Sekhemchet's unfinished pyramid – Serapeum
Sekhemchet's unfinished pyramid
The discovery of an unknown pyramid at Saqqara circulated the world press in the years 50. XX w. They were surprised, that in the middle of Egypt you can still find a hidden pyramid.
In fact, it was a small mound of mud brick covered with sand to the west of the Step Pyramid.. W 1951 r. Zaki Goneim unearthed a funerary complex similar in size to that of Djoser, including the remnants of an unfinished facility intended for Pharaoh Sekhemkhet, the successors of Djoser from the third dynasty. Exposed step pyramid (lower step and unfinished second) it resembles the construction known from the Djoser pyramid - perhaps its construction was supervised by Imhotep. The interior is not open to visitors. The discovery of gold gems in a decayed wooden box made a sensation. To this day, the mummy of the pharaoh has not been found.
Serapeum
Located a few hundred meters to the west of the main necropolis facilities, the Serapeum is the underground cemetery of the Apis, bulls incarnating the god Ptah. Currently, the crypt is closed to visitors. The place was discovered by v 1861 r. Mariette, who noticed a sandy avenue of sphinxes, leading to the entrance to the underground galleries. Serapeum -whose name comes from the god Serapis, a conglomeration of the features of the Greek Zeus and Hades with the Egyptian Osiris and Apis – it consists of a series of underground corridors and cellars, in which from the time of Amenhotep III up to the Christian era were buried at least 64 Apisy. Currently you can see 24 monolithic granite sarcophagi weighing 60-70 t each. There is a constant temperature of 26 ° C here. The first corridor is almost 100 m (ok. 3 m wide and 5 m in height) cut into the rock in the time of Ramesses II . The construction of the complex was completed by Ptolemy (this part of the complex has so far been open to tourists). Granite or basalt sarcophagi, in which the mummies of the sacred bulls were kept, they have nothing subtitles; only three of them are signed with the name of the ruler. On the first there is a cartouche with the name of Amazisa, the last pharaoh of the XXVI Dynasty, on the other Kambyzes, the king of Persia and the conqueror of Egypt. Greek legend says, that the last Apis was killed at his hand. Third, whose name is on the sarcophagus, is Habbash, Duke of Delta, the last of the native pharaohs, leader of the uprising against the Persians.
As anyone believes, that it was pecked by the Egyptians with a copper chisel, it probably has problems with the perception of reality.
I agree. The Egyptians could not peck at it, and the tonnage of these sarcophagi!!!