4,300-year-old pyramid discovered in Egypt

[derby378]

Source: Associated Press

SAQQARA, Egypt – Egypt's chief archaeologist has announced the discovery of a 4,300-year-old pyramid in Saqqara, the sprawling necropolis and burial site of the rulers of ancient Memphis.

The pyramid is said to belong to Queen Sesheshet, the mother of King Teti who was the founder of the 6th Dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom.

Egypt's antiquities chief Zahi Hawass made the announcement Tuesday at the site in Saqqara, about 12 miles south of Cairo.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081111/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_egypt_new_pyramid

[Ian David]

1. Wow, that's older than McCain! n/t

[OswegoAtheist]

9. That's why...

...he wasn't sure how many houses he owned; he'd lost one!

Oswego "rimshot" Atheist

[Coventina]

2. Awesome!!!

:kick:

[Deja Q]

3. With all the satellite and catographic technology available...

...and those pesky Egyptians STILL found the time to hide more pyramids from our prying, thieving eyes? :D

Cleopatra, you need to get laid.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Hope more information is forthcoiming

the yahoo article didn't state if the pyramid had been opened and if anything was in it or if they believe other pyramids may still be buried nearby.

[PatSeg]

17. Found this in another article

"Hawass said archeologists intend to enter the pyramid within two weeks to confirm it belongs to Queen Sesheshet, but expect that most of its contents will have been plundered by thieves."

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/11/11/egypt-pyramid.html

Very exciting!

[xchrom]

5. recommend -- that is so cool. nt

[semillama]

6. it's only 16 feet tall

so not a large pyramid at all. But it is good illustration of the point that Egyptian pyramids did come in all sizes - we tend to only think of the Great Pyramids as being representative when in fact they are exceptional.

[kentauros]

7. Here's an example of small pyramids

There are More Pyramids in Sudan than All of Egypt

The kingdom of Cush (or Kush) flourished south of Egypt along the Nile from the Eighth Century B.C. to the Fourth Century A.D. Here the rulers of Cush built some 228 pyramids, three times as many as the Pharaohs managed to pile up! We rarely hear or see anything of these strange, steeply pointed structures. They are usually less than 100 feet high and not as impressive and mysterious as those farther north beyond the Aswan Dam.

The Cushite kingdom's passion for pyramids was probably acquired in the Eighth Century B.C., when it actually ruled Egypt for a few years until the Assyrians pushed its armies back south in 671 B.C. With them, the Cushites took the pyramid idea, Egyptian art forms, and hieroglyphics. They liked pyramids so well that the Cushite rulers kept on building them until the kingdom's demise in 350 A.D. -- some 2,000 years after the Egyptians had abandoned this form of architecture altogether.

...more at link above

[derby378]

10. Sudanese pyramids are also cool

ginbarn and I just went to the Tutankhamun exhibit in Dallas last week, and after marvelling at all that beautiful artwork, it's just neat to hear that more treasure is being discovered in Egypt, even if it's not silver and gold.

[Maat]

11. Hey, thanks!

We part of an Independent Study Program ("homeschooling") through the local charter school. We meet with a credentialed teacher regularly.

Anyhow, we're studying Kush, and there's a real lack of information out there.

I'll show Beloved Daughter (12) this stuff soon!

[roguevalley]

12. I love Egypt. I also love your name. ;) Very cool.

[LibertyLover]

16. Have you checked these books out on Nubia and Kush?

Ancient African Civilizations: Kush and Axum by Stanley Mayer Burstein
Ancient Nubia: Egypt's Rival in Africa by David O'Connor
Nubia and Ancient Kingdoms of Africa by Joyce Hayes
The Ancient Kushites by Liz Sonneborn
Ancient Nubia (Calliope World History for Young People) by Charles F. Baker and Rosalie F. Baker

In 1977 I was an intern at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. They were preparing for a blockbuster show on Nubia and I got to work on some of the planning. I was working on my masters in Art History and Museum Training at the time and had an undergraduate degree in Egyptology from the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago which helped too.

Hope you and your meret sAt have lots of fun!

[Judi Lynn]

14. Just saw an article which says it was almost 3 times this height, originally.

Egyptian Archaeologists Discover Ancient Pyramid
By VOA News
11 November 2008

~snip~
Cultural authorities say the structure originally reached about 14 meters high, but only the five-meter-high base remains. They say thieves likely have already looted any treasure that was in the pyramid, the 118th found in Egypt.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-11-11-voa28.cfm

[Lautremont]

8. I wonder if they'll find an ancient version of the Sun Records studio?

[cliss]

13. Thanks derby

for the info.

I'm a recent Pyramid "nut". There is no end to the mystery, the intrigue, the mathematical proportions. All too cool.

[Arugula Latte]

15. Can you imagine finding something like that?

Wow wow wow :wow:

[Adam42069gc]

18. OK

It's another one of McPOW's houses!