Djedefre’s Pyramid

Abu Rawash is an active archaeological site, 8 kilometres north of Giza and which includes the Pyramid of Djedefre.  It is the northernmost pyramid in Egypt.   And it has been researched by Egyptologists since the late 1890’s.

The Pyramid of Djedefre is also known by its ancient name of Djedefre’s Starry Sky and more recently as ‘The Lost Pyramid’.  Pharaoh Djedefre ruled for about 8 years (2584—2576 BCE). But as important as the pyramid is for what it tells us about ancient Egypt, there is a greater story to tell.  And it’s all about family!

 Consider the Family Tree of Pharaoh Djedefre

• Pharaoh Sneferu, who is accredited with the construction of pyramids at Meidum and 2 at Dhashur (the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid), was the father of Khufu (who succeeded him).
• Khufu built the largest pyramid ever built on the Giza Plateau.
• Khufu had 2 sons, Khafre and Djedefre.
• Khafre built his own pyramid, the second largest pyramid in Egypt, next to his father’s pyramid on the Giza Plateau.
• Djedefre built his pyramid on an escarpment at Abu Rawash 8 miles away. In fact, his pyramid looked over the Giza Plateau as it was in an elevated position. This made it appear larger than it was.
• Menkaure, the son of Khafre and the nephew of Djedefre, built his pyramid next to his father Khafre’s pyramid on the Giza Plateau. It is the smallest of the 3 Giza Plateau pyramids.

From the investigations at Abu Rawash, Djedefre’s pyramid was approximately the same size as Menkaure’s.   But it appeared larger because it had a higher elevation on an escarpment than the Giza Plateau pyramids – an optical illusion.  Sneferu, his family and descendants, had an illustrious history of being involved in the construction of Egypt’s 8 largest pyramids and each being, at various stages, Pharaohs of Egypt.

So Why Build a Pyramid at Abu Rawash?

The reality is that we don’t really know.  Was it sibling rivalry, an act of defiance or independence from a brother  or simply because he liked the geography of where he built.  The question will probably never be answered. But the pyramid built by Djedefre at Abu Rawash applied some and discarded other building approaches that his grandfather and father (Sneferu and Khufu) had experimented with.

Djedefre’s grandfather Sneferu, had been the master of testing previously untried techniques at Dhashur that ultimately led to the construction of what is referred to as the perfect pyramid (the Red Pyramid).  But not before learning and perhaps realising from mistakes made at the Bent Pyramid and at Meidum before that.  Sneferu was no doubt a genius and to build 3 pyramids in his lifetime was simply incredible.

And the romantics amongst us, have suggested that Khufu, his son, must have played in the shadows of his father Sneferu’s pyramid building activities in Dhashur.  And then later, having learned lessons which he applied when he built his own pyramid on the Giza Plateau. Sounds like a good story, but as we’ve said, we will never really know.

But what we can say, is that the family was remarkably gifted in their passion to build such large structures.  And we can say with great certainty, that their passion was fuelled by a total belief in the afterlife and their obligation to secure the well being of their fellow Egyptians. By building pyramids that would help them take their position with the Gods of eternal life and to be able to look after their fellow Egyptians and take care of them was what drove them.