Pyramid of Ankhenespepi II — Queen of Pepi I
Pyramid of Ankhesenpepi II · South Saqqara Queens Pyramid II
Old Kingdom, 6th Dynasty·Ancient Egyptian·🇪🇬 Memphis Necropolis, South Saqqara, Egypt
About
About Pyramid of Ankhenespepi II — Queen of Pepi I
Largest of Pepi I’s queens pyramids, positioned south-west of Pepi I’s enclosure at South Saqqara, built for Ankhenespepi II, sister-wife of Pepi I who survived to become queen-mother of Pepi II as regent. Excavated by Jean Leclant’s French mission (1980–present), the pyramid contained Pyramid Texts extended to 6th Dynasty queen corpus, a pink granite sarcophagus inscribed for the queen, and a famous abacus and alabaster statuette of Pepi II on her lap. Causeway and antechamber preserve painted reliefs.
Why it mattersRegency period evidence; first queen’s Pyramid Texts corpus published extensively by Leclant and Berger-El Naggar.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Duration of regency
Theories
- 01Ankhenespepi II acted as regent for child Pepi II from this cult centre
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 2330–2280 BCE
- Period
- Old Kingdom, 6th Dynasty
- Culture
- Ancient Egyptian
- Purpose
- Queens pyramid for Ankhenespepi II (Ankhesenpepi), wife of Pepi I and later wife of Merenre, mother of Pepi II
- Excavation
- Excavated
1988
French Archaeological Mission discovers inscribed chamber
1998
Statuette of Pepi II with Ankhenespepi II found beside sarcophagus
On the ground
Structures & features
29.8545° N · 31.2195° E · 58 m · 2 mapped features
Inscribed burial chambers
chamberNorth-south chambers with full Pyramid Texts for queen
29.8545° N · 31.2196° EAlabaster statuette findspot
chamberLocation of Pepi II on lap of queen statuette discovery
29.8544° N · 31.2194° E