Abusir Awakes Diminutive pyramids and detailed reliefs mark this old kingdom site    By   Dr. Zahi Hawass

Barely noticed on the tourist circuit, Abusir is one of the most important sites in Egypt, home to 11 Old Kingdom pyramids and a number of tombs of the elite spanning several millennia. It is still something of a virgin site, long neglected by scholars and still full of secrets waiting to be uncovered.

Abusir lies between Giza and Saqqara, about 17.5 km south of the Sphinx and a few kilometers north of the Step Pyramid. The site’s name is derived from the ancient Egyptian pr wsir, “house of Osiris.” The earliest archaeological remains go back 5,000 years ago, elite tombs from the First and Second Dynasties. The area continued to be used up through the Fourth Dynasty for large tombs of the middle elite.

courtesy Supreme Council of Antiquities Egyptologists examine recently discovered relief carvings at Abusir.

The first Old Kingdom monarch to build at Abusir was Userkaf, the first king of the Fifth Dynasty (2465–2323 BC). His pyramid was at Saqqara three kilometers to the south, but he built a sun temple in the northern part of Abusir. Many of the kings who followed him chose to build their monuments — both pyramids and sun temples — at Abusir. The names of these rulers are not well known: Sahure, Neferirkare, Neferefre, Niuserre, and perhaps Shepseskare, and their pyramids are justifiably called ‘forgotten.’ At Abusir’s north end are the remains of two sun temples — the only ones found of six such temples mentioned in texts.

The Fifth Dynasty pyramids are considerably smaller than their predecessors from the Fourth, which produced the giants of Giza. However, the Abusir monuments made up for their lack of volume to some extent by increasing the decorated areas in the temples and causeways, which are covered by reliefs carved and painted on fine white limestone. It has been estimated that Sahure’s complex once boasted 10,000 square meters of wall relief.

courtesy Supreme Council of Antiquities Aerial view of Abusir’s Fifth Dynasty pyramids

In addition to the pyramids and sun temples, there are a number of other important Old Kingdom monuments at Abusir. Many important Fifth Dynasty officials were buried near the pyramids of their rulers; chief among them was Ptahshepses, chief justice and vizier under King Niuserre. This man was so important that he married a daughter of his monarch.

Abusir continued to be used for burials from the late Old Kingdom through the Middle Kingdom, and there was an important Late Period cemetery here also. There was also interest in the site during the New Kingdom, when Khaemwaset, son of Ramses II, built a rest house.

Modern archaeological interest in Abusir dates back to the late 19th century, when German archaeologists Ludwig Borchardt and Heinrich Schaeffer excavated Niuserre’s sun temple at Abu Ghurob. Over the past four decades, the sands have revealed many new treasures.

I consider Abusir one of the most important sites of the Old Kingdom, so in 1994, I started preparing to open it to the public. Our first task was to clear out a high mound of sand, dumped from previous excavations. I enlisted the services of Mohamed Moselhi, a front-loader driver who had worked for me at Giza. I knew that Moselhi would be careful and not miss any important archaeological remains. We did not expect to find anything, though, since Borchardt had supposedly cleared the area thoroughly.

I asked Moselhi to begin by removing the sand that lay a few meters from the north side of the causeway of Sahure. After he had been working only a few days, the driver came to me with photographs in his hand and a big smile on his face. He told me that his loader had come up against a pile of huge blocks, and he had of course stopped immediately. On closer inspection, he saw that the blocks were decorated.

I looked at the images, and in front of me were unique scenes, never before discovered. I knew then that Borchardt had not explored the entire causeway and the area surrounding it.

We began excavations to clear the blocks from around the causeway, and found four bearing reliefs, each surface measuring about two meters by two meters. All four blocks originally came from the lower part of the northern wall of the causeway corridor. The most important scene shows a group of men dragging something that would have been shown on another block, which is now missing. Fortunately, the inscription makes it clear that this was the pointed stone that was to go on top of the pyramid. It reads: “Bringing the pyramidion covered with fine electrum to the pyramid ‘The Soul of Sahure Rises in Glory’ by both ships’ crews.”

As shown in the preserved reliefs, the pyramidion was dragged on a wooden sledge by men with ropes. One man bends over in front of the sledge to pour water on the ground to help the runners move smoothly. Standing behind him is the director of works, who holds in one hand a scepter in the shape of a human arm.

My assistant, Tarek el-Awady, has continued excavations in this area, and has found additional important scenes. One of these shows the royal family of Sahure celebrating the king’s success in bringing valuable live myrrh trees from Punt. Another block shows the arrival of an expedition from this far-off land, the first such depiction in Egyptian history. Included are families from Punt, monkeys, baboons, dogs, and other goods being transported to Egypt on ships. The artist’s attention to detail is incredible — the features, hairstyles, clothes, and even musculature of the Puntites are illustrated clearly.

The site of Abusir is beginning to awaken from its long sleep, as our wonderful new discoveries come to the attention of the public. Tourists usually concentrate on the famous pyramids of Giza, for their unsurpassed size and magnificence; many also visit Saqqara, home of the Step Pyramid of Djoser, built by the genius architect Imhotep over 4,500 years ago. But now, Abusir is open, soon to be a favorite destination for visitors from around the globe. tt

Dr. Hawass heads the Supreme Council of Antiquities.