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The Pyramid complex of Userkaf was built c. 2490 BC〔 for the pharaoh Userkaf (reign 2494–2487 BC), founder of the 5th dynasty of Egypt (c. 2494–2345 BC). It is located in the pyramid field at Saqqara, on the north-east of the Step pyramid of Djoser (reigned ca. 2670 BC). Constructed in dressed stone with a core of rubble, the pyramid is now ruined and resembles a conical hill in the sands of Saqqara.〔Mark Lehner, ''The Complete Pyramids'', Thames & Hudson, ISBN 978-0-500-28547-3, p. 140〕 For this reason, it is known locally as ''El-Haram el-Maharbish'', the "Heap of Stone"〔Jean-Phillipe Lauer (in French):''Saqqarah, Une vie, Entretiens avec Phillipe Flandrin'', Petite Bibliotheque Payot 107, 1988, ISBN 2-86930-136-7〕 and was recognized as a royal pyramid by western archaeologists in the 19th century. Userkaf's pyramid is part of a larger mortuary complex comprising a mortuary temple, an offering chapel and a cult pyramid as well as separate pyramid and mortuary temple for Userkaf's wife, queen Neferhetepes.〔 Userkaf's mortuary temple and cult pyramid are today completely ruined and difficult to recognize. The pyramid of the queen is no more than a mound of rubble, with its funerary chamber exposed by stone robbers.〔 The complex is markedly different from those built during the 4th Dynasty (c. 2613–2494 BC) in its size, architecture and location, being at Saqqara rather than Gizah. As such, Userkaf's pyramid complex could be a manifestation of the profound changes in the ideology of kingship that took place between the 4th and 5th dynasties,〔 changes that may have started during the reign of Userkaf's likely immediate predecessor, Shepseskaf.〔Ian Shaw, ''The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt'', Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-280293-3〕 Some 1500 years after its construction, the pyramid complex was restored under Ramses II. During the much later Saite period (664–525 BC), it was used as a cemetery. == Discovery and excavations == The entrance of the pyramid was discovered in 1831 by the Italian Egyptologist Orazio Marucchi〔Aly El-Khouly: ''Excavation at the pyramid of Userkaf, 1976: preliminary report'', The Journal of Egyptian Archeology, vol. 64 (1978), pp. 35–43〕 but was not entered until 8 years later in 1839 by John Shae Perring who took advantage of an existing tunnel dug into the pyramid by tomb robbers. Perring did not know for sure who the owner of the pyramid was and attributed it to Djedkare Isesi (reign 2414–2375 BC), a late 5th dynasty pharaoh. After his investigations Perring buried the robbers tunnel which remains inaccessible to this day. The pyramid of Userkaf entered the official records a few years later in 1842 when Karl Richard Lepsius catalogued it in his list of pyramids under number ''XXXI''. Since Perring had already buried the robbers tunnel by that time, K. R. Lepsius did not investigate the pyramid any further.〔 The pyramid was then neglected until October 1927 when Cecil Mallaby Firth and the architect Jean-Philippe Lauer started excavating there. During the first season of excavation Firth and Lauer cleared the south side of the pyramid area, discovering Userkaf's mortuary temple and tombs of the much later Saite period.〔Cecil Mallaby Firth: ''Excavation of the Department of Antiquities at Saqqara'', Annales du service des antiquités de l'Égypte, (ASAE) Nr. 29, 1929.〕 The following year, Firth and Lauer uncovered a limestone relief slab and a colossal red granite head of Userkaf, thus determining that he was the pyramid owner.〔〔〔 After Firth's death in 1931 no excavations took place on site until they were resumed by Lauer in 1948. Lauer worked there until 1955, re-clearing and re-planning the mortuary temple and investigating the eastern side of the pyramid. Research on the north and west sides of the mortuary complex was conducted starting in 1976 by Ahmed el-Khouli〔〔Miroslav Verner, Steven Rendall: ''The Pyramids: The Mystery, Culture, and Science of Egypt's Great Monuments'', p. 306, Grove Press, 2002, ISBN 0-8021-3935-3〕〔Ahmed El-Khouli: ''Excavation at the pyramid of Userkaf'', Journal of the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities. (JSSEA) Nr. 15, 1985〕〔Rainer Stadelmann (in German): ''Die agyptischen Pyramiden: Vom Ziegelbau zum Weltwunder (Kulturgeschichte der antiken Welt)'', p. 159, P. von Zabern, 1991, ISBN 3-8053-1142-7〕 who excavated and restored the pyramid entrance. The entrance was, however, buried under rubble in an earthquake in 1991. More recent work on the pyramid was undertaken by Audran Labrousse in 2000.〔Audran Labrousse and Jean-Philippe Lauer (in French): ''Les complexes funéraires d'Ouserkaf et de Néferhétepès'', Vol. 1 and 2, IFAO, 2000, ISBN 2-7247-0261-1〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Pyramid of Userkaf」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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