Pyramid of Mikerina is the lowest, the smallest and most southern of the three famous Egyptian pyramids, located in Giza. Although she is small, her nickname is “Heru”, which translates as “high”.
The pyramid of Mikerina differs quite significantly from similar structures located nearby, and therefore in the period of antiquity it was attributed to hetero Rodopis (slave), possibly because of ignorance of who she was. In fact, the building belongs to the grandson of Cheops - Menkauru.
After reading this article, you can find out more information about this amazing sights of Egypt.
Only three large pyramids are located on the plateau of Giza: Cheops (the largest), Khafre and Mikerina (the smallest).
The smallest of the above-mentioned pyramids Mikerina is located on the banks of the Nile River, at the very edge of the Libyan Desert. Nowadays, modern Cairo has practically swallowed the Giza Plateau, which is a flat, flat stony plain that extends to 1,300 meters from south to north and 2000 meters from west to east.
Why Cheops built the pyramid here, and then his son and grandson with similar types of structures joined him - it is not known. At the same place you can see the huge Sphinx, several temples and less significant small pyramids, as well as ancient tombs of priests.
Pyramid of Mikerina: description
The height of the pyramid of Mikerina (Menkaure) is 62 meters, although it is known that initially it was 66 meters. The burial chamber is located almost at ground level. In the central part of the temple is a magnificent statue of the king.
The basis of all such structures in Egypt was usually rocky, but this pyramid stands on a terrace artificially built from limestone blocks (the largest of them had a weight of up to 200 tons). There is evidence that, despite the rather small size, speaking about the settling of the structure, this pyramid at one time was the most beautiful of all.
From the history of construction
In ancient times, the described pyramid had the name "Godlike Menkaur." It was erected for Menkaure, the son of Pharaoh of the 4th dynasty of Khafre (who was the son of Cheops).
When was the pyramid of Mikerina built? Construction lasted from about 2532 to 2503 BC. At the beginning, the base of the pyramid was 60x60 meters, but then it increased. Pharaoh ordered for these purposes to choose the largest blocks, and to accelerate the construction of the stones are not hewn. Judging by the surviving records, it is known that Pharaoh himself often controlled the construction work. However, the owner did not live to complete the construction of the pyramid, in connection with which further work continued under the direction of Queen Nitocris.
The construction of the pyramid of Mikerin was conducted on the basis of the experience of previous works, therefore everything here testifies to the pursuit of ideal quality and beauty. The pyramid of Mikerin has the shape of a regular quadrangular pyramid.
The entrance to the burial chamber was discovered by English researchers (Perring and Wiese) in 1837. They took the magnificent basalt sarcophagus with them, but when they were transported to England, it sank, only its design has survived to this day.
The following pyramids after it were built according to a single standard (height no more than 20 m). It turns out that it was the Mikerina complex that completed the era of the construction of the greatest pyramids.
To the south from each pyramid-companion there was a requiem temple, lined with stone bricks and decorated with wooden columns over the stone masonry. The funeral complex is not very well preserved due to the rush in construction. Many buildings collapsed quickly.
Pyramid Mikerina has an entrance to its internal premises. It is located on the northern side, at a height of 4 meters from the surface of the earth. Leads the corridor, becoming horizontal, in the bowels of the earth along the supports of granite.
Compared to others, this burial chamber is very small. Its height is only 3.5 meters (6.5 by 2.3 m). Here was the sarcophagus, once lost in sea waters. The walls and the corridor are lined with granite, and well polished. There is another corridor from the burial chamber. He leads to a dead end.
In conclusion of Pharaoh’s last journey
All the pyramids of Giza are the center of the complex, its final element, the final funeral process. Virtually all of its components represent a certain symbol of the process of reincarnation of the deceased pharaoh into the great sun god. The last path of the pharaoh after his death had several stops. It passed from east to west in the direction of the movement of the Sun (perpendicular to the flow of the Nile River).
The magnificently decorated funeral boat with the body of the pharaoh stopped at a special pier located on the bank of the river (the lower temple is the gate). Here rituals of cleansing the body and its mummification took place. From the lower temple (back of it) there was a corridor leading to the hall of the requiem, in which the pharaoh was sent on his last journey. In the magnificent and richly decorated church with beautiful statues, the last ceremony of deification of the pharaoh took place, and then the coffin was placed in a sarcophagus.
Today, access to the Mikerina memorial complex is open to all who wish to plunge into the ancient world of the pharaohs.