Pepi II permanently sealed pyramid ending accessible design. After Pepi II's death, Old Kingdom Egypt collapsed with civil war for at least a century Pepi II's cult took drastic action to permanently seal his pyramid The chapel around the north entrance was removed
After Pepi II's death, Old Kingdom Egypt collapsed into civil war — entering the First Intermediate Period for roughly a century. His cult took drastic action: removed the north chapel and built a stone belt at least 6.5 meters wide around the entire pyramid — permanently sealing it unlike any before 🏛️
Key Facts
- After Pepi II's death, Old Kingdom Egypt collapsed with civil war for at least a century
- Pepi II's cult took drastic action to permanently seal his pyramid
- The chapel around the north entrance was removed
- A stone belt at least 6.5 meters wide and minimum two courses tall was constructed around the entire pyramid
- This belt camouflaged the entrance and made it more physically secure than any other pyramid
- Egyptologist Gustav Becker thought the belt was to prevent pyramid collapse but no physical evidence supported this
- This modification represents change from accessible pyramids to permanently closed ones
- Egyptologists have incorrectly proclaimed pyramids were collapsing to explain anomalies
- This may explain why mummy fragments are absent from pyramids and why Herodotus claimed Giza Pyramids were not final resting places
Related site: Pyramid of Pepi II — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: The Great Pyramid Solves a Paradox by History for GRANITE