Forgotten and abandoned for a long time, the Black Pyramid of Amenemhat III was once constructed and became a testament to the greatness of the Pharaoh. Unfortunately, the pyramid, originally named by Amenemhat, has been looted and lost all its treasures.
The Black Pyramid is named for its dark, decayed appearance resembling a pile of ruins. By the time archaeologists began excavating, the site was already in shambles.
Today, few people are aware of its existence. Although the Black Pyramid is not as famous as the Giza pyramids, it is an ancient architectural structure that provides valuable historical information about ancient Egypt.
The Black Pyramid originally stood about 75 meters tall with a base width of 105 meters. In front of the entrance was a “massive false door” made of red granite, standing 3.86 meters high, inscribed with the name and titles of Amenemhat. This was likely a gift that Amenemhat intended to place in his tomb.
Ancient Secrets of Amenemhat III’s Black Pyramid
Amenemhat III, Pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt, planned to be buried alongside his queen inside the Black Pyramid. However, due to some errors, he canceled this construction project.
Instead, he built a new pyramid at Hawara, near Faiyum, Egypt. The Black Pyramid at Dahshur became the final resting place for several royal women. To this day, it remains unknown who was buried inside this “dilapidated” tomb.
When excavating the Dashur Pyramid in 1892, archaeologists made many interesting discoveries. Many stones from the pyramid had been stolen and used to build houses in the village and surrounding areas.
Some stones “were engraved with images of boats. The painting style indicates they originally belonged to the Mastabas Kingdom.”
The Black Pyramid remains as a pile of ruins. (Photo: Travel2egypt).
The Gateway to the Afterlife
False doors were quite common in ancient Egypt. According to ancient beliefs, these mysterious doors led to the afterlife.
In ancient Egypt, “false doors” were also known as “Ka doors”, allowing the Ka (a part of the ‘soul’) to pass through them, and these carvings were popular in the temples and tombs of ancient Egyptians.
In Egyptian belief, the soul consists of three parts: Ka, Ba, and Akh. All three spiritual elements reside within the body. The Ka survives after the death of the body and can inhabit an image or statue of a person. It is linked to the body and represents the survival of the powerful material force, thus it exists eternally.
As archaeologists entered the raised pathway leading to the chambers, they discovered “several deep burial shafts had been opened, one of which contained the head statue of a king from the Twelfth Dynasty, likely Amenemhat III, and a stele dedicated to a prince named Hapu, along with another intricately carved relief representing a vulture and a hawk with outstretched wings.”
Chamber Deeply Enveloped in Mystery
The most fascinating discovery was made in the lower part of the Black Pyramid, where scientists found an extensive network of underground passageways. In these subterranean rooms, they found coffins and canopic jars.
The ancient Egyptians believed that death was merely a transition to another reality, and the heart was always left inside the mummy for use in the afterlife. Canopic jars are ceremonial vessels that contained the internal organs removed from the deceased during the mummification process.
Inside the main chamber of the king, which was well-preserved, archaeologists found a coffin, but it did not contain the mummy of the Pharaoh. The mummy had been desecrated and was no longer intact.
In addition to this, archaeologists also discovered 4 other burial chambers in the lower part of the Black Pyramid. Two of the buried individuals are believed to be King Amenemhat IV and Queen Sobekneferu. The identities of the other two remain undetermined.
The Black Pyramid contains numerous corridors and underground rooms. The ancient treasures that were once hidden within it will forever remain a mystery, as this site has been looted and is unlikely to be recovered.
