Two roughly 5,000-year-old First Dynasty tombs at Jabal al-Tayr in Minya resemble King Den's tomb in the royal necropolis at Abydos. One has a wall whose thickness changes, greater at the base and narrowing toward the top. Muhammad Abdal Badi says this may reflect early geometric thinking that later led to the step pyramid and true pyramid.
5,000-year-old Early Dynastic tombs at Jabal al-Tayr offer clues to pyramid origins
Site mentioned
📍 Jabal al-Tayr
Key facts
- Two Early Dynastic tombs were uncovered at Jabal al-Tayr in Egypt's Minya Governorate.
- The tombs are approximately 5,000 years old and date to the First Dynasty.
- They resemble the tomb of King Den, also called Hor-Den, in the royal necropolis at Abydos, or Umm el-Qa'ab. Elkab is a separate site.
- King Den ruled Egypt during the First Dynasty.
- One tomb has a wall whose thickness changes, greater at the bottom and progressively narrower toward the top.
- Muhammad Abdal Badi, head of the Egyptian archaeological sector, said the design may reflect early geometric thinking that later led to the step pyramid and true pyramid.
- Early First Dynasty mastabas with vertical walls are known at the Tarkhan necropolis.
- Later mastabas used sloping walls for stability, helping develop into the step pyramid.
Sources
archaeologymag.com
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