deceased’s name and memory. Nonroyal tombs also con-
tained serdabs.A causeway led from this temple to a val-
ley temple on the banks of the Nile or at a distance in the
desert. The walls of the causeway were elaborately deco-
rated, and originally they had stone roofs. VALLEY TEM-
PLESwere the sites of initial funerary observances. They
comprised various chambers designed to accommodate
the priests involved in the obsequies.
Less elaborate pyramids and tombs were also built
for queens and for favored nobles and certain members of
the royal family. These were constructed near the main
pyramid. Solar barks or mortuary boats were also brought
to the complex. Some, fashioned out of wood and gold,
were buried in deep pits in Fourth Dynasty pyramids.
The pyramid of KHUFUat Giza was provided with two
boat pits. Walls surrounded this entire pyramidal com-
plex, a tradition dating to the great limestone enclosure
that surrounded the Step Pyramid in Saqqara. Privatetombs and the burial places of lesser members of the
royal clan or of the court were placed just inside these
walls.
The construction of the pyramid was an involved and
lengthy process. For example, some estimate that the
Great Pyramid of Khufu required the full-time labor of
thousands of workers over a 20-year period. The first
activity involved in the pyramid construction was the
choice of a site by the architects and artists of the royal
court, normally chosen because of the type of ground
available. The desert fringes, with rocky cores and out-
croppings, normally offered the firmest base for the
weight of the construction. The site deemed appropriate
would be leveled by workmen, and then the foundation
dug out of the ground according to the design and archi-
tectural plan. The foundation was extremely important,
and most pyramids contain foundation stelae and other
commemorative inscriptions, much like the cornerstonespyramid 321THE MAJOR PYRAMIDS OF EGYPT
Dynasty Ruler Location
Third Djoser (2630–2611 B.C.E.) northern Saqqara
Sekhemkhet (2611–2601 B.C.E.) northern Saqqara
Kha’ba (2603–2599 B.C.E.) Zawiet el-Aryan
Fourth Snefru (2575–2551 b.c.e.) Meidum
Snefru southern Dashur
Snefru northern Dashur
Khufu (2551–2528 B.C.E.) Giza
Ra’djedef (2528–2520 B.C.E.) Abu Rowash
Khafre (2520–2494 B.C.E.) Giza
Menkauré (2490–2472 B.C.E.) Giza
Shepseskhaf (2472–2467 B.C.E.) southern Saqqara
Fifth Userkhaf (2465–2458 b.c.e.) northern Saqqara
Userkhaf Abusir
Sahuré (2458–2446 B.C.E.) Abusir
Kakai (2446–2426 B.C.E.) Abusir
Neferefré (2419–2416 B.C.E.) Abusir
Niuserré (2416–2392 B.C.E.) Abusir
Niuserré Abu Ghurob
Menkauhor (2396–2388 B.C.E.) Dashur
Menkauhor Abusir (?)
Izezi (2388–2356 B.C.E.) southern Saqqara
Unis (2356–2323 B.C.E.) northern Saqqara
Sixth Teti (2323–2291 b.c.e.) northern Saqqara
Pepi I (2289–2255 B.C.E.) southern Saqqara
Merenré (2255–2246 B.C.E.) southern Saqqara
Pepi II (2246–2152 B.C.E.) southern Saqqara
Eighth Qakaré Iby (date unknown) southern Saqqara
Twelfth Amenemhet I (1991–1962 b.c.e.) el-Lisht
Senwosret I (1971–1926 B.C.E.) el-Lisht
Amenemhet II (1929–1892 B.C.E.) Dashur
Senwosret II (1897–1878 B.C.E.) el-Lahun
Senwosret III (1878–1841 B.C.E.) Dashur
Amenemhet III (1841–1797 B.C.E.) Dashur
Amenemhet III Hawara
Sobekneferu (1787–1783 B.C.E.) Mazghuna
Thirteenth Khendjer (date unknown) southern Saqqara