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Antiquities Min. Inaugurates El-Lahun Pyramid


Fri 28 Jun 2019 | 02:51 PM
Ali Abu Dashish

Minister of Antiquities Dr. Khalid Al-Anani inaugurated on Friday El-Lahun Pyramid of King Senusert II, in Fayoum province, after finalizing the restoration work.

The inauguration was attended by Major General Essam Saad, Governor of Fayoum, Dr. Mostafa Waziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Eng. Waad Abul Ela, Head of Projects Sector, members of the House of Representatives and a number of ministry officials.

[caption id="attachment_60765" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]Anani Tours El-Lahun Pyramid Anani Tours El-Lahun Pyramid[/caption]

Dr. Al-Anani confirmed that the Ministry of Antiquities managed in a short period to finalize two important projects in Fayoum. These projects are the inauguration of El-Lahun Pyramid, to allow people to visit it for the first time, and the opening of Khund Aslbay Mosque.

The minister praised the efforts exerted by the concerned authorities, including Al Fayoum province officials and members of the House of Representatives to develop all the archaeological sites in the province.

[caption id="attachment_60768" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]El-Lahun Pyramid from Inside El-Lahun Pyramid from Inside[/caption]

Al-Anani said that El-Lahun Pyramid restoration work was carried out by the ministry's projects sector. The restoration work included removing the rubble from the corridors and the burial chamber, putting a ladder inside the main well, installing a lightning network, re-fitting the stones in the hall and corridor of the burial chamber, and putting new signboards inside the pyramid.

https://youtu.be/_4Sj8QVMr_U

On the other hand, Dr. Mostafa Waziri pointed out that El Lahun pyramid is the largest mud-brick building, its internal nuclei consists of a block of natural rocks at a height of 12 m. The pyramid was constructed from mud-bricks over a knoll while the external construction was covered with limestone.

[caption id="attachment_60769" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]El-Lahun Pyramid El-Lahun Pyramid[/caption]

The pyramid is 48 m high and has a 106 m long base. Unlike the other pyramids, the entrance of this pyramid is not located in the northern side. Noteworthy, the architect who designed it has resorted to a new method: the corridor leading to the burial chamber is concealed by digging two wells outside the pyramid itself from the southeast to the bottom of one of the cemeteries.

[caption id="attachment_60773" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]Halls of El-Lahun Pyramid Halls of El-Lahun Pyramid[/caption]

The architect might have resorted to this trick to try to mislead thieves, however, the contents of the burial chamber were stolen.

Contributed by Basant Ahmed