The quality of construction of the Abu Sir pyramids is inferior to those of the Fourth Dynasty — perhaps signalling a decrease in royal power or a less vibrant economy. They are smaller than their predecessors, and are built of low quality local limestone.

The three major pyramids are those of Niuserre (which is also the most intact), Neferirkare Kakai and Sahure. The site is also home to the incomplete Pyramid of Neferefre. All of the major pyramids at Abu Sir were built as step pyramids, although the largest of them — the Pyramid of Neferirkare Kakai — is believed to have originally been built as a step pyramid some seventy metres in height and then later transformed into a “true” pyramid by having its steps filled in with loose masonry.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramids

Giza, on the southern outskirts of Cairo is the location of the Pyramid of Khufu (also known as the “Great Pyramid” and the “Pyramid of Cheops”), the somewhat smaller Pyramid of Khafre (or Kephren), and the relatively modest-sized Pyramid of Menkaure (or Mykerinus), along with a number of smaller satellite edifices, known as “queens” pyramids, and the Great Sphinx.

Of the three, only Khafre’s pyramid retains part of its original polished limestone casing, towards its apex. Interestingly this pyramid appears larger than the adjacent Khufu pyramid by virtue of its more elevated location, and the steeper angle of inclination of its construction — it is, in fact, smaller in both height and volume.

The Giza Necropolis has arguably been the world’s most popular tourist destination since antiquity, and was popularised in Hellenistic times when the Great Pyramid was listed by Antipater of Sidon as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Today it is the only one of the ancient Wonders still in existence.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramids

The pyramids of Egypt, among the largest constructions ever built by man, constitute one of the most potent and enduring symbols of Ancient Egyptian civilization. It is generally accepted by most archaeologists that they were constructed as burial monuments associated with royal solar and stellar cults, and most were built during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods.

The pyramids of Egypt, among the largest constructions ever built by man, constitute one of the most potent and enduring symbols of Ancient Egyptian civilization. It is generally accepted by most archaeologists that they were constructed as burial monuments associated with royal solar and stellar cults, and most were built during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramids