Through the Eras

Architecture and DesignThe Meidum Pyramid. CHRISTINE OSBORNE/CORBIS.the pyramid, subsidiary pyramids, and pyramid templeare located on the higher desert plateau. Even thoughthere were no standardized plans for complexes until theFifth Dynasty (2500–2350 B.C.E.), these elements arepresent in all of the pyramid complexes constructed duringthe Fourth Dynasty.KING SNEFERU’S THREE PYRAMIDS. King Sneferu,first king of the Fourth Dynasty, came to the throne approximately2625 B.C.E. During the first fifteen years ofhis reign until about 2610 B.C.E. Sneferu’s workmenconstructed the Meidum Pyramid, located at Meidum,south of modern Cairo on the west bank of the NileRiver. Though earlier scholars identified the MeidumPyramid as the work of Sneferu’s father, King Huni (before2625 B.C.E.), new evidence has emerged to indicatethat the name of the Meidum Pyramid in ancient timeswas Djed Sneferu—”Sneferu Endures.” Thus it is mostlikely that Sneferu built this pyramid. In the second fifteenyears of his reign, Sneferu built two more pyramidsat Dahshur. These pyramids are called the Bent Pyramidand the North Pyramid (also known as the RedPyramid). Sneferu also built a smaller pyramid in Seila,further south. This smaller pyramid followed in the traditionof King Huni, his father. He built perhaps fivesmaller pyramids located throughout Egypt rather thanjust one large pyramid.SNEFERU’S MEIDUM COMPLEX. The German archaeologistRainer Stadelmann believed that Sneferubuilt his Meidum complex in two stages. The first stagebegan when he first rose to power. The second stage occurredduring Sneferu’s last years when he was livingfarther north in Dahshur. Stadelmann believed thatoriginally the central core of the pyramid was a steppyramid, because the construction of this inner core resembledearlier construction completed during theThird Dynasty in which the builders used a series ofinward-leaning layers of masonry rather than regularcourses. Rather than place each new course of stone ontop of the previous course and attempt to level the newcourse, the builders purposely tried to direct the pressurefrom each new course of stone toward the centerof the pyramid on a diagonal rather than straight down.The builders hoped this would make the pyramid morestable. Yet the appearance of this step pyramid is not16 Arts and Humanities Through the Eras: Ancient Egypt (2675 B.C.E.–332 B.C.E.)