Dashur. Pyramid-Satellite of the Bent.

- DASHUR -

Pyramid-Satellite of the Bent Pyramid of Sneferu

The Pyramid-Satellite of the Bent Pyramid of Sneferu, is located 55 metres to the south of the Bent Pyramid. Its original height was 26 metres and length of the side - 52.80 metres. The angle of Pyramid's sides inclination - is 44°30'. The Entrance to the Pyramid is located on the north side at a height of 1.10 m above the ground level. The Entrance begins with the Descending Passage. Its angle makes 34 ° and its length makes 11.60 m. The Descending Passage ends with the short Horizontal Passage. After this short passage there is an Ascendant Passage, leading to the "Burial Chamber" at an angle of 32 ° 30 '.In this report, we shall focus on the interior of the Satellite Pyramid of the Bent Pyramid of Sneferu.

Below are the pictures of the general view of the Pyramid-Satellite. The last picture shows the view on the east area of Dashur from the top of the Pyramid.

Below are the photos of the interior of the Pyramid. For better orientation use the interactive scheme of the Pyramid interior.

Click on the camera icon to get a picture of the relevant place. The arrows indicate the direction of taking picture.

According to the legends, told us by the local rangers of Dashur, the Pyramid-Satellite has an underground tunnel, connecting it with the Bent Pyramid of Sneferu. In order to find out whether it is really exists, we need to provide some GPR survey of the area between the Bent Pyramid and its Satellite one. At the moment we can not make any definite conclusion, concerning this tunnel, but a small shaft in the "Burial Chamber" of the Satellite Pyramid has no solid floor. The bottom of the shaft represents a soft soil of dust and sand. Where is the floor masonry? Why does it absent? What's under the sand? The question remains open for future research.

On a sloping floor of the Ascendant Passage, there is a system of the limestone portcullis. They are still up. The first block, in the past, was probably fixed by the wood. There are two holes in the walls of the Passage at the very bottom of the first portcullis. Now this wood is absent, but the stone wedges, put under the portcullis, gave us some hope, that it will remain in the upward position, while we are getting inside the "Burial Chamber". This hope gave us the opportunity to get the unique shots of the step ceiling of the "Burial Chamber" and red markings on the blocks of its masonry.

The last two pictures on the previous row, and all the pictures, shown below, are indicating the border, encircling the entire perimeter of the Pyramid-Satellite. The width of this border remains the same all its length.

The last picture shows the view on the eastern remains of the Pyramid Temple from the top os the Pyramid.

While studying the internal architecture of the Pyramid-Satellite of the Bent Pyramid of Sneferu, we note the fact that the techniques used by its builders, are similar to architectural techniques, used in the Great Pyramid of Khufu. It includes: Ascendant Passage, analog to the Great Gallery of Khufu and the mechanism of portcullis, located on the Ascendant Passage. Such construction solutions are found only in two Egyptian pyramids - the Great Pyramid of Khufu, located at Giza and the Pyramid-Satellite of the Bent Pyramid of Sneferu, located in Dashur.

<< Back to Egypt Map

Discuss >>