Coordinates: 29°58′18″N 31°07′42″E / 29.97167°N 31.12833°E / 29.97167; 31.12833

Pyramid G3-a

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
G3-a
File:Flickr - Gaspa - Giza, piramidi minori (2).jpg
Pyramid G3-a, looking southwest
Lua error in Module:Infobox_mapframe at line 197: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
CoordinatesLua error in Module:Coordinates at line 489: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Constructedc. 2510 BC (4th dynasty)
TypeTrue Pyramid
Height28.4 meters (original)
Base44 meters (original)

G3-a (also G3a, G3 c, GIIIa) is one of the three satellite pyramids of the larger Pyramid of Menkaure, located at the Giza pyramid complex. This structure is situated south of the main pyramid and is the easternmost of the three satellites. The pyramid was built during the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt, presumably for one of the wives of Menkaure. Egyptologist George Andrew Reisner was "confident" that the structure housed Khamerernebty II,[1][2][3] but this is far from certain.[1]

It is a true pyramid,[1] with a base that is 44 metres (144 ft) square; its original height was 28.4 metres (93 ft).[4] The structure has a T-shaped chamber carved out of the bedrock, to which an entrance opens on the north face of the structure.[1] Egyptologist Mark Lehner argues that this is akin to the layout of a satellite or ka pyramid. The fact that the structure once contained a pink granite sarcophagus,[1] however, has led scholars to speculate that it may have been reused as a queen's burial tomb, or that it served as a chapel where the body of Menkaure was mummified.[5][6]

File:Gizeh Mykerinos 02.JPG
The pyramid-companions, with the Pyramid of Menkaure in the background. Pyramid G3-a is the rightmost of the three small pyramids.

See also

[edit | edit source]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ^ a b c d e Verner (2007), p. 252.
  2. ^ Dodson & Hilton (2004).
  3. ^ Reisner (1947), pp. 186-187.
  4. ^ Verner (2007), p. 463.
  5. ^ Lehner (1997), p. 134.
  6. ^ Lehner (1997), p. 136.

Bibliography

[edit | edit source]
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). (Note: This is the second unpublished follow-up to Reisner's work A History of the Giza Necropolis Vol. I, published by Harvard University Press)
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
[edit | edit source]