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Showing posts with label Hawara pyramid in Fayoum Egypt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hawara pyramid in Fayoum Egypt. Show all posts

7 April 2023

Hawara pyramid in Fayoum photo collection

The Hawara Pyramid is an ancient Egyptian pyramid located in the Faiyum Oasis of Egypt. It was built during the 12th Dynasty of Egypt, around 1800 BC, by Pharaoh Amenemhat III. The pyramid is one of the largest and best-preserved pyramids in Egypt, and it is also one of the most impressive monuments from the Middle Kingdom period.

Hawara pyramid in Fayoum photo collection

The Hawara Pyramid was built as a funerary monument for Pharaoh Amenemhat III, who ruled from 1855 to 1808 BC. The pyramid was constructed using limestone blocks and mud bricks, and it stands at a height of about 60 meters (197 feet). The pyramid has three distinct levels: a base level, a middle level, and an upper level. The base level consists of a large courtyard surrounded by walls that are decorated with reliefs depicting scenes from Amenemhat III's life. The middle level contains a series of chambers that were used for storage and ritual purposes. Finally, the upper level contains the burial chamber where Amenemhat III's mummy was placed after his death.

Hawara pyramid in Fayoum photo collection


 The Hawara Pyramid is also known for its complex system of underground tunnels and chambers that were used to protect the burial chamber from tomb robbers. These tunnels were filled with traps such as false doors and dead ends to deter would-be robbers. In addition to these security measures, the entrance to the burial chamber was sealed with several layers of stone blocks that weighed up to 20 tons each!

Hawara pyramid in Fayoum

Today, visitors can explore the Hawara Pyramid and its surrounding area by taking guided tours or visiting on their own. The site is open year-round and offers stunning views of the surrounding desert landscape. Visitors can also explore nearby archaeological sites such as Kom el-Sultan Mosque or visit nearby villages like El-Lahun or El-Hawawish to learn more about local culture and history.


Hawara is an archaeological site of Ancient Egypt (Figure 1), south of the site of Crocodilopolis (Arsinoe) at the entrance to the depression of the Faiyum oasis. The first excavations at the site were made by Karl Lepsius, in 1843. William Flinders Petrie excavated at Hawara, in 1888, finding papyri of the first and second centuries, and, north of the pyramid, a vast necropolis where he found 146 portraits on coffins dating to the Roman period, famous as being among the very few surviving examples of painted portraits from Classical Antiquity, the "Faiyum portraits" illustrated in Roman history textbooks.

Amenemhet III was the last powerful ruler of the 12th Dynasty, and the pyramid he built at Hawara (Figures 2 and 3) is believed to post-date the so-called "Black Pyramid" built by the same ruler at Dahshur.

In common with the Middle Kingdom pyramids constructed after Amenemhet II, it was built of mudbrick round a core of limestone passages and burial chambers, and faced with limestone. Most of the facing stone was later pillaged for use in other buildings— a fate common to almost all of Egypt's pyramids— and today the pyramid is little more than an eroded, vaguely pyramidal mountain of mud brick, and of the once magnificent mortuary temple precinct formerly enclosed by a wall there is little left beyond the foundation bed of compacted sand and chips and shards of limestone.

The huge mortuary temple that originally stood adjacent to this pyramid is believed to have formed the basis of the complex of buildings with galleries and courtyards called a "labyrinth" by Herodotus, and mentioned by Strabo and Diodorus Siculus. The demolition of the "labyrinth" may date in part to the reign of Ptolemy II, under whom the Pharaonic city of Shedyt (Greek Crocodilopolis, the modern Medinet el-Faiyum) was renamed to honour his sister-wife Arsinoe; a massive Ptolemaic building program at Arsinoe has been suggested as the ultimate destination of Middle Kingdom limestone columns and blocks removed from Hawara, and lost.

No matter how you choose to explore it, visiting the Hawara Pyramid is sure to be an unforgettable experience!

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24 March 2023

Labyrinth of Hawara Pyramid in Fayoum Egypt

Hawara near the Fayoum oasis might not look as much today but in historical accounts it is a somewhat legendary place here's a quote by a classical author this i have actually seen a work beyond words for if anyone put together the buildings of the greeks and display of their labors they would seem lesser in both effort and expense to this labyrinth even the pyramids are beyond words yet the labyrinth surpasses even the pyramids these are the words of ancient historian Herodotus describing his visit to a colossal multi-level.

Labyrinth of Hawara Pyramid in Fayoum Egypt

Structure named labyrinth said to contain three thousand rooms full of hieroglyphs and paintings and yet no archaeological evidence so you can see why historians felt Herodotus was embellishing an account especially considering the father of history's horrific reputation with regards to accuracy with time however more and more of Herodotus's accounts from Hawara have been vindicated in the extract from the account of lake maris given by Herodotus he mentioned two pyramids each of which rose 93 meters above the surface of the water.and stood in the middle of the lake and the historian declares that on each pyramid was a stone statue seated on a throne the statues according to professor Petry who excavated some parts of them were seated colossi of about 18 meters in height carved in hard quartzite sandstone and brilliantly polished so the description of Herodotus therefore is fully accounted for and it shows that he actually saw the figures and visited the place sounds like another win for Herodotus when the area around the Hawara pyramid.

Labyrinth of Hawara Pyramid in Fayoum Egypt

researched with geo radar and later space ground penetrating technology that not only were in favor of his reports but also discovered something phenomenal underground but let's start with the Hawara pyramid first and its technical marvel inside even though it looks like a pile of dark mud today the pyramid has an ancient megalithic core of the highest quality hence there is a clear presence of two completely different types of technologies a superb dressed ancient megalithic stone core underneath thepile of mud breaks on top of it it's flooded with ground salt water these days which destroys the once brilliantly finished surfaces and blocks of the entrance passage .

The quality of the entrance masonry and how tightly blocks are fitted together is outstanding but this is nothing compared to what was first discovered in the 19th century to our luck it was professor flinders petri who was not only a brilliant archaeologist but had a great eye for the technical side of things petri noticed that the stone casing had been removed in roman times and as the body of the structure was of mud bricks it had crumbled away somewhat it's not even clear if it was originally a megalithic pyramid,  because when he searched for the entry on the north side of it he couldn't find anything so it was evident then that the plan of this structure was entirely different to that of any known pyramids back then the entrance was on the ground level on the south side near the southwest corner unlike other pyramids the descending passage was adapted for the entrance and has steps and the ramps on both sides the design is very similar to what the laboratory of alternative history researchers found in the black pyramid the steps have two ramps on both sides and seem like the passage was adapted for moving some kind of cargo carts on wheels then there was discovered a system of passages and roofs with sliding trap doors there are three known trap doors in that megalithic complex each one weighing around 20 tons a piece and this is probably the smallest weight in that structure petri found that none of the trap doors .

Labyrinth of Hawara Pyramid in Fayoum Egypt

had been slid into place and were left open he wrote that while he was searching for a path to a sepulcher no door was to be found as the entrance had been by the roof an enormous block of which had been let down into place to close the chamber the way in had been forced by breaking away a hole in the edge of the glassy hard sandstone roofing block and thus reaching the chamber and its two sarcophagi here is a mind-blowing thing quote the chamber itself is a marvelous work nearly the whole height of it is carved out of a single block of hard quartzite sandstone forming a huge tank in which the sarcophagus was placed end of quote so what happened was the rock .

which is here a hardened sand was excavated to form the central hollow or pit which was intended to receive the sarcophagus chamber into this hollow in the rock the enormous quartzite monolith chamber weighing over 110 tons which was hewn out to form the sarcophagus chamber was sunk and the sarcophagus and two chests were next placed inside it then trenches which were to form the passages leading to it were cut also next on this incredible structure rested the horizontal slabs of stone .

which were to form a kind of roof the purpose of the false passages on petri scheme then actually could serve the purpose these exist not to confuse the robbers but were an ingenious device so the last great quartzite ceiling slab was lowered to close the box with the help of sand which had supported props holding up the block and was released via side tunnels allowing the huge piece of stone slowly to descend to its resting place above these double roofs then comes the third roof of the slanting beams of limestone weighing about 55 tons .

now it's not clear why they went with this exact design when the huge carved monolith box sunk into the hollow in the rock that they've just finished the whole structure looks like some kind of a protected stone vault here's what flinders petri wrote about the megalithic quartzite tank inside quote in the inside it is 7 meters in length by 2 meters in width and 2 meters height .

while the sides are about one meter thick the workmanship is most excellent the sides are flat and regular the inner corners so sharply rot that though i looked at them i never suspected that there was not a joint there until i failed to find any joint in the sides and the surface so polished that the hard flinty sandstone reflects the light of the candle one carries end of quote he noted that no trace of inscription exists on either the walls or sarcophagi and but for the funeral furniture even the very name would not have been recovered pretty strange for a pharaoh not to leave his name in a quote tomb after rendering such a masterpiece above all the megalithic elements is a completely different level of technology the great brick arch was thrown over the whole of the masonry of the chamber and the bricks of the pyramid were piled above it all now there is an important moment there is no entrance to the sepulcher the sepulcher is roofed by three enormous slabs of the same hard quartzite sandstone over 1. 2 meters in thickness and extending far beyond the chamber walls on each side the original access to the chamber was closed by lowering one of these slabs which weighs about 45 tons into its place so the only way for the mummy of the pharaoh to be placed inside then was on the stage of the construction of the pyramid which is kind of ridiculous traces neither of bodies nor of coffins were found in the sarcophagi of course all that petri found were a few scraps of charred bones besides bits of charcoal and grains of burnt diorite in the sarcophagi it was evident that the content had been made of wood inlaid with polished stones and it seems like whatever was found inside of this sarcophagus in ancient times it was burned right there for some reason still the question of the second sarcophagus was unsolved the main sarcophagus is centered in the room but the second one was distinctly a later addition built after the pyramid was built when no larger blocks could be brought in it would be very interesting to compare the technical qualities of these two objects this might not be the last secret that the Hawara pyramid holds because there might still be hidden passages connected to the other magnificent megalithic system underground on the south of the pyramid lay a wide mass of chips and fragments of structure which had long been generally identified with the celebrated labyrinth of egypt when petri began to excavate the area in front of the hawara pyramid the result was soon plain that the brick houses of a village were built on the top of the ruins of a great stone structure quote beneath them and far away over a vast area the layers of stone chips were found and so great was the mass that it was difficult to persuade visitors that the stratum was artificial and not a natural formation end of quote no trace of architectural arrangement could be found to help in identifying this great structure with the labyrinth but the mere extent of it proved that it was far larger than any temple known in egypt the size of this megalithic structure used to be enormous here is what flinders petri wrote quote .

All the temples of Karnak of Luxor and a few on the western side of the bes might be placed together within the vast space of these buildings at Hawara end of quote we know from pliny the roman army commander and many others how for centuries the labyrinth had been a great quarry for the whole district and destruction of this wonder of egypt occupied such a body of masons that a small town existed there the fact that the labyrinth was not just another building is shown by its unusual size it covered an area of about 28 000 square meters and by all ancient reports it was truly massive and megalithic here are the descriptions given by classical authors herodotus 5th century bc quote they built a labyrinth a little above the lake of maris this i have myself seen and found it greater than can be described the pyramids likewise were beyond description yet the labyrinth surpasses even the pyramids he continues quote for it has 12 courts enclosed with walls with doors opposite each other six facing the north and six the south contiguous to one another and the same exterior wall encloses them it contains two kinds of rooms some underground and some above ground over them to the number of three thousand one thousand five hundred of each then he says that the rooms above ground he saw himself and related from personal inspection but the underground rooms he only knows from a report he said that the egyptians who were in charge of the building would on no account show him them saying that they were the sepulchers of the kings who originally built this labyrinth and of the sacred crocodiles .

Labyrinth of Hawara Pyramid in Fayoum Egypt

 Herodotus was so impressed by what he saw he noted that it
 surpasses all human works not only Herodotus other travelers who were there supported his reports here is how another ancient visitor strabo describes the ceiling of the labyrinth quote the most surprising circumstance is that the roofs of these dwellings consist of a single stone each and that the covered ways through their whole range were roofed in the same manner with single slabs of stone of extraordinary size without the intermixture of timber or of any other material and the width of the hidden chambers is spanned in the same way by monolithic beams of outstanding size end of quote Strabo noted incredible megalithic work of the highest craftsmanship everywhere including a line of 27 pillars each consisting of a single stone the walls also are quote constructed of stones not inferior in size to these as to the date of the labyrinth pliny wrote that it was very ancient at his time estimating that it was already going back 3600 years ago he was astonished by the solidity of 17 this huge mass constructed that the laps of ages had been totally unable to destroy it the way he describes the labyrinth is more like a megalithic city rather than one massive temple he wrote that it would be impossible to describe the layout of that building and its individual parts since it is divided into regions and administrative districts which are called gnomes each of the 21 gnomes giving its name to one of the houses plany talks about columns from porphyry maze of paths ramps porticos stairs subterranean chambers and very  interesting acoustic properties of the place in general quote some of the palaces are so peculiarly constructed that the moment the doors are opened a dreadful sound like that of thunder reverberates within in total darkness all of the ancient historians have similarities in describing multiple features of it all of them admired it so much for its greatness as it was inimitable for its workmanship when petrie excavated this area he found a bed of flat-laid sand made of chips of stone rammed down on which lay the pavement and walls of some enormous building and over that lie thousands of tons of fragments of the destroyed walls he measured that artificial stone plato and it covered an area about 304 meters long and 244 meters broad he also made an assumption that this was a foundation of the legendary labyrinth now destroyed but in 2008 there was a Mataha expedition that doubted that statement the professional team of geophysicists equipped with the ground penetrating radar conducted a survey under the foundation of Petri a vast grid of walls under neath the stone flat laid was discovered their conclusion was that this alleged foundation might very well be the roof of a still-existing labyrinth the results of the expedition were officially released by the national research institute of astronomy and geophysics at the workshop at Cairo then published in the nrig scientific journal and then exchanged at a public lecture at geet university in front of the belgian press so it was huge news .

When Dr Carmen Bolter and geo scan systems came into the game so what geoscan claims is that it has a technology that goes to live satellite feed and can detect anomalies some six kilometers deep underground using proprietary processing techniques apparently geoscan systems has a good record in the space archaeology industry in one of the case studies their findings were validated by two gps ground survey results and subsequently the remote scan work of another space archaeology company Merlin Burrows .



Dr Bolter is marked as blue level at more than 18 meters depth and the red level at 40 meters depth the area of this underground complex is truly monumental it is 433 square meters or 81 football fields five of its chambers are bigger than the olympic swimming pool 

18:50 it is so big that Dr Bolter compared its size to an airport that was taken and put underground all but one chamber is bigger than the average size house and that one chamber is still bigger than an average apartment there are 31 chambers on the blue level so they look random but in fact they are in decreasing order and none of the chambers are of the same size the red level follows that there are 32 chambers also following a descending pattern the biggest chamber on the blue level is 1819 square meters it's massive enough to contain a boeing 747 with folded wings the biggest chamber on the red level is even bigger the purple color is single passageways the total length of just them is 1.4 kilometers at this point it is hard to say what exactly it is does it have anything on the walls or are they plain why is it so big and underground the first thing that comes to mind is a secret repository especially the blue level we can only speculate at this point but given its depth and monumental size it could be the hidden storage place of those who were there before the pharaohs and whatever stuff to preserve .

 The Pyramid, the Labyrinth and the underground Caches of Hawara 

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1 March 2023

Labyrinth of Egypt | Amenemhet III the greatest king in Fayoum

Labyrinth of Egypt | Amenemhet III (king of Egypt) the greatest king in Fayoum Labyrinth of Egypt

Amenemhat III, also spelled Amenemhet III, was a pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt. He ruled from c.1860 BC to c.1814 BC, the highest known date being found in a papyrus dated to Regnal Year 46, I Akhet 22 of his rule. His reign is regarded as the golden age of the Middle Kingdom. He may have had a long coregency (of 20 years) with his father, Senusret III.

Labyrinth of Egypt | Amenemhet III the greatest king in Fayoum Labyrinth of Egypt


Amenemhet III (king of Egypt) the greatest king in Fayoum Labyrinth of Egypt


NEFERUPTAH AND HER MYSTERIOUS PYRAMID


The study of the construction of the pyramids of the Twelfth Dynasty at Hawara and El-Lahûn, He realised that here was an important discovery of a pyramid belonging to this period. He suspected that the large limestone blocks in the middle of the ruins of the mud-brick building covered the burial chamber of the owner of this pyramid. The fact that the large limestone blocks were still in their original position gave him great hope that the burial chamber was still intact. On this basis, Farag submitted a report to the Department of Antiquities explaining the above facts and asked to undertake an excavation at this site.

The field work on the tomb was shared by Dr. Zaky Iskander, the Director of the Chemical Laboratory, and Farag himself. The result of their work confirmed Farag’s expectation. The limestone blocks proved to cover an intact burial chamber of what is thought to be  Pyramid of Princess Neferuptah of the Twelfth Dynasty.

This pyramid is situated about two kilometres to the south east of the Hawara Pyramid of her father Amenemhet III, about 13 kilometres to the south east of the Fayûm city. the pyramid lies at the present time about 20 metres to the west of the Bahr Wahbi Canal. As found now, the ruins of the pyramid form a mound of dark grey mud bricks. This pyramid constituted the superstructure of the tomb. It was composed mainly of mud bricks which were most probably overlaid originally with a casing of limestone blocks. No remains of the casing stones, however, could be found. It seems that the site was used as a quarry in ancient times, and the casing stones were ravaged for stone and lime.

The pavement originally existed is proved by the marks left over the original bed to the north side of the pyramid on which these stones once existed. The brick work base of the pyramid was found to be about 35 metres long.









The dimensions of a number of these bricks were measured. The differences in these dimensions from one brick to another were very slight not exceeding 2 mms. The average dimensions are 16 X 24 X 14 cms. The dimensions of the mud bricks constituting the bulk of the Hawara Pyramid were also measured and the same average of dimensions mentioned above was obtained. This supports the historical fact that the two pyramids were almost contemporaneous.


In the center of the area of the base of the pyramid, lies the burial chamber .This was made in the following way : A large rectangular shaft was sunk into the bed-rock of the desert. This shaft was lined with small limestone blocks and covered with seven huge blocks of limestone forming the roof of the chamber.

The burial chamber in her pyramid was found in the centre of the pyramid roofed with seven huge limestone blocks, and had no access or door. Also no passage could be traced in the remaining brickwork of the pyramid to lead from the middle of its north side to the burial chamber. This shows that the princess was already dead before building her pyramid. She was buried in the burial chamber which was then closed with the huge limestone blocks and the pyramid completed without making a passage to the closed burial chamber since the mummy had been already put in it.



The Hawara Papyri


William Flinders Petrie excavated at Hawara in 1888. After working in Medinet el-Fayum (Arsinoe) and Biahmu, he moved on to the site south of Arsinoe and took the 60 workers he had already employed at the former sites with him. The results of his excavations at Hawara were published in 1889 in his "Hawara, Biahmu, and Arsinoe". The papyrological material said to have been found at Hawara was studied by Prof. Sayce and published on pages 24 to 37 of that volume. Sayce gave a general description of the great papyrus roll which contains parts of books 1 and 2 of the Iliad (the "Hawara Homer"), emphasizing the importance of the variants, and edited the texts of the most complete documents, some of them in a very preliminary way.

The Hawara Papyri fayoum


J. G. Milne undertook a new edition of 37 of these papyri in the Archiv für Papyrusforschung 5, 1913, 378-397. He did not work on the Hawara Homer but concentrated on the smaller literary texts and gave a proper publication of some more documents. The texts which were not reconsidered in Milne's publication were reprinted in Sammelbuch I (nos. 5220, 5223, 5224).

The Hawara Papyri fayoum


When Flinders Petrie brought his finds back to England, the material was divided between several institutions. The Hawara Homer was given to the Bodleian Library in Oxford (where it still is today), while all the other papyrological material stayed in London and was given to the Department of Egyptology at University College London. In 1948, the young professor of Papyrology, Eric Turner received permission from the then Professor of Egyptology, J. Czerny, to take the Hawara papyri to the Department of Greek and Latin at UCL and to keep them there in his custody. A letter from 16 June 1949 confirms the transfer of the papyri. They were kept in a secret place in the department for more than 50 years.

The Hawara Papyri fayoum


As usual, Flinders Petrie did not give precise indications, as to where the papyri were found on the site. He just mentions that the region north of the pyramid "was the usual place for burials in the early Roman period , when gilt cartonnage busts were used. Papyri from the Ist and IInd cent. AD are also usual in the soil here, and for some way north" (p. 8, no. 11; cf. the map on plate XXV in the book). When the papyri arrived in London they were "ironed" by Petrie's friend, Mr. Spurrell who also helped in "unpacking, arranging, and managing the collections" (p. 4). It must have happened then that all the pieces were glued onto greyish cardboard. When writing was distiguishable on the back of the papyri, windows were cut out to make the letters (at least in part) visible. In some instances, Petrie added small notes in pencil about find-spots. In later years, Walter Cockle removed some of the papyri from their cardboards and put them under glass. The cardboard frames of these pieces were nevertheless kept.

Amenemhat III

Amenemhat III (Ancient Egyptian: Ỉmn-m-hꜣt meaning 'Amun is at the forefront'), also known as Amenemhet III, was a pharaoh of ancient Egypt and the sixth king of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. He was elevated to throne as co-regent by his father Senusret III, with whom he shared the throne as the active king for twenty years. During his reign, Egypt attained its cultural and economic zenith of the Middle Kingdom.



The aggressive military and domestic policies of Senusret III, which re-subjugated Nubia and wrested power from the nomarchs, allowed Amenemhat III to inherit a stable and peaceful Egypt. He directed his efforts towards an extensive building program with particular focus on Faiyum. Here he dedicated a temple to Sobek, a chapel to Renenutet, erected two colossal statues of himself in Biahmu, and contributed to excavation of Lake Moeris. He built for himself two pyramids at Dahshur and Hawara, becoming the first pharaoh since Sneferu in the Fourth Dynasty to build more than one. Near to his Hawara pyramid is a pyramid for his daughter Neferuptah. To acquire resources for the building program, Amenemhat III exploited the quarries of Egypt and the Sinai for turquoise and copper. Other exploited sites includes the schist quarries at Wadi Hammamat, amethyst from Wadi el-Hudi, fine limestone from Tura, alabaster from Hatnub, red granite from Aswan, and diorite from Nubia. A large corpus of inscriptions attest to the activities at these sites, particularly at Serabit el-Khadim. There is scant evidence of military expeditions during his reign, though a small one is attested at Kumma in his ninth regnal year. He also sent a handful of expeditions to Punt.

In total, Amenemhat III reigned for at least 45 years, though a papyrus mentioning a 46th year likely belongs to his reign as well. Toward the end of his reign he instituted a co-regency with Amenemhat IV, as recorded in a rock inscription from Semna in Nubia, which equates regnal year 1 of Amenemhat IV to regnal year 44 or 46–48 of Amenemhat III. Sobekneferu later succeeded Amenemhat IV as the last ruler of the Twelfth Dynasty.

Neferuptah Jewellery

parts of Jewellery of Neferwptah collected from the sludgy material found in her sarcophagus show that her set of Jewellery was of the same type as those of most the Middle Kingdom burials found at Dahshûr and Lisht.

Neferuptah Jewellery


The magnificent broad collar (wesekh) that consists of three rows of blue-green feldspar and three rows of carnelian cylinder beads, separated by eight rows of small gold ring beads—all hung vertically. At the bottom is a fifteenth row of gold drops that are inlaid with carnelian, feldspar, and glass paste. The ends of the collar are formed by gold falcon-head terminals (or finials).

Neferuptah Jewellery


The elements of Jewellery which were found and could be restored most probably to their original state consisted of : 1.-a necklace of gold, carnelian and beads 2.-a broad collar 3.-a pair of bracelets and a pair of anklets 4.-a girdle of disc beads with a hawk-pendant 5.-A funerary apron of faience and blue frit beads

Neferuptah Jewellery


(Usekh) Collar of Neferuptah (or Ptahneferu) The Usekh is a type of broad collar or necklace. It was one of the most common types of ancient Egyptian jewelry. It could be composed of faience beads, flower petals, or gold with semi-precious stone or glass inlays. Six rows of beads terminate with the head of a golden falcon at each end; these were used as fasteners. Two smaller chains of beads are attached to the falcons, leading to a counterpoise, which also bears the image of a falcon, with further horizontal rows of beads hanging from it. At the bottom of the collar, teardrop shaped pendants can be seen, connected to a row of small golden beads. Neferuptah was a daughter of Amenemhat III (12th dynasty) 12th Dynasty

ca. 1860-1814 BC. Made of gold, carnelian, feldspar and glass paste From the small pyramid of Princess Neferuptah at Hawara National Museum of Civilization.

Neferuptah Jewellery

Funerary Apron of the Princess Neferuptah, Daughter of AMENEMHAT III. Middle kingdom.

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14 January 2023

Top Attractions in Fayoum

Fayoum is an oasis in Egypt located about 85 miles southwest of Cairo. It is known for its many natural attractions, including Lake Qarun and the Wadi El-Rayan Protected Area. The area is also home to several ancient monuments, including the ruins of Karanis.

Top attractions in Fayoum


Fayoum Oasis is an oasis in Egypt located approximately 85km southwest of Cairo. It is the largest oasis in the country, covering an area of about 2,800 square kilometers. The oasis is home to a variety of wildlife and vegetation, including palm trees, papyrus plants, and numerous bird species. It also contains several important archaeological sites from ancient Egypt.

Hawara pyramid in Fayoum Egypt

Hawara pyramid 

The Hawara pyramid is an ancient Egyptian burial complex located in the Fayoum oasis. It was built by Pharaoh Amenemhat III of the 12th dynasty, and is one of the most intact pyramids in Egypt. The pyramid includes a large court, a temple, and several underground chambers. The entrance to the pyramid is a long, sloping corridor, which leads to a burial chamber containing several mummies. The pyramid also features a complex system of shafts and tunnels, which were used to hide the burial chamber from looters. The complex is surrounded by a mud-brick wall, and is one of the best-preserved pyramids in Egypt.


The Lahun Pyramid is an ancient Egyptian pyramid located in the Fayoum


Lahun Pyramid

The Lahun Pyramid is an ancient Egyptian pyramid located in the Fayoum oasis. It was built by Pharaoh Senusret II of the 12th dynasty and is one of the best-preserved pyramids in Egypt. The pyramid includes a large court, a temple, and several. underground chambers. The entrance to the pyramid is a long, sloping corridor, which leads to a burial chamber containing several mummies. The pyramid also features a complex system of shafts and tunnels, which were used to hide the burial chamber from looters. The complex is surrounded by a mud-brick wall, and is one of the best-preserved pyramids in Egypt.


What is kahun? 

Kahun is an ancient Egyptian town located in the Fayoum oasis. It was built by Pharaoh Senusret II of the 12th dynasty and is one of the best-preserved towns in Egypt. The town includes a large court, several temples, and several residential areas. The most notable structure in Kahun is the pyramid of Senusret II, which stands at approximately 60 feet 48 meters) tall. The town also features a complex system of shafts and tunnels, which were used to hide important structures from looters.



Wadi Hitan


Wadi Hitan 

Wadi Hitan is a protected area in the Fayoum oasis of Egypt. It is home to some of the world’s best-preserved fossils of ancient whales, sharks, and other marine animals. The area also features numerous natural attractions such as hot springs, sand dunes, and salt lakes. Wadi Hitan was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 due to its unique geological features and its importance for scientific research.


Dimeh el Sebaa (Soknopaiu Nesos)

Dimeh el Sebaa 

Dimeh el Sebaa (Soknopaiu Nesos) is an ancient Egyptian archaeological site located in the Fayoum oasis of Egypt. It was first discovered in 1894 by British archaeologist Flinders Petrie and is one of the best-preserved sites from the Middle Kingdom period. The site includes numerous monuments, including a temple dedicated to Sobek, a crocodile god. The site also features several tombs and stelae, which provide valuable insight into ancient Egyptian culture and religion. Dimeh el Sebaa (Soknopaiu Nesos) was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 due to its importance for scientific research.


Camping in Fayoum

Camping in Fayoum

Camping in Fayoum is a great way to experience the natural beauty of the oasis. There are several camping sites located around Lake Qarun, Wadi El-Rayan Protected Area, and other natural attractions in Fayoum. Campers can enjoy activities such as swimming, bird watching, and exploring the ruins of ancient monuments. Most campsites offer basic amenities such as restrooms and showers, but campers should be prepared for hot weather and bring plenty of water.


Tunis village in Fayoum


Tunis village in Fayoum 

Tunis Village is a small village located in the Fayoum oasis of Egypt. It is home to approximately 2,000 people and is known for its unique culture and architecture. The village includes several mosques, a traditional market, and numerous mud-brick houses. Tunis Village also features a number of ancient monuments, including the ruins of an old fort and several tombs from the Middle Kingdom period. Visitors to Tunis Village can explore the local culture, enjoy traditional cuisine, and take part in activities such as camel riding and sandboarding.

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