Summary

• Menkaure Pyramid, the youngest among the Giza trio, stands as a testament to ancient Egyptian greatness. Built around 2510 BC, its purpose was to honor Pharaoh Menkaure’s legacy, though it was left incomplete due to economic constraints.
• Menkaure, or Mycerinus, ruled during the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt, constructing this pyramid to solidify his place in history. He reigned for about 20 years, succeeding his father Khafre and succeeded by Shepseskaf.
• At 65.5 meters tall, it’s the smallest of the Giza pyramids, crafted with red granite and Tura limestone. Its incomplete state provides archaeologists invaluable insights into ancient construction techniques.
• Exploring inside unveils a meticulously designed burial chamber, corridors, and chambers with intriguing niches. The burial chamber, entirely made of pink granite, hints at changes made after Menkaure’s death.
• Surrounding the pyramid are smaller queen’s pyramids, a mortuary temple, and the Menkaure Valley Temple, adorned with numerous statues depicting the Pharaoh, offering a glimpse into ancient religious practices.
• Despite facing erosion and historic attempts at destruction, the Menkaure Pyramid remains a cultural gem, standing as a testament to ancient beliefs about the afterlife.

The Menkaure pyramid is the youngest and the smallest of the three great pyramids of Giza Necropolis. The pyramid was built by Menkaure of the Golden Fourth Dynasty (2613-2494 BC) to complete the legacy of his great ancestors.

The exact date of its construction is unknown, as Menkaure’s reign wasn’t fully defined during the 26th century BC. The pyramid of Menkaure was known in the ancient Egyptian language as “Netjer-er-Menkaure” which means “Menkaure Is Divine“. The pyramid was left incomplete, which gave archaeologists the chance to understand the method used to construct the temples and the pyramids.

History of Menkaure Pyramid

The true pyramid of Menkaure gained the name “Menkaure is Divine” which was established around 2510 BC in the 4th dynasty. It was built to embody the legacy of one of the last kings of the 4th dynasty in the 26th century BC. The pyramid is known for being the smallest of all the Giza pyramid complexes due to the economic problems that led to the pyramid construction being very limited. The pyramid remained in its location in the best possible condition until 1196 AD, when the Sultan of Egypt and Saladin’s son Al-Aziz Uthman attempted to destroy the pyramid.

He hired workers for eight months and was only able to remove one stone a day, even with the help of wedges, levers, and ropes to move and pull down stones, but the fallen stones often buried themselves in the sand, making it difficult to retrieve them. The workers were only able to make a massive significant vertical gap, which can be seen on the northern side of the pyramid. The history of Menkaure dates all the way to the 19th century AD when it was mentioned in a poem called “Mycerinus” written by the English poet Matthew Arnold. Over centuries, the pyramid faced destruction, with its casing stones used for various constructions, notably by Muhammad Ali Pasha in the 19th century for an arsenal in Alexandria.

Who is King Menkaure

Pharaoh Menkaure, who was also known as Mycerinus or Menkheres, was one of the ancient Egyptian rulers of the Fourth Dynasty during the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt (2700 – 2200 BC). He succeeded Khafre, his father, the creator of the Second Pyramid of Khafre. He’s renowned for his Pyramid of Menkaure at Giza and statues featuring him with his wives and various deities. He ruled around 2530 BC for about 18 to 22 years, succeeding Khafre and followed by Shepseskaf. Menkaure was Khafre’s son and Khufu’s grandson.

He likely had at least two wives, Khamerernebty I and Rekhetre, and had several children, including Khuenre, Shepseskaf, Sekhemre, and possibly a daughter named Khentkaus I. His reign lasted for about 20 years, which was based on historical records like the Turin King List and graffiti by workers. His royal court involved several half-brothers who served as viziers during his rule. In 2013, a fragment of Menkaure’s sphinx was found at Tel Hazor, an intriguing discovery shedding light on his historical presence beyond Egypt’s borders.

Location and How to Get Menkaure Pyramid

The pyramid is situated on the Giza Plateau which is found in the southwest of Cairo. In order to reach the pyramid, it is advised to book a travel agency in order to reach this incredible attraction and cast your eyes on the wonders of the immortal Giza pyramids complex.

The Architecture and Purpose of the Menkaure Pyramid

Menkaure pyramid is the shortest of all the trees as it stands at a height of 65.5 m (215 ft). The pyramid of Menkaure stands 61 m (204 ft) tall with a base of 108.5 m with an angle of 51°20′25. The Menkaure Pyramid was constructed using granite and limestone.

The first 16 courses of the exterior were made of red granite, while the upper portion was entirely cased with Tura limestone. There is a group of three satellite pyramids south of the main pyramid of Menkaure, which is accompanied by a temple and substructure and is partly encased with granite.

The pyramid’s construction featured the first sixteen layers using red granite, while the upper section was encased in Tura limestone, which left some granite unfinished. The pyramid’s purpose was to act as a final resting place for Pharaoh Menkaure and stands as a powerful example of the pharaoh’s reign. These incomplete elements provide valuable insights for archaeologists studying ancient construction techniques for both pyramids and temples.

How the Pyramid of Menkaure Built

The construction began with preparing the site of the Giza complex which is known to be the highest point in all of Cairo, then clearing the area and leveling the ground to create a solid foundation for the pyramid. Limestone blocks were quarried from an area nearby. These blocks could weigh about two tons each and were transported to the construction site. A rectangular or square base was laid out, and then the base stones were carefully placed to ensure stability. The ancient Egyptians are believed to have used a ramp system to move the massive stones into position. This could have been a straight or zigzagging ramp made of mud bricks, rubble, or limestone. The pyramid was built in steps, each layer consisting of horizontally laid limestone blocks. As the pyramid grew taller, the layers decreased in size, as seen today. Some of the tools used included levers, sleds, and possibly counterweights to position the stones accurately.

The pyramid was originally covered in smooth, polished white limestone casing stones. These outer stones were meticulously placed to create a smooth surface, which has since been removed or eroded. Some believe a solid gold top was placed at the summit of all the pyramids of Giza. The Interior of the pyramid was carefully designed to hold chambers and corridors. The main burial chamber was constructed with granite and might have contained the pharaoh’s sarcophagus like the rest of the pyramid of Giza.

The Menkaure Pyramid Inside

Menkaure’s pyramid construction required a well-prepared rock subsurface around the northeast corner. It was made of local limestone with pink granite casing from Aswan, the lower parts were unfinished to ensure accurate fitting without damage during installation. The entrance was about four meters above ground level, leading to descending corridors and chambers with niches. The pyramid’s substructure underwent changes across three phases, suggested by investigations of related tombs, potentially enlarging the original plan. The antechamber contained an anthropoid coffin with human bones, likely inserted during later periods.

A granite corridor led to the burial chamber, oriented differently from Khufu’s and Khafre’s pyramids, covered entirely in pink granite with a vaulted ceiling. It’s believed this chamber, along with niches, was constructed after Menkaure’s death, possibly on his successor’s orders. The burial chamber’s west wall held a basalt sarcophagus which was lost at sea during transportation to the British Museum. No boat pits have been discovered near Menkaure’s pyramid.

Coffin and Sarcophagus

In 1837, archaeologist Howard Vyse was able to find a wooden coffin carrying the name Menkaure and human bones, which were later recognized as substitutes dating to the Saite period. Through Radiocarbon dating, the bones were placed at less than 2,000 years old, suggesting a mishandling of remains or possible access to the pyramid during the ancient Roman times. The coffin lid made its way to the Great British Museum. Deeper in the pyramid, Vyse found a striking basalt sarcophagus housing the remains of a young woman. This sarcophagus sadly sank in 1838 on its way to Britain and remains one of the few Old Kingdom sarcophagi lost at sea.

The Content of the Menkaure Pyramid Complex

The mortuary temple of Pharaoh Menkaure was constructed with limestone foundations and an inner core that features granite floors and facings on some walls. Blocks of local stone in the temple walls weighed up to 220 tons, while imported granite ashlars from Aswan exceeded 30 tons. Menkaure’s successor, Shepseskaf, likely completed the temple, as indicated by an inscription expressing dedication to his father. The temple endured subsequent architectural additions, suggesting a maintained or periodically renewed cult for the Pharaoh for two centuries after his death. The Menkaure Valley Temple was excavated, thus discovering numerous statues of Menkaure alone and in groups, crafted in the naturalistic Old Kingdom style with intricate details.

South of Menkaure’s pyramid, three smaller pyramids with accompanying temples and substructures were found. The easternmost, a true pyramid with granite casing, is believed completed, while the others only reached the construction of the inner core. These structures may be tombs for Menkaure’s queens or function as a ka pyramid housing a statue of the king. The presence of a pink granite sarcophagus hints at possible reuse for a queen’s burial or as a chapel for Menkaure’s mummification.

The Menkaure Pyramid Facts

• The Pyramid of Menkaure acted as a funerary tomb, which remains a cultural and religious wonder that sheds great facts about the afterlife.
• It is the smallest and shortest member of the pyramids of Giza.
• The pyramid complex includes three smaller queen’s pyramids and a mortuary temple.
• The Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the three pyramids at Giza.
• It stood at around 65.5 meters (215 ft) tall. Erosion and time have reduced its height to approximately 61 meters (200 feet).