Pyramid of Khaba (Layer Pyramid) — Zawiyet el-Aryan
Old Kingdom, late 3rd Dynasty, c.2640 BCE·Ancient Egyptian·🇪🇬 Zawiyet el-Aryan, Giza, Egypt
About
About Pyramid of Khaba (Layer Pyramid) — Zawiyet el-Aryan
Layer Pyramid (c.2640 BCE) at Zawiyet el-Aryan attributed to Khaba (3rd Dynasty terminus). 84 m square, 14 layers of inclined limestone forming step pyramid with unfinished apex (~20 m extant). Excavated by Barsanti (1900-01) and Reisner, with polished granite sarcophagus fragment and inscriptions of Khaba found in descending corridor.
Why it mattersDefines end of 3rd Dynasty experimentation; links Khaba to Layer technology; military zone preserved archaeology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Exact owner Khaba vs. Nebka debate
- 02Why 14 layers not cased smooth
Theories
- 01Khaba = Huni precursor; Layer technique Abandoned for Meidum
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.2640 BCE, late 3rd Dynasty
- Period
- Old Kingdom, late 3rd Dynasty, c.2640 BCE
- Culture
- Ancient Egyptian
- Builders
- Ancient Egyptian (Khaba, Horus name)
- Purpose
- Royal tomb — transitional layer-step design toward true pyramid
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.2640 BCE, late 3rd Dynasty
Initial construction / foundation
c.1200 BCE
Major refurbishment / enlargement phase
c.220 CE
Abandonment or conversion
1890–1930
Modern rediscovery and first scientific survey
On the ground
Structures & features
29.9333° N · 31.1564° E · 95 m · 2 mapped features
Layer core and descending corridor
pyramid84 m square core of 14 concentric layers; 36 m descending corridor to unfinished chamber
29.9334° N · 31.1563° EGranite oval sarcophagus pit
chamberSunken oval pit for polished granite sarcophagus; Khaba serekh bowls found nearby
29.9331° N · 31.1566° E