Pyramid of Userkaf

Pyramid of Userkaf
Userkaf's pyramid and Djoser's step pyramid in the background.
Userkaf, 5th Dynasty
Ancient name	W3b-jswt-wsr-k3=f Wab-isut-Userkaf The pure sites of Userkaf
Constructed	ca. 2490 BC
Type	True (now ruined)
Height	49m
Base	73.5m
Volume	87,906 m³
Slope	53°07'48"

The Pyramid complex of Userkaf is located in the pyramid field at Saqqara, on the north-east of the Step pyramid of Djoser Netjerikhet. Userkaf's pyramid is part of a larger mortuary complex which is markedly different from those built during the 4th Dynasty in its size, architecture and location, being at Saqqara rather than Gizah. As such, Userkaf's pyramid complex might be a manifestation of the profound changes in the ideology of kingship that took place between between the 4th and 5th dynasties, changes that may have started during the reign of Userkaf's likely immediate predecessor, Shepseskaf.

Constructed in dressed stone, with a core of rubble, the pyramid today resembles a conical hill in the sands of Saqqara and is thus known as el-haram el-makherbish, the ‘Ruined Pyramid’.

Discovery and excavations

Karl Richard Lepsius cataloged Userkaf's pyramid in his list of pyramids under number XXXI, but did not investigate it. Thus it is only in 1831 that the Italian Egyptologist Orazio Marucchi discovered the entrance to the pyramid, which was not on the northern side of pyramid but in the northern courtyard. However the actual entrance was not passable at the time and the pyramid was entered for the first time 8 years later in 1839 by John Shae Perring. He took advantage of a existing tunnel dug in the pyramid by tomb robbers. J. S. Perring did not know for sure who the owner of the pyramid was and attributed it to Djedkare Isesi, a late 5th dynasty pharaoh. After his investigations Perring buried the robbers tunnel which remains inaccessible to this day.

It was not before 1928 that Cecil Mallaby Firth could finally determine that Userkaf was the pyramid owner. After Firth's death in 1931 no excavations took place on site until they were resumed by Jean-Philippe Lauer in 1948. Lauer's worked there until 1955. Further research on the surrounding mortary complex was conducted in the 1970s by Ahmed el-Kholi and recently by Audran Labrousse. In 1991, the entrance to the pyramid was buried under rubbles in an earthquake .

Morturary Complex

Userkaf's mortuary complex: 1) Main pyramid, 2) Offering Hall, 3) Cult pyramid, 4) Courtyard, 5) Chapel, 6) Entrance corridors and 7) Causeway.

Userkaf's mortuary complex is organized on a north-south axis but deviates significantly from the plan of construction of the 4th dynasty mortuary complexes. In particular, the high temple is located south of the main pyramid and is not immediatly adjoining it. Instead a small sacrificial chapel is adjoinging the east side of the pyramid, a configuration otherwise unattested. In the same time, Userkaf's complex comprised the same elements than those of Userkaf's fourth dynasty predecessors: a high wall surrounded the complex with its pyramid and high temple and there was certainly a valley temple located closer to the Nile, yet to be uncovered. The valley temple was connected to the pyramid by a causeway whose exact trajectory is unknown, even though its first few meters are still visible today. Of the high temple the only remains are its basalt paving and the large granite blocks framing the outer door.

The pyramid

Userkaf's pyramid is located on the northeast corner of Djoser's step pyramid complex. The pyramid was originally around 50m high and 73m large with an inclination of 53° identical to that of the Khufu's great pyramid. The core of the pyramid is built of small roughly-hewn blocks of local limestone disposed in horizontal layers.

This meant a considerable saving of labor as compared to the large and more accurately-hewn stone cores of 4th Dynasty pyramids. However, as the outer casing of Userkaf's pyramid fell victim to stone robbers throughout the millenia, the loosely assembled core material was progressively exposed and fared much worse over time than that of the older pyramids. This explains the current ruined state of the pyramid.

The pyramid core may have been constructed in a step structure. Even though the core was of a significantly lower quality than that of the older pyramids, the outer casing of fine Tura limestone certainly ensured Userkaf's construction an appearance similar to that of the glorious 4th Dynasty pyramids. There was however no red granite paneling over the lower part of the pyramid as in the case of the Pyramid of Menkaure.

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  Userkaf's pyramid in the sands of Saqqara
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  Southwest section of the pyramid Userkaf
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  1858 photography of the north side. In the background, the Pyramid of Djoser.
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  North side of the pyramid with the entrance to the subterranean structures

Substructures

Substructure of the pyramid Userkaf A = descending passage, B = granite portcullis, C = magazine chamber, D = antechamber, E = Userkaf's burial chamber, F = gabled ceiling.

The pyramid does not have internal chambers, the substructures were rather constructed in a deep open ditch dug before the pyramid construction started. The entrance to the underground chambers is located north of the pyramid from a pavement in the court in front of the pyramid face. This is different from the 4th dynasty pyramids for which the entrance to the internal chambers is located on the pyramid side itself. From the entrance a 18m long southward descending passage leads to an horizontal tunnel some 8m below the pyramid base. This tunnel was blocked by a large portcullis of pink granite.

Behind the granite barrier the corridor branches eastward to a T-shaped magazine chamber which probably contained Userkaf's funerary equipment. The presence of such a magazine chamber is located under the base of a pyramid is unique of all the 5th and 6th dynasty pyramids.

At the south end of corridor lies an antechamber, which is located directly under the tip of the pyramid. The antechamber is oriented on the east-west axis and leads west to the king's burial chamber. The burial chamber has the same height and width as the antechamber, but is longer. At the western end of the burial chamber were some fragments of an empty and undercorated black basalt sarcophagus which had been originally placed in a slight depression and Userkaf's canopic chest. The chambers are protected from the pyramid weight by a gabled ceiling made of two large Tura limestone blocks. The chambers are lined with the same material, while the floor pavement was lost to stone robbers .

Userkaf's pyramid and mortuary complex at Saqqara.