Athena Review Image Archive ™
Medum: 4th Dynasty Pyramid of Snofru (1844)
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Pyramid at Medum (Denkmaler v.1, 1849).
This lithograph from the German Expedition shows the 4th Dynasty Pyramid at Medum, viewed from the northwest. The Medum Pyramid was built by Huni, the last ruler of the 3rd Dynasty, and then completed by his son, Snofru, the first king of the 4th Dynasty (2613 - 2494 BC).
It was originally a seven-stepped pyramid, later enlarged to eight steps, then filled in and faced with stone. Originally the pyramid was 144 meters wide and 42 meters high. Limestone facing remains only in the upper portion, with lower courses of facing stones removed, probably in Roman times, causing erosion of the underlying brick structure.
The burial chamber, which lies on the same level as the pyramid foundation, was paneled with limestone and has a corbelled roof with construction timbers still extant. The chamber was reached by a passageway that went down 57m to a vertical shaft.
Just north of the Medum Pyramid is the remains of the the 2nd Dynasty step pyramid at Seila, also faced with limestone.
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