Pyramid of Elephantine

Pyramid of Elephantine
Owner	Huni ?
Location	Egypt
Coordinates	24°5′8″N 32°53′7″E / 24.08556°N 32.88528°E / 24.08556; 32.88528
Constructed	3rd Dynasty ?
Type	Step Pyramid
Material	Rose granite
Height	originally 10.46 m – 12.55 m, now 5.10 m
Base	18,46 m
Location of pyramid in Egypt
Location of pyramid in Egypt
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The Pyramid of Elephantine is part of a group of seven very similar small step pyramids, along with the pyramids at Edfu South, el-Kula (), Naqada, Saujet el-Meitin (), Seila (), and Sinki (). All of these were built far from the main centres of Egypt and are very poorly understood. The Pyramid of Elephantine is located in the northwest part of the Old Kingdom city on the south end of the island of Elephantine in the Nile. The structure was discovered in 1907, but it could only be identified as a pyramid after new excavations by the German Archaeological Institute in 1978/9.

The pyramid originally would have had three steps. Today it is 5.1 metres tall, but the original height would have been between 20 and 24 cubits (10.46 - 12.55 m). To deal with the irregular ground level, the pyramid was built on a square platform, which measured 23.7 metres on each side. The sides of the pyramid itself were 18.46 metres long. The building is oriented parallel to the west bank of the island, which leaves it 17° off north, to the west. The pyramid consisted of a core structure which was urrounded by two layers of stone with a thickness of four cubits. Locally sourced pink granite was used as a building material. The substructure is made from large hewn blocks, with a mixture of Nile mud and sand for mortar. For the actual pyramid, unhewn granite blocks were used and particularly hard loam mortar was used to hold them together. No chamber system exists. On the north side of the structure is a cut near the middle, which was made by the 1909 French excavation team led by Henri Gauthier.

On their discovery in 1907, the remains of the pyramid were initially mistaken for part of the city wall. This interpretation was seemingly confirmed by the discovery of a granite cone near the pyramid with an inscription of the Pharaoh Huni, naming him as the builder of a fortress (according to a more recent reading, as the builder of a palace). Another interpretation considered the structure as the remains of a putative temple of Yahweh. Herbert Ricke, finally, interpreted the substructure as a royal palace. Only with the excavations of Günter Dreyer in 1978/9 could it be clearly shown to be a pyramid.