The Pyramid Of Elephantine

The Pyramid of Elephantine is a small step pyramid located on Elephantine Island in Aswan, Egypt. It was built during the Third Dynasty, probably for a local ruler. The pyramid is now only about 5.1 meters tall, but it originally would have had three steps and been about 20 meters tall.
It is oriented parallel to the west bank of the island, which leaves it 17° off north, to the west. The pyramid consisted of a core structure which was surrounded by two layers of stone with a thickness of four cubits.
The pyramid is part of a group of seven very similar small step pyramids, along with the pyramids at Edfu South, el-Kula, Naqada, Saujet el-Meitin, Seila, and Sinki. All of these were built far from the main centers of Egypt and are very poorly understood. The purpose of the Pyramid of Elephantine is not known for sure. It is possible that it was used as a cult center for the worship of the local god Khnum. Another possibility is that it was a tomb for a local ruler. However, the lack of any inscriptions or other evidence makes it difficult to say for sure what the pyramid was used for. The Pyramid of Elephantine is a relatively obscure monument, but it is an important part of the history of ancient Egypt. It is one of the few surviving examples of a small step pyramid, and it provides insights into the funerary practices of the Third Dynasty. The pyramid was discovered in 1907 by Henri Gauthier, who initially mistook it for part of the city wall. In 1978-79, Günter Dreyer excavated the pyramid and confirmed that it was indeed a pyramid. The pyramid is located in the northwest part of the Old Kingdom city on the south end of the island of Elephantine in the Nile. The pyramid is oriented parallel to the west bank of the island, which leaves it 17° off north, to the west. The pyramid consisted of a core structure which was surrounded by two layers of stone with a thickness of four cubits.

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