4,600 years old

4,600 years old
Credit: Courtesy Tell Edfu Project at the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute.
Archaeologists working near the ancient settlement of Edfu in southern Egypt have uncovered a step pyramid that dates back about 4,600 years. It predates the Great Pyramid at Giza by at least a few decades and was constructed by either Huni or Snefru, both pharaohs of Egypt. The newly uncovered pyramid contains no chambers and no evidence that it was originally intended for burial. It rose as high as 43 feet when it was first built but now rises only about 16 feet because of weathering and the pillaging of some of its stone blocks. This image shows excavations occurring at the pyramid’s eastern face during the 2011 season.The newly uncovered pyramid is one of seven so-called “provincial” pyramids that were built by either Huni or Snefru. None of the seven pyramids containchambers or evidence that they were intended for burial. Located near major settlements all of these pyramids (except the one at Seila) have nearly identical dimensions indicating that they were built using a common plan. No provincial pyramids have yet been found in the Nile Delta, possibly because of preservation conditions.A satellite view showing the pyramid in 2005 (before work began) and 2013, after the project was conducted. Before 2010 the pyramid had never been excavated before although scholars were aware of its presence. The growth of a modern cemetery and nearby village posed a danger to the site.