The Pyramid of Senusret I is an Egyptian pyramid built to be the burial place of the Pharaoh Senusret I. The pyramid was built during the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt at el-Lisht, near his father’s pyramid, Amenemhat I. Its ancient name was Senusret Petei Tawi (Senusret beholds the two lands).
The pyramid of Senusret I was 105 meters on each side with a height of 61.25 meters; the slope of the four faces was 49° 24′. The pyramid used a construction method never seen in an Egyptian pyramid; four stone walls radiated from the centre built of rough-hewn blocks that decreased in size the higher their placement. The eight sections formed by these walls were then subdivided into three more divisions, splitting the pyramid into 32 units filled with slabs of stone and debris. An exoskeleton of fine limestone then covered the structure. However, this new construction method was inefficient, and the completed pyramid suffered from stability problems. Unusually, clear evidence for the ramps used to construct the pyramid remains.
Location of Pyramid of Senusret I
The Pyramid of Senusret I is an Egyptian pyramid built to be the burial place of the Pharaoh Senusret I. The pyramid was built during the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt at el-Lisht, near his father’s pyramid, Amenemhat I.
Pyramid Complex
Surrounding the actual structure was a comparatively large complex consisting of a mortuary temple, a rectangular structure with a courtyard in the centre, and nine smaller pyramids for Senusret’s queens. From the mortuary, a limestone causeway with carved statues set every ten cubits ran to a public temple outside the compound’s perimeter wall. However, little of this is visible today because Roman buildings were built over the complex later.
Excavations
None of the excavations penetrated the burial chamber due to high water levels. Still, much was learned about pyramid construction from the surrounding quarries, which contained one of the highest concentrations of ancient debris of any Egyptian archaeological site. The pyramid has been severely damaged over time, and little of its limestone cladding remains. It now appears as little more than a hillock of stone.
Gautier and Jequier
The pyramid was first explored by archaeologists Gautier and Jequier between 1894 and 1895.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
From 1906 to 1943, the pyramid was excavated by a team from the Metropolitan Museum of Art headed initially by Albert Lythgoe, Arthur Mace and Ambrose Lansing.
Dieter Arnold
From 1984 to 1987, further excavation was carried out by Dieter Arnold.
